| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2020 Posts: 122 | | Review Date: October 9, 2023 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Cheap, light, quick shift focus, low CA, 25cm MFD | | Cons: | Field curvature, not very good at MFD, copy variation, used copies often abused | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Kr, GX10, K-S2, K200D
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The review covers my overall impression of the lens, I've owned a few copies of these, as well as the later supposedly better variations DAL, WR.
I currently have a good copy of this v1 I am happy with. It was essentially a boxed, unused copy I picked up at a charity shop, it's the only one I owned that did not come with a camera.
I find it competent: acceptably sharp - probably best 1 stop down; I rarely see CA or purple fringing.
However field curvature is far worse than the 16-45 so needs a little care in some situations.
At the MFD (25cm), it performs less well for close-ups vs the 16-45 or 18-135cm (but only on the 20MP K-S2, at 10MP it is less obvious).
Despite this it is a great utility lens that is easy to carry and capable of capturing some very fine images.
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I consider a Samsung branded V1 18-55 that came with a GX10 the best of these I've had optically. Focus felt a bit dried out and there was some haze/moisture in between the elements that did not seem to matter. I regret a little that I bundled it with that camera when I sold it on.
My first copy came as a warranty replacement for a DAL that came with my used Kr. That DAL (non WR) also had haze/moisture that really caused problems in bright sunlight but was otherwise quite good. The dealer had some difficulty sourcing a replacement without haze/moisture. I much preferred the metal mount and quick-shift focus but the images seemed a little flat compared to the DAL (in favourable conditions).
I traded that towards a DA WR for the weather resistance, which I then owned as the same time as the Samsung. I preferred the Samsung, the WR was marginally better at 18mm which is not hugely important for me (I'm more of a full frame 35mm FOV than 28mm guy). Since then a couple more passed through my hands that were ok before I acquired my current copy.
My recommendation then is conditional - if you think you have a good copy, hold onto it, it's worth more than you can sell it for and certainly deserves some use.
| | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: June, 2023 Posts: 53
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 22, 2023 | Not Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 3 |
| Pros: | reasonable sharpness, good detail wide open. | | Cons: | borderline EWaste, onlyy usable at wide open and f11 | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 3
Autofocus: 3
Handling: 6
Value: 1
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5
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let me start of by saying, 1st of all my lens is Used, and does have a slightly warped focus ring, but I'm broke and whatever i have is all i have so any faults caused by damage will still be counted as lens problems simply because i got it with my K-5.
1. autofocus is poor at the best of times and unusable at the worst, i did update the firmware to the latest version and it has helped a ton but this lens makes my bad lenses look good.
2. Sharpness and usability throughout the aperture range. This lens has fairly good sharpness, nothing to write home about but its slightly lower then your average kit lens quality but when it hits, it works. unfortunately when it comes to general sharpness its garbage, focus too far even slightly the whole image suffers, have your aperture set to anything other then f3.5 and its blocky as hell, its almost as bad as trying to use my 18-50mm macro lens for landscapes.. yes i have done that once, never again. when it comes to F7-F8, you lose a ton of sharpness in the image but trade it for definition, F11 essentially soft all around with way too much DOF blur even when focusing close or to infinity.
in terms of "how good is this lens" when it comes to sharpness vs usability it ranks a 2/10, 8/10 times you use it, it always misses, its either too sharp to the point of distortion or the focus is so bad at any f stop that you need a tripod at 1/20th of a second. this lens is anything but consistent, take it out one minute then the next its a completely different experience, has good landscape definition but you have to set it to 3.5 just to get an image that isn't minecraft at 144p.
wide open its soft but somehow sharper then if you set it to f11, no idea how or why but most likely this lens is a refurb.
3. portraits/ animal photography... just don't bother the bokeh is so damn harsh you're better off cranking it to f8 and hope the focus hits right cause anything lower then that your looking at pixel art.
4. zoom performance, again don't bother throughout the entire range its garbage, no sharpness changes, no change in optical quality, it just gets worse the more you zoom, though 22mm seems to be the best spot for it.
5. Night/ Street photography, Now this is where this lens shines, crank it to F3.5, grab your tripod and make the shutter as slow as you need, makes the light just pop, and the sharpness goes WAYYYY up, still not pro lens level, but if you have ever used a low quality mid-range lens you will know what i'm talking about. when doing car photography the bokeh is a bit harsh but if you focus right or zoom a little it cleans up really nice.
