[MJKoski]

No it is just messed up. Working copy of this lens is supposedly good at both ends. At least my copy of Tamron 15-30 was in F-mount.

Zoom lens is just an excuse for this. It is 1900€ lens and this is unacceptable.

[Nicolas06]

For example, the DA55-300 is sharpest at 300mm.

Just on a side note, mine isn't. I can manage to get the 55-300 pixel sharp and all, but never at 300mm. At 300mm at 100% it always a bit soft and looking at other samples photo here, it seems to be consistant with that

If the my HD55-300 managed the same performance at 300mm that it manage at 55 or even 200mm, I think there would be far less DA*300 or 60-250 sales

But I agree with you that a zoom is far from uniform and this will be a sample by sample case basis.

[Nicolas06]

No it is just messed up. Working copy of this lens is supposedly good at both ends. At least my copy of Tamron 15-30 was in F-mount.

Zoom lens is just an excuse for this. It is 1900€ lens and this is unacceptable.

MJKoski, it is nice to say it to be unacceptable but what will you actually do? Send it to trash and never buy Pentax again? Go on courts ?

The 0% defect rate doesn't exist even for Nuclear power plants, space station or aircrafts. And there much more insentive to avoid any issue for such than for your lens. If you brought it recently, just ask for a change. Simple as that. If they can't ask for refund and buy from any other european country that has it.

And if really you think all of this is bargage and there much better thing on other brand, go back to them. Life too short to spend more time than necessary on such issues. But don't be surprised if when you switch system you find some of your lens or body to have issue... It is quite common, more on zooms, more on UWA. More on large apperture lenses. You combine all 3.

[MJKoski]

Think about it, it is a double-priced Tamron 15-30. I will get this fixed in one way or another. Be it another copy or another service. I would let it be if it was priced like Tamron should be. But this, no way. Do you have the lens yourself? Would you be happy to spend major $$$$ for garbage?

I have had my fair share of decentered duds with all kinds of brands. Difference is, Zeiss has been able to fix my Distagons in the past, CaNikon service has done their work as well. This will be my 4th service with Pentax gear in 3 months time. A record so far with any brand.

[biz-engineer]

But this, no way. Do you have the lens yourself? Would you be happy to spend major $$$$ for garbage?

I do have the lens, and it is very far from garbage and it is as sharp or even sharper than Nikon 14-24 know as one of the best in class wide angle zoom. If you had issues with a Zeiss primes lens, that may indicate what's you level of expectations. Please do Pentax a favor and change brand if the Pentax lenses are so bad.

---------- Post added 03-10-16 at 20:41 ----------

Difference is, Zeiss has been able to fix my Distagons in the past, CaNikon service has done their work as well.

Then go back to Canon.

[MJKoski]

I did not say that working copy is garbage. Decentered one however is. I know very well how a working copy should perform which is why I bought this.

Zeiss lenses are not magic bullets. Out of 4 copies of 21mm Distagon lenses I bought only one was balanced copy. Two went to Zeiss for service and one of those was catastrophe right out of the box.

More QC should be done around those Pentax service points.

[Nicolas06]

I did not say that working copy is garbage. Decentered one however is. I know very well how a working copy should perform which is why I bought this.

Zeiss lenses are not magic bullets. Out of 4 copies of 21mm Distagon lenses I bought only one was balanced copy. Two went to Zeiss for service and one of those was catastrophe right out of the box.

More QC should be done around those Pentax service points.

Ahaha you complain you had 4 issues with pentax in 3 month a first time with any brand. But you got 3 issues with Zeiss on A SINGLE LENS. Definitiely you are not objective. You are very picky and that why you always get disapointed. The problem isn't Pentax or tamron quality. Zeiss quality isn't enough for you neither. Maybe you should try Leica ? Lol.

The gear isn't the problem even if in your case, maybe your 15-30 should be serviced/exchanged this isn't the key point here.

It almost a play as you got many lenses and service repear in the past. You know perfectly what to do and expect. You go there to ask but in reality you know perfectly your gear issue. You are perfectly aware. You use the thread as a free place to trash Pentax/Tamron because they didn't manage to do better than Zeiss.

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Last edited by Nicolas06; 10-03-2016 at 11:38 PM.

[MJKoski]

Oh gosh. Who said I bought 4 Distagons at once? That was during 6 year period. Those have been needed in various photography projects and then sold. That is how I do it, I only own gear I need at any given period, be it 3 months or 5 years.

Only blind monkey would sent the zoom back as serviced without checking it is in working condition. 30mm was not the only focal length in there. Same happened with K-1 body which was sent to service for white dot and black band problem - one exposure would have been enough to see the black band was not fixed.

So, wait for your own service party should you need it sometime. What is wrong in being picky? K-1 attracted me thanks to Pixel-Shift which is of zero use when lens is not in perfectly working condition. It looks very ill when one part of image is ultra sharp and other plain mess. So think what you write before laughing at someone's expense.

[Sandy Hancock]

Although I haven't tested it at infinity focus, my DFA15-30 is as good or better than my FA20 and FA*24 at their respective focal lengths, and the latter two are no slouches.

Obviously astrophotography is a much more rigorous test of a lens' capabilities, so if your copy is not measuring up you know what to do.

[Nicolas06]

So, wait for your own service party should you need it sometime. What is wrong in being picky? K-1 attracted me thanks to Pixel-Shift which is of zero use when lens is not in perfectly working condition. It looks very ill when one part of image is ultra sharp and other plain mess. So think what you write before laughing at someone's expense.

It's ok if you admit it, admit that even Zeiss will have difficulties to provide what you ask and so you are likely to ask for return quite often and don't complain about it making people think you were unlucky while you are just extremely picky.

[biz-engineer]

It's ok if you admit it, admit that even Zeiss will have difficulties to provide what you ask and so you are likely to ask for return quite often and don't complain about it making people think you were unlucky while you are just extremely picky.

Yes, I think that's very likely the case.

[yygomez]

It looks very ill when one part of image is ultra sharp and other plain mess.
.

For a $1500 lens I don't think asking for a decent IQ is been picky, I totally agree. I have been shooting Pentax for many years, but it does not make me a fanboy to the point of denial (like many here)

[MJKoski]

It is 1900 euro lens in our region...more expensive than Nikkor 14-24. Material quality is miles below the Nikkor (which is sealed at least as good as this rubber ring Tamron) and they dare to ask such rip-off price for it.

[Nicolas06]

For a $1500 lens I don't think asking for a decent IQ is been picky, I totally agree. I have been shooting Pentax for many years, but it does not make me a fanboy to the point of denial (like many here)

It just I assume that if you got 3 Zeiss lenses services, the problem isn't only Pentax and that yes you are picky... We can criticize Pentax but I don't know many that wouldn't recognize Zeiss... And still this is not enough here apparently.

I don't doubt the lens may have issue, this happen. On all brands, including the most reputed ones.

[MJKoski]

Last Zeiss service with 21mm Distagon was quite a shock. One lens element was changed for being defective and one was out of place. An average grandma could see it was not okay :]