Originally posted by Noisychip From the pics I have seen, there IS a LOT of distortion which a lot around here are ignoring...
Originally posted by Pablom I think the biggest issue photozone point out is the high cost of the lens, which is extremely over priced
I don't know about that. Extreme zoom range AND superb build quality - I tried one out yesterday for the first time and was very please with how beautifully it is built. Matches the K5 really well.
Originally posted by Parallax This was the part that bothered me:
Apparently, the poor border and corner resolution at shorter FLs, and the nearly non-existent border and corner resolution the longer FLs is a design feature.
I hope this isn't a trend. It used to be that the single biggest benefit to using a Pentax camera was that you could attach Pentax lenses to it. If this is their new "factory spec" for resolution they have serious problems ahead.
You know, with Photoshop these days, and lens correction algorhythms, and even the ability to construct your own, is ANY of this a big deal anymore? A teeny bit of sharpening in the corners, and some distortion correction, which I have been doing in Photoshop since the mid 90's...big deal. As long as Pentax or someone issues a great correction mechanism, who cares? The lens focusses fast and silently, it does not extend out as far as the zoom ration would lead you to believe, and the build quality is on par or better than a Canon or Nikon lens costing $2,000.00 or more.
Quit yer whinin'...Photozone has been known to be a bit outta whack with Pentax stuff...too subtle for them...they gave the FA* 24 f=2 a '2' in optical quality...that alone makes them nuts as far as I'm concerned. And regarding the magical 77 Limited, they state, and I quote, "Optically it doesn't offer much beyond the mainstream in this class"...COMPLETELY clued! 'Duhh...LOSERS! (© 2011 by Charlie SOS Sheen inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction, by any means, is....)
For $600.00, I like it. GREAT travel lens. Just set up a correction patch for it if you're using modern software - problem solved!
As for Photozone...
who cares what those nutbags think.
Cheers,
Cameron