After absolutely loving my DA* 50-135mm (what a great lens), I decided to purchase the DA* 16-50mm too.
It had been sitting for some time on the shelf of the local store, but they matched the best deal I could find here in Canada so I supported the local store and bought it.
The lens seems to focus fine and takes a good picture from the limited testing I've done with it.
Problem is, more than half the time I turn the zoom ring it "sticks" near the 28mm mark. Sometimes it turns smooth ( pretty much always is smooth down from 50mm-16mm, sometimes up from 16mm-50mm) but never as smooth feeling as the 50-135mm. About every 4th time I turn it past 28mm it binds to the point where I have to readjust my grip and add torque.
I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this? If so did it go away with use or get worse? I'm thinking a o-ring might be dry after sitting without use for so long on the shelf of the store, but if that is the case would use make it worse or better?
The shop I purchased from is great and would gladly exchange it or return it, they have a lot of patience with me as I'm a bit particular when spending so much money on a lens.
As for the lens, it's obviously not designed as well as the DA* 50-135mm, but then again they are two different beasts and a wide zoom isn't the easiest thing to make I'm sure. The DA* 16-50mm is a much better built piece of machinery than the Tamron 17-50 F2.8 I returned last week, the build and quality control are far superior (as is the price though). The Tamron actually had a visible defect on the inside of the rear element, and it searched forever for focus in poor light indoors (poor, not bad light).
Overall, if the zoom ring would be a bit more smooth, and if the lens didn't extend when using the zoom, then I would consider the DA* 16-50mm F2.8 a perfect lens for my needs. If the zoom ring loosens up then it'll be a 9 out of 10
I see why people who have good examples of this lens just love it. If anyone is sitting on the fence trying to decide whether to purchase one or not, I say do it.
Thanks in advance for any replies, your effort and time taken to respond is appreciated.