18-250mm - Pentax or Tamron

cbaytan · 10-23-2009, 02:50 PM

Need to know about these two lenses. İgnoring the price which one would you get and why? I heard Pentax has less CA. How about sharpness, any difference?

Thanks much in advance.

Eruditass · 10-23-2009, 03:09 PM

The Pentax is a rebrand of the Tamron. The coatings may appear slightly different when looking at them but people have done extensive comparisons on images produced and could not tell a difference. There is no quick-shift on either.

kristoffon · 10-23-2009, 03:11 PM

pentax for keeping the brand name if the difference in price is negligible

also, what eruditass said

netuser · 10-23-2009, 03:25 PM

I have DA 18-250 and is quite a great lens. I can make very good images with it, sharp and clear.
SMC coating handles flare really good.

I'm happy with mine.

cbaytan · 10-23-2009, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by kristoffon

pentax for keeping the brand name if the difference in price is negligible

also, what eruditass said

Yes price difference is negligible to me, I had to vote to see results, I've chosen Pentax just because name is more intriguing

. But still love to know more about difference in detail, if there is some.

netuser · 10-23-2009, 03:39 PM

PENTAX Photo Gallery: Artist Bio - Nuno Fonseca
Check here since I have 11 images taken with DA 18-250.

forensicscientist · 10-23-2009, 04:40 PM

I got a good deal about 15 months ago on the Tamron. For a 1 lens solution, its just fine. Corners are a little dark when I shoot at 18mm....but it clears up by 20mm or so...

mark

stormcloud · 10-23-2009, 04:54 PM

what about the sigma offering? anyone tried it? hear it has opitcal stablisation in the lens that works even with pentax and sony mount cameras - so can choose if you want stablisation in the body or lens

cbaytan · 10-23-2009, 05:11 PM

Originally posted by stormcloud

what about the sigma offering? anyone tried it? hear it has opitcal stablisation in the lens that works even with pentax and sony mount cameras - so can choose if you want stablisation in the body or lens

How'bout both? Wouldn't be super duper SR? Shooting on an 18 wheeler at night? Just kidding.

al_undy · 10-24-2009, 09:16 PM

I have the pentax. Recently upgraded from k100d to K-7 and have found that using the hyperprogram in MTF mode greatly improves the images I take with the lens. Previously I would use aperture mode and would often end up with the lens wide open at the long end resulting in soft images - very frustrating. With MTF mode, I am confident that the lens is always stopped down a bit, resulting in much sharper images but at the expense of shutter and iso speed. In most cases it is not a bad tradeoff. I don't know if you can use the tamron in this way but would doubt it.

indytax · 10-29-2009, 07:35 PM

The Tamron comes with a 6 year warranty (at least in USA) where the Pentax only comes with a 1 or 2 year warranty. That makes the Tamron the winner in my book.

Biro · 10-29-2009, 08:28 PM

I have the Pentax version and a friend has the Tamron version. Neither of us can identify any quality or functional differences. The Pentax, actually, has tended to be a bit less money (on the order of $20 or $30). But the Tamron has the superior warranty. I say go with whatever version you can get the best deal on.

**EsBee** · 10-30-2009, 10:19 AM

I have the Pentax version also and its an excellent performer in good light.

Eruditass · 10-30-2009, 10:19 AM

Originally posted by indytax

The Tamron comes with a 6 year warranty (at least in USA) where the Pentax only comes with a 1 or 2 year warranty. That makes the Tamron the winner in my book.

That'll do it for me

Class A · 11-19-2009, 08:18 PM

Often people claim the Pentax version has the SMC coating whereas the Tamron doesn't but any time you hear people reporting who have seen both lenses side by side they testify that they weren't able to discern any differences including the coating.

I'd go for the better deal.

I'm assuming that the Tamron version will be supported by the K-7 in terms of distortion correction just as the Pentax version but that may be something worthwhile checking.

View Poll Results: Which 18-250mm would you get?
Pentax	57	61.96%
Tamron	21	22.83%
Both are lousy, I would get something else.	14	15.22%
Voters: 92. You may not vote on this poll

10-23-2009, 02:50 PM	#1
cbaytan Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Trabzon/Turkey Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,010	18-250mm - Pentax or Tamron Need to know about these two lenses. İgnoring the price which one would you get and why? I heard Pentax has less CA. How about sharpness, any difference? Thanks much in advance.

