[Kevin B123]

The horse shot is particularly appealing.

The 50-135 is a fantastic lens. It is however very limited by comparison to the 18-135 on the wide end. Essentially it's a short tele to medium tele - no normal, no wide. I often carry it in the following setup:

K-3, DA15, DA 20-40, DA 50-135, HD DA 1.4x converter. This gives me 15 - 189 f/4 or f/2.8 over most of the range.

But the 18-135 is a nice 1 lens option to cover a lot of the same range.

Another combo I sometimes use with the 50-135 includes the DA* 16-50 but I don't love the 16-50 as much as i wish I did. The lens is large and flares shooting into the sun and doesn't suit my wide angle to normal shooting pattern enough to justify to the size most of the time unless I need the speed.

Lastly there are times I carry the 20-40, 50-135 as a duo but that's only when I don't expect to need very wide angle results. My main film carry lens was the 35-135 so you can see this has a niche that is not too far off being equivalent to 35-200 roughly.

Thanks, the horse shot was opportunistic as I was driving by, stopped backed up and took the shot
This, and landscape detail or 50mm pano stitching would be my main use for any replacement in the field.
Oh, I just thought, a Sigma 17-50 f2.8 would be fine indoors and would live on the K-50, so the 50-135 could live on the K-3ii. I feel a spreadsheet with mass combinations coming on.
I'm not in any hurry for this so I will ponder on it a while and see what deals emerge later in the year. For the 50-135, I would probably buy used and convert to screw drive straight away since noise it not an issue for my use case.

If you don't really need f2.8, the DA*60-250 might be more suitable Kevin. It gets very good reviews as a landscape lens. Or a cheaper and lighter option would be to replace your screw-driven 55-300 with the PLM version. I have both the DA-L and the PLM 55-300, and I think the PLM is significantly better than the old model up to the 200s, even if there is no real gain at 300mm. Some of the difference might be attributable to the HD coatings (which your model has) but the PLM renders a lot better and doesn't need stopping down as much.

The DA*60-250 I had considered too big for my needs, but I agree it's an option and it see it has glowing reviews. I use my 55-300 mainly for airshows, where the PLM would be a much better option. Looks like I'm revising my whole kit here.

And people say that the 18-135 is no good at 135. Well, you have just proven them wrong. I never believed them anyway based on what my lens produces..

Thanks!. my copy is decent at the long end especially in good light. It suffers at the 18mm end a bit.

I own both the DA* 50-135 and the DA* 60-250 and I concur that the 60-250 could be a great option but it is significantly heavier and since the comparison is the 50-135 I think the 50-135 plus TC is a better choice for a lot of people. Also the 60-250 is SDM and cannot be converted to screw drive which may put some off - though reports of failure are rare with this lens. Personally each of them has a different purpose for me. I take the 50-135 when I am thinking portraits and general short - medium telephoto. I take the 60-250 when I need more reach and the weight is less of a concern. I only have the DA 55-300 and haven't had the pleasure of the 55-300 PLM. I have compared the 60-250 with the HD 1.4x TC on it to the 55-300 and found the 60-250 even with TC to be superior but again that's against the DA version non-HD non-WR non-PLM.

Good points, with f2.8 a TC is a good high IQ fix

Another fine outdoor combo could be the D-FA 28-105 + FA 135, and ditch all that indoors for the Sigma 17-50, thinking museums here. Then again, I have used the 18-135 in these situations with the ISO pumped up and got good results.

The great thing about the 18-135 on either the K-50 or K-3ii is that it fits in a small shoulder bag (Crumpler Jackpack 1500) and is unobtrusive and versatile. Replacing it with anything better requires a bigger bag, a mule and stern WTH looks from the other half.

[robgski]

The 18-135mm does panoramic stitching !
[IMG][/IMG]

[UncleVanya]

The 18-135mm does panoramic stitching !
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Nice, what software?

[NS_Sailor]

Some shots done on a bright sunny day with the 18-135 and a Polarizing Filter

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[Cerebum]

I have been preoccupied with vintage glass so the other day I made the decision to spend a week with my K3 & 18-135 and a bunch of filters. These two were filter less it is such a sweet lens

[Kevin B123]

Some shots done on a bright sunny day with the 18-135 and a Polarizing Filter

I have not bought any filters for mine, due I think to size and cost. The first image looks to have some sky artifacts on my screen, I guess that is due to post processing?
The blues have a nice saturation.

[RGlasel]

These two were filter less it is such a sweet lens

Very nice shots, I have never had success photographing butterflies and moths, so I'm doubly impressed with the second one.

[mattb123]

The 18-135mm does panoramic stitching !
[/url][/IMG]

Hey, I live on the other side of those mountains!
I pass by here every time I have to go to Denver and just finally stopped there for the first time a few months ago. Looks like we stood in almost the same spot. I used a different lens.


---------- Post added 07-03-18 at 02:37 PM ----------

Here's one from Sunday with the 18-135 on my K-3

[robgski]

Hey, I live on the other side of those mountains!
I pass by here every time I have to go to Denver and just finally stopped there for the first time a few months ago. Looks like we stood in almost the same spot. I used a different lens.

My brother lives in the Springs, and we spent the whole day out. The storm was to the northeast of Canon City, and he took me up on Skyline Drive to get the shot, great place for a pano!

[mattb123]

My brother lives in the Springs, and we spent the whole day out. The storm was to the northeast of Canon City, and he took me up on Skyline Drive to get the shot, great place for a pano!

This looks like it's from the Collegiate Peaks Overlook near Buena Vista just off 285. That is where mine was from anyway.

[robgski]

This looks like it's from the Collegiate Peaks Overlook near Buena Vista just off 285. That is where mine was from anyway.

You are correct, I had confused the shot above with the one I posted in the "Bad Weather Makes Good Pictures" thread in my signature

[pepperberry farm]

[Kevin B123]

Some recent shots with this lens.

[SharkyCA]

I have not bought any filters for mine, due I think to size and cost. The first image looks to have some sky artifacts on my screen, I guess that is due to post processing?
The blues have a nice saturation.

I have these filters from Hoya for my 55-300 and found them decent and not a bad price, here is a link for them for the 18-135 but check to be sure on the sizing.

Hoya 62mm Digital Filter Kit II HK-DG62-II B&H Photo Video

[robgski]

Nice, what software?

I used the free Microsoft Image Composite editor (ICE) incredibly easy to use.