Got my DA* 16-50 today. It was in a Hoya box but had a Ricoh insert inside the box. Didn't look like it had been unpacked before and no indications that the lens has been handled by anyone. Serial is 9050370, not sure if that is helpful.
The build quality on this lens is awesome. The size and weight is definitely better than my Tokina AT-X 28-80 f2.8, that used to be mounted on my film bodies at all times. You definitely know it's not a kit lens mounted, but it isn't bad by any means. It seems to balance well on my K-5 with or without the battery grip. I sometimes take the grip off if I want to travel lighter, but most of the time it's on.
Hope the weather is nice this weekend, I look forward to shooting with it. I have a good feeling.
---------- Post added 03-21-14 at 07:29 PM ----------
Originally posted by Pål Jensen The biggest weakness of the lens is that it is prone to flare. I would have waited for the new lens on the roadmap that seem to cover the same focal lenght range....
Pretty bad flare in the second shot, but I don't have any zooms that would do any better with the sun so centrally present in the frame like that. My Tokina would probably completely white out in those conditions. I would switch to a prime in that case. If I shoot towards the sun, I usually try to keep it just out of the frame or at the edge where the flare will tend to be weakest. I don't mind a little flare as long as it's not the contrast-killing kind. I have used flare for creative effect from time to time.