10-23-2009, 03:35 PM	#5
cbaytan Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Trabzon/Turkey Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,010 Original Poster	Originally posted by kristoffon pentax for keeping the brand name if the difference in price is negligible also, what eruditass said Yes price difference is negligible to me, I had to vote to see results, I've chosen Pentax just because name is more intriguing . But still love to know more about difference in detail, if there is some. Last edited by cbaytan; 10-23-2009 at 03:42 PM.

10-23-2009, 04:40 PM	#7
forensicscientist Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: DFW Texas and Michigan - I commute :) Posts: 1,012	I have the Tamron... I got a good deal about 15 months ago on the Tamron. For a 1 lens solution, its just fine. Corners are a little dark when I shoot at 18mm....but it clears up by 20mm or so... mark

10-29-2009, 08:28 PM	#12
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200	I have the Pentax version and a friend has the Tamron version. Neither of us can identify any quality or functional differences. The Pentax, actually, has tended to be a bit less money (on the order of $20 or $30). But the Tamron has the superior warranty. I say go with whatever version you can get the best deal on. Last edited by Biro; 10-30-2009 at 02:01 PM.

10-23-2009, 03:09 PM	#2
Eruditass Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	The Pentax is a rebrand of the Tamron. The coatings may appear slightly different when looking at them but people have done extensive comparisons on images produced and could not tell a difference. There is no quick-shift on either.

10-23-2009, 03:11 PM	#3
kristoffon Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Brazil Posts: 532	pentax for keeping the brand name if the difference in price is negligible also, what eruditass said

10-23-2009, 03:25 PM	#4
netuser Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Azores Islands, Portugal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,236	I have DA 18-250 and is quite a great lens. I can make very good images with it, sharp and clear. SMC coating handles flare really good. I'm happy with mine.

10-23-2009, 03:39 PM	#6
netuser Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Azores Islands, Portugal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,236	PENTAX Photo Gallery: Artist Bio - Nuno Fonseca Check here since I have 11 images taken with DA 18-250.

10-23-2009, 04:54 PM	#8
stormcloud Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 232	what about the sigma offering? anyone tried it? hear it has opitcal stablisation in the lens that works even with pentax and sony mount cameras - so can choose if you want stablisation in the body or lens

10-23-2009, 05:11 PM	#9
cbaytan Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Trabzon/Turkey Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,010 Original Poster	Originally posted by stormcloud what about the sigma offering? anyone tried it? hear it has opitcal stablisation in the lens that works even with pentax and sony mount cameras - so can choose if you want stablisation in the body or lens How'bout both? Wouldn't be super duper SR? Shooting on an 18 wheeler at night? Just kidding.

10-24-2009, 09:16 PM	#10
al_undy Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: OH, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 77	I have the pentax. Recently upgraded from k100d to K-7 and have found that using the hyperprogram in MTF mode greatly improves the images I take with the lens. Previously I would use aperture mode and would often end up with the lens wide open at the long end resulting in soft images - very frustrating. With MTF mode, I am confident that the lens is always stopped down a bit, resulting in much sharper images but at the expense of shutter and iso speed. In most cases it is not a bad tradeoff. I don't know if you can use the tamron in this way but would doubt it.

10-29-2009, 07:35 PM	#11
indytax Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 312	The Tamron comes with a 6 year warranty (at least in USA) where the Pentax only comes with a 1 or 2 year warranty. That makes the Tamron the winner in my book.

10-30-2009, 10:19 AM	#13
EsBee Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: National Capital Region Posts: 739	I have the Pentax version also and its an excellent performer in good light.

10-30-2009, 10:19 AM	#14
Eruditass Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	Originally posted by indytax The Tamron comes with a 6 year warranty (at least in USA) where the Pentax only comes with a 1 or 2 year warranty. That makes the Tamron the winner in my book. That'll do it for me

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11-19-2009, 08:18 PM	#15
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Often people claim the Pentax version has the SMC coating whereas the Tamron doesn't but any time you hear people reporting who have seen both lenses side by side they testify that they weren't able to discern any differences including the coating. I'd go for the better deal. I'm assuming that the Tamron version will be supported by the K-7 in terms of distortion correction just as the Pentax version but that may be something worthwhile checking.