Author: | | Forum Member Registered: September, 2019 Posts: 69 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: October 2, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $180.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Sharp, very fast AF, WR | Cons: | non for me | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K3
| | I found this lens used looking for a replace to Da 18-55wr; it surprised me for the AF speed and the good IQ.
DC motor is rapid and silent and the end at 135mm avoids me to carry too much lenses.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: March, 2016 Location: Mississippi Posts: 617 2 users found this helpful | Review Date: July 27, 2019 | Recommended
| Rating: N/A |
Pros: | | Cons: | | New or Used: New
| | I am going to make this simple. I have two K1s and one K1-II, and a KP and a Sony a7iii and here are the lenses I own.
HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW
HD Pentax-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR
HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6
ROKINON 85M-P 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical Lens for Pentax.
Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Limited Prime
HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW which I use on my full frame Pentax K1).
HD Pentax-DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited WR
Pentax DA* 200mm f/2.8 ED (IF) SDM (Also Weather sealed).
Pentax DA* 300mm F4.0 ED (SDM)
Sony - FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide-angle Zoom Lens.
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens 64 GB.
The only kit lens I have is the SMC DA 18-135mm F/3.5-5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR Lens and on the KP is an outstanding performer.
Here is a photo of a flower I took, just walking out in my yard and taking it for this review. Here is a photo of a flower at 135mm standing freehand, no tripod, and the settings were ISO 100 135mm f/8 1/200. This is a RAW file and editing done to the first photo and I only cropped the the second one. I have taken many more with the KP and 18-135mm and it is an outstanding performer. Someone might say I got a good copy or maybe the lens is better than a lot of folks say, at least this one is that I bought for my KP for a quick walk around and so glad I did. | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2018 Posts: 1 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: December 30, 2018 | Recommended
| Rating: 7 |
Pros: | central sharpness; contrast | Cons: | edge softness; distortion | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 7
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-70
| | This is the standard zoom that came with my K-70 package. I have been using the Sigma 18-300 and only recently spend more time with the 18-135. I am not happy with the image quality of this lens. Central sharpness is good, but anything beyond 1/2 away from the centre, sharpness drops off drastically, even at f8. This is present in all focal lengths. This observation seems to agree with the ephotozine review findings (MTF50). Unfortunately I won't be as lenient as their conclusion. I also notice some strange distortion from 18 to 50 mm FL - some sort of complex wavy distortion that is still present with the camera's lens distortion correction switched on. Architectural shots show curvilinear distortion one way on one side of the picture and distortion the other way on the opposite side. These cannot be corrected by rotation or perspective aspect correction therefore they are not the causes. May be I got a bad copy of the lens.
| | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: October, 2018 Posts: 389 8 users found this helpful | Review Date: December 20, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Compact, fast AF, versatile, weather sealing | Cons: | Not the sharpest lens in the catalog | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-70 K3 K3ii
| | First off, this lens is often compared to the excellent, and much more expensive, Pentax HD PENTAX DA 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR. I own BOTH, at the time of this review.
Yes, I get a few more "keepers" with the 16-85. Yes, under ideal conditions, the 16-85 is sharper, especially in the corners, where the 18-135 can tend to get to be pretty soft. BUT, the 16-85 is MUCH larger and heavier and around TWICE the price! Yes, the extra 2mm at the wide end is more than it might seem at first, but the difference between 85 and 135 at the long end makes the 18-135 much more practical in my bag, and if I had to leave the house with only one lens, this is the one that would make the cut, 9 out of 10 times.
