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03-22-2012, 01:24 PM   #1
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DA 18-135 WR, Show us what it can do

Hi all!

Within 2 months I'm buying my new K5! I would really love to be convinced of the 18-135 because of its lovely versatility, but I can't find more than a few real good photo's made with it (for example if you compare this with the Flickr group of the Tammy 17-50 which is also a possibility).

Soo, if you guys would be so kind to post al you're awesome 18-135 shots here I would be most grateful

03-22-2012, 02:19 PM - 5 Likes   #2
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Here are a few, just trying to give a good range
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.


You can see a few images taken with other lenses here too..
03-22-2012, 05:42 PM   #3
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Nice shots Norm, you sure these were not taken in Scandinavia by some travel-agent.
Number 6 is the best... of all images I have seen in a long time.
Well done sir.

Last edited by Ex Finn.; 03-22-2012 at 06:27 PM.
03-22-2012, 06:17 PM - 3 Likes   #4
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We should get a thread started in the lens sample forum- there isn't one yet!


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03-22-2012, 07:13 PM   #5
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I have seen its talents here and elsewhere - but I also have owned it, so I say keep the receipt. My copy (an early one, if that's relevant) was not satisfactory. Had I post-processed frequently or enabled in-camera corrections it would have been tolerable, but it needed more babying that I was willing to provide given the IQ of my other lenses. So if you do get it, enjoy - but watch it warily at first to be sure it meets your standards.
03-22-2012, 07:47 PM - 2 Likes   #6
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I bought this lens because the range and WR were appealing to me for hiking. I haven't been able to spend much time with it on the trail yet, but I'm happy with it when I see sharpness like in the eyes and hair of this shot. I wasn't expecting any better than that for zoom in this price range.

03-22-2012, 08:18 PM - 5 Likes   #7
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03-22-2012, 09:13 PM - 1 Like   #8
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DA 18-135mm @ 135mm, f/8


DA 18-135mm @ 40mm, f/8



Last edited by audiobomber; 06-05-2012 at 03:19 PM.
03-22-2012, 10:25 PM - 2 Likes   #9
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I love this lens.

I took this lens on vacation to New Zealand, along with a DA21mm prime... but this one literally didn't leave the camera the entire time, it's so versatile (and WR is a big bonus in NZ). Some photos from caves on the South Island:







03-23-2012, 12:57 AM - 1 Like   #10
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Whoo, nice response!

@ Norm: Beautifull photo, nice contrast and composition! Thumbs up.

@ Lightbulb&Jamiep: Nice colors as well! And that photo of both the kids, tack sharp!

@Audiobomber: That photo on the 135 mm end is still pretty sharp after hearing al the horor stories about it! Nice to know..

@ Boredomfestival: Tack sharp pictures as well, especially the one with the drop. The rest are all roots from plants or am I wrong?

PS. Maybe this thread should me relocated to the sample part than?

Anyway any more photos?
03-23-2012, 06:42 AM - 1 Like   #11
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I just bought it used a couple weeks ago. So far, it seems to be a great walkaround lens. I haven't had the chance to analytically compare with the 16-45 but I like what I see so far:

Black pussywillow flower, just wrapping up:


Little spring flowers:
I like the 3D effect given here.
03-23-2012, 06:50 AM   #12
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is it possible to have f2.8-4 for this range? that should be one hell of a walk around.
03-23-2012, 07:07 AM - 1 Like   #13
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To me that's the biggest drawback of this lens. Occasionally we have to deal with vignetting, and sometimes you'd like it to be a little faster. 2.8 would be awesome. But you're probably talking twice the weight to get that and it becomes a little more than a walk around lens. The sharpness ratings aren't great, but it's good from 18-70, and it's center sharp after that, and it's actually pretty amazing how well that works.
03-23-2012, 10:00 AM - 1 Like   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Tomm Quote
@ Boredomfestival: Tack sharp pictures as well, especially the one with the drop. The rest are all roots from plants or am I wrong?
No, those are all cave formations (calcite and aragonite mostly); the curly ones are a rarer formation known as "helictites".

Re: the lens, the biggest drawback is that there is definitely nontrivial distortion; however, I *always* shoot in RAW and then PP in Lightroom, which allows to partially correct for this aberration so the results are reasonable. It's still not a "pro-caliber" lens, but then I'm not a pro, I'm not shooting architecture, and it only cost a few hundred bucks rather than a few thousand, so I think it's a fair tradeoff.
03-23-2012, 10:01 AM - 1 Like   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by TER-OR Quote
I just bought it used a couple weeks ago. So far, it seems to be a great walkaround lens. I haven't had the chance to analytically compare with the 16-45 but I like what I see so far
If/when you do a comparison of this lens against the 16-45, I would be very interested. This thread has made me start thinking of getting the 18-135 WR to replace my 16-45.
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