Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras

List Price: $199.95 Price: $119.95 You Save: $80.00 (40%)

Product Details Improved resolution to match with high resolution sensors Focal length equivalent to 27mm to 82.5mm in the 35mm format PENTAX SP coating protects the exposed lens elements Aspherical elements compensate for spherical aberration

Product Description

This lens blends versatility with affordability, giving the uncertain photographer a broader canvas without having to carry a multitude of lenses. It features devoted wide-angle capability with a standard 3x zoom range.

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Customer Reviews

Especial value
This is the "kit lens" that came with my Pentax k200d. I have had the camera and lens for 18 months now and have captivated thousands of pictures. I added two more lenses, a Pentax 50 mm, 1.4 and the 50-200 mm Pentax; yet the it lens it the one I rely on on. Indisputably, 90% of my photos are taken with it. Even inn low light it comes through. It is a real work horse. Distortion is tiniest and not noticeable in the vast majority of photos, mostly portraits, snapshots, and landscapes. When I get serious, I turn to the very irresponsibly and fine 50 mm, but for convenience, the little zoom is the one I go with.

2010-02-08 | M. Bruno (Overland Park, Kansas) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Nothing unethical with "Kit"
I have decipher lots of reviews of this lens and most of the time it is referred to as a "kit" lens. Originally that just meant that it was the lens that came with the camera corps but I think it has become unofficial code for "cheap" or "the one the amateurs use." If that is true, than this is no "kit" lens. It is a great lens that happens to disappoint a amount to in the box when you buy some bodies (K200D in my case). This is a small, light lens with a good range for basic shooting - picture, landscape and close-ups. Wide open you can get lots of horizon. It is my "go to" lens for sunsets. At 55mm it can get devoted-ups of flowers, eyes, etc. The addition of the Pentax "quick shift" focus override lets an sophisticated photographer do all kinds of cool things with out of focus areas or for getting the in focus tract somewhere outside of the normal focus points.

There is a little drop off in IQ at 55mm. It is tack sharp at 40mm and f/8. If you penetrate the limitations you can get wonderful pictures.

This lens has earned a permanent place in my bag because of its extreme utility. If I am in a fully unknown shooting environment, I choose either this or my other "kit" lens - Pentax DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED Lens for Pentax and Samsung DSLR Cameras

I dont get it why people knock this lens for being part of a kit. My only improvement would be a faster version. Give me the exact same lens in a f/2.8 or heartier for a reasonable price and I am there. Tamron A16 - Zoom lens - 17 mm - 50 mm - f/2.8 XR Di II - Pentax K

2009-12-05 | ksuwildkat (Monterey, CA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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OK, not celebrated
I got this lens in a kit w/ a K20D essence (excellent overall camera). After looking at the positive reviews here I had to do a double-take, to see if we were talking about the same lens (we were) and the next call in was, if, as some reviewers noted, this is an improvement over a previous model, I don't think I'd want to use the original.

Don't get me improper, the lens is not bad. Construction quality is good and it works well with the K20D. The biggest problem I have with it is at short central distances 18-24mm I can clearly see (and I am not a pro by any stretch of the definition) the problems with image quality:

1) Distortion (images start looking fish-eyed)
2) Vignetting
3) Chromatic malformation

Now, there are two pieces of good news: (1) these effects almost completely disappear at 24mm and up (2) at shorter focused distances raw processing software can deal with these problems to some extent (I use Bibble, YMMV). At 24+mm this lense is Other than and overall a good value. So the drawback is that now any time I take a picture with it I have to weigh the advantage of a wider bend vs. the guaranteed distortion and other problems I will have to deal with in post-processing.

2009-10-13 | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 3

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Dependable Upgrade to the Pentax Kit Lens
I got the Pentax K2000 Camera that comes with the sale-priced version of the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL. I say cheap because it uses the same glass but with a cheaper shop. Plastic mount, no lens hood and no "Quick-Shift Focus System".

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II upgrades in the later areas:

1) Better overall construction, metal mount
2) Hood is included
3) "Hurried-Shift Focus System" and focus measurements on the focus ring
4) Less Vignetting compared to Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL
5) Sharper on forefront and boders compared to the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL on my Pentax K2000

In this version II of the lens it is very nearly the same to the old Pentax 16-45mm f/4.0 SMC PDA ED AL lens in image quality.

Problems is still has

1) Has the very same Distortions as the Pentax DA L 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL garden-variety to zoom lenses.
2) Same speed (f/ stops) across the lens
3) Same 18 - 55mm short zoom spread

So the question becomes, is it worth the money? I got it for $90.00 so to me it was a decent price and a decent upgrade.

