| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: January, 2017 Location: Sofia Posts: 951 | | Review Date: August 27, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $250.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, light weight, fast focus | | Cons: | none for me | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K500
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Compared wit my kit lense DAL 18-55, this one is a level hiher. It is as sharp as the kit on 2.8 and much faster ofcours. From 4.0 it is extreamly sharp and dhe 27 sm. focusing distanse makes it almost macro lense. I didn't believed it untill I tried it. My pease is very stabel with no comlains on handling. It is the closest to the universal lens I can imagine and is perfect walkarownd lense for me. I'm very happy to have it.  hihly recomand it.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2015 Posts: 13
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 13, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Shar, constant aperture f/2.8, AF, ZOOM, low aberrations, price! | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5, K-3
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I use this lens for a period of 4 to 5 years. During this time I used it more than any of my other lenses. This lens has the convenient zoom range, and it is also fast enough almost always. For this reason, the hand itself is attracted to him. Another reason for the frequent use of this lens is the high image quality that is most fully revealed, when combined with the camera K-3. The reason - the absence of anti-aliasing filter in the camera. Even wide open, he gives you razor sharp images! Per-pixel sharpness wide open! Bokeh good enough wide open. And all this is given for a very reasonable cost for the lens of this level! For that amount of money you can buy just the entry-level AF Pentax lens or may be old prime. I could only wish for improvement of USM and full metal body. It's really all that can be added.
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: December, 2012 Location: Wild-Nord-East Hungary Posts: 149 | | Review Date: November 19, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $370.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Fast, sharp wide open, price | | Cons: | Not Quickshift, feeling slightly Plastic. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-30 K-x
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I bought the kit lens instead. This lens is also great value for money.
Near the middle image is very sharp. blur and distortion at the edges of my themes not bother.
17-45 mm. between very nice; 50mm also good.
(but 50 mm. the A 50/1,7 I prefer | | | | | Forum Member Registered: January, 2012 Location: Frankfurt Posts: 89
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 3, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $430.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, Contrast, Fine details, Color accuracy, Price | | Cons: | No WR, Mediocre build quality | |
This is by far my best walk around lens with stellar optical characteristics. I have tried a number of standard lenses, but I somehow I always return to this one, because in the wide angle-standard department I cannot find a lens with sharper are more detail reach character. Even using one of the 35mm primes or the 15mm limited does not give me better results.
I find this lens best for landscapes and travel, due to sharpness, plenty of fine details, low distortion and fairly accurate colors. I find it very sharp corner to corner, especially between 5.6 and 8 apertures. I usually correct all geometric distortions with the DXO software but in most cases I do not really find it necessary for this lens. In addition to landscapes and travel it can be used for portraits as well with very nice results, but I think that dedicated portrait lenses (like the Pentax 70mm, 2.4) are better suited for that purpose.
The Tammy's screw driven AF is fairly fast and accurate in my view.
The only negative point I can mention is that the build quality is way behind that of Pentax limited lenses.
It does not feel cheep but I am not sure how long it will last. (After years of use I have experienced a shaky plastic ring around the front element, although it still works fine).
 | | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2011 Location: Dubai, UAE Posts: 448 | | Review Date: December 22, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $293.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Perfect all round lens, Easy handling | | Cons: | Little under exposed compared with prime at same setting | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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This is my first zoom lens, I had been using only primes from day 1 of my Pentax K-r. Since, I had SMC DA 35mm F2.4 which is already my favorite I was in confusion whether I would require a lens that covers the same focal length. I also had the legendary M85 f2, given my average expertise handling the primes I was challenged to the max inter-changing between both the primes. Also along the way, I understood I was missing the wide angle mainly at family gatherings and especially when we were outing to scenic places.
Finally, identified my focal length requirement and finalized the Tamron for it's great reviews and affordability.
