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1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 4, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | WR, sharpness, contrast, ergonomics, bokeh | | Cons: | AF isn't Canon fast | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5
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This lens is a 9.5.
I wish the AF was faster. Someone from the Canikon AF engineering divisions needs to be cherry picked by Pentax. Other than that, what's not to like? (unless you had SDM issues, which I didn't)
I didn't own this lens for a long time, mainly because I eventually wound my way to a 60-250 for the extra telephoto reach, and primes for everything else. My shooting needs and budget dictated I couldn't own both, or I would have.
The 50-135 is the perfect apsc version of the full-frame 70-200/2.8. Yet it weighs half as much, uses smaller filters, and also costs half as much. Isn't this one of the great benefits of the cropped sensor system? Here is a prime (er, zoom) example of that. All you might miss is the depth of field latitude of a larger frame.
Here's another very Pentaxian type thing. It's unique. Other than the Sigma (bigger, no WR, probably lower long-term value) nobody else is making a lens like this. Not Canikony. At all. It's a reason alone to use Pentax. If they'd get their SDM and general AF business sorted out, there would be very little to complain about.
I didn't find a shot at any length where I felt bad about the sharpness or clarity of the images, even at the long end. The colour is great, the flare and aberrations are well handled. I'd say it isn't super contrasty, and depending on your taste that's a plus or minus. I liked it. The images had a real smoothness to them that didn't feel overly "digital". So for me, that's a big plus.
Inner focussing, quiet focussing, accurate focussing, just not lightning fast focussing. But within Pentax, it's about as good as it gets.
Relative to its class of lenses, this is actually quite a small and light lens, very hand-holdable. Heck it's lighter and smaller than the big full-frame 24-70/2.8 lenses? Almost shorter too!
I found mine used here on the forum and it was a good purchase. Picking up a black Friday sale would also make it great value. Retail prices a tougher sell these days (and who knows when it'll change again), but still a high value lens.
Top notch in every way, optically, mechanically and ergonomically. Re-reading my review, I'm tempted to go pick one up again if shooting needs and budgets allow.
Don't hesitate to get one if you think the focal length and aperture speed is what you want. | | | | | | | Junior Member Registered: August, 2012 Posts: 33 | | Review Date: May 29, 2013 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Small, sharp, light, nice contrast, smooth bokeh | | Cons: | Sharpness past 100mm wide open | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-30
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Firstly, my review is based on a repaired and beaten up unit with a deep cut in the front element. I bought this used for next to nothing because the previous owner said it "had been used in a warzone" and had been repaired at least once. My lens also has a deep cut in the front element which the previous owner thought made the lens worthless.
Well the good news for me atleast, is that the cut does not show in up any of the pics I've taken, despite what the previous owner warned me about. I can happily say I got it for a bargain for 340€
Despite all the things that's been said about the slow and unreliable autofocus, this particular war hero has never had any problems. Focusing is fast, silent and reliable.
The bokeh is creamy wide open and center sharpness is nice all the way to 100mm, after which it starts to deteriorate. It's still very acceptable, but stopping down to f4-5.6 at 135mm is adviceable when possible.
The colors have a nice, balanced contrast and I usually don't have to fool around with the curves too much in post, a rare treat for me who's used to using "boring" A-series lenses.
I can't honestly think of anything wrong with this lens, in particular when taking in to account how ridiculously little I paid for it. If you end up with a good copy like I did I think it's well worth the $1000 asking price. It's a brilliant piece of kit.
Some examples:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apaasi/8621917651/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apaasi/8595500851/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apaasi/8763567886/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apaasi/8763568448/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apaasi/8762441045/ | | | | | Banned Registered: May, 2011 Location: Pittsburgh,PA Posts: 321 | | Review Date: May 24, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $890.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | weather sealed. Excellent image quality. | | Cons: | slower AF compared to my Sigma lenses, but for portrait it's ok | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5
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Excellent piece of glass. No complain at all beside slow AF which for my use is fine.
Galaxy by dr_romix, on Flickr
| | | | | | | | Review Date: February 23, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $1,000.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | built quality, weather sealing, image quality (sharpness, bokeh) | | Cons: | slow autofocus | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 3
Handling: 8
Value: 6
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-7
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I bought this lens more than 2 years ago and used it mostly indoors shooting portraits, but made a few times also use of the weather sealing.