Mine came bundled as a kit, with the K-70, which I purchased lightly used. After a couple of months and a couple thousand snaps of the shutter, if I had to buy a kit brand new today? I'd buy the K-70 and 18-135 all over again. Wide enough to get most of that sort of work done, long enough to be a very usable lens for wildlife, landscapes, and even portraits, affordable, and weather sealed. If it were just a little sharper in the corners, I could have easily given this one a 10. IMGP4160 by oktyabr, on Flickr Sunset by oktyabr, on Flickr IMGP4210 by oktyabr, on Flickr IMGP2596_result by oktyabr, on Flickr IMGP4730_01 by oktyabr, on Flickr IMGP4709_01 by oktyabr, on Flickr
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2013 Posts: 796 5 users found this helpful | Review Date: July 10, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Small, light, good af, great zoom range, WR | Cons: | Slow aperture, no focus scale | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-30, KP
| | This lens is a great travel zoom, it has much better IQ then the DA18-55 WR. This lens with the DA15 and a portrait prime (FA43, DA50,...) creates a really small and versatile three lens kit. Without the portrait prime the two lens kit is still very versatile. I reccomend this lens, it's excelent to photograph the family holidays and very usful in harsh wether where you can't change the lens. This lens is smaller and lighter then the DA16-85, altough it has a little worse IQ as I heard. The build quality is very good and the AF is fast.
Here are some images: IMG180211_0056 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr IMG180211_0003 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr IMG180211_0094 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr IMG170626_0147 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr IMG170830_0002 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr IMG170628_0019 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr IMG170627_0044 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr IMG170626_0164 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr
| | | | Junior Member Registered: July, 2012 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 42 3 users found this helpful | Review Date: July 1, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $210.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Fine detail, Auto Focus, Construction, wide range, weather sealed. | Cons: | edge fall off if not careful | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 6
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 8
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K3
| | Nice construction, reasonable weight not as light as a FA 28-105 (Tokina version)
Weather sealed for hiking and inclement weather if you shoot a lot in poor weather.
Nice all around focal range for walkabout, but not great at the long end, so if your serious about birds or distant subjects, the various 55-300 range from Pentax are a far better budget option. (I tested this against my old original 55-300 at 135mm and it was beaten by the longer kit lens) But it gives you a cross over if you want a 2 lens system.
Better than the 18-55 kit lens I had at the wide end and especially likes being stopped down to f8/f9 to eliminate edge fall off. Fine detail is quite impressive but that absolute quality of f2,8 lenses is not quite there.
I didn't really find a lot of CA or distortion as has been mentioned by others, but if any, was easily fixed in PP.
My K3 has a bad habit of producing soft images at iso 100 (shutter shock), so at 1/60th and below or 1/200th and above produced quite pleasing images. I am used to quality pro glass, so I know what is really nice and what is acceptable. When working in the sweet spot, it gives a lot of pleasure and could conceivably be one of the great all-rounders.
I may be one of the unusual ones who likes the manual focus ring at the base of the lens, quite intuitive for me.
Loved the typical entry / mid level close up focus with this lens and quite a bonus for the hiker wanting to shoot forest floor fungi etc.
Lovely colours and flare resistance as we expect from Pentax glass.
Overall a very pleasing walkabout lens sold as a kit. It adds more capability than the standard 18-55 whilst not being an absolute standout performer in IQ terms but very handy enough to suit most needs. Long end gets softer at edges but still works ok in good light and for isolating more distant subjects or as a portrait lens.
I tend to need a portrait lens longer and a wide landscaper, so this little gem is here to stay for me. | | | | Custom User Title Registered: January, 2016 Location: Alberta Posts: 6,808 2 users found this helpful | Review Date: June 28, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Sharp, versatile focal range, WR, colours! | Cons: | Zoom creep | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-S2
| | Love this lens! I bought it to replace my DA-L 18-50 RE and I really feel like the 18-135 outshoots the DA-L in almost every way!
I really wish this lens had a lock on the zoom though, because it creeps out when I'm walking with the lens!
However, I'm very, very happy with this lens.
Together with the 55-300 PLM these two lenses perform very well !
| | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2013 Location: Hingham MA Posts: 48 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: June 28, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $170.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Lite Weight, Useful Range, Weather Sealed, Cheap | Cons: | Not much when considering the price | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: k-50, K-70
| | For the price this is a great lens. Handles well, lite weight, great zoom range. Sharp enough from 24-125. Less so outside
this range. Great for travel, hiking, or walk around. Definitely performs better on my K-70 vs my old K-50. Not sure if the new
firmware on the k-70 helped. Sold my DA*50-135 as it was collecting dust after buying this lens ( yes I know it's a way better lens but too heavy for active use). btw, I would give sharpness 8.5.
| | | | New Member Registered: January, 2018 Location: Paris Posts: 8 2 users found this helpful | Review Date: January 27, 2018 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | All round, range, WR, optics between 24-70mm range,colors&contrasty | Cons: | optics outside of the above range | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5 K1
| | Well rating this wide range zoom is not simple
But come on, rating the sharpness 3 or 5 is not serious regarding what it is = the range and the price....
