Question for 16-50mm owners

**Canada_Rockies** · 02-03-2008, 01:47 PM

Originally posted by dparson

So Canada_Rockies
How long ago did you order yours?

Ordered 11/21/07, shipped 11/23/07. S/N 9013***

123K10D · 02-03-2008, 02:18 PM

was trolling around looking for a replacement for a whole bunch of primes on the shorter end of things. had written this lens off, then came across this link (from the lens review database).

James Wei :: Photography

to my eye, those pics, for rendition, have the same gorgeous look that my friends SMC-A 35-105 3.5 give on film. my favourite kind.

the second picture on this page whispered to me, "jeez! have some balls, get the thing, haven't you always been lucky?".

aaaa, i can always send it back if i get a dud, which when taken in balance, should be extremely unlikely at this point in the production cycle. still, hey, wish me luck, it can't hurt.

fleabayed some old primes and, go me! got $1200. so the lens is more than just free, it's already making a profit for itself - with a little help from Adorama and fleebay

VAV · 02-03-2008, 03:35 PM

Congratulations on the 'free' lens ! and Good Luck getting a good copy of the lens .

Always enjoyed James' photographs... love the colours on his shots.

Best wishes.

TomInJax · 02-03-2008, 04:41 PM

Originally posted by 123K10D

fleabayed some old primes and, go me! got $1200. so the lens is more than just free, it's already making a profit for itself - with a little help from Adorama and fleebay

At least you are doing it the right way. I bought a bunch of lenses, now I am selling the lesser of the batch to pay for the ones that I want to keep! Thank goodness for credit cards!!

I hope I get the prices on FleaBay that I need to replace the money! Wish me luck!

heatherslightbox · 02-03-2008, 06:12 PM

Good for you! I'm doing pretty much the same thing to get my K10D and I'm getting pretty close to getting it. Hopefully I'll be ordering it by the end of this week.

I just paid off one credit card and I'm not interested in running it up again.

Needless to say, I'll be glad when all this selling is done and I can relax a little.

Heather

Peter Zack · 02-03-2008, 06:16 PM

Congrats, Looking forward to the 'reports from the field' and some pics. Fingers crossed.

Ebay can be a good spot to get those funds back into new stuff.

blende8 · 02-04-2008, 01:01 AM

Enjoy the 16-50 raffle!
Hope you will get a price and not a blank.

Tbear · 02-04-2008, 05:02 AM

Originally posted by jgredline

I did finally get my ''third'' replacement of the DA*16-50MM and it works OK, but by now, I am so disalusioned by it, that I parked it for now...

I have had my Tamron 28-75mm for about a year and it is one of my favorites...

Here are two more pics using the 28-75 F/2.8...If this 16-50 would only have done this...Sigh..

Very sorry to hear that your 3rd DA* 16-50mm is not exactly inspiring you. It's going to be a while before I receive my 3rd DA*16-50, as they recently picked up my 2nd. If the third one is a dud, then I have decided I will be posting reviews of this lens on every available photography/retailer site that I can find. I really hope Pentax gets it right this time, for both our sakes.

Ted

roentarre · 02-04-2008, 05:16 AM

I think it is perhaps a better idea to look into prime lens option. Definitely Da 15mm limited is really something to look forward to if it is lighter and smaller than Da 14.

If the zoom only has an issue of back focusing at close distance, maybe it is worth while to work around it. The colour and contrast from this zoom Da* 16-50 is surely something rather unique. Even my "good" copy was tested and labelled as "inept autofocus" and "crapy image quality" by my friends on the weekend. This was in the setting of trying to snap away some shots at a hip hop dance competition together with some abstract attempt to get bokeh in a park under broad day light...

p.s. This seems to confirm my thoughts about pentax being so much better making primes

hudsong · 02-04-2008, 06:53 AM

I've been going over this thread, and I have to say it sounds absolutely ridiculous for a "pro series" lens to have this many QC issues. I've heard of people who get a fine copy first time, and of people who have sold 20 of them through a store with 0 returns. This lens was on my to buy list, but maybe it wont be anymore... Luck of the draw I guess?

mhamilton · 02-04-2008, 04:42 PM

James Wei's website is a bit confusing, underneath the photo of the woman drinking wine is stated the 16-50mm but the exif shows it to be the 77mm @ f2.0. Maybe this is caused by a problem with the display in the Firefox not refreshing the entire page. A few of the other ones give confliciting numbers too. Still, a very good example of great images with Pentax glass.

andyhewitt3 · 02-09-2008, 02:54 PM

I took some newspaper pics today with my new DA* 16-50mm and I don't think they came out that great. Sharpness varies from center to edges. Tell me what you think.

NeverSatisfied · 02-09-2008, 05:04 PM

Andy, what were your settings for your newspaper shot? If that was wide open at 16mm I'm envious! To get the "relative" clarity you display I'd have to use about f16, on the one I just sent to Pentax. By the way mine was # 9018xx.

jgredline · 02-09-2008, 06:10 PM

Andy
I'm with ''never'' Can you post the exif data?

heatherslightbox · 02-09-2008, 06:28 PM

For those of you who have been dissuaded from buying the *16-50, remember, the Tamron 17-50 is coming out next month. I'm seriously considering getting it myself. If the IQ is anything like the 28-75, it'll be a real treat.