Verdict, For me i won't stop using my Sigma 20-80mm, its not perfect but the fact that no matter what i do it will do it, where even in the worst cases it produces recoverable images. This lens however (18-55) if you make a mistake that image is binned, take a once in a lifetime shot and realize your focus was off, welp that's junk now, shooting out in the sun with animals, everything looks fine until you check on your display and its all unusable. inconsistent results keeper rate is lower then 1/60 and not to mention the glass is trash in actual sunlight and you have yourself a waste of resources.
If all that didn't explain how bad the lens i have is well here's another thing for you, ever use your camera display to check your images for focus? yea, forget it anything you see on the display from using this lens isn't whats going to show up.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2022 Location: Glyfada, a southern suburb of Athens Posts: 208 | | Review Date: November 11, 2022 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | compact, handy, quality | | Cons: | loves vingeting | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K10D
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A lens most people got as a kit and the usually the first lens they used and the first lens they feel like getting rid of. A lens first to blame for most beginners' mistakes...
I will keep it for eternity since it'll be my back up lens to the exceptional and 20 times more expensive and heavy DA* 16-50.
Yes it's a bit slow and needs some help and experience but a good setting provides amazing results.
Way underrated by most but look at the photo.
I only suggest people appreciate this little lens for its true value.
The photo below was shot wide open at f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/160s, with two flashs mounted on good old K10D. I find the overall image and bokeh SUPERB for a "gift by Pentax" lens. ( I only reduced the greens due to K10D's legendary greenomania)
PS: Pentaxforum upload system reduced some saturation and contrast.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 14 | | Review Date: March 7, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | stopped down a few 24-55 mm are sharp - okay /fermez le diaphragme un peu | | Cons: | strong CAs at 18mm and not so sharp at the short end / evitez 18 mm à cause des ACs | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 8
New or Used: New
Camera Used: pentax k-x k200D k-5 Fuji x-t100 x-e1
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Unfortunately the corners of 18mm are not sufficient corrected / Malheureusement les coins n'ont point de piqué à 18mm
Why fore these different recommendations? Pourquoi ces résultats totalement différents?
It depends on aperture and used focal range - Cela dépend du diaphragme et la distance focale !
CORNERS / COINS
===============
f wide open......5.6------8-------11------16------22
diaphrage ouvert
18mm....- - .....-/O........O.........O.........O.........O/- (desmiss it / à éviter !) 
24mm...O/+......+........+/++.......++......+/O.......O 
28mm....+.........++.......+++.....+++......++........+ (best results between / meilleurs resultats entre 28-30mm)
35mm...+/++....+/++......++.......++.........+........+ 
42mm.....+........++.........++......++.........+.....+/O..
55mm...............+/O.........+.......+/++.....+.......+....
CA's correction is good at 24 mm, very good at 35 mm and excellent between 42 and 55 mm (CAs no more visible - this is much more better than the standard zoom lens of Sony) /
La correction des ACs est bonne à 24mm, très bonne à 35mm et excellente entre 42 et 55mm (plus de ACs visibles. C'est beaucoup plus mieux que l'objectiv Sony standard)
18mm are not sharp in the corners and there strong CAs - start with this lens from at 24mm and stop it down a few , between f 5.6 and f 11 best results / commencez avec cet objectif à 24 mm et fermez le diaphragme à f 5.6-11. Voilà vos meilli eurs photos
With additional macro glass element (achromate) at the top of this lens very nice and sharp photos available - even at 18mm / avec lentille achromatique supplémentaire devant l'objectif vos photos macro deviendront très jolies et nettes - même à 18mm.
Big magnification between (posters) 24mm and 55 mm possible / agrandissements jusqu'à 30 x 45 cm possibles entre 24 et 55 mm - (after sharpening by PhSh and interpolation up to 30'' x 40 '' possible)
in averidge / en moyenne 8 points (18 mm 6 points / 24 mm 7.5 points / 28-45 mm 9 points / 55 mm 8.5 points)
PS. Center resolution / résolution centrale at / à 30mm with / avec f 8 and / et 24 MPix (Fuji) over 75 LP/mm = 2.400 lines / lignes for / pour 16mm (highness of image / hauteur de l'image). This is a professional value / c'est une valeur professionelle !!! - tested on lenstip with an K10 (10MP) only with 43-37 LP/mm.