(If you are a real pro with $$$$$ lenses ok but you never buy this in fact)
I have very hig quality primes in my quiver.I will say that optically that's not really great nor very good. BUT its a long range so not so surprising
Really very good performance withtin the center in the whole range
The (small) range 24-70mm is really good enough among the whole frame. In the others ranges ie 18-24 and 70/135 = poor corners
In fact the handling and range are such good that i used it a lot finally, with all weather conditions and shooting always at F8 + PP with DXO
If you don't want to carry several lenses with you THat the choice for good average results. This is already an improve in optics quality/ 18-55mm kit. the 16-85 is much better but bigger and a kind of short range and you may will feel the need to buy an additional mid tele prime or mid tele zoom so not the same budget and 2 lens to carry
I must say i took pleasure with this one. It's OK for general use / holidays. OK if your are advanced shooter you won't choose this one
I have some gems and Star lenses and i'am not ashamed to have used it. Now using K1 with great lenses, i keep it on my K5 for the no brain use and won't sell it.
Some nices PICS with it (i always use quick PP with DXO standard lens profile correction, an a polar filter with sea landscape) :
This one really shows the weaknesses : such poor borders and corners even with DXO. Not great yes but not so awful. its a nice souvenir taken from a "moving" small boat with no brain no fear. | | | | Veteran Member Registered: October, 2012 Location: Vancouver Posts: 1,207 3 users found this helpful | Review Date: October 24, 2017 | Not Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 5 |
Pros: | Compact size, weather sealing, price | Cons: | Image quality outside of the center | Sharpness: 5
Aberrations: 5
Bokeh: 5
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 6
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K-30
| | I had this lens for a few months, did rigorous testing with it to compare it to another lens for an article.
Pros:
Compact size - For a superzoom, it's actually quite compact, noticeably smaller and lighter than any 18-2xx zoom out there.
Weather sealing - Used it at Burning Man, one of the most demanding environments for an interchangeable lens system. After I got back I literally rinsed it off with a hose in my driveway with no issue.
Price - It's actually a decent price for a lens that covers its focal range.
Cons:
Sharpness outside of the center - Center sharpness is good-great. But edges and corners are blurry and full of distortion, CA, and vignetting. This really limits its use for landscapes or any situation that calls for somewhat decent sharpness across the frame.
* * *
Folks, this is a kit lens. It has its fanboys, but lots of objective reviews of this lens pin it as an overall middling performer. You can see sample images here at PF and other places on the web and make your own call.
Unless you're spending lots of time in a desert or white water rafting, you don't really need the weather sealing, so check out one of the longer superzooms and enjoy more focal range and better image quality. If you must have weather sealing, I suggest taking a look at the newer and higher rated 16-85.
| | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2012 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 63 4 users found this helpful | Review Date: August 26, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $289.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Wide range, WR, Silent Focus, great travel lens | Cons: | None, for what it is | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-5
| | I held off writing this for a while, not sure of what I was going to say. For what this lens is, it is a great lens. A great single lens, or walk-around lens, or travel lens. Is it the best lens out there? No. I do feel however, that it is a fantastic lens well suited to its purpose.
The 18-135 (27-203 equivalent) range is very handy. The lens is perfect for what would have been a “just a little closer” or “just a little wider” shots. A 18-55 doesn’t get close enough, and a 50-200/55-300 doesn’t get wide enough. A great range for an all purpose type lens.
This is actually my first lens that can be called a “Kit Lens”. I picked it up as the sole lens to take on a “carry-on bag only” week long trip to the island of Kauai in Hawaii. It survived sandy wind storms at the Waimea Canyon, tropical downpours on the north shore, salt water on a catamaran trip to the Na Pali coast, and more. Today it lives a less exciting life, but keeps on going.
I have noticed that when using a standard UV style filter on the lens for protection, a second filter cannot be stacked on it. I tried to just screw in a circular polarizer over the UV style filter for a few shots, and had significant vignetting at wide angles. Of course it all goes away if a single filter is used.
