Veteran Member Registered: December, 2007 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 531
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 17, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $900.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, build quality, color. | | Cons: | None. | |
This lens is one of my favorites. The sharpness and color compare to some of the best prime lenses made for the Pentax camera. When I ordered this lens, I expected great results but I was pleasantly surprised after examining my first shots!
Other lenses have trouble comparing in IQ to this lens. I am sure that this lens will join in the list of legendary Pentax lenses. Definitely a keeper!
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Veteran Member Registered: November, 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 593
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 13, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $1,000.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Image quality. Build quality. | | Cons: | none, really. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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A superb lens on all accounts. Handling is excellent as is build quality and the image quality. I cannot priase this lens highly enough and it is as good as the FA*80-200 f2.8 but a hell of alot lighter!
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Veteran Member Registered: November, 2006 Location: London, England Posts: 1,187
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 27, 2007 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, colour, contrast, bokeh, weatherproof, silent | | Cons: | Size and weight | |
Overall: 10/10
A class act
Usefulness: 10
The APSC equivalent of the classic 70-200. Everyone should have one. great for candids, gigs, portraits....
Sharpness: 9
Wide open, it tails off in sharpness as you approach 135mm but overall its very sharp at F5.6 at all focal lengths. It really shines from 50 - 100mm. There are very few compromises here.
Colour/Contrast: 10
What really gets me about this lens every time is the quite exceptional colour and contrast. Stopped down a bit its hard to separate from a top ranking prime lens like the 77LTD, and even wide open its not too bad.
Bokeh: 9
The bokeh is exceptional for a zoom. Really nothing to choose between it and many primes in the same range.
Handling: 9
The focus ring is enormous - much larger than the zoom ring which is close to the body. Not really an issue but I sometimes grabbed the focus ring instead of the zoom when I first got it. However despite the size and weight it only needs 67mm filters and is well balanced with the C of G well towards the rear of the lens. A tripod collar is not really necessary.
Build Quality: 10
Excellent. Smooth and with very tight tolerances. Internal zoom.
CAs and Flare: 8.5
There is a bit of CA as reported but although its noticeable at the extreme focal lengths its not that bright and not an issue most of the time. Flare is minimal.
Distortion: 10
Not an issue at any focal length.
AF speed: 9
AF without USM is quite OK, but a little sluggish is low light. With USM it hunts less and is therefore faster although rotation speed is no different.
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Veteran Member Registered: September, 2006 Location: North Idaho Posts: 696
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 29, 2007 | Recommended | Price: $850.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | SDM, fantastic construction quality, WX seals, SMC | | Cons: | none | |
Original review, October 2, 2007
Only purchased this lens last week and haven't had much chance to give it a workout yet. Will revise this review when I've had it out in the field a few times.
From a static test, what do I like and dislike about it?
The SDM is fantastic. Automatic focusing is very silent. You feel it more that hear it. Doesn't hunt much either (mid-day under the trees in the photo store parking lot). This is on a K10D body. Have not tired it on a K100D Super, so have no idea how the screw-drive focusing will perform with AA batteries.
The construction quality is among the best I've seen from Pentax. It doesn't match that of the FA limiteds, which are constructed from metal, but for a composite lens, it is the best I've seen.
Not really a negative, but I wish the lens had an aperture ring. But, it is a DA, so won't have one. I also wish it had a bit of a longer maximum focal length.
Under the category of neither being a positive nor a negative...I can not recommend using this lens with a teleconverter. In the parking lot of the camera store, tried it out with my Tamron 1.4x tc. The one that has the power-zoom contacts, which also function as the SDM contacts.
With the Tamron, the lens will focus using the SDM circuitry, but will not achieve focus lock very easily. It gets very close, very quickly, then will micro adjust for a few seconds until it achieves lock...if it ever does. Even then, it will still hunt if you move the camera slightly. The image quality, as shown in the viewfinder was also not as good as the lens by itself. Yes, this is not a "good test", but just looking through the viewfinder, I could tell that the quality was degraded.
Bottom line...if you need a longer reach...use a longer lens. Don't waste your time using a teleconverter with this lens. (However, sometime soon, I will try using my Pentax SMC Rear Converter-A 1.4x-S and the Rear Converter-A 2.0x-S with this lens. I'll lose autofocus capability, but just to see if the image quality is "okay", will give it a quick go.)
If this lens performs as well as I expect it to do, I'll get rid of all my older Pentax zooms and just keep this one (and the 16-50/2.8). Again, will edit this post when I've had a chance to give the lens a workout.
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Review update, October 17, 2007
Well . . . I've took this lens on an outing last Friday (to Disneyland). Took this one, along with the DA*16-50/2.8 and FA50/1.4, (the 50 didn't get used and the short zoom only a couple of times).
This lens has lived up to my expectations. Look to see a variety of older lenses for sale soon. The bokeh is great. The color renderings are perfect. I couldn't ask any more from a lens.
One comment on the lack of a tripod mount . . . I don't miss it. The lens is small enough in physical size, balanced well enough in weight distribution, and light enough in weight that a tripod/monopod won't be needed for most applications.
If you can find one . . . purchase it! You won't regret having one.
Sample image:
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5011/imgp7960ato0.jpg
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Review update, February 2011
In to C.R.I.S. for SDM motor replacement and front barrel/filter ring unit (one hood flange broke off by a fingernail, if you can believe that). Currently awaiting parts. Still, have a high regard for this lens. Best zoom optics that I own.
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