| Author: | | New Member Registered: July, 2011 Location: carlotinha1@gmail.com Posts: 1
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 18, 2011 | Not Recommended
| Rating: N/A |
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Essa lente serve para ist dl2 tava querendo para fotografar aves e lua ela é muito pesada.
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2007 Location: Ankara, Turkey Posts: 401 | | Review Date: October 22, 2009 | Not Recommended | Price: $800.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Optical performance | | Cons: | SDM | |
Mine is not really a review, for now, that is!
This lens has the highest price tag among my set of lenses (too many to count).
It is also the only one that failed!
After about a year of infrequent use (I was busy shooting film!), I have started using/re-using this lens. It was "optically" perfect; almost like a prime at every focal length!
However, its SDM started to behave and since using the screw driven AF engine is actively blocked (read, forbidden) my lens turned into a manual one within weeks. The lens was used lightly (first on K10D, then on K20D). It is in "new" condition for all practical purposes. It was used just like all of my other lenses (Pentax and Sigma), of which I am happy.
There are only a few places in the world that are authorized to fix the SDM. And, there is no local representative or service, Pentax is not currently represented in my country.
I wrote two of them for paid repair. None replied!
I do not understand what my mistake was. Do you?
I am not thinking of buying another lens "with SDM" until Pentax either issues a satisfactory statement about the reported problems (and their solution) or publishes a firmware to allow usage of screw driven AF when needed.
I humbly advice Pentax to define a process where users living outside the countries it has representatives and/or services can apply for help.
What am I supposed to do if my equipment fails? Pray?
(The lens was bought in the US, by the way).
I also warn potential buyers (of lenses with SDM, especially second-hand) think thrice if they live in the remote & neglected corners of the world. For other lenses, there is not much reason to be extremely cautious; even my 40 or so years old Takumars work like magic!
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2009 Location: SLovakia Posts: 141 | | | | | Closed Account Registered: March, 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 415 | | Review Date: December 29, 2014 | Not Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 1 |
| Pros: | Sharp, bokeh, easy to use, WR | | Cons: | SDM, again...! | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 1
Handling: 9
Value: 2
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5 and K5IIs
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This is a great lens and the only reason I'm posting this is because the AF failed (SDM again?) and it's in the shop for repairs. This is the 3rd time the AF fails on me: twice on my DA*16-50mm which cost $285 in 2011 and $385 last year when the gears (plastic) were replaced. I got this 50-135mm in June 2013 because of the big sale at B&H and have used it maybe 5 times. Bad items, maybe, get on with it, maybe, but that's a lot to say for quality control at Pentax. Too bad its a great lens because I'll have to keep it, for now, since I found out that you can't even get a used one for less than $800, even on eBay...!
March 12, 2016 update: Got the SDM fixed, 12 month ago, for free after knocking hard on the table...! This lense is back at its best - so far - like a piece of magic.
June 2017 update
See my post on the DA 16-50mm review page on my latest problems/comments on SDMs...! I do not recommend this lenses because of the risks on having an SDM incident. Too bad because the quality of the glass is excellent.
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2009 Location: Georgia, VT Posts: 1,657 | | Review Date: February 25, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $849.00
| Rating: 1 |
| Pros: | Excellent image quality at all focal lengths, outstanding build quality, looks gorgeous, super silent focusing, great hood, internal zoom and focusing, weather sealing | | Cons: | Slow focusing, poor minimum focus distance, questionable SDM longevity | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 3
Handling: 9
Value: 1
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-7, K-5
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When I first got this lens, my initial thoughts were "wow, this thing is gorgeous". I love the gold highlights, the green line near the mount, and the massive zoom and focus rings. The large front element makes this lens look like it means business. This thing looks fantastic.
On my K-7, this lens is perfectly balanced. The large zoom ring means the lens has a wide range of space to support it, so I suspect it would be well balanced on just about any Pentax camera. That zoom ring feels smooth, with a good amount of resistance.
The focus ring is very similar, it's even larger than the zoom ring. It also has a fairly smooth motion with good resistance, although I found it felt kinda "dry" initially. Nowhere near the smoothness of my Super Takumar 50mm F1.4's focus ring, which is buttery smooth. It also has a super-long 130 degree sweep, which would be great for manual focusing but is far too long for an auto-focus lens. One oddity I hadn't experienced with a lens before: when I reach the end of the focus throw, the focus ring doesn't stop turning. There's a distinct "clunk" of the internal focusing mechanism reaching its limit, but the ring can continue to be turned indefinitely. It's a weird feeling, none of my other lenses behave this way.
Its size is a bit daunting at first, but this is mostly due to the fact that it focuses and zooms internally. So no matter what focal length you're using or where you're focusing, this lens always stays exactly the same length. The weight is also a bit much to carry around your neck during a long shooting session. After buying this lens, I got a new neck strap from Op/Tech to help reduce the strain on my neck, and it's been a huge help.