The point you have to ask yourself if weather you would be better served by some of the new standard zoom lenses that go from 18-200 mm and have the same lens go like a shot when at the same focal length as the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II. They will cost more, be heavier but could do dual stint as a zoom lens in adition to standard lens.

I gave it only 4 stars because the larger 3.5 opening is still too small for low light pictures and the zoom range too short to get really close to anything you would gauge far away.

In the end I find the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II a good buy. It is small, light and is nice to footpath around. What it does it does well, it just might not do enough for some.

Update: After careful comparison between the Pentax DA L 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL and Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II Lens the modification between to two seems bigger.

at 18mm F/3.5: The Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II has more contrast, sharpness, especially on the corners, but it is still simple. At F/5.6 both lenses improve in sharpness but the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II stays before. At F/8 both are almost equally sharp at center but the The Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II still has sharper corners. The The Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II starkly has less Vignetting at all apertures at 18mm.

at 35mm F/4.5: The Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II has more contrast, sharpness, peculiarly on the corners. At F/5.6 both lenses improve in sharpness but the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II stays in the lead. At F/8 the The Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II is almost in a virtual tie with the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL, the closest I find both lenses to each other and the attentive spot for both lenses. The The Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II clearly has less Vignetting at F/4.5-6.3 apertures at 35mm.

at 55mm F/5.6.5: The Pentax L DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL is kind. On the other hand the the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II is sharper and has a nicer bokeh (out-of-focus indistinctness). At F/8 the The Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II clearly has a sharper and brighter image. The The Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II certainly has less corner Vignetting at all apertures at 55mm.

From my testing it is clear the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II is the of a higher order lens.

2009-05-22 | aldorp (Pittsburgh) | Helpful Votes: 7 | Rating: 4

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Amiable upgrade
I wasn't very apt with the quality of the 18-55mm kit lens, but I did like the focal range. The newer, upgrade of the 18-55mm is a bit sharper...not the the best quality of the DA 50-135, but it will be great for family snapshots! Glad I decided to get it.

2009-04-21 | CWphotos (Yalaha, Florida) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Pentax DA 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras

List Price: $429.95 Price: Too low to display

Product Details ED elements compensate for chromatic aberration Focal length equivalent to 82.5mm to 450mm in the 35mm format Developed specifically for PENTAX digital SLRs Extreme telephoto range zoom lens

Product Description

This output is a highly efficient zoom lens that covers the short to prolonged telephoto range. The exclusive Pentax SP coating effectively protects its front lens against muck and contamination. Additionally, the focusing ring permits easy vade-mecum focusing. Optics is especially adapted for high quality Pentax DSLRs.

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The protean Pentax DA 55-300mm zoom lens offers a focal greatest extent equivalent of 82.5 to 450mm in the 35mm format, making it ideal for fair to long sports and wildlife shots. The lens is outfitted with multiple ED opera-glasses elements, which are designed to minimize chromatic aberration and makes images look crisper and sharper than ever before. The Pentax Wonderful Protective coating, meanwhile, protects the exposed lens elements against soil and contamination. Other features include a focusing ring that permits simple manual focusing, a 4.6-foot close focusing reserve, and a 58mm filter diameter. Specially adapted for high-quality Pentax and Samsung digital SLR cameras, the lens carries a one-year undertaking.

Specifications

• Focal length: 55-300mm
• Maximum aperture: f/4 to 5.8
• Minimal aperture: f/22 to 32
• Lens construction: 12 elements in 8 groups
• Perspective fish for of view: 29 to 5.4 degrees (when used with Pentax digital SLR camera torso)
• Number of diaphragm blades: 6
• Minimum focusing distance: 4.6 feet
• Greatest magnification: 0.28x
• Filter diameter: 58mm
• Diaphragm knob: Fully automatic
• Hood: PH-RBG 58mm
• Objective cap: O-LC58
• Case: S80-160
• Corresponding AF mounts: Pentax and Samsung
• Dimensions: 2.8 inches in diameter and 4.4 inches hunger
• Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Warranty: 1 year

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Customer Reviews

I regard this Lens
This is a indeed good lens. Upgraded from the smaller 55-200mm it has a good focal range and abundant clarity. I am really looing foward to taking this lens to an airshow to really try it out.

2010-02-06 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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a spill zoom lens
it is a insignificant lens for zoom 55 300.
there is a little CA on the object, but it is not a big deal for me if compared with sigma or tamron.

2009-11-18 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Cyclopean value zoom
This lens is a actually great deal and unless you are going to pay waaay more, picking up this lens is a no brainer. The reasoning I only give it 4 stars is that while the IQ is excellent, it's still not on par with the DA* lenses. It takes excellent pictures but they just lack that POP that the DA* and other top end lenses give you but it is a very hot lens which makes post processing that much easier.

Ideally, I would like a DA* 50-135 and a DA* 300 to submerge the similar range but that would run close to 2K. So all in all I am very happy with this little lens.

