[Minimonster]

It might be the same with me... What can I say... the DA 50-135 is a very good lens but certain features/flaws cross it out for me: it is unusable wide-open at a long end - I mean totally unusable. No "interesting softness", no "character" - it's just bad and it makes it virtually 50-100 lens. That's still not bad but I simply cannot accept the fact that I won't use the lens wide-open. The other thing is that it's bulky - quite a natural feature for such a lens but it's too heavy for everyday carrying and it's holding too much value to sit on the shelf for occasional use - I'd rather sell it and buy sth I'd use more often (or sth more specific). So tomorrow might be my last day with it as from Monday I'm going to be busy again. Anyway, I'm more than glad that I've tried it out.

I've just had a look through my album of shots from SIC in April and mine seems to have been pretty good wide open at 135.

[garywakeling]

Anyone have or use the new 16-50 plm aw? It's a lens I'm thinking of acquiring; I'll have to sell some lenses first though, and I'm keen to know how good it really is.

Hi Jeff, yes I have it as well as the original 16-50, both lenses are good in my opinion , I did find in back to back testing that the PLM lens was sharper in the corners of the frame, here are some shots from my sic month
Single in October 21 Pentax DA* HD 16-50 PLM 2.8 | Flickr

[babywriter]

July thread is up:

Single in July 2022 - PentaxForums.com

[pepperberry farm]

July thread is up:

Single in July 2022 - PentaxForums.com

thank you ..

[pepperberry farm]

as previously noted, I've already finished the month with the Takumar 35mm f4 (it's no longer even here, but on a UPS truck somewhere)


only in production for 3 years, this is the first Japanese wide-angle lens for an SLR

given all of that, it still performed admirably this month...

the lens is sharp, colorful, well-built, gives nice bokeh, all in a tiny package...

so what's not to love?

two things really - that slow aperture, and a longish MFD.... both of which I solved for 24 days by using the lens on a Fuji body with a focusing helicoid adapter...

either way - I've moved on from the lens....

but the shots?











and the rest of the month's shots:

Single In Challenge - June '22 | Flickr


looking forward to July!

[Jeff]

Hi Jeff, yes I have it as well as the original 16-50, both lenses are good in my opinion , I did find in back to back testing that the PLM lens was sharper in the corners of the frame, here are some shots from my sic month
Single in October 21 Pentax DA* HD 16-50 PLM 2.8 | Flickr

Thanks Gary. I'll have a good look today. Not sure what route I'll take but it will become clearer when I get back the trade-in values from SRS next week.

---------- Post added 06-26-22 at 08:22 AM ----------

July thread is up:

Single in July 2022 - PentaxForums.com

Thank you!

[Chris_K]

I'm surprised that yours is unusable at the long end. I've had two copies and both were fine. I wonder if it got knocked at some point before you acquired it?
K.

Well, it doesn't show any signs of abuse or drop so I'd assume it's just my copy.

I've just had a look through my album of shots from SIC in April and mine seems to have been pretty good wide open at 135.

I even followed your SiC with this lens particularly to help me with my decision about buying the lens. Indeed, your copy seems to be very decent.

[garywakeling]

July thread is up:

Single in July 2022 - PentaxForums.com

Thank you so much

[Chris_K]

So I think I'm going to stop today and summarize my ~three weeks with the DA 50-135. General performance and IQ are excellent, no troubles with AF, and good sharpness from wide-open below ~110 mm. Lack of sharpness at the long end isn't such a big deal and I think the reason that I didn't go along with this lens is its size and weight. It is too big to be an 'everyday' lens and I guess that was my expectation. Still, I must say that I took several shots which I like and I'm very glad to try the lens out. Thank you all for the comments. Some of my faves are below:

[Riggomatic]

July thread is up:

Single in July 2022 - PentaxForums.com

Thank you

[AggieDad]

Well, I may be over for the month as well. today we will have completed 2 straight weeks of temperatures at 97º F or higher (the past 4 or 5 days at 100º or more). Next week is supposed to have a lot of rain but with temps still expected to be in the 90s, so I am not sure what opportunities I will have then either.

May and June are the first two months I have joined in this activity, and I have to say I am glad I did. After fighting heart problems since last August, this May was really the first time I have been out and about with my camera. For both months I chose manual-focusing "A" lenses – the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 in May and the Pentax-A 135mm f/2.8 this month. Both lenses are a bit long for everyday for me, but I had just acquired both of them shortly before my health went south and had no real experience with either.

