| Author: | | New Member Registered: March, 2017 Posts: 7
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 17, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Zoom range and very quiet focusing | | Cons: | You must no how to use the lens to achieve sharp images | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 7
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5iis
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This is a must have lens, but you must no how to get the most out of it, for good sharp images I've found you must use f7 to f11. I have a lot of prime lenes but when
your out with the kids it's not easy changing them all the time. With the pentax 18 270mm it gives you great flexibility when you out and about. It's a tamron lens at heart, but tamron have always made great zoom lenes in the past, with the added SMC cotting it gives great depth in colour and the focusing is smooth and fast. Fun lens to use, highly recommended.
| | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,983
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 6, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $487.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Compact, versatility, AF, silent | | Cons: | not WR | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-3
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I bought the DA18-270mm to replace my DA18-250mm. I bought the latter 2nd hand and used it for 7 years: it started to develop quirks and issues. The DA18-270mm is, like the DA18-250mm, the perfect all-around lens in my opinion. It is small, compact, relatively light weight and very versatile. I loved my DA18-250mm and I love my DA18-270mm.
I considered alternatives like the Sigma 18-250mm and Sigma 18-300mm. In each case, the weight and size was an issue for me. I often bushwalk with my camera and lens, and I want something light to carry. In addiition, the Sigma 18-300mm was pricier than the DA18-270mm at the time of my purchase.
If I compare side-by-side the DA18-250mm and DA18-270mm, I am very impressed by the AF of the DA18-270mm, its speed, reasonable accuracy and it is almost silent. IMHO, the AF is a major improvement over the DA18-250mm.
Similarly I have the DA18-135mm. Both my wife and I love the DA18-135mm. But the DA18-270mm is more versatile in my opinion.
In summary, I would rate this lens as 9 to 9.5 as an excellent all-around zoom lens. My main criticism is the lack of WR. Off course the IQ of DA18-270mm is well below that of most prime lenses. But that is not the point because one should compare apples and apples, and oranges and oranges.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: July, 2015 Posts: 50
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 20, 2015 | Not Recommended | Price: $600.00
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | 18 - 270 length offcourse | | Cons: | Sharpness (loads of blur) | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 6
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-3
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One and only problem I'm facing is sharpness. This is the most important factor of the photography. This lens is extremely bad in sharpness. Another issue is light. 18-270mm is good for outdoor with sunny day not for dawn/evening or even low sun light.
Not recommended.
| | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2014 Posts: 4
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 11, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $800.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | versatility/range. reliable. build. Price/usefulness ratio. | | Cons: | not WS. Some aberrations. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K3
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At approx €500 this is the perfect travel lens imho as it is simply very good at what it is designed for. Toss the kit lens and start out with this one if you are an amateur and you will manage most situations. I have even shot a wedding with this lens, both indoors and outside. Very silent AF and much improved build and feel from the Tamron Di-II. The K-3 performs very well with this lens. Examples:
Sharpness/bokeh/"macro": https://flic.kr/p/nDYBMD
Sharpness zoomed at 270mm: https://flic.kr/p/mLDn2V
Sharpness zoomed at 270mm: https://flic.kr/p/mQBWKg
Sharpness wide: https://flic.kr/p/mLDbKz
| | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: January, 2014 Location: St Petersburg Posts: 402
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 23, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Size, Portability, Weight | | Cons: | Pincushion (correctable), a bit in the corners | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-3
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I rate this lens as a 10 not because it is an optical champ, but because it excells at what it was designed for. This is NOT a DA* Pro Grade lens. It is, however, an extremely agile walk around, with manageable quirks. The MILD pincushion is easily managed upon import, as is any corner stuff.
Want a killer 2 lens kit for ad-hoc work... This one and the Sigma 120-400. Not expensive, workable, my wife's preferred set (a pro since 1990), with zoom overlap to reduce lens changes... We had the 18-250, and it was fine, but we'll always take reach and SDM. Complaint? no WR...
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2011 Location: Greenhithe, Kent UK Posts: 63
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 18, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Great range of focal lengths, lightweight, no need to keep changing lenses so protecting the sensor from the elements. | | Cons: | No quick manual override of autofocus. Have to switch manually | |
When I first had my K3 I went up to the local country park and pointed the lens towards Canary Wharf which was 13 miles away from where I was standing. I took a handheld shot and when I enlarged just a small section of the frame up, I could count the windows on the buildings. This shot was through all the mist and air pollution. I was amazed at the result, especially as it was handheld. Here is a link to my section of the frame on Facebook (if it works) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202244890700773&l=9912f3d9e3
I've had sections of frames enlarged to 18 x12 inch prints and am very pleased with the quality. It is a great lens for everyday shooting.  | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2013 Posts: 17
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 12, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $485.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | All in one, perfect for travelling. | | Cons: | Hunts focus indoor | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K-01
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I was considering to buy this lens for a while but there were not many reviews. I was using da 55-300mm. I needed a lens for travelling. So I took the chance and bought it. I am extremely happy, I did so. Auto focus is smooth. Quality is very good. Just one thing which so far goes in negativity is that it focuses very sluggishly indoors but I knew it at the beginning. So no big complaint. It's an overall very good lens. And I got it at a very reasonable promotional price.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: July, 2008 Location: south africa, johannesburg Posts: 228
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 20, 2013 | Recommended
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | low mass, silent focusing, convenience | | Cons: | average image quality, inaccurate focusing at wide angle | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 7
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Nikon D5100
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This is a good review with a fair conclusion.
I have the earlier version of the Tamron model (18 - 250mm) on my Pentax KR and this version (Tamron) on my Nikon 5100. The Tamron version may have different lens coatings compared to the Pentax badge but the internal components will be the same, judging by the distortion and sharpness characteristics
Both lens models have the same problem viz. inaccurate auto focusing from 18mm to around 50mm. However, they focus well with Live View. I see that the reviewer noted that the distance scale on the lens was inaccurate at close range - this may be related to the problem I have found. On AF, the lenses focus at a different distance to what I can measure with a tape measure. SInce two models of this lens show the same problem but on two different cameras, I think that the AF systems of the respective cameras may be implicated - not accurate enough for the soft focus seen at wide angle. It would be interesting iof any K5 or K30 users observe the same problem.
The net result though is that I cannot relly on AF to give me sharp/accurate focus between 18 and 50mm FL.
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