It has been only a few days but I am already starting to love it. As I get to understand the exposure handling I am expecting my output will improve. Just as a quick and short observation, I tried to capture a scene (during dawn) in the same focal length and same setting with both my prime and this Tamron. You will notice it in the picture below that the Tammy for some reason shows around less than a stop of under exposure compared with the Pentax 35mm. But I should not forget to mention that the Tammy is sharp as well.
Best lens that your money can buy, instead of the Kit lens.
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: September, 2013 Posts: 306 | | Review Date: September 22, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp,colors,flare,reflectons,f2.8 | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 5
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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My most used lens. Near as goos as fixed focus lenses. F2.8 and zoom with cheap price. No os, size and weight is low enough. Even f2.8 is sharp enough to use. Biggest aperture is too soft to use for me. Rubber lens hoods not good with this lens, only 35mm-50mm can use, but not really need with this lens. Zoom extends this lens and no wr and smallest apertures are soft but hey this is excellent value. With money for pentax users. Great lens!
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2011 Location: Near Sydney, NSW Posts: 331 | | Review Date: June 10, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $417.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | So sharp it's stupid, 67mm rather than 77mm, price... everything else | | Cons: | You need more than 16MP to resolve it! | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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I am not kidding when I say this is the sharpest zoom, and probably the sharpest LENS I have ever used, at least when at f4 or slower. I actually discovered the limit of 12MP with this lens, having completely frozen a single strand of my son's hair (on quite a wide view of him), captured so sharply that I could see where the pixels on my K-x actually couldn't resolve the perfect curvature of the hair.
Contrast and bokeh are nice too - and even though not it's sharpest, it's very very useable at f2.8.
It is insane that it costs literally 40% of the amount of say, the Pentax 16-50, or the CaNikon 17-55 lenses, the latter of which suck in comparison, and the Pentax is SDM as well as being huge and heavy, though it is nice.
I had to sell this lens because it wasn't what I needed F/L wise, but if you're looking at this range, don't even consider the others.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: January, 2011 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 38
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 28, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $430.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Fast focus, Nice bokeh, relatively lightweight and inexpensive | | Cons: | a little soft wide open | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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This is the primary lens that I use even for taking portraits. I do have other prime lenses but I surely find this one much more convenient especially since it can go down to 17mm. I like the lock feature especially when changing lens. The autofocus work fine and is quite fast. I would definitely recommend this lens though I had a difficulty choosing between this one and the 28-75mm but ended up with this one because of the wider angle option.
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2009 Location: Malvern, PA Posts: 5
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 22, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $414.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build quality, Weight, IQ | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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I recently purchased this lens after a year of contemplating an upgrade to my DA 18-55. I wanted the flexibility of a mid range zoom, but I needed something with IQ in the same class as my prime lenses. The Tamron is just what I needed. With the exception of weight, every aspect of this lens is a significant improvement over the DA 18-55. IQ is comparable to my FA 50 and DA 14 primes, when stopped down a bit (+1-2). The build quality and handling match that of higher priced lenses in this range. This lens will hold it's own against the DA* 16-50, albeit without the weather resistance. At the current price of 414.00 (after rebate), this lens is one of the best values on the market today. I highly recommend this lens over the DA 16-45 and the Sigma equivalent.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: April, 2009 Location: port townsend, wa Posts: 968
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 12, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $409.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | very sharp, great contrast, superb saturation, good price | | Cons: | | |
This lens is sharp wide open and very sharp at any other aperture. It has great contrast and terrific saturation. It resists flare better than any lens I've owned. It focuses quickly and accurately in all light on my K-5. It occasionally hunts a bit in low light on my K20D. So do other lenses. Build quality is not quite as high as Pentax D* lenses but is solid with no slop. It is noticeably sharper at the image borders than the Pentax 16-50. That's across the entire zoom range. Center sharpness is comparable. Though the Tamron is soft below f-4 on the edges. The Tamron images are a tiny bit warmer than Pentax lenses.
There is a tiny bit of vignetting at 2.8 at all focal lengths, though that's easily fixable in post. Also, there's no comparison between this and the DA* 16-50 when it comes to chromatic aberrations. This lens has almost none, where the Pentax displays strong fringing at all apertures and focal lengths in any strong back light.
