[PentaxPoke]

Just got my replacement in the mail from B&H after two very bad copies. Will the third try be a charm, or will it be 3 strikes and your out? Tests and results coming later this evening. Stay tuned...

[PentaxPoke]

I think "Third times a charm!" Ive done lots of shooting at wide open apertures as well as stopped-down, in addition, a wide range of focal lengths. The lens behaves as is should so far. No decentering to speak of. Somewhat soft at 2.8 (like you would expect) and consistent improvement with smaller apertures (as it should.) I haven't noticed any of the really bad defects I saw on my other two copies. Posted below is a typical shot. I don't want to post everything. Since we know how sharp the center is, I posted the outer 25% of a picture on both the left and right side. This is typical.

I think I may have a winner!

Left side is first, then right side.

[morfic]

Looks just about what i am used to, surprised not to see a brickwall though, isn't this considered a "bad setup"?

Now go and enjoy it!

P-Missions/imgp2569.jpg i often rub my eyes that this is one of my "Let's throw in a 2.8 for fun" shots and i am that happy with it.

Hope you get to enjoy yours as much.

Glad you finally are happy, did i mention wheni saw Pentaxke say byebye, my brain read it as PentaxPoke? Guess that won't happen for real

[PentaxPoke]

Looks just about what i am used to, surprised not to see a brickwall though, isn't this considered a "bad setup"?

Glad you finally are happy, did i mention wheni saw Pentaxke say byebye, my brain read it as PentaxPoke? Guess that won't happen for real

I took plenty pictures of brick walls when I got this lens. Believe me! I just didn't feel like showing them all. They confirmed that this was a keeper.

I won't be going anywhere...I'm not a insecure Pentax user; always wondering if the grass is greener. I have only had one problem with Pentax gear, and that is the DA*16-50 which is resolved now.

BTW, your images are excellent. That is quite a sharp picture for f2.8!

[morfic]

Thanks, although....i've been there often, but first time before midday, if you browse that gallery around you can now find the K20D was there, the Super Program too (wanted to make sure i got no issues there), and you can find the 30D and the EOS 3 were also there.

One of the things that most got me about the 16-50 was the fact it was 16x1.53, which compares favoribly to 28x1:

16x1.53: P-Missions/imgp2635.jpg
28x1: Concepcion/00550023.JPG

It's neat to see it side by side.

Yes, i was leaning against the same entrance door, due to limitations in film, the 28mm shot was at 1/8s back then (IS++, image stabilization was one item that sold me on K20D)
ahhh, i ramble, someone stop me, it's his celebration

[PentaxPoke]

Update: Still looking good so far. The lens seems not quite as sharp from edge to edge, or at f2.8 as my Tamron 17-50 however. At some point I'll try to do a lens for lens test since it appears that I finally have an acceptable copy.

Stay tuned...

[roentarre]

It is good to see a positive spin on this zoom. Even though my zoom backfocuses bad but it survives in my camera bag for about 1 year now.

[Imagination4]

Update: Still looking good so far. The lens seems not quite as sharp from edge to edge, or at f2.8 as my Tamron 17-50 however. At some point I'll try to do a lens for lens test since it appears that I finally have an acceptable copy.

Stay tuned...

Actually that is in line with the photozone tests of DA*'s Tokina cousin and Tamron lenses on the Nikon mount.

At f/2.8, the Tamron beat the Tokina's resolution at just about all f.l.s, especially at the borders (except at 24mm, where the Tokina was pretty close).

At the wide end (16mm/17mm), the Tamron's resolution was better at the borders from f/4 thru f/8.

At 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm the resolution of the two lenses were fairly comparable at f/4 thru f/8 - trading off center and border higher ratings, although some of the differences were negligible.

The CA of the Tokina was also substantially worse than the Tamron at the wide-end at f/2.8; whereas the Tamron's vignetting was worse than the Tokina's throughout.

So based on this relatively valid comparison I would not be surprised if you found your Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 beat the Pentax DA* lens for overall border to border sharpness, especially the extreme borders at f/2.8. That said, the Pentax DA* lens will still offer weather-proofing, SDM, and likely fairly comparable sharpness performance thru the balance of its range. Also, I think that the contrast and color rendition of the Pentax DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 lens is excellent.

[dutch]

Shot with a k20d







Tests - they are about 8 megs each.

f2.8 @ 50mm - the corners aren't as sharp, but that's pretty typical from what i can tell.

http://northwestmr2.com/incoming/dutch/pictures/16-50_testshots/IMGP1589.jpg



f22 @ 50mm

http://northwestmr2.com/incoming/dutch/pictures/16-50_testshots/IMGP1590.jpg

ill get some 16mm tests up later.

[maxwell1295]

Nice Birman!

Lens looks good too...

[roentarre]

The window light works like a treat. The colour in the eyes are really great.

[Jewelltrail]

All the shots are very nice, but the beauty of the white cat, and the 16-50, against the green and black backdrop, is even more pronounced.

[dsport]

Nice cats good capture. I also wishes I could have more chances to take pics of this kind.

[dutch]

Nice Birman!

Lens looks good too...

nice guess, its actually a ragdoll

Thanks for the positive comments guys. Really happy with this lens already.

[TiminyCricket]

Beautiful cats! Beautiful pictures!