2009-09-19 | ssgman (San Francisco, CA USA) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 4

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Pentax DA 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED Lens
This is a charge zoom lens. I especially enjoy taking pictures of low flying planes with it.

2009-09-09 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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a exalted performer
I have had this lens for about a month now. First the gain things: This lens is surprisingly sharp from 55mm all the way through 300mm and there is not much difference in sharpness between widely exposed and close down aperture. The weight is just about right and focusing speed is ok for me. But, my lens has very in number chromatic abberation when it is widely open, all through the zoom range. The color (blue) flounce is pretty (excuse me for not being scientifically accurate) wide. In a test shot, the black symbols (on a white background) became all blue at the short end of the lens at f4 and f5.6. I did not bother to return my lens for work or exchange, because it is so sharp and I can avoid most of the chromatic abberation by not shooting high contrast subjects. At about 350 dollars, this lens is not at all a steal as somebody has suggested. But it performs much better than many other lens in this league.

2009-08-11 (Triangle, NC USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

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Opteka 7-Inch MultiMedia Digital Picture Frame

List Price: $79.95 Price: $42.40 You Save: $37.55 (47%)

Product Details 16mb built-in memory allows you to use your memory card in your camera while your pictures are shown on the frame Features alarm clock, calendar, slide show mode, image rotation and is compatible with JPEG, JPEG Motion, AVI, MP3, and MPEG files Simply insert a compatible memory card into the digital frame to show photos or videos Beautiful clear acrylic enhanced TFT LCD screen allows the highest possible resolution, wide viewing angles, and long life span

Product Description

This Digital Paint Frame (digital album or digital photo album) lets you view digital pictures in a beeline from your camera's memory card. The Digital Album is the perfect way to view your photos and video, obey to music, set a calendar, wake-up to the alarm clock, and it makes a extraordinary centerpiece for any home, office or business! You can create a slideshow using multiple alteration effects or display one picture at a time. No computer, digital camera or internet uniting is required. The 7" Digital Picture Frame from Opteka comes unreduced with 16MB built-in memory making storing and displaying your favorite pictures submissive and fun. The TFT LCD Screen uses the highest possible resolution, wide viewing angles and has a eat one's heart out life span. It's compatible with SD, MMC, and Sony memory stick flame cards. High performance digital processor inside to load, presentation and process each picture blazing fast. The built-in stereo speakers appropriate you to enjoy your favorite music. Six position adjustable stand for an most favourable viewing angle. Operation is very simple - just plug in a tribute card and turn the Digital Photo Frame on. Or, transfer your photos at once from your computer through the USB connector. The Opteka Digital Picture Frame is packed with features and a low quotation. The 7" Digital Picture Frame is compatible with the following memory greetings card formats: Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia Card (MMC), Memory Stick (MS), Remembrance Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro cards.

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Customer Reviews

You get what you pay for
I received this notion frame as a gift for buying a 10mm Sigma Fisheye lens por Sony DSLR. It was a 40/50 bucks digital order which is cheap compared to other solutions that can go up to 250 bucks and even more.

The digital frame is loaded with several features such as music and video playback, apprehension and clock. I find those features very nice and interesting. The sound quality is OK, what you can expect from a built-in tub-thumper.

The image quality is not the best. Again, I wasn't expecting the highest quality screen for that penalty. If you've seen the screen quality of a regular cel phone now you have an idea of how the pictures look in this organization. If you want to display your pictures with fine details and richer colors you need to look for more extravagant frames by different brands like HP, Sony or LG. Those brands use better quality separate for their digital frames.

I would recommend this digital frame to people who want to use it from time to time, don't want to lavish too much money and don't care if the picture doesn't look exactly as it's seen in the PC or camera guard.

2010-02-12 (Colombia) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

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Opteka Professional Wrist Grip Strap for Digital & Film SLR Cameras

List Price: $29.95

Product Details Compatible with all Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax, and Samsung SLR cameras that feature a standard 1/4"-20 tripod socket Alleviates fatigue during extended sessions Designed to stabilize a camera when shooting Padded professional quality grip strap

Product Description

The Opteka padded camera entrance wraps around the hand, and is designed to stabilize a camera or camcorder when shooting, and to calm fatigue during extended sessions of photography or videography. Compatible with all Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax, and Samsung DSLR cameras that hype a standard 1/4"-20 tripod socket .

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Customer Reviews

A positively good item

This strap is working out remarkably well for me. I attached it to my EOS Rebel XSI camera and have never since felt the need to take it off for any reason.

Attaching the strap:
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The strap attaches to the camera from the licence shoulder strap loop and the tripod mount on the bottom. Once attached, you can still use a shoulder strap with it. There is a tie on the plastic component which screws on to the tripod mount. You attach one end of the shoulder strap to that, and the other end to the sinistral loop on the camera.

