[skamaraju]

Editor's Choice 2007: SLR Lenses - - PopPhotoJuly/August 2007

[m8o]

That's great to see.

....good to see also that PopPhoto didn't get one of the bum copies that so many people encountered....

[SpecialK]

That's great to see.

....good to see also that PopPhoto didn't get one of the bum copies that so many people encountered....

Where are all the complaints about the new lenses?

[Mike Cash]

EDITOR'S CHOICE Advanced DSLRs

Camera of the Year: Pentax K10D

Congratulations Pentax and K10D owners.

[rogerstg]

Where are all the complaints about the new lenses?

You can search the internet and these forums. There have been backfocus issues, especially at f2.8 and infinity. It's tough to tell if the the issue is worse than any other lens or brand though.

Speaking for myself, I am on my second lens with the same issue. Inconsistent focusing at infinity at ~16mm at the fast apertures. It's the worst at f2.8, not so bad at f4 and gone by 5.6.

The reality is that it will probably never be an issue in real life. Who actually tests their new lenses through their focal range, zoom range and ap settings anyway? Infinity is generally used outdoors where the ambient light will allow smaller apertures. Since the lens gets incredibly sharp at f7.1 and up, those settings are usually used when possible.

Still, It puzzles me why the lens will focus fine at infinity at f8, yet will change focus lock when the aperture is set to f2.8. Camera is on a tripod and the lens is not touched. Of course an easy work around if the problem arises is to focus at f8, then switch the lens to manual focus and take the shot at 2.8.

In all other aspects the lens is an outstanding performer and I'd buy it again if needed.

[Substitute]

[QUOTE=rogerstg;126920]You can search the internet and these forums. There have been backfocus issues, especially at f2.8 and infinity. It's tough to tell if the the issue is worse than any other lens or brand though.


Yep my 50-135mm has a huge focussing issue at 2.8/4 I am complaining

[blwnhr]

Of course an easy work around if the problem arises is to focus at f8, then switch the lens to manual focus and take the shot at 2.8.

You shouldn't need a work around though, this is a flagship lens.

[rogerstg]

You shouldn't need a work around though, this is a flagship lens.

I tend to agree with that usually, but if you look at my entire quote, it may well be that it is not a lens issue, but rather a software issue. Since I'm hard pressed to come up with a scenario where I would take an outdoor shot at ~16mm at f/2.8 (due to lighting and the practical issue that the lens is a bit soft at f/2.8 anyway), it may be a problem in reality, but not practically.

[m8o]

RE:

You can search the internet and these forums. There have been backfocus issues, especially at f2.8 and infinity.

SpecialK, yes, search is your friend. Those threads were active months ago. Photozone.de also made a pretty big impact having canceled the 1st attempt @ a review several months back due to a bad de-centering defect issue.