I've been using this lens regularly for over a month now, and I've mostly gotten used to the way it behaves. But one thing that still bugs me is the 3 foot minimum focus distance. The F2.8 aperture and 50mm focal length beg for this lens to be used indoors in low light, but the 3 foot minimum focus distance makes this a really frustrating task. I keep getting caught by this, and have to move back or stand on my tip toes to get 3 feet from my subject. I really wish this thing had a macro mode, or at least allowed closer focusing. 3 feet sucks.
Outdoors, this lens is at its best. Sharpness is impressive at any focal length, including the extremes. Even at F2.8, overall sharpness is surprisingly good. I've never seen a lens that gives such great results wide open. Of course, stopping down to F4 makes things even better.
Contrast and saturation are gorgeous. The colours come out vivid and clear, and chromatic aberration is incredibly well controlled. I have yet to be able to induce flare, even on purpose. The lens hood does a perfect job of keeping stray reflections off the lens. It's even lined with black felt on the inside!
Focusing performance is... disappointing. With all the hype from Pentax over SDM, I expected focusing to be on par with high end Canon and Nikon offerings, but the truth is, it barely matches the kit lens with its screw-drive focusing. Accuracy in daylight is excellent, but it takes a long time to get from close focus to infinity. The focus throw is so long, you can feel the mechanism rolling through its entire range... it reminds me of the distant rumble of a bowling ball rolling down the aisle. Sometimes, there's a hesitation before the focus mechanism gets going. Like it's not sure if I really meant to half-press the shutter button. Occasionally, when I haven't used the lens in a couple days, the focusing mechanism takes a few tries to "wake up". It won't move at all the first few times I half-press the shutter button. Once it does wake up, the precision is excellent. It always focuses accurately on my target. If it doesn't have to go through its entire focus range to find a target, it's usually pretty quick. So if I manually focus real quick and then half-press the shutter button, I can get focus blazingly fast. But this is an annoying two-step process. Overall, I'd say it compares favourably with the kit lens in this respect, but it doesn't come close to the competition. It doesn't even come close to my old and ultra-cheap SMC Pentax F 35-70mm F3.5-4.5, which auto-focuses like greased lightning on ice.
As soon as I get out of daylight, focus performance drops like a rock. This lens has a tendency to hunt more than my kit lens does. It'll often sweep through its entire range twice, and then give up, even when there's an obvious line to focus on RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE!!! Honestly, I don't get it. With an F2.8 aperture, it should have plenty of light to focus easily in most situations, but somehow that doesn't matter. The worst part is, sweeping through its range takes so long, by the time it's failed to focus, my shot is often gone. On the upside, the focusing mechanism is whisper quiet. I hear it when I operate the camera, but anyone around me can't hear it at all.
Since I mainly use this lens outdoors during the day, it's been a perfect fit for me, hence the 9 rating. It's really unfortunate that I can't make better use of it indoors or in low-light, but that's not what I got it for. I mainly got it for outdoor shots of static objects, and for this purpose the lens is excellent. I'm also hoping to use it a lot when the Canadian Football League season starts up again in July, although I'm not sure how it will do with fast-moving subjects. I guess I'll find out the hard way... (update: it was terribly, the AF speed and accuracy was miserable and useless for fast action shots)
edit: oops, forgot to mention weather-sealing. I've been using this lens on my K-7 in winter, through some snow falls and rain. The combination never missed a beat. It's great to be able to do these things and not worry about water getting into the camera. Weather sealing is one of this lens' great qualities, and definitely contributes to the 9 rating I gave it.
update: While everything written above still holds true, the fact is I couldn't wait to get rid of this lens. Why? After about 10 months, the SDM started showing signs of failure. Hesitation before auto-focus, weird stuttering. Eventually it died altogether. It was fixed under warranty (took about 5 weeks to get it back), only to fail again within a month. This time the motor made a funny whirring noise and the entire focus mechanism jammed solid. I couldn't focus manually either, the focus ring would just turn and turn and accomplish nothing. Turns out everyone who warned me not to buy this lens was right. I did get it fixed again (the repair facility gives a 6 month warranty on all repairs), but only so I could sell it on eBay.
