what has been your most "disappointing" lens?

robthebloke · 11-26-2016, 04:07 PM

A20 f2.8.

panoguy · 11-26-2016, 04:12 PM

Sigma 120-400mm, no contest.

It was the "cheaper option" compared to the 150-500 and 50-500, and after only two days I knew why. Totally soft and fuzzy at 400mm, and focus was slow (but not quite DA*50-135 slow). Sent it back in exchange for the 150-500mm, which was stellar for the price (at f/8 quite nice, really).

swanlefitte · 11-26-2016, 04:25 PM

The Fujinon 14.5-45mm T2.0 Premier PL Zoom Lens. You spend 100K on a lens and it wont even attach to my k-s2

The kit 50-200 is a poor mans disappointment. I have forced myself to use it and its hard to get an ok picture even when a great easy shot presents itself. All my other cheap glass has been able to give happy surprises from time to time.

bigfoxkiB · 11-26-2016, 04:48 PM

Mine is FA 35/2...nothing really killed the lens beside loud AF, often make my "prey" caution.
Now I have the smaller 40/2.8 Ltd, I rarely use her anymore...
Will bring her out if I need a larger aperture.

**TwoUptons** · 11-26-2016, 05:44 PM

Takumar (bayonet) 135mm f2.5

I thought it had it all, fast aperture, wonderful focus action, small size, and good sharpness.

Pity it flared so much... And I kept it for years anyway...

Or the beautiful F 50mm f1.7 that turned out to have been dropped...

-Eric

Interspieder · 11-26-2016, 06:09 PM - **1 Like**

My disappointment was the A 28 2.8.
My copy wasn't sharp at all, only at f6.3 and above. I sold it later and bought the M 28 3.5 and was veery happy with it. Now I switched to the K 28 3.5 and it's the same great sharpness with great blue color

Topsy · 11-26-2016, 06:26 PM

Not a pentax lens, but my MIR-1 is an absolute lemon. It's nice for video work if you need lens flare and not much resolution. But the flares aren't the issue.
It's resolution wide open is so bad that you have a hard time in live view figuring out if that what you're now seeing is 'in focus' or not and it doesn't get that much better when stopping it down. It mainly cleans the corners up.
it's usually sitting on the shelf now. I might take the plunge and buy a second one sometime because I don't think they all are that bad. I guess I'll find out.

cali92rs · 11-26-2016, 06:31 PM

Originally posted by kh1234567890

DA15 Ltd. Grossly over-rated. The DA16-45 at 16mm is just as good and at f4 much better.

I agree.

**monochrome** · 11-26-2016, 06:41 PM

FA31. My copy is soft and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.

Dlanor Sekao · 11-26-2016, 06:45 PM

This is an easy one...DA L 18-55 WR......what a pitiful little creature. Was never Happier to Sell off a lens as I was this one.

---------- Post added 11-27-16 at 09:47 AM ----------

Originally posted by the squirrel mafia

the pentax da-l 18-55mm. It's kinda soft. It's very slow. The 16mp sony sensor seems to out resolve it.

+1...agreed !

stillshot2 · 11-26-2016, 06:57 PM

Pentax F 100-300. If you try really hard and if you have good post processing skills you can get decent images at certain f stops and when not focused at infinity but boy oh boy was this lens soft, heavy, large, and cheap feeling. I paid $30 or so for one off of craigslist but ended up bundling it with a camera to help sell off some gear. I also included a white colored non WR 18-55 DAL in that bundle too but that lens was surprisingly good at all focal lengths and apertures, and it was replaced with an 18-55mm DA WR lens that is equally as good (and this is compared to some much more expensive "legendary" lenses too). I guess the quality control of the 18-55's are hit and miss.

kjphilippona · 11-26-2016, 07:12 PM

Originally posted by monochrome

FA31. My copy is soft and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.

Now that would hurt

Outis · 11-26-2016, 07:58 PM

Borrowed an A 50mm f/1.7. I thought the colors were dull and the images were not very contrasty, though they cleaned up OK in postprocessing. Other than that, I've actually been really happy with all the lenses I've bought.

SpecialK · 11-26-2016, 08:11 PM

Never warmed up to the 50mm 1.4. Also had an 800mm Tele-Vivitar thing I could never really focus well, though subsequent purchaser said thanks it was better than his mirror lens.

**mgvh** · 11-26-2016, 08:18 PM

When I was just starting to take photography more seriously, I got the DA 16-45 that people raved about. Never got shots that I was really happy with and found the focal length to be too short on the long end for a general purpose lens. I got rid of it eventually for the DA 18-135.
Now that I know a bit more and look at the pics, it clearly was a significantly decentered lens. (And the person I bought it from on the PF never said anything but that there was a crack in the lens hood when it had been dropped once.)