These past two months have been great practice with manual focus, and I have thoroughly enjoyed becoming more proficient at it. Also having to take pictures every day gave me a lot of opportunities to use the lenses in different situations and in different ways – from action at the local skateboard park, to stitched panoramas, to stacked macros with a close-up filter on the lens. And even close focusing on an egg, with multiple shots for HDR finishing. I have been very pleased with the image quality of both lenses, and happy to see that I could focus both of them to get very sharp photos.

I am retired school teacher with a limited budget for my hobby, so I look for lens bargains – hence the Pentax-A 135. I target lenses that have a rating of 9.0+ on the forum's lens reviews and a low price – I put them all on a spreadsheet and calculate what I call my "Value Rating." Currently I am awaiting delivery of a Pentax 21mm f/3.2 AL Limited that was in the Marketplace for a good price, and I think I will use that lens when I return to the game.

We'll be traveling in July to visit family, so I will join you again in August.

[Chris_K]

Currently I am awaiting delivery of a Pentax 21mm f/3.2 AL Limited that was in the Marketplace for a good price, and I think I will use that lens when I return to the game.

That's a great little lens and I'm sure you'll have a nice month with it. Totally different from the two longer you have mentioned but extremely pleasant to use.

[Jeff]

Well, I may be over for the month as well. today we will have completed 2 straight weeks of temperatures at 97º F or higher (the past 4 or 5 days at 100º or more). Next week is supposed to have a lot of rain but with temps still expected to be in the 90s, so I am not sure what opportunities I will have then either.

May and June are the first two months I have joined in this activity, and I have to say I am glad I did. After fighting heart problems since last August, this May was really the first time I have been out and about with my camera. For both months I chose manual-focusing "A" lenses – the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 in May and the Pentax-A 135mm f/2.8 this month. Both lenses are a bit long for everyday for me, but I had just acquired both of them shortly before my health went south and had no real experience with either.

These past two months have been great practice with manual focus, and I have thoroughly enjoyed becoming more proficient at it. Also having to take pictures every day gave me a lot of opportunities to use the lenses in different situations and in different ways – from action at the local skateboard park, to stitched panoramas, to stacked macros with a close-up filter on the lens. And even close focusing on an egg, with multiple shots for HDR finishing. I have been very pleased with the image quality of both lenses, and happy to see that I could focus both of them to get very sharp photos.

I am retired school teacher with a limited budget for my hobby, so I look for lens bargains – hence the Pentax-A 135. I target lenses that have a rating of 9.0+ on the forum's lens reviews and a low price – I put them all on a spreadsheet and calculate what I call my "Value Rating." Currently I am awaiting delivery of a Pentax 21mm f/3.2 AL Limited that was in the Marketplace for a good price, and I think I will use that lens when I return to the game.

We'll be traveling in July to visit family, so I will join you again in August.

I've enjoyed having you along - I also joined this illustrious group recently - April was my first. I chose my 35mm 2.8 macro because I knew it well, and knew I'd have no trouble with it. The same cannot be said for this month's lens - I think it just happened to be on the K-1 when I used it - I can't remember! Not sure what lens I'll be using in July. I have 7 weeks holiday ( I am a current school teacher) so I'll be able to get out a bit more than I have been able to recently. Enjoy your travels in July!

[Minimonster]

I am a current school teacher

The place is filling up with teachers current and retired... And I'm thinking about retiring. Life as a teacher is a bit less stressful at this time of year. Except that I've been asked to take pictures at our sports day on Friday. We use the indoor track at the English Institute of Sport which is a bit gloomy so I am currently trying to decide which lenses to try. Possibly the DA* 50-135 as it opens up pretty wide and some limiteds on the K3 iii. We haven't had a sports day in 3 years so everyone is looking forward to it. And then we are nearly on holiday too.

[Riggomatic]

The place is filling up with teachers current and retired... And I'm thinking about retiring. Life as a teacher is a bit less stressful at this time of year. Except that I've been asked to take pictures at our sports day on Friday. We use the indoor track at the English Institute of Sport which is a bit gloomy so I am currently trying to decide which lenses to try. Possibly the DA* 50-135 as it opens up pretty wide and some limiteds on the K3 iii. We haven't had a sports day in 3 years so everyone is looking forward to it. And then we are nearly on holiday too.

The 50-135 was always my go to lens for my daughter's events in the school gym. Plenty fast and good reach to single out the kids during performances.