There is noticeable barrel distortion at 17mm, but no more than any comparable zoom. You can hear the lens focus, but there's no SDM to break -- like on the Pentax 16-50 -- which mine did. The Tamron also doesn't have weather resistant seals, but for absolute optical quality and value it can't be beat.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: January, 2010 Location: Gothenburg, aka Göteborg Posts: 234
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 23, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $350.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp (and compact) allround zoom | | Cons: | Becomes quite front heavy, fully zoomed out. Underexposes 1EV. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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Just had it for a day, but I must say it produces stunning results, as long as you set exposures to +0.7 to +1EV. Adding a Canon 500D close-up lens improves its close focus ability even further!
Used on my K-x the colours are just spot on, even when photographing difficult flowers - not always the case with other lenses.
A little stiff zoomng, otherwise no complains at all!
Addendum
==========
I now have had it for quite a while (and as it was a gift to my wife she's been using it a lot), and it by far outperforms the kit 18-55 lens.
Together with the DA50-135 it is by far our sharpest zooms, and focuses very fast as well! We have a few Pentax primes (DA15, DA21, DA40, FA43, FA50, & FA77), but those two lenses are at least as sharp as most of those primes! Amazingly better than the DA21, for instance! The only zoom lens that is somewhat comparable is the Tamron 70-200/2.8!
A few years have passed
===================
Not that total Pentax nerd any longer, but this lens is still one of the better - the FA31 is sharper, but is far worse in handling flare! The DA15
In conclusion, a very nice lens, well worth the cost, just as the Tamron 10-24 is!
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2007 Location: Arnold, Md. Posts: 762 | | Review Date: May 10, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $407.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharp, fast focus, smooth operation | | Cons: | none so far | |
Needed a lens which offered better low light performance than my DA 16-45. I think I found it. | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2011 Location: Munich, DE | | Review Date: April 15, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | fast af, sharp, value, weight | | Cons: | | |
My Review: Recommended
My Rating: 10 because for me this lens is perfect. 
I am new to the dslr world. Thanks guys for guiding me to choose this lens. My budget was very ordinary so i chose k-x with this lens and i am completely satisfied with this lens, I am getting extremely good results even in low light.
My uploads: http://www.flickr.com/photos/61794679@N06/5620914890/ (i will upload more pics when i will have some time to edit raws)  | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 1, 2011 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Value, Fast and Sharp | | Cons: | | |
Had this lens a couple of months now... Mounted almost constantly to K-x
Considerably sharper than the kit-18-55mm... at f2.8 its much sharper than my copy of the m-50mm f1.7 wide open...
Seems to handle CA effectively...
67mm filter ring is HUGE... Use of a UV filter to protect that big piece of glass is recommended...
It is a fairly heavy lens but it makes the K-x look pretty damn serious!!
NOT a covert street lens but fantastic for general purpose...
Exellent value for money here in the UK
Best buy I've made since the purchase of the camera...
EDIT... I now rekon that this lens performs best at f5.6... BRUTAL SHARP!
Also... My keeper rate has vastly improved and my post-production time has gone down...
I first rated this as a 9... For the price and quallity I'm now bumping to a 10... It's my favourite lens!!
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2009 Location: Saffron Walden, Essex Posts: 362
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 11, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | very sharp, fast | | Cons: | AF noise, wobbly filter ring | |
Some niggling issues with some of these, some have a wobbly filter ring (fixable with a jeweller's screwdriver), a bit noisy when focussing, and might require FF/BF correction so a K20D or K7 is recommended. My copy has slight softness in the top centre when wide open, gone by f4 (decentering?). I've seen the soft spot on test charts, but in actual day-to-day use I've only noticed it on two photos out of thousands. Razor sharp all over by f5.6.
Overall it's a fantastic lens. The value for money is stunning! Brilliantly sharp, good colour (slightly cooler than my Pentax or Sigma lenses), reasonably fast focus. Highly recommended!
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