So I've adjusted my rating accordingly. Buyer beware. And don't fall for the lie that Pentax has resolved the problem on newer copies of this lens. I heard the same BS back when I first bought mine, and it had already been on the market for many years by then.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: June, 2010 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 29
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 15, 2016 | Not Recommended | Price: $800.00
| Rating: 3 |
| Pros: | Beautiful, clear shots of stationary objects, when it doesn't backfocus | | Cons: | Not for use with objects or people in motion, especially in unfavorable lighting | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 1
Handling: 7
Value: 1
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-50, K200D
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When it takes focuses, it frequently takes gorgeous shots and, in some lighting situations, it is the only lens I have that will take nice shots. However, that depends greatly on whether it will focus. People talk about sports shooting, as if that's the only type of action which can befuddle a camera. I tried to shoot a talent show tonight with stage lighting. If people weren't moving, it could be coerced into focusing and taking some nice enough shots. But, if anyone in the frame was moving at all, the AF would not work at all. I missed a lot of shots watching the lens hunt. I should have gone to manual much sooner, although, given the lighting, that wasn't easy either. It was very frustrating. In fact, by the end of the night, I was almost ready to throw over Pentax completely. Awful AF is really the only problem with the lens, but, unfortunately, it has the power to render its strengths useless. If you plan to buy this lens, plan on using manual focus a lot.
Update: the SDM motor never worked well and eventually died completely. I had a Forum member fix it by overriding the silent, non-focus system for just $30. At first, it worked fine. Using it to shoot a church service on Sunday, after less than an hour, the AF quick completely. It did come back later, but I expect much more.
Unless you always manually focus or don't mind a lot of frustration, find something else.
| | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2008 Location: Boerne, TX Posts: 12 | | Review Date: July 25, 2013 | Recommended
| Rating: 3 |
| Pros: | | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 2
Handling: 9
Value: 5
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-5,K-7
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I have had 2 motors go out and the third is about dead. | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2008 Location: Highland, MI Posts: 336 | | Review Date: November 21, 2011 | Not Recommended | Price: $1,000.00
| Rating: 3 |
| Pros: | When the camera focuses correctly the picture quality is ok. | | Cons: | The autofocus is way (and I mean wayyyyyy) too slow. | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 5
Bokeh: 5
Autofocus: 2
Handling: 5
Value: 3
New or Used: New
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I bought this lens thinking that it would be a great addition. Man I was wrong. It's so slow to focus and being a photographer who shoots swing dancing, models, weddings, and events I can barely use it. Not only that but when it does lock the pictures are so out of focus. Even with the in-camera calibration, the lens is subpar.
When I orginally purchased it, I had a chance to purchase this lens or a Tamron 17-200 2.8. If I had a chance to do it again I would definately go with the Tamron hands down. If you have to shoot with speed and accuracy then don't even concider this lens.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: April, 2011 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 582
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 5, 2014 | Not Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 4 |
| Pros: | Sharp, small | | Cons: | Horrible, Horrible AF | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 2
Handling: 9
Value: 6
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K-3
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I bought this lens to compliment my 16-45. The first time out with it was shooting moving motorcycles.
It is truly tack-sharp, but don't think about using it in any action scenario as the AF speed is just truly woeful. It's like the AF motor is trying to move through sludge; it really is that bad.
It could possibly make a decent portraiture lens, but I do so little of that I just cannot justify spending that much money on it.
I've since replaced it with a Tamron 70-200 2.8 and will be reconsidering the 16-45 with a something-70mm.
It's a shame, because the focal length provided is a wonderful range and it is wonderfully sharp - but it just completely let down by the auto-focus speed.
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2010 Posts: 10 | | Review Date: December 25, 2010 | Not Recommended | Price: $819.00
| Rating: 4 |
| Pros: | good at low light | | Cons: | soft focus at the edges | | New or Used: New
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First impression of the Pentax 50-135. Have been using it for two days now together with the brand new K-5.
Been a day to the coast and made pictures of the pacific ocean, the driftwood, lighthouse and coastline. The pictures seems to be sharp in the middle but at the edges it is like a soft focus is used. Close ups are not crispy and bright as I had hoped for.
Today I made pictures inside, it is very good with low light, but it is like a soft focus is used.
I have a UV filter B&W haze 1x MRC, could that be the problem !!!
I am somehow disappointed, but will make more pictures the next few days, if it stays the same I am returning the lens.
Look here
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| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: November, 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Posts: 12,385 | | Review Date: October 17, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $1,100.00
| Rating: 5 |
| Pros: | Optically Superb | | Cons: | SDM failed for the third time - out of warranty | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 1
Handling: 10
Value: 6
New or Used: New
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This lens has had to be converted to an 85-230 mm f/4.8 screw drive AF lens using the AFA 1.7X converter. The SDM failed again, after being repaired twice under warranty by Pentax Canada. I am not prepared to spend something like $300 on a repair that will probably fail again. Using it as a 50-135 relies on Catch-in-Focus and that works well, but II would much prefer to use it as a 50-135/2.8. My manual focus skills are not up to university hockey as I found out last weekend. In situations where manual focus is OK, I will use it, but I am severely disappointed with the SDM failures.
