Originally posted by FozzFoster I plan to buy this lens (one far off day). Do they plan to release a Pentax branded lens warmer? Or are there only third party warmers available?
I have not heard of any plans for a Pentax warmer, but there are many inexpensive options available now.
Originally posted by hyyz I was hoping this lens gets a score of ~9.0
don't put too much emphasis on the score.
Originally posted by hyyz For example, it praises its bokeh but gives a 7 for it.
Bokeh is OK for such a wide lens, but certainly not remarkable. Which is what I wrote.
A good macro will get 9 or 10 for bokeh, this lens is far from that.
Originally posted by hyyz It says its aberration is absent and is as good as it gets, yet gives it a 6 (Full frame) and 8 (APS-C) at this department.
CA and flare are indeed as good as it gets. The "aberrations" score includes also vignetting, etc. The lower score for full frame highlights the fact that below 15mm the lens produces black vignetting. I couldn't rate it higher as the corners are unusable.
Originally posted by hyyz Should we trust the texts or the scores?
The text, of course !
Otherwise I wouldn't bother writing it and just give a rating. The scores are an attempt to summarize a whole page of testing in a single number. It's as reliable as can be, but doesn't tell the whole story.
Originally posted by calsan So much work! Thanks, bdery.
A pleasure. It is indeed involved, especially for zooms and specialized lenses. Still fun, though.
Originally posted by bjolester I have been looking at this lens as an upgrade for my DA 12-24, but when comparing the scores of these lenses I am not so sure it will be an upgrade.
As I wrote to hyyz, don't put too much emphasis on the scores, which are useful but don't tell the whole story.
If you need a WR wide lens, then it's a no-brainer. If you need sharpness across the frame, same thing. If you want specific perks for astro, the 11-18 is pretty unique. If you activate in-camera lens correction (or use user profiles in photo editing programs) then the lowish results for aberrations and distortion are irrelevant.
I suggest reading the sections which relate to what's important for you, and maybe those involving things that bug you with your 12-24, and see how the new lens performed. What's sure is that it's an excellent lens.