*************************************************************************************************************************
PAY ATTENTION: The 11/8-WR version has less CAs at 18mm, but it is not so sharp as this 12/9-version. The WR-version seems to be
designed only for 10 MP sensors like K 10, K200 !!! The sharper lens is this one - excepted 18mm /
La version II et WR avec 11/8 éléments semble produite pour des capteurs 10 MPIX comme la K10 et la K200.
Il y maque le piqué de cette version - sauf à 18 mm, mais à cette sictance focale les ACs sont mieux corrigées . ALORS DONNEZ ATTENTION !
*************************************************************************************************************************
PS. 24-55 mm are to use with K-1 full size 24x36 mm without vignetting in the corners / 24 - 55 mm sont utilisables pour le plein format 24x36 mm comme le boitier K-1 ou pour des appareils argentiques avec fonction A.
| | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: February, 2020 Location: Smoky Mountains, NC Posts: 1,602
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 15, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | IQ, size, weight, good looks | | Cons: | slow aperture, a little soft wide open | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: KP & K 70
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Great lens!! I love the retro look with the green ring and the Pentax name plate! VERY classy!! Great IQ overall, but a little soft wide open at the ends (18mm & 55mm). Stop down a little and it is great, nice and sharp! Great MFD allows pseudo macro. A real "f-8 and be there" lens. No complaints! No zoom creep, overall tight tolerances. AF is super fast and accurate, and not too loud with the new AF motors on the KP and K 70. Used prices are great, I got mine at Used Photo Pro for $60 in excellent condition. Get one, use it , love it!!
| | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2018 Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 13, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Inexpensive, good rendition of colour | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 6
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Km/K2000
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Inexpensive lens, performs well. It is a screw drive so it is noisy but that is expected. Covers wide range of focal lengths, and is a sturdy lens as far as kit lenses go. Performs well on my Km/K2000 camera.
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2019 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: October 27, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $38.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Overall a great lens | | Cons: | None so far | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 8
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-50
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- SMC Pentax-DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL
- Pentax K-50 DSLR (16.3mp)
- mounted on tripod
- aperture priority
- ISO 100
- F3.5
- 1 second exposures
- white balance set to AWB
- focus peaking enabled on camera
- using manual focus assist
- 2-second timer
 | | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2018 Posts: 12 | | Review Date: March 12, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Good bang per buck | | Cons: | Not the sharpest | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 5
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K30
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Initially a kit on my DL, then transferred to my K30.
I wonder if some of the bad reviews are manufacturing variability? Mine performs remarkably well, though it'll see a lot less use now I've got the HD 16-85 which is better in every way.
Very light and easy handler. One aspect not to be sniffed at is that this is not an 'intimidating' lens to a subject - quite petite!
Mine (again!) gives better IQ than anyone should have a right to expect for the price. (Price indicated estimated as part of kit) The vignetting is there, but may be post-pro'd away. As others have remarked, better IQ to the short-to-middle end that at 55.
Start pixel-peeping and it's definitely softer than the 16-85 and why shouldn't it be at a tenth of the (street) price. It is on the other hand sharper (my example anyway) than the 55-300.
Colour rendering is a little gaudy and bright, but CA very slight and not a problem.
With the derisory price I'd get trying to ebay this lens, I'll be keeping it as a back up in case I drop the 16-85.
8/10 overall reflects the VFM, is not saying it's the greatest.
  | | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2017 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: December 21, 2017 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Cheap, light, and good results. | | Cons: | Not always sharp if you don't use focus peaking and stay around the middle app settings. | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K50
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I'm not going to rate this lens low, it's a bargain and has given me great photos. There has, however, been the odd occasion where the edges were too soft but I couldn't see it until I got home and downloaded on screen. I have to concentrate and rely on manual with "focus peaking", rather than autofocus.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: May, 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,697 | | Review Date: November 22, 2017 | Not Recommended
| Rating: 5 |
| Pros: | It's cheap! | | Cons: | I've got an original 18-135 and that's an all round better performer | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 6
Autofocus: 6
Handling: 6
Value: 5
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Samsung G10D
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Used my original one supplied with the G10D for a few things very early on - and it's been in the cupboard ever since 
Edited Dec 2017: 18-135 now replaced by an old 17-70 F2.8-F4.5 Sigma for about 100$ US - even better! | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2015 Location: Golden, Colorado Posts: 189 | | Review Date: April 1, 2017 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 7
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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I think this lens gets a worse rap than it deserves. If it were weatherproof, I'd give it much higher marks, because I'd take it along hiking and wouldn't care if I smacked it around, because it's so inexpensive and takes pictures that are above mid-grade.
