18-50 f2.8 lenses... need opinions

ve2vfd · 08-28-2008, 07:14 AM

Wow that was fast!

I ordered the Tamron from cameracanada.com yesterday morning and the mailman just knocked on my door this morning! Now thats service!

After a few quick snaps around my place I have to say you guys were not kidding... This this is a pretty darn sharp lens! Even straight jpegs at iso 800 and 1600 are impressive. Looks like my kit 18-55 is going into retirement!

I guess I'll have to play with it this weekend and post the results sunday, oh this is going to be a fun weekend!

Pat

ve2vfd · 08-31-2008, 02:04 PM

I've been too busy to go out and really try out my new lens, so I went for a bike ride to the park by the river and took a dozen or so pics.

Here are a few quick tests... all at iso 200, RAW

1/1000 f2.8 cropped and resized

1/750 f2.8 cropped and resized

1/350 f4.5 cropped to 1:1

My first impressions of this lens are quite good.

Pat

entropy.uk · 08-31-2008, 04:46 PM

I love the the sharpness and colour on that first flower!

TiminyCricket · 08-31-2008, 10:05 PM

Originally posted by entropy.uk

I love the the sharpness and colour on that first flower!

I agree, especially the first picture... it came out fantastic!

k100d · 09-01-2008, 06:37 AM

to me the contrast and saturation seem a bit low
is this because it was a cloudy day or a consequence of shooting wide open?

ve2vfd · 09-01-2008, 03:43 PM

Entropy & Timiny ... Thanks, I have to admit this new lens does impress me.

k100d ... You are right, it was sunny with big clouds passing by so I had my camera WB set to sunny and didn't change it when the clouds were going by. I probably could have fixed it in the RAW editor, but didn't want to do any PP other than crop/resize.

Pat

PentaxPoke · 09-01-2008, 04:05 PM

I told you that you would like that lens.

ve2vfd · 09-01-2008, 07:23 PM

PentaxPoke ... Oh how right you were! I absolutely love this lens. It has a pretty decent feel to it, and image quality is quite impressive compared to my old first generation 18-55 kit lens.

Pat

Jewelltrail · 09-01-2008, 07:24 PM

Quote:

ve2vfd Entropy & Timiny ... Thanks, I have to admit this new lens does impress me.

Pat: You are going to love the lens even more as you get to know it better. It is a great lens.

PentaxPoke · 09-01-2008, 08:42 PM

Time for Pentax to shut down the DA*16-50 line, and make a deal with Tamron on the 17-50 the same way they did on the 18-250.

How about a weatherproofed DA* 17-50 with Pentax coatings that is sharp across the entire field of view at all apertures? mmmmmm

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08-28-2008, 07:14 AM	#16
ve2vfd Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,433 Original Poster	Wow that was fast! I ordered the Tamron from cameracanada.com yesterday morning and the mailman just knocked on my door this morning! Now thats service! After a few quick snaps around my place I have to say you guys were not kidding... This this is a pretty darn sharp lens! Even straight jpegs at iso 800 and 1600 are impressive. Looks like my kit 18-55 is going into retirement! I guess I'll have to play with it this weekend and post the results sunday, oh this is going to be a fun weekend! Pat

08-31-2008, 02:04 PM	#17
ve2vfd Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,433 Original Poster	I've been too busy to go out and really try out my new lens, so I went for a bike ride to the park by the river and took a dozen or so pics. Here are a few quick tests... all at iso 200, RAW 1/1000 f2.8 cropped and resized 1/750 f2.8 cropped and resized 1/350 f4.5 cropped to 1:1 My first impressions of this lens are quite good. Pat

08-31-2008, 04:46 PM	#18
entropy.uk Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Leeds, UK Posts: 17	I love the the sharpness and colour on that first flower!

08-31-2008, 10:05 PM	#19
TiminyCricket Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 76	Originally posted by entropy.uk I love the the sharpness and colour on that first flower! I agree, especially the first picture... it came out fantastic!

09-01-2008, 06:37 AM	#20
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	to me the contrast and saturation seem a bit low is this because it was a cloudy day or a consequence of shooting wide open?

09-01-2008, 03:43 PM	#21
ve2vfd Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,433 Original Poster	Entropy & Timiny ... Thanks, I have to admit this new lens does impress me. k100d ... You are right, it was sunny with big clouds passing by so I had my camera WB set to sunny and didn't change it when the clouds were going by. I probably could have fixed it in the RAW editor, but didn't want to do any PP other than crop/resize. Pat

09-01-2008, 04:05 PM	#22
PentaxPoke Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,411	I told you that you would like that lens.

09-01-2008, 07:23 PM	#23
ve2vfd Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,433 Original Poster	PentaxPoke ... Oh how right you were! I absolutely love this lens. It has a pretty decent feel to it, and image quality is quite impressive compared to my old first generation 18-55 kit lens. Pat

09-01-2008, 07:24 PM	#24
Jewelltrail Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Albums Posts: 4,180	Quote: ve2vfd Entropy & Timiny ... Thanks, I have to admit this new lens does impress me. Pat: You are going to love the lens even more as you get to know it better. It is a great lens.

09-01-2008, 08:42 PM	#25
PentaxPoke Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,411	Time for Pentax to shut down the DA16-50 line, and make a deal with Tamron on the 17-50 the same way they did on the 18-250. How about a weatherproofed DA 17-50 with Pentax coatings that is sharp across the entire field of view at all apertures? mmmmmm