From the shootings with this lens I got very pleasing results image quality wise. The sharpness and the bokeh is excellent for a zoom lens. The built quality and the handling is also very good, with the exception of the focus ring, which is a bit too strongly damped in my opinion. The weather sealing is also a great bonus.
The only problem is the autofocus with this otherwise really great lens. It was from the beginning very slow, much slower than the screw drive of my other lenses. In the meantime the SDM decided to work only part time and finally died completely.
Conclusion - this lens has a great build and image quality - but has a flawed AF. Without the flawed SDM the lens would have gotten a straight 10.
| | | | | | | Moderator
Site Supporter Registered: February, 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Posts: 11,275 | | Review Date: January 19, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | The definitive bagful of primes, compact, WR | | Cons: | Still looking | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-5 IIs
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It took me some time to get this lens, as I have been a happy owner of a Sigma 70-200/2.8 for some time. The Black Friday deals last November changed that, and all I can say is wow!
Compared to the full frame 70-200's, this lens is *tiny*. The image quality is simply extraordinary and it feels and handles like a fully professional lens. The AF is not super quick but it is accurate and secure.
I can not fault it.
I have subsequently use this lens for a month in June 2013. Here was my summary:
It's a bit much to carry around as a daily lens, but it is much smaller and lighter than my Sigma 70-200 and the image quality is stellar by comparison: sharp from f/2.8 at all focal lengths, and downright scary from f/5.6. Sure, the focus is not super-quick, but it almost never missed its mark. The weather resistance certainly came in handy on a few occasions.
One of its most impressive features to me was its almost complete lack of colour fringing on contrasty situations. I quite deliberately took a few of my daily shots against the sky to try to elicit this, and failed miserably. The bokeh is almost always delightful as well.
On the downside, there is still a nagging doubt about the SDM. A couple of times this month it needed "waking up" before it came out to play, but once warmed up it didn't miss a beat. I wish I had kept my K10D so I had the option of nobbling it back to screw-drive for complete peace of mind
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2011 Location: Near Sydney, NSW Posts: 331 | | Review Date: December 19, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $920.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Perfect range, f2.8, a joy to use (explained in text) ridiculously good IQ | | Cons: | If I had to say something it'd be that it's as serious as a CanNikon 70-200 but looks less serious (but often that's a pro as well) | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-5
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Everyone has said how sharp and brilliant this lens is - and in fact it's the only one that when it arrived, I felt truly lived up to everything said about it.
But what really makes this one worth the money is the FEEL. The zoom range just gliiiides, and the focus is very easy to get absolute perfect even with manual - the ring is just perfectly damped I guess. This autofocus on my K5 is perfect as far as I can tell, with no adjustment - but I have had heaps of printable shots from MF as well (where certain things didn't allow AF).
The SDM isn't nearly as slow as everyone suggests. Apart from my Sigma 10-20 with HSM (which it's hard to tell when it's out of focus anyway because it's so wide) - anyway apart from that, it's my fastest focussing lens. OK on a K-x, K-r... not HEAPS fast, but K-5 / K-7 it's darn fast... I would LOVE to see it on a K-5ii.
Anyway, you should get this if you can afford it.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2012 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 63
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 31, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $950.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, fast focus, 2.8 across full range, weather seals, silence | | Cons: | The hood sometimes gets in the way when reversed, Weight (but that is expected) | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K10D, K-5, K-3iii
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This is the favorite of all of the lenses I have owned. It took a while to eclipse my old Canon 70-210, but it did. This lens is fast, sharp, quick to focus, and was worth every penny.
The (large) hood works great in keeping stray light out, the weather sealing holds up in downpours, and f2.8 across the full range is great.
I have an early model, ordering it from B+H on a pre-order before the release date. I have had no issues with the lens or the SDM system.
Samples:
 | | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2012 Posts: 24 | | Review Date: October 18, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $1,400.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Everything BUT (see con) | | Cons: | The Sigma 50-150 goes a touch further and is sharper at the long end | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-7 and K-5
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This lens is nuts - just seeeeriously sharp, contrasty and colourful, as well as as a joy to USE (as in, zoom and focus are so perfectly weighted, lens balances beautifully - I just love everything).
Two cons which aren't really cons of the lens, but of life:
The Sigma 50-150 which is basically unavailable now, isn't as good from 50-120, but steps up a bit from there. But then again it's not weather sealed, it's bigger, and like I said, it's not available.
The other is Pentax's pricing has gone mental - and in order to get this for less than $1600 I had to get it used (only very slightly used) but still that's a bit silly.