Heather

View Poll Results: Is this DA*16-50mm good or bad?
Keep it -- it's good.	23	88.46%
Return it or send it in for repair.	3	11.54%
Voters: 26. You may not vote on this poll

02-03-2008, 02:18 PM	#362
123K10D Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toowoomba - Australia Posts: 110	*Got a free DA 16-50, oh yeah! was trolling around looking for a replacement for a whole bunch of primes on the shorter end of things. had written this lens off, then came across this link (from the lens review database). James Wei :: Photography to my eye, those pics, for rendition, have the same gorgeous look that my friends SMC-A 35-105 3.5 give on film. my favourite kind. the second picture on this page whispered to me, "jeez! have some balls, get the thing, haven't you always been lucky?"**. aaaa, i can always send it back if i get a dud, which when taken in balance, should be extremely unlikely at this point in the production cycle. still, hey, wish me luck, it can't hurt. fleabayed some old primes and, go me! got $1200. so the lens is more than just free, it's already making a profit for itself - with a little help from Adorama and fleebay

02-09-2008, 02:54 PM	#372
andyhewitt3 New Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 20	Feedback needed on my newspaper test I took some newspaper pics today with my new DA* 16-50mm and I don't think they came out that great. Sharpness varies from center to edges. Tell me what you think. Last edited by andyhewitt3; 02-09-2008 at 03:00 PM.

02-09-2008, 05:04 PM	#373
NeverSatisfied Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 688	Andy, what were your settings for your newspaper shot? If that was wide open at 16mm I'm envious! To get the "relative" clarity you display I'd have to use about f16, on the one I just sent to Pentax. By the way mine was # 9018xx. Last edited by NeverSatisfied; 02-09-2008 at 05:07 PM. Reason: typo / error

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02-03-2008, 01:47 PM	#361
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Originally posted by dparson So Canada_Rockies How long ago did you order yours? Ordered 11/21/07, shipped 11/23/07. S/N 9013***

02-03-2008, 03:35 PM	#363
VAV Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 160	Congratulations on the 'free' lens ! and Good Luck getting a good copy of the lens . Always enjoyed James' photographs... love the colours on his shots. Best wishes.

02-03-2008, 04:41 PM	#364
TomInJax Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jacksonville, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 531	Originally posted by 123K10D fleabayed some old primes and, go me! got $1200. so the lens is more than just free, it's already making a profit for itself - with a little help from Adorama and fleebay At least you are doing it the right way. I bought a bunch of lenses, now I am selling the lesser of the batch to pay for the ones that I want to keep! Thank goodness for credit cards!! I hope I get the prices on FleaBay that I need to replace the money! Wish me luck!

02-03-2008, 06:12 PM	#365
heatherslightbox Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Gainesville, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,599	Good for you! I'm doing pretty much the same thing to get my K10D and I'm getting pretty close to getting it. Hopefully I'll be ordering it by the end of this week. I just paid off one credit card and I'm not interested in running it up again. Needless to say, I'll be glad when all this selling is done and I can relax a little. Heather

02-03-2008, 06:16 PM	#366
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Congrats, Looking forward to the 'reports from the field' and some pics. Fingers crossed. Ebay can be a good spot to get those funds back into new stuff.

02-04-2008, 01:01 AM	#367
blende8 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 1,521	Enjoy the 16-50 raffle! Hope you will get a price and not a blank.

02-04-2008, 05:02 AM	#368
Tbear Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 269	Originally posted by jgredline I did finally get my ''third'' replacement of the DA16-50MM and it works OK, but by now, I am so disalusioned by it, that I parked it for now... I have had my Tamron 28-75mm for about a year and it is one of my favorites... Here are two more pics using the 28-75 F/2.8...If this 16-50 would only have done this...Sigh.. Very sorry to hear that your 3rd DA 16-50mm is not exactly inspiring you. It's going to be a while before I receive my 3rd DA*16-50, as they recently picked up my 2nd. If the third one is a dud, then I have decided I will be posting reviews of this lens on every available photography/retailer site that I can find. I really hope Pentax gets it right this time, for both our sakes. Ted

02-04-2008, 05:16 AM	#369
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	I think it is perhaps a better idea to look into prime lens option. Definitely Da 15mm limited is really something to look forward to if it is lighter and smaller than Da 14. If the zoom only has an issue of back focusing at close distance, maybe it is worth while to work around it. The colour and contrast from this zoom Da* 16-50 is surely something rather unique. Even my "good" copy was tested and labelled as "inept autofocus" and "crapy image quality" by my friends on the weekend. This was in the setting of trying to snap away some shots at a hip hop dance competition together with some abstract attempt to get bokeh in a park under broad day light... p.s. This seems to confirm my thoughts about pentax being so much better making primes

02-04-2008, 06:53 AM	#370
hudsong Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Midwest Photos: Gallery Posts: 59	I've been going over this thread, and I have to say it sounds absolutely ridiculous for a "pro series" lens to have this many QC issues. I've heard of people who get a fine copy first time, and of people who have sold 20 of them through a store with 0 returns. This lens was on my to buy list, but maybe it wont be anymore... Luck of the draw I guess?

02-04-2008, 04:42 PM	#371
mhamilton New Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 4	James Wei's website is a bit confusing, underneath the photo of the woman drinking wine is stated the 16-50mm but the exif shows it to be the 77mm @ f2.0. Maybe this is caused by a problem with the display in the Firefox not refreshing the entire page. A few of the other ones give confliciting numbers too. Still, a very good example of great images with Pentax glass.

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02-09-2008, 06:10 PM	#374
jgredline Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LosAngeles, Ca. Photos: Albums Posts: 10,628	Andy I'm with ''never'' Can you post the exif data?

02-09-2008, 06:28 PM	#375
heatherslightbox Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Gainesville, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,599	For those of you who have been dissuaded from buying the *16-50, remember, the Tamron 17-50 is coming out next month. I'm seriously considering getting it myself. If the IQ is anything like the 28-75, it'll be a real treat. Heather