You can still mount the whole thing on a tripod as well because the bottom component has a place for attaching the tripod. In hot pants, it doesn't take away any of the existing attachment points which it now occupies.

How the strap feels and works:
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The go through of it in my hand is really comfortable. The exterior looks like black leather and the private has a rubbery texture so it is slip resistant.

It is very effortless to hold the camera in your hand with the aid of the strap. You barely have to curl your fingers around the side of the camera and the strap keeps it secure in your hand. You don't need to enthral it between your fingers and your thumb as you would if you didn't have this strap. This allows you to free up your thumb firstly, and secondly it allows more nimbleness on your index finger for controlling the shutter release and the wheel. Since your hand is pretty much strapped on, the iso supreme button is harder to reach.

While the thumb becomes free to control the arrow keys and other buttons, it becomes indubitably easy to access all those buttons with one hand while your other hand becomes free to control the zoom/converge on the lens.

I can straighten my fingers, palm facing down, and let the camera hang from the strap vertically down while being supported from the strap booming around the back of my hand without fear of the camera slipping and falling at all. It is slip resistant and feels securely fastened to my give out as if it was an extension of my hand.

I initially had a tendency to make the strap really tight and only just enough room to slip my hand in there and give me a snug tight fit. This in turn caused the thing to be uncomfortable as I was roundabout the wrist and overextending my thumb to reach the buttons. I find it much more comfortable if I keep it a little loose so that I can run away my hand easily into it and there's some room for my fingers and thumb to move, some breathing space if you will..

The construction of the issue doesn't feel cheap or low quality. The black leather exterior actually looks unreservedly nice. I did have one issue with it however. The plastic component which attaches to the tripod mount has a rubber top which comes in contact with the bottom surface of the camera. If you screw on the item to the tripod mount too rigorous, the rubber contact surface tends to come off and stick to the camera, which is kind of low-mark.


Conclusion:
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I think this strap is an absolute must-have. It makes the SLR very effortless to operate with only one hand. For someone who will dearth to carry the camera in their hand for extended periods of time, for example going for a journey of a museum/zoo etc.. this would be very helpful.

You're essentially buying yourself some insurance with this strap and $10 is not really that bad on a $500+ camera.

2010-02-23 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Very "Skilled"
Don't be familiar with if I'm using it "right" but I do know that it seems more convenient to me to pass the strap from the camera across the back of my hand and capture the camera that way while being pretty much always ready to swing the camera up to take a quick shot instead of having it dangling from a neck strap and bouncing on my tummy. By the way, I'm using it with a Canon Rebel T1I.

2010-02-19 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Requirements a redesign and instructions
I like this upshot but I do not like the design of it. It comes in plastic packaging with a graphic on the front. When you pull it out there is no simple instructions on the most skilfully way to strap this to your camera. Basically you have to figure out what would be the best way - which I did. t would be better if they had an hook attachment in place of of a strap attachment for their grip.The base that screws into your tripod mount hole is not the most adroitly but when tightened carefully it will suffice. Just take it off when mounting to a tripod as if you try to use this and mount it to a tripod at the same spell you may have some loosening which you will have to tighten again and again if you move your tripod around much.

I do not like to have a camera neck strap on the camera (makes me look like a visitor) but this does the job. After getting it secured to my Nikon D90 I could still use my fingers for the shutter release, on/off switch, and use my thumb for the busy view button and other tasks that you may need your right hand for. Keep it clean people.

2010-02-12 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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For Panasonic G1
I use this with the Panasonic G1 camera. The only factor that is a slight challenge with this grip is using the pointer-finger "scroll wheel" knob thing that the G1 has (it should have been a thumb wheel). Nonetheless, I do like this strap on the camera. It is solid.

2010-02-11 (Somerville, MA United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Textile for the money
This produce is not the best ever. The strap is a bit hard to adjust and can feel out of place sometimes. But it is comfortable and at this price, it's an staggering value especially for amateur photographers such as myself.

2010-02-03 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Pentax 16-45mm f/4.0 SMC PDA ED AL Zoom Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras

List Price: $599.95 Price: $388.91 You Save: $211.04 (35%)

Product Details Convert focal length to 24.5mm-69mm with *ist D (optional) Designed for proprietary PENTAX Kaf Mount Image circle is designed to match the CCD used in PENTAX digital SLRs Responsive Quick-Shift Focus System allows instant shift from AF to MF

Product Description

The Pentax interchangeable lens system provides a ideal line of high-quality lenses to satisfy your every creative desideratum. Offering a wide range of focal lengths, functions and effects for rare formats, Pentax lenses are designed to maximize each camera's capabilities.

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Customