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06-08-2013, 10:18 PM   #1
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Lens dilemma: Give up DA 12-24 for DA* 16-50??

I'm in a real dilemma as to whether to sell my DA 12-24 in favor of the DA* 16-50. I really want the weather sealing, plus nearly 2/3 of all the photos I've taken with a Pentax are in the 16 to 50 mm range, but I'm too afraid I'll miss the 4 mm on the wide end. Has anyone done this and missed that extra 4 mm? Any other opinions on this?

06-08-2013, 10:44 PM   #2
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I did just like that. I bought a DA*16-50 and sold my DA 12-24. Now I have a DA*16-50 with non working SDM and also non working MF = a lens that I can't use at all. But did I miss 12 mm? The difference between 12mm and 16mm is huge so I did miss it sometimes but I find that I got more use of the DA*16-50 so i didn't regret that I changed to that lens. The DA*16-50 is a good choice if you can live with the poor quality of the SDM and the risk of a non working MF.
06-08-2013, 10:47 PM   #3
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I guess another question I have is, on the 16-50, is there vignetting at 16 mm with a circular polarizer attached? With it on my 12-24, I can't go below 14 mm without strong vignetting, so I'm curious about this on the 16-50.
06-08-2013, 10:50 PM   #4
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Well Phii Mii, I've read that SDM lenses made in 2012 and newer should have much less of a chance of SDM issues, so I'll keep my fingers crossed if I buy new, but thanks for the warning.

06-09-2013, 12:50 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by enoxatnep Quote
I guess another question I have is, on the 16-50, is there vignetting at 16 mm with a circular polarizer attached? With it on my 12-24, I can't go below 14 mm without strong vignetting, so I'm curious about this on the 16-50.
I have a thin ring polarizer for my 12-24 that doesn't vignette - they aren't cheap though.

Personally, I love ultrawides. I would not do without one of these. So what would I do if I were you? Probably sell the 12-24, get a Sigma 10-20 (not the fixed aperture one, the cheaper, sharper, older one) and an DA18-55wr or DA18-135. I have a DA*16-50, DA18-55wr and DA18-135 and I prefer the images from the da*16-50, but my second choice would be the DA18-135.
06-09-2013, 03:18 AM   #6
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I really like my copy of the 16-50. I know opinions vary greatly, but I find that 16mm and f4, it is nicely sharp edge to edge, it does do well with polarizing filters. The two issues with it are the question of the SDM breaking down at some point (mine broke six months after I purchase it and has been good for four years since that time) and it really tends to flare easily. But as you say, 16-50 is a bread and butter range -- a lot easier for me to walk around with that lens than it would be with a 12-24.
06-09-2013, 06:19 AM   #7
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Another option - I love my DA 12-24 and don't think I could part with it. I actually sold off my DA* 16-50 to help pay for my 12-24. What I did to fill the gap was buy a DA 35 2.4 which is a fantastically sharp lens, and now also use my DFA 50 2.8 macro to cover the longer end of the 16-50.

Yes, I lost the weather sealing of the DA* lens, but my new combo is everything that I wanted.

DA 12-24
DA 35 2.4
DFA 50 2.8

And as said already above - 16mm vs 12mm is a huge difference!

06-09-2013, 07:32 AM   #8
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I don't know if I was clear about my feelings for the 16-50mm? But I do love it and I will have it repaired, I love both itīs optical qualities and itīs weather sealing

And for a polarizer I have a Hoya HD CPL and I haven't noticed any vignetting (but I don't use it that often, mostly shoot without any filters).
06-09-2013, 08:07 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by enoxatnep Quote
I guess another question I have is, on the 16-50, is there vignetting at 16 mm with a circular polarizer attached? With it on my 12-24, I can't go below 14 mm without strong vignetting, so I'm curious about this on the 16-50.
Have a slim circular polarizer on my 16-50, and have no vignetting.
Also, haven't had SDM problems with my lens yet either, and I think I got one of the very early morels....

Oh, and the "last 4 mm" missing, I am sure that you might and the gap is large. I've never missed it, but then again I never have had a 12-24 (and, use the 10-17 if I really want wide)
06-09-2013, 08:16 AM   #10
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I have both, and they are different enough to keep them both.
The DA 12-24 is also one of my favorite lenses.
Keep them both if you can.
06-09-2013, 08:27 AM   #11
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That is a tough one. I had the 12-24, now have the 16-50. I found I didn't shoot much below 20mm, but the 12-24 is an awesome lens. If I could afford both I would have both, but for now the 16-50 is a workhorse. Too bad pentax doesn't make the 12-24 WR!
06-09-2013, 09:21 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by enoxatnep Quote
I guess another question I have is, on the 16-50, is there vignetting at 16 mm with a circular polarizer attached? With it on my 12-24, I can't go below 14 mm without strong vignetting, so I'm curious about this on the 16-50.
As others said, a slim filter shouldnīt produce vignetting but I wanted to point out it is really tricky / not possible to use a polarizer with focal lengths below 24mm..

On the main question, Iīd go with the DA16-50. I do not own the DA12-24 but at f/4, the DA16-50 produces edge to edge sharp pictures at any FL. Better even at f/5.6.
You will loose 4 important milimeters, but you will gain a 1 light stop, WR, more range, 9 aperture blade.
You can add a wider zoom if you find you miss those 4mm
06-10-2013, 02:50 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by enoxatnep Quote
Has anyone done this and missed that extra 4 mm?
I swapped out my DA 12-24 for a DA 16-45, and have not missed the 4mm at all. I use zooms when I need focal range flexibility, and I found I shot in the 24 to 45 range far more than I shot in the 12 to 16 range. I would have liked to have gotten the DA* 16-50. It is, IMO, greatly under-rated in terms of optical performance. But the SDM issues, coupled with the fact that the f2.8 would be useless to me, kept me away.
06-10-2013, 03:25 PM   #14
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I think the 16mm is awfully handy to have. I own the DA 15 limited and honestly, my 16mm is sharper than it is, unless I am shooting the sun.


06-17-2013, 05:50 PM   #15
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Hi everyone, thanks for your input and sorry for my delayed response. I'll keep my 12-24 for now and will patiently await what happens according to the Lens Roadmap. I have the DA 35mm Macro to bridge the gap between the 12-24 and my DA* 50-135, but perhaps something more versatile will come out, like a DA* 16-85mm or thereabouts. I also have the 10-17 Fisheye but prefer the 12-24 for most of my wide-angle applications.

I guess what I'm really looking for is a 2-3 (preferably) weather-sealed zoom lens solution to cover most of my shooting applications so I don't have to pack around the 4 lenses that I currently do, nor have to switch lenses as often in the 24-50 mm range. It's a dilemma that I can't seem to solve with the current lens lineup, unless I get the 10-20mm or 8-16mm Sigma and the DA* 16-50 to compliment my DA* 50-135, I suppose.
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