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09-04-2014, 08:06 PM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by skunktail Quote
Ignoring the test charts, I carry the 18-135 for weather resistance, the Tamron for image quality.
I carry the 18-135 for weather resistance (major issue in my part of the world), convenience, and long reach. I carry the 16-45mm for image quality and convenience. Frankly, the 18-135mm gets the nod far more often. I usually overlook the 18-135mm in lieu of a prime, not another zoom.

The 18-135mm has higher IQ than both 18-55's I've owned, and my DA 18-250mm, which inexplicably get more respect. The 18-135mm is only fractionally behind the overrated 55-300mm. I am so pissed at Photozone for doing a hatchet job on this fine kit lens.

Sure, it's easy to criticise a kit lens, if you want to overlook the convenience and value. That's what a kit zoom is about, value and convenience vs. IQ. I like the 18-135's punchy colours, weather resistance, solid build, quiet AF and superzoom range, more than I value sharp corners.


Last edited by audiobomber; 09-04-2014 at 09:54 PM.
09-04-2014, 08:12 PM   #17
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I'm not sure how my post was deleted?

---------- Post added 09-04-14 at 08:13 PM ----------









---------- Post added 09-04-14 at 08:22 PM ----------

Whoops! My post wasn't deleted, I was in the wrong thread!
09-04-2014, 09:55 PM   #18
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Looks to me like your main issue is that you didn't correct for CA. One click in post-processing would clean up all that purple. There also appears to be some atmospheric haze in your scene.
09-04-2014, 10:16 PM   #19
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There's haze. Strangely less haze in the center.

It's still soft after correction. Very soft in the corners.

09-04-2014, 11:20 PM   #20
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Each lens has it's own foibles.

While a good performer overall, the Tamron can behave weirdly at 17mm, where the focus goes weird, perhaps due to field curvature. Something you notice a lot sometimes (eg shooting architectural subjects, flat walls etc), but less noticeable at events.

The 18-135 is a creditable walkaround across most of it's focal length, albeit a bit slow, but you do notice edge softness at the long end.

Both lenses benefit from using software that knows about the 'personality' of each lens and can help correct some of these weaknesses (if these deficiencies look bothersome - which often they don't) - eg DxO Optics Pro, and to an extent Lightroom and others.
09-05-2014, 06:07 AM   #21
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OK heres a couple of mine.... I've not corrected for CA< at the size of a web image there's no need to and this will never be printed.... but, the edge is very sharp, the red branches that are in focus are an absolutely clean line, no fuzziness at all even pixel peeing....





I'm not sure what goes on with others lenses, but, if one lens can do it, it sort of promotes the argument that the issue isn't the lens design, but possibly the build of some lenses or some other issue. Klaus over at photo zone, got a bad lens, and he was determined to make a point. I think accentuated by the fact that this lens really showed up the lack of integrity in his testing, talking about a whole series of lenses based on the one copy someone lent him, and giving edges as much weight as centre sharpness in his computations when in images like this, edge sharpness plays no role in the IQ of the image.



IN fact if you wanted to write a paper on the deficiencies of the Photozone review process, his review of this lens would be your poster child.

Last edited by normhead; 09-05-2014 at 06:15 AM.
09-05-2014, 08:53 PM   #22
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I have both lenses and while I have no numbers to go on, I generally find the Tamron lens better, but only slightly so. If I didn't have the Tamron, the Pentax lens would probably feel perfect for me, as a zoom. It's much better than the 18-55 that came with my K10d. I was relying heavily on the 18-135 but have more recently relegated it to family events and other limited uses where I need one lens and the flexibility the zoom can provide. The WR is also comforting, although I've put the Tamron through some light rain situations in the past with no issues to it or the camera.

Recently the Tamron has gone back to being my most used lens because I like being able to shoot it at faster apertures. At 2.8 it still tends to be sharper than the 18-135 wide open.

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