Chromatic aberrations are a pet peeve of mine. I hate it when I see it, and will sometimes drop a photo because of them. I know it can be normally be taken care of in post, but thinking like my old film photographer self, I’d rather it not be there in the first place. Happily this lens produces very little CA.
If you want a great multi-purpose lens that can handle almost anything you throw at it, then this is a wise purchase.
Sample Pic: | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2016 Posts: 7 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: June 19, 2017 | Not Recommended | Price: $365.00
| Rating: 2 |
Pros: | Good range, tolerable CA | Cons: | Soft, hazy, indecisive focusing | Sharpness: 3
Aberrations: 5
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 4
Handling: 7
Value: 4
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-70
| | Thrilled to read glowing reviews here, I had no problem in picking it as a superzoom of sorts which would cover outdoor action.
Bought it in a kit with a K-70, hoping it would be a decent choice. Boy, was I wrong...
I should say that I have no major complaints at the lower end of the focal; between 18 and 50mm the center is decent, the corners less so, and while the wide end has significant distortion I still don't care too much about surgical precision in rectilinear pictures. The corners are soft and coma plays nasty tricks even when stopped down, and that's the reason I can't recommend it for landscapes or groups of people stretching to the edges of the frame.
-------------------
The first and foremost real issue is the horrendous softness above 85mm; at 100mm you get to cringe and double/triple check if it was in focus, and at 135mm some pictures are worse than what a phone could manage to take.
Maybe it was decent when cameras had 10-12Mp, still satisfying on 16Mp, but on 24Mp every bit of its flaws is paraded in all the „splendor”.
The problems are amplified by a lack of focus repetability; while my copy on my camera doesn't really require focus microadjustment (tested from 2 to about 45m, using the building across the street from me ), at medium to long focus distances it tends to focus all over the place, just one in 4 or one in 5 images being in focus.
When stoped down, almost nothing gets better; maybe, just maybe a bit more contrast, but not really much more; tried it
Also, even when in focus, the 135mm end is simply atrocious for subjects anywhere further than 20m.
I've been lucky enough to use various other Pentax products and fell in love when using a K-5IIs with the FA100mm Macro F2.8, the old version); also I loved the subtle rendering of the 70DA SMC.
Outside the brand, I used the first version of Sigma 17-70, which got me numerous keepers; I'm enumerating all of these to point out that I know when a lens is merely decent, when it's really good and (from other examples, not gonna name them here) when a lens is cr*p.
Also, the fair bit of warning isn't caused just by using it on a 24Mp APS-C; a lot of the flaws are still present when downsampled by 50% (to 6Mp). Which makes me point out the final recommandation for interested buyers: don't try to buy it under *absolutely* no circumstances if you can't return it or at least without extensive testing before putting your money on the table; my copy is simply junk, I would sell it for half the price at most, and only to someone that gets directly from me the real observations.
-----------
Two different people contacted me to protest the low score I gave in this review. Before anyone else thinks that I'm writting unfair things, please try taking a photo of something with fine detail (a tree with foliage) in the medium-far distance, at least 25 meters, while using some focal length towards the long side (100-135mm). And then try telling me that the lens is sharp.
Now put it side by side with a good lens (100mm Macro for example) and compare the sharpness from both lenses. If the current reviews are right, the sharpness has a score of more than 8.0; in this case the 100mm Macro score should be not just a perfect 10, not even 11 would be enough; a score of 25 would be fair for that (on the same scale where the 18-135DC gets an 8).
| | | | Forum Member Registered: January, 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 67 3 users found this helpful | Review Date: June 9, 2017 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | color, sharp, compact, versatile | Cons: | none for what it is | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K30, K5IIs, KP
| | I gave this lens a 10 for what it is...an extremely versatile compact zoom that delivers the goods in a not too expensive package. My copy is very sharp, has excellent contrast and accurately auto focuses on my bodies used with it. I took it to Italy in 2013 with a K5IIs and a da 12-24, FA 43, & a FA 77. With those lenses along the 18-135 stayed on my camera 95 % of the time. Granted, I was with a group, so I didn't have time to change lenses as I would have if I had been alone, but the churches, Pompeii, the Vatican, Sienna, Florence and Assissi were covered very well with the focal range that the 18-135 provided. Colors and fast accurate auto focus were all a 10. And this lens is so compact that it was so easy to have on my K5IIs all the time. If I needed more on the wide end I had the 12-24, but for the most part, it stayed in my camera bag. Next time I go I will probably take the 15 Limited instead of the 12-24, but no doubt the 18-135 will go along. It is my most used lens. Yes I have better, shaper glass, but my copy of the 18-135 is still plenty sharp. If I need WR, I have it with this lens. I still have LBA, but I keep reaching for this lens.
