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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-22-2022, 03:31 AM
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At Sugarloaf Reservoir.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-29-2021, 01:26 PM
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I've been giving the old DA18-135 a bit of a workout lately on the K3iii, after a long period of neglect. It is a handy small carry when I don't want to lug the Big Boys around, and 135mm on APS-C is a useful moderate telephoto.
K3iii + DA135 @ f/7.1
1/640, f/6.3. The busy bokeh is partly due to the post-processing I did to sharpen up the birds.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
09-27-2014, 03:23 PM
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Assorted shots using the DA 18-135 in the Czech Republic. First, Karlovy Vary:
Zruč nad Sázavou:
Telč (that's me looking tired):
Znojmo:
 
Mikulov:
Praha (Prague):
Album with other sizes on flickr.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-17-2014, 03:17 AM
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Just happened to have the 18-135 on the camera as the pelicans flew over.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-24-2014, 07:48 PM
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I have never shot in snow. In fact, I haven't seen snow for years. Tell me, do you have to manually adjust white balance or exposure for these overwhelmingly white scenes?
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-12-2014, 03:05 PM
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True. And quite honestly, the HD coating is not really required on the DA 15 Ltd. It never flares anyway, even shooting into the Sun.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-12-2014, 04:22 AM
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The DA 15 Ltd is my favourite lens. A great complement to the 18-135 when you want to go wider. It exudes drama.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-12-2014, 02:32 AM
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I shot a few comparisons today on my K3 with the DA 18-135, the DA 18-55 WR, and the SMC DA 40 Ltd, all at 40mm and both f4.5 and f6.3. The DA 40 Ltd was nicely sharp right across the frame; it was actually difficult to tell centre from edge! This is one of the great strengths of the lens. However, the DA 18-135 was actually sharper at centre than the DA 40 Ltd, and had more "pop", at both apertures, though it was softer on the edges. The DA 18-55 was the softest throughout, as expected.
This contributes to a certain refined "look" from the DA 40 Ltd. The DA 18-135 (at least at this focal length) seems to me to be "showier", less refined but more brash, emphasizing hard edges and bold contrast. The lens best suited depends on the subject and the look you're trying to attain. With both in the bag (actually, the DA 40 spends a lot of time in my jeans pocket), I will choose more carefully in future depending on the look I'm chasing. Overall, I'm very happy with the 18-135. It certainly isn't "flat" as chickentender claimed above.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-04-2014, 07:39 PM
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Yes, not perfect, but a very good lens at the price, especially if you get it as a kit with a new camera. The pictures tell the story. Sharpness, punch, and pop, at the expense of some edge sharpness and CA. Not to mention WR and DC. :)
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-27-2014, 12:14 PM
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I've taken a lot more shots with my new 18-135 at 135 now, and I was mistaken about the softness wide open. I think I was fooled by the 27-point autofocus on the K3. I usually use spot focus on the K5, and am still learning the mysterious ways of the 27-point array. (I know I can turn it off, but it seems very reliable unless I'm trying to catch a specific small object.) Nevertheless, stopping down from f/5.6 (wide open) to f/6.3 definitely yields a worthwhile improvement in sharpness, as with most lenses.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-25-2014, 03:51 PM
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Don't forget that f/5.6 is wide open at 135mm. It's horrible soft there! However, very nice by f/6.3. I wouldn't recommend using this lens wide open, especially at the long end.
Strangely, f/13 is awful at 135mm too; very prone to diffraction it seems.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-25-2014, 01:01 PM
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My son has a 18-135 he got with his K30. I tried it on my K5 and it looked super sharp. Based on that experience, I bought my own copy (very cheaply) as a kit with the K3. My experience with the new lens confirms that with my son's: very sharp with some softness and a little CA on the edges at the long end.
This shot (24mm, f7.1, iso100, polarizing filter, RAW) shows an almost surreal sharpness and punch. No extra sharpening has been added in post (using Aperture).
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