11-26-2016, 08:11 PM	#29
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	Never warmed up to the 50mm 1.4. Also had an 800mm Tele-Vivitar thing I could never really focus well, though subsequent purchaser said thanks it was better than his mirror lens. Last edited by SpecialK; 11-26-2016 at 10:38 PM.

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11-26-2016, 04:07 PM	#16
robthebloke Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Sydney Photos: Albums Posts: 844	A20 f2.8.

11-26-2016, 04:12 PM	#17
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Sigma 120-400mm, no contest. It was the "cheaper option" compared to the 150-500 and 50-500, and after only two days I knew why. Totally soft and fuzzy at 400mm, and focus was slow (but not quite DA*50-135 slow). Sent it back in exchange for the 150-500mm, which was stellar for the price (at f/8 quite nice, really).

11-26-2016, 04:25 PM	#18
swanlefitte Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,068	The Fujinon 14.5-45mm T2.0 Premier PL Zoom Lens. You spend 100K on a lens and it wont even attach to my k-s2 The kit 50-200 is a poor mans disappointment. I have forced myself to use it and its hard to get an ok picture even when a great easy shot presents itself. All my other cheap glass has been able to give happy surprises from time to time.

11-26-2016, 04:48 PM	#19
bigfoxkiB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: New York City Posts: 100	Mine is FA 35/2...nothing really killed the lens beside loud AF, often make my "prey" caution. Now I have the smaller 40/2.8 Ltd, I rarely use her anymore... Will bring her out if I need a larger aperture.

11-26-2016, 05:44 PM	#20
TwoUptons Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,215	Takumar (bayonet) 135mm f2.5 I thought it had it all, fast aperture, wonderful focus action, small size, and good sharpness. Pity it flared so much... And I kept it for years anyway... Or the beautiful F 50mm f1.7 that turned out to have been dropped... -Eric

11-26-2016, 06:09 PM - 1 Like	#21
Interspieder Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 76	My disappointment was the A 28 2.8. My copy wasn't sharp at all, only at f6.3 and above. I sold it later and bought the M 28 3.5 and was veery happy with it. Now I switched to the K 28 3.5 and it's the same great sharpness with great blue color

11-26-2016, 06:26 PM	#22
Topsy Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 625	Not a pentax lens, but my MIR-1 is an absolute lemon. It's nice for video work if you need lens flare and not much resolution. But the flares aren't the issue. It's resolution wide open is so bad that you have a hard time in live view figuring out if that what you're now seeing is 'in focus' or not and it doesn't get that much better when stopping it down. It mainly cleans the corners up. it's usually sitting on the shelf now. I might take the plunge and buy a second one sometime because I don't think they all are that bad. I guess I'll find out.

11-26-2016, 06:31 PM	#23
cali92rs Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 3,354	Originally posted by kh1234567890 DA15 Ltd. Grossly over-rated. The DA16-45 at 16mm is just as good and at f4 much better. I agree.

11-26-2016, 06:41 PM	#24
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	FA31. My copy is soft and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.

11-26-2016, 06:45 PM	#25
Dlanor Sekao Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 1,457	This is an easy one...DA L 18-55 WR......what a pitiful little creature. Was never Happier to Sell off a lens as I was this one. ---------- Post added 11-27-16 at 09:47 AM ---------- Originally posted by the squirrel mafia the pentax da-l 18-55mm. It's kinda soft. It's very slow. The 16mp sony sensor seems to out resolve it. +1...agreed !

11-26-2016, 06:57 PM	#26
stillshot2 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Phoenix, AZ Photos: Albums Posts: 1,070	Pentax F 100-300. If you try really hard and if you have good post processing skills you can get decent images at certain f stops and when not focused at infinity but boy oh boy was this lens soft, heavy, large, and cheap feeling. I paid $30 or so for one off of craigslist but ended up bundling it with a camera to help sell off some gear. I also included a white colored non WR 18-55 DAL in that bundle too but that lens was surprisingly good at all focal lengths and apertures, and it was replaced with an 18-55mm DA WR lens that is equally as good (and this is compared to some much more expensive "legendary" lenses too). I guess the quality control of the 18-55's are hit and miss.

11-26-2016, 07:12 PM	#27
kjphilippona Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Enterprise, Alabama Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,298	Originally posted by monochrome FA31. My copy is soft and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it. Now that would hurt

11-26-2016, 07:58 PM	#28
Outis Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 935	Borrowed an A 50mm f/1.7. I thought the colors were dull and the images were not very contrasty, though they cleaned up OK in postprocessing. Other than that, I've actually been really happy with all the lenses I've bought.

11-26-2016, 08:18 PM	#30
mgvh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: MD Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,030	When I was just starting to take photography more seriously, I got the DA 16-45 that people raved about. Never got shots that I was really happy with and found the focal length to be too short on the long end for a general purpose lens. I got rid of it eventually for the DA 18-135. Now that I know a bit more and look at the pics, it clearly was a significantly decentered lens. (And the person I bought it from on the PF never said anything but that there was a crack in the lens hood when it had been dropped once.)