Which has better IQ? Pentax/Tamron 18-250mm or the kit lens DAL 18-55mm

rustynail925 · 02-06-2010, 07:09 PM

Which has the better IQ and sharpness
the Pentax 18-250mm or the kit lens DAL 18-55mm

Eruditass · 02-06-2010, 08:40 PM

The 18-250mm has better IQ at 55-200mm

But really, I believe the 18-55mm does better at 18mm and most of its range if not all than the superzoom.

Here is photozone.de's reviews of the OLD 18-55mm (the DA L is optically improved and the same as the DA II):

Pentax SMC-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL - Review / Test Report - Analysis

Pentax SMC DA 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 ED AL [IF] - Review / Lab Test Report - Analysis

hcc · 02-06-2010, 10:14 PM

Eruditass has some good points and gave a solid advice. Photozone.de provides some independent reviews that are worth to read in details.

Both the 18-55mm and 18-250mm are good lenses with different strengthes and characteristics: Between 55 and 250m, the latter is the best

, but really you cannot compares directly these lenses with so different ranges.

What matters is your need. Do you shoot in the range 18-55mm or in the range 18-250mm? The latter is really an all-round lens. It has some strong lens distortion at 18mm that can be easily fixed with PTLens (a nice, simple and cheap software). The 18-55mm is much cheaper: as a kit lens, you can get it for an extra $100, very good value for your money.

Lastly what camera body do you use? I tried the 18-250mm on the K-x and K-7. On the K-x, the 18-250mm lens feels heavy. Keep this in mind in your final decision.

Hope the additional comments will assist ....

rustynail925 · 02-06-2010, 11:59 PM

Ill just revise my question
1. which has the better IQ from 18-55mm
DAL 18-55 vs Pentax/Tamron 18-250mm ?

2 which has the better IQ from 55-250mm
DAL 55-300 vs Pentax/Tamron 18-250mm ?

Marc Sabatella · 02-07-2010, 12:20 AM

Reading any of the many previous threads on this topic will show you that about the same percentage of people think the 18-55 is better as the 18-250, suggesting to me that there is basically no IQ difference at all worth worry about. About you all you can say for sure is the 18-250 will show more distortion at the wide end but be faster at the long end. Don't choose between them on IQ; choose between them on range, price, and weight.

02-06-2010, 07:09 PM	#1
rustynail925 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,551	Which has better IQ? Pentax/Tamron 18-250mm or the kit lens DAL 18-55mm Which has the better IQ and sharpness the Pentax 18-250mm or the kit lens DAL 18-55mm

02-06-2010, 10:14 PM	#3
hcc Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,005	Eruditass has some good points and gave a solid advice. Photozone.de provides some independent reviews that are worth to read in details. Both the 18-55mm and 18-250mm are good lenses with different strengthes and characteristics: Between 55 and 250m, the latter is the best, but really you cannot compares directly these lenses with so different ranges. What matters is your need. Do you shoot in the range 18-55mm or in the range 18-250mm? The latter is really an all-round lens. It has some strong lens distortion at 18mm that can be easily fixed with PTLens (a nice, simple and cheap software). The 18-55mm is much cheaper: as a kit lens, you can get it for an extra $100, very good value for your money. Lastly what camera body do you use? I tried the 18-250mm on the K-x and K-7. On the K-x, the 18-250mm lens feels heavy. Keep this in mind in your final decision. Hope the additional comments will assist ....

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02-06-2010, 08:40 PM	#2
Eruditass Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	The 18-250mm has better IQ at 55-200mm But really, I believe the 18-55mm does better at 18mm and most of its range if not all than the superzoom. Here is photozone.de's reviews of the OLD 18-55mm (the DA L is optically improved and the same as the DA II): Pentax SMC-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL - Review / Test Report - Analysis Pentax SMC DA 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 ED AL [IF] - Review / Lab Test Report - Analysis

02-06-2010, 11:59 PM	#4
rustynail925 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,551 Original Poster	Ill just revise my question 1. which has the better IQ from 18-55mm DAL 18-55 vs Pentax/Tamron 18-250mm ? 2 which has the better IQ from 55-250mm DAL 55-300 vs Pentax/Tamron 18-250mm ?

02-07-2010, 12:20 AM	#5
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Reading any of the many previous threads on this topic will show you that about the same percentage of people think the 18-55 is better as the 18-250, suggesting to me that there is basically no IQ difference at all worth worry about. About you all you can say for sure is the 18-250 will show more distortion at the wide end but be faster at the long end. Don't choose between them on IQ; choose between them on range, price, and weight.