That said, this lens is optically superb. The 1.7x seems built to mate seamlessly with this converter as well. I rated the lens as Good (5) overall because of the failures.
| | | | | 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: June, 2012 Posts: 47
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 28, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Good for indoor events | | Cons: | Stay away from this lens built prior to 2012 SDM failure | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 5
Handling: 6
Value: 7
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5
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People are selling off DA* lens because of the release of K1. So price dropped quite a bit. But use caution before you buy an used copy. SDM failure rate was high before 2012 redesign. Check the SN and compare with the forum's database to determine the manufacture date.
Otherwise this is a good lens on APS-C for wedding and alike. Not suit for sports because of the slow AF and reach limits.
Also it's quite heavy at 1.5lbs. You don't want to carry it all day unless you have to use it to make money. | | | | | Junior Member Registered: August, 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 33
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 1, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $900.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | One of the best in terms of range and IQ | | Cons: | Overpriced in Recent Years, SDM Reliability | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-30
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The DA* 50-135 is a fantastic lens in ALMOST every way. Until I ran into reliability issues with the silent focus motor on two separate copies forcing me to switch over to the discontinued but very similar Sigma 50-150 as my "go-to", I used the DA* 50-135 almost exclusively for portraits, artistic work, photographing live events and more and never had any major complaints. The 50-135 is well built and handles nicely despite being somewhat "dense" from having so much glass packed into such a small package. Aesthetically, the 50-135 looks and feels like a premium "Pentax" lens should. I rarely use a tripod for the type of shooting I typically do, but have had no issue hand-holding the lens on longer shoots. In low-light AF situations coupled with fast-moving subjects, the 50-135 delivered excellent results both wide open and at distance. Plus, the Weather Resistance (WR) of the Pentax affords much needed peace of mind to an active photographer like me, who lives in a dusty desert and likes to travel. The Sigma, on the other hand, is not weather sealed, which limits the conditions I feel comfortable using it in. Also, compared to the Sigma, I prefer the color rendering of the Pentax by a small margin, as it offered a bit more warmth and depth of contrast, no doubt due to the unique blend of pixie dust Pentax uses in their amazing lens coatings! I have heard of the 50-135 delivering "prime-like" IQ throughout most of its zoom range and feel that this is a fairly reasonable description. The image quality is stellar and certainly among the absolute "best of the best" when it comes to modern zooms. Unfortunately, what ultimately killed the enjoyment of this lens for me was the SDM motor issue. The Sigma has proven to be significantly more reliable in my case. In the end, as my second DA* 50-135, which I purchased brand new at Christmas 2012 from an authorized dealer, began to develop the dreaded SDM noise and intermittent function issues after barely a month of light use (shortly after my first 50-135's SDM from around 2010 completely quit on me and had to be repaired to the tune of $200+), I opted to return the Pentax and keep the Sigma. More than a year later, I'm still shooting the Sigma regularly and have had zero issues with its performance or reliability. I only wish I could have said the same for my DA* 50-135, because it really is an incredible lens deserving of the "Star" heritage in ALMOST every way. If you get a good copy with a reliable motor, it will be the best lens you ever own. However, I still see reports of SDM failures on lenses purchased as recently as late 2103, so the problem obviously hasn't been fixed, despite many claims by Pentax over the past few years. I love the lens enough that I've strongly considered giving it another chance, but prices have been rather steep over the past couple years compared to what these lenses originally sold for. Regardless, if you're in the market for a professional quality zoom in this range, it's hard to do much better than the DA* 50-135 on any platform. Just make sure to buy new from an authorized retailer so you have the peace-of-mind of a factory warranty in case your copy ends up with an unreliable focusing motor like mine and many others.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: September, 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,448
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 20, 2013 | Recommended
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | IQ is superb | | Cons: | SDM Focusing is horribly slow/Min focusing distance is 3+ feet | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 3
Handling: 4
Value: 7
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5iis
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This lens will garner a mixed review from me, which is why I eventually sold it in favor of a lens better suited to my shooting needs.
First the positive aspects:
The image quality is amazing. Resolution is great, colors, bokeh, all that stuff is pro quality. I can see why wedding photographers, and others who specialize in portrait type images love this lens. At f2.8 you get really great shallow DOF at 135mm.
The cons:
The focusing is horribly slow, frustratingly slow. I would not recommend this for any kind of action photography unless it's a snail race. I take that back, with it's overly long minimum focusing distance of 3+ feet, (even at 50mm) the snails would be too small in the frame to be meaningful.
Obviously, this lens was not suited for my subject matter of sports, wildlife or anything moving, but even to that end, its image quality was so good I still debated a long time before finally selling it.
For its price, make sure you know this lenses strengths and weaknesses, because the resale market has hit rock bottom. Chances are you won't be able to recoup your investment should you decide it's not right for you.
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