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09-07-2012, 11:16 AM   #1
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da 16-50 - Is it only me??

My wife gets mad.... Hates me with my camera, well - she hates how long it takes me to focus to be precise. So I decided to check the DA 16-50. Went to the shop, took it into me hands - nice big piece of lens.... And then I understood, how low usability they have...

Sure, the SDM works not bad, my copy seemed to have some back focus around 16... But the focusing zooming ring....

Who the hell made is so small and hard to operate!. I was barely able to make some test photos, I was trying to figure out - why someone wanted it to be so hardly accessible and unusable. Is it only me that thinks this way, or maybe it is only the question of getting used to it?

I like WR, I like not bothering about the weather - but it seems that I do not have a real alternative in the kit like range - am I correct?

[EDIT]
Sorry - conffused ZOOMING and FOCUSING ring. Zooming is so small.... and Focusing is so big...


Last edited by Belcik; 09-07-2012 at 09:12 PM.
09-07-2012, 11:26 AM   #2
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I used to own a 16-50 f2.8, am going to buy it again as my next lens in the future. I have never had problems with this lens besides the focusing jittering around for a bit once it gets close to focusing on the subject.
09-07-2012, 11:29 AM   #3
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If you want weather sealed "normal" lens, 16-50 is your only real option. I like mine pretty well, but understand that modern zoom lenses (in general) are not intended to be manual focused. They just have a very different feel, even from auto focus primes like the DA and FA limiteds.
09-07-2012, 11:42 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Belcik Quote
Who the hell made is so small and hard to operate!. I was barely able to make some test photos, I was trying to figure out - why someone wanted it to be so hardly accessible and unusable. Is it only me that thinks this way, or maybe it is only the question of getting used to it?
If you speak about the focus ring course, it's not that small at all. Just get use to it. The DA 35/2.4 only takes a quarter to go from infinity to min focusing distance, and THAT is really short.

09-07-2012, 12:03 PM   #5
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Most of the newer lenses have really tiny focus rings that aren't fantastic to use. I understand a short focus throw to make AF fast, but to be hard to grip and annoying to use... not a fan.

I like my good old, 70-200's giant focus ring.

I'll except small lenses like the DA 40 of course.
09-07-2012, 12:15 PM   #6
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These modern DA lenses are meant for AF, not manual focusing, so they have a tiny focus ring and small focus throw. Try the FA lenses or legacy lenses (K and M series) for easier MF. Of course, the way to annoy her less is to use AF and take less time, but that might affect the quality of your produced photos
WR really limits your lens selection, though.
09-07-2012, 12:29 PM   #7
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Note sure why you would think that a DA* 16-50mm would be faster to manually focus than your limited lenses??? If you wanted the convienience of a zoom as opposed to prime lenses (which is what I first thought), AND you want manual focus, get an older A lens as suggested.

I really like my DA* 16-50, and uses autofocus 99% of the time. Always have the camera on center auto focus point, so point where I want to focus, press the shutter halfway, recompose, and shoot. Only time I manually focus is for night shots, and a few other special occasions.

Finally the focus ring is BIG, though the focus throw is SHORT (1/4 turn if I recall)...

09-07-2012, 05:00 PM   #8
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Just went and had a look at my DA* 16-50 as the original post seem to be a bit odd. The size of the focus ring itself is wider than the zone ring. It has plenty of purchase to operate. The throw itself is short, hence faster AF close to infinity.

I rarely use manual focus with this lens, centre spot, AF hold shutter halfway, recompose, then shot. Did do some focus adjustment, but on the whole a good general lens, it's on the camera almost as much as the FA 100 f2.8 Macro. Try the focus ring on that one and most of the FAs, the FA 50 f1.4, nifty fifty, now that is a tiny focus ring.

I might even buy another 16-50 for my wife if I can get one at a good price.
09-07-2012, 09:08 PM   #9
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Original Poster
Hi all.

Yes, sorry for misunderstanding and getting You confused. Focus ring - Huge. Zooming ring - small.

Zooming is hard. Focusing is easy. Additionally the placement of the ring so close to the body, that it additionally makes it hard to work with.
09-07-2012, 09:19 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Belcik Quote
Hi all.

Yes, sorry for misunderstanding and getting You confused. Focus ring - Huge. Zooming ring - small.

Zooming is hard. Focusing is easy. Additionally the placement of the ring so close to the body, that it additionally makes it hard to work with.
Okay understand, but it is a bit smaller than some, but as the zoom is something I use all the time, I am use to it. Muscle memory will kick in after a very short time using the lens and you will wonder what the original problem was. If you hold the camera in the right hand and the left on the lens or under the lens/body it will come. It is a good lens from using the one I have.
09-08-2012, 07:00 AM   #11
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still not got your concern.
for me the only gripe about the build of 16-50 is that the zoom ring is not very smooth from 28mm to 50mm.
even cheap kit lens feel better...
other than that. the build is wonderful.
09-08-2012, 10:53 AM   #12
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Hmm, thanks for Your opinions and comment. Maybe indeed the lens are not so terrible as the first impression I got. Photos are also at least nice (wish I had here in Moscow some Pentax rental...but I do not...)

The other concern was the SDM failure rate. I tried to calculate it somehow from the list of the available serials - but in reality it is not so big and terrible... So, you are saying Go For It - I will get used to?
09-08-2012, 11:48 AM   #13
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I have never felt I had the need for the lens, nor its SDM. f2.8 is nice, but f4 works just as well for me. Very late afternoons and early evenings into night, are my shooting times, so I just adjust with the lack of light. I can see that for some folks that this is a necessity, however its not my cup of tea.

09-08-2012, 01:48 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Belcik Quote
Hmm, thanks for Your opinions and comment. Maybe indeed the lens are not so terrible as the first impression I got. Photos are also at least nice (wish I had here in Moscow some Pentax rental...but I do not...)

The other concern was the SDM failure rate. I tried to calculate it somehow from the list of the available serials - but in reality it is not so big and terrible... So, you are saying Go For It - I will get used to?
What can I say? I bought one second hand just 2 months ago and took it with me on holyday last week. It was accompanied by 3 other (good) lenses but took 5 days to force myself and change it.

I was sceptical at first but now I`m glad I bought it. We`ll see if the SDM holds out
09-08-2012, 02:05 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by liukaitc Quote
still not got your concern.
for me the only gripe about the build of 16-50 is that the zoom ring is not very smooth from 28mm to 50mm.
even cheap kit lens feel better...
other than that. the build is wonderful.
The zoom ring is firm as it must be for a weather sealed lens but I don't agree that the kit lens feels better that the 16-50. It does take more effort to turn the 16-50 zoom ring, but then you're moving a lot more glass and sheer weight that it must be so. I dislike zoom creep - THAT makes a lens feel cheap.
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