| | | | New Member Registered: December, 2013 Posts: 7 3 users found this helpful | Review Date: January 12, 2017 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Sharp, bold colours, good AF, WR, hugely versatile | Cons: | Corner IQ not great wide open. | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
| | The strengths of this lens are: its compactness, the best AF on any Pentax lens I've had by a country mile, and WR. But beyond that, it's weaknesses are also very manageable.
My copy is properly sharp; unless your subject demands corner sharpness at the extremes of the focal range, especially at wider apertures. I find the colours bold but realistic, the contrast is excellent, and I can't remember having seen any flare. The bokeh isn't quite like a limited, but its perfectly fine. Distortion can get a bit wonky wide, closeup or tall buildings etc, but its a superzoom so it would be surprising if it did't.
If you look at any of the individual aspects of this lens' performance, maybe apart from its handling, it isn't really mindblowingly good.
But....it really is actually 'quite' good in so many ways, that when you put the whole lot together, you end up with something that is really mindblowingly useful.
Some reviews have focused on the individual characteristics and come to a negative conclusion, but in practical use, most users seem to be very happy with it, myself included. When walking around, I tend to set it to f8, adjusting only for shots which need it, and I get really super sharp results across the frame, from about 20mm to 100mm. Consistently. At 18mm it is still very useable, especially at f10 but you just start to see the corners lose it a tiny bit.
Haven't tried the 16-85, but its becoming easier to pick this lens up little a bit cheaper, and as a go anywhere do anything lens it becomes a must have I reckon.
Edit:
I eventually upgraded to the 16-85. In comparison I’d say it is more consistently sharp. The real sharpness advantage is at the wide end especially if you want to open the aperture, although it does have quite a bit of distortion still. At the long end it is also consistently sharp, but I found the 18-135 pretty good at least upto 85mm. In some ways I wonder if the 18-135 might produce images that are just slightly punchier! Ouch.
| | | | Pentaxian Registered: August, 2009 Location: Wandering the Streets Posts: 1,411 4 users found this helpful | Review Date: November 13, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $350.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Sharp, very flexible, light, waterproof | Cons: | It is a zoom?? | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5iiS
| | I like this lens. I mean, I really like this lens.
I didn't expect to as I don't usually have a lot of use for zooms, preferring the greater IQ capable from a prime. And even after having used this lens for awhile I still prefer primes. They are almost always smaller, lighter, faster, with better IQ. But I will keep this lens in spite of this.
I really, really like this lens!
For starters, it is waterproof, and that was really the entire reason for buying it. So far it has not let me down on that front. But that isn't really why I like this lens so much.
I mean, it is pretty light, it handles nicely, and it is quite flexible due to the zoom range.But again, all that is nice but it isn't why I really like this lens.
It is sharp, even to the corners in my opinion. It just happens to be amazingly sharp in the center. It has low distortion. But that still is not the reason I like this lens.
Have I mentioned that I really like this lens? Well...I do.
So why do I like this lens so much. Because it is FAST!!! It focuses fast. It doesn't hunt around to find the correct focus, and that makes it even faster.
This will sound a bit weird to a lot of you, but I prefer manual focus because I am almost always faster and more accurate than auto focus. But not with this lens. I press the AF button and it is there...right now! Even if the subject is moving I can still maintain focus in almost all situations.
If Pentax is going to build all their lenses like this I may finally sell off my Canon equipment.
THAT is why I really like this lens!!! The rest is nice and is icing on the cake. But If it did not focus so quickly it would have been sold a long time ago.
Remember? I don't like zoom lenses. | | |