Overall it's a nifty little lens. I got mine for "free" as an extra inducement to pay a little more than I wanted for a used K-S2. I was sitting in my lens bag for months until I picked it up yesterday and started playing with it.
DP Review rates it pretty highly for sharpness (if you keep it at f/5.6 to f/11) and avoid 55mm. Its close focus distance is less than 10 inches. CA is less than some other Pentax zooms (my 18-135, for instance). My copy is very sharp.
I don't know if I'll keep it, as I have the 18-135 and other lenses in this range already, but it is not the worst kit lens I've ever seen. It came with a hood (I keep all my lenses hooded—no "protective" filters to muddle up the pictures in this household) and it's got a metal mount.
Autofocus is reasonably accurate, but noisy (it's a Pentax lens, after all!). The quick shift is a nice feature and the lens balances well on my K-50 and K-S2 bodies.
  | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2014 Location: Nagoya Posts: 577 | | Review Date: August 31, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Cheap, light, IQ not bad | | Cons: | Won't set the world alight, but you wouldn't expect it to | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 8
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-7, K100D, K-S2
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For what it is, this lens is good. It's inexpensive, light and it produces nice images with good colours. If you pixel peep it won't astound you, it vignettes a little, and it feels a bit cheap compared to some other Pentax lenses (it is cheap, however).
Good things about the green-striped DA version are quick-shift focusing and supplied hood which does a good job.
There's not a huge amount to say about this lens really, except that it does what it's supposed to in a competent way. If you've got it it makes a useful walk around lens, especially if you want a light package. Don't spend more than £30/$50.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2007 Location: Thach, Alabama Posts: 169
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 28, 2016 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | light weight, inexpensive, good focal range | | Cons: | need to work with it to get it's best | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K10D, KX, K7
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This one came with my K10D when I bought it new. This for about 2 years was the only lens I had for that camera. It worked really well. I learned so much while using this lens. I have to say it is still these many years later one of my favorites. Wide angle to normal to short tele this one functions well. I go on walkabout with this 18-55, my Sigma 50-500 and an F series 50mm f/1.7 and these cover the focal range from 18mm to 500mm and the 50 1.7 acts as my macro.
Below is a photo of my Granddaughter Regan taken with this lens. I almost threw it away till I ran it thru Photo Shop. You see the results this lens can give you. I will not sell or stop using this one for a long long time.
 | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: July, 2012 Posts: 21,461 | | Review Date: September 10, 2015 | Not Recommended
| Rating: 4 |
| Pros: | Lightweight, quick auto focus. | | Cons: | Very difficult to work with. Not sharp at all. | | Sharpness: 3
Aberrations: 3
Bokeh: 1
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 3
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax k100d Super
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I have been a loyal Pentaxian for nearly 40 years and I can honestly say this is the first negative review I have posted for a Pentax product. I do not understand how the focus can appear razor sharp and the image as sharp as a ball bearing. This is just not a good lens regardless of how the user attempts to manipulate its settings. My old Takumar F 70~210mm lens and my Pentax-A 50mm 1.7 far out shine this technological marvel that for whatever reason Pentax decided to punish its loyal customers. Unless a photographer can live with mediocre or sub-mediocre
results, don't buy it. 
Thanks for reading,
Tonytee
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: August, 2012 Posts: 678 | | Review Date: August 15, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Inexpensive, surprisingly capable | | Cons: | Nothing that's a deal killer | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: *istDL, Samsung 1XGL, K2000, K100D
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I've had two of these lenses. One was a Schneider Kreutznach branded version that came bundled with a Samsung 1XGL, which I passed on to my girlfriend. The Pentax version came bundled with my first DSLR, an *ist DL, which met an untimely end. The lens now has a semi-permanent place on my K100D. I saw no functional differences between the two lenses. I've taken some nice photos with both lenses and as a hobbyist with previous professional experience, it's quite adequate for my needs and sometimes exceeds my expectations.
UPDATE (19 Sept 2016)—I've now acquired a third copy of this lens, attached to the front of a K10D. I picked up the camera and lens for $74, which seems like a pretty good deal to me. I can't tell any difference between it and the other one I still have and it's a good enough lens to warrant having a duplicate copy. The second lens now more or less lives on my K30 but it moves around a lot.
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