Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
01-01-2011, 12:38 AM   #1
Senior Member




Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sydney
Photos: Albums
Posts: 294
DA 18-135mm IQ

Some people have been interested in the IQ of this lens and it's performance.
Here is my personal opinion.
The build quality seems excellent. The AF is fast, quiet and accurate. The IQ to me seems to be much better than the kit lenses but not quite as good as the high end lenses. Overall a very good everyday walk around lens.
The following examples are just quick shots taken around my home and street.
Judge for yourselves.

18mm-f11


135mm-f11


135mm-100% crop


60mm-f11


60mm-100% crop


Peter

01-01-2011, 12:57 AM   #2
Pentaxian
Class A's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 11,250
Hi, currently I see only "Content protected by owner" rather than your images. Please check yhe access priveliges.
01-01-2011, 02:35 AM   #3
axl
Veteran Member
axl's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 7,183
Well, not to be mean but at f11 any lens will look good...
I'd be more interested to see wide open or near wide open shots...
01-01-2011, 08:48 AM   #4
Veteran Member
Nowhere Matt's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Nowhere Land
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,362
Check the list of Lens Clubs in this section. There is at least a "DA* Lens Club" full of examples of what this great lens can do even wide open. And if you have trouble believing, think about renting the lens perhaps from a local or online camera rental store. You will not regret the opportunity to use a lens like the Pentax DA * 18-135mm. It gives really nice images.

01-01-2011, 09:01 AM   #5
Veteran Member
dgaies's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maryland / Washington DC
Posts: 3,917
QuoteOriginally posted by Nowhere Matt Quote
Check the list of Lens Clubs in this section. There is at least a "DA* Lens Club" full of examples of what this great lens can do even wide open. And if you have trouble believing, think about renting the lens perhaps from a local or online camera rental store. You will not regret the opportunity to use a lens like the Pentax DA * 18-135mm. It gives really nice images.
True, except the OP is asking about the 18-135, which is not a DA* lens (it's WR, but just carries the DA designation). Nonetheless, there are at least a few threads with samples from the 18-135 so fa and it seems to be a nice lens with decent IQ; a step above the kit lens but not quite at the level (IQ-wise) of something like the DA*50-135.
01-01-2011, 09:10 AM   #6
Veteran Member
GeneV's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Albuquerque NM
Photos: Albums
Posts: 9,830
QuoteOriginally posted by Class A Quote
Hi, currently I see only "Content protected by owner" rather than your images. Please check yhe access priveliges.
+1 I can't comment on what I can't see.
01-01-2011, 09:20 AM   #7
Senior Member




Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sydney
Photos: Albums
Posts: 294
Original Poster
I do not know why you cannot see the images. There is no protection on them, they should be free to view and download.

Peter

01-01-2011, 09:30 AM   #8
Veteran Member
GeneV's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Albuquerque NM
Photos: Albums
Posts: 9,830
QuoteOriginally posted by Ivor K Ecks Quote
I do not know why you cannot see the images. There is no protection on them, they should be free to view and download.

Peter
Odd, now only the first image is blocked. This is obviously a problem more than one of us share. However, the images which now appeared are quite nice.
01-01-2011, 12:45 PM   #9
axl
Veteran Member
axl's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 7,183
QuoteOriginally posted by Nowhere Matt Quote
Check the list of Lens Clubs in this section. There is at least a "DA* Lens Club" full of examples of what this great lens can do even wide open. And if you have trouble believing, think about renting the lens perhaps from a local or online camera rental store. You will not regret the opportunity to use a lens like the Pentax DA * 18-135mm. It gives really nice images.
I think you've just invented new lens. There's no such thing as DA*18-135... Even if it was, I have no intention of buying it. All I was pointing out was the there is not a big point in shooting pictures at f11 and post them in "what the lens can do" thread. At f11 you would have some trouble to tell many lenses apart...
My 2p
01-01-2011, 12:59 PM   #10
Ira
Inactive Account




Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Coral Springs, FL
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 5,216
The first image at 18mm is blocked for me as well.

But I viewed images of this lens elsewhere, I've had and still have every intention of buying it as an all-one-solution for parties, but I gotta tell you:

For some of the images I saw at 18, the distortion was horrible, and bordered on not being recticular at all. More like the 10-17 at, say, 12 or 13.
01-02-2011, 07:27 AM   #11
Senior Member




Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sydney
Photos: Albums
Posts: 294
Original Poster
Wide open shots

Here are a couple of shots at wide open, or as wide open as you can get at the focal length of the shots.

115mm, f5.6 only candle light, AF-S



78mm, f5.6



Peter
01-02-2011, 12:19 PM   #12
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chicago Suburbs.
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 501
I can see most images just fine. Perhaps the server was acting up again? Just the first image says "Content protected by owner"

Last edited by goldenarrow; 01-02-2011 at 12:34 PM. Reason: added text.
01-02-2011, 12:42 PM   #13
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chicago Suburbs.
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 501
18-135mm IQ

Found this flickr photostream from someone named digitalbear who lives in or near Tokyo. His K-r + 18-135 images seem very nice to me.

Pentax K-r + DA 18-135 f3.5-5.6 ED AL - a set on Flickr

I have been looking intently on getting this lens. Been wrestling with old manual zooms but not wanting to get a cheapo "kit" lens and not wanting to spend on a DA* zoom yet (even though they are a reasonable cost compared to the top two "name brands", Nikon and Canon). On the other hand, a pro-grade zoom would be very very nice. Still evaluating...

GA
01-02-2011, 01:05 PM   #14
Ira
Inactive Account




Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Coral Springs, FL
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 5,216
What about the distortion at 18? Am I the only one that sees it?

Or am I wrong?
01-02-2011, 01:11 PM   #15
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jul 2010
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,395
QuoteOriginally posted by Ira Quote
What about the distortion at 18? Am I the only one that sees it?
No it's noticeable, I suppose no more noticeable than the other zooms though.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
crop, da 18-135mm, iq, k-mount, lens, lenses, pentax lens, slr lens
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
For Sale - Sold: SuperTak 35mm f/3.5, Soligor 135mm f/2.8, Hanimex 135mm f/2.8 (M42 lens) hinman Sold Items 14 01-14-2008 11:36 AM
Mid Range Zoom - Tamron 24-135mm or Pentax F 35-135mm? Khukri Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 0 06-26-2007 02:02 AM
For Sale - Sold: Make Offers: Haminex 135mm f/2.8, Sears 135mm f/2.8, Super Albinar 100-200mm f inneyeseakay Sold Items 1 06-23-2007 02:05 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:02 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top