Anyway, I'll say what everyone else has - a brilliant, amazing lens.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: January, 2012 Posts: 216
1 user found this helpful
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2011 Posts: 5 | | Review Date: September 26, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $834.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | As good as a prime | | Cons: | Bulky and heavy | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5
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Quite frankly, I always underestimate this lens when out in the field (bias for primes?). However, the results always prove me wrong. I can't tell the difference in results between this and my best primes!
It's a bit bulkier and heavier than I'm used to but the extra versatility is useful at times.
AF is silent and deadly accurate, I once did a wedding where I got one blurry photo out of 300, even in low-light conditions.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: August, 2012 Posts: 3 | | Review Date: August 23, 2012 | Not Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | Great Build Quality | | Cons: | Slow, inaccurate auto-focus | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 3
Handling: 8
Value: 6
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: k10d
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Very disappointed with the copy of this lens I purchased. The auto-focus doesn't work properly at all unless shooting close up. Beyond 5-6 ft, forget about it. Even closed down to f 6.3, consistently out of focus, no where near the sharpness I've seen in the examples posted on here. Real bummer. Guess I caught hold of a bad piece of glass... Or maybe my cameras out of whack, but this lens has just been a frustration for me, and not even because of the SDM...
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: September, 2010 Posts: 29
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 4, 2012 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great image quality, sharp, fantastic colors, | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-5
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A lot has been already written about DA* 50-135.
I'd like to gie a few remarks after using it for about one month.
First of all, it handles like a dream with my k-5 (with grip). It is a perfect combination- well balanced and a pleasure to use. F2,8 is very useful, however I prefer to stop it down at about 4.0- it' amazingly sharp then. After I had been using it for a week, I put 18-55 and... I was terrified, how loud the AF is!!!  SDM is great, although it could be faster. As for pics, it produces so sharp, rich in colors and contrast photos, that I use Lightroom only to crop them. I love the bokeh- it may not be as superior as the"Limited bokeh", but it is not that far from it.
To sum up- DA* 50-135 is a piece of glass worth mounting your beloved Pentax bodies  | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: May, 2011 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 366
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 21, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $650.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Simply Irresistible | | Cons: | Heavy-ish. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K20D
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Simply amazing.
After much debate with my wallet, I found a good deal here on the forums and took my chances even with the shaky SDM failure rate talk on the forum recently.
I lucked out. The copy is excellent and it does some amazing things.
I mainly focus on portraits, Cosplay Portraits, mostly. This lens packs quite a punch when used in 80-105 range, from what I've noticed. This lens suits my shooting style and I couldn't be any happier with the results. Shooting in the rain was just too much fun. While I was in the rain, shooting, other photographers were hiding under the cover and babying their equipment and complaining that they can't take photos. ahahahaha. WR rocks.
As with many Pentax lenses, bokeh is smooth and pleasing as usual. Nothing to complain about the Image Quality of this lens. Manual Focus is actually better than any other AF lenses I have ever used. AF noise is barely noticeable.
First time I used it (This is my first SDM lens), I thought the AF was broken because I didn't hear any sound nor vibrations from the camera
Couple of pictures taken last weekend.
The second photo was taken in the slight rain.
IMGP8341-2 by RickyFromVegas, on Flickr
Spike by RickyFromVegas, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2007 Location: Tallinn Posts: 22 | | Review Date: March 19, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $1,300.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ, autofocus, weathersealing | | Cons: | big hood | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K-5
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This is love from the first picture. Zoom ring is very handy size and fits good in my hands for a solid grip. Focus ring is wide easy to use for manual focus in video shooting mode. Add beautiful bokeh and very little geo,metry distortions and little aberrationd and this is it - what I was looking for long time. Shame I havent purvcased it earlier.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2010 Location: New York Posts: 1,008
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 18, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $775.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | price, compact, weather seal, quality | | Cons: | a bit soft above 100 at f2.8 | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
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sharp at f4 at all focal length
very sharp at f5.6 at all focal length
still good at f2.8 below 100mm, a bit soft at f2.8 above 100mm, but still usable
I like the compact size and weather seal
For FF equivalent focal length, u would get a very bulky and heavy 70-200 f2.8.
In my opinion, this is one advantage of getting APS-C, we can get compact f2.8 zoom lens, and still maintain good optical.
moreover, the price is very nice...how much is that 70-200 f2.8 for FF? it cost a lot more than 50-135 f2.8.
I only hope the IQ at f2.8 can be a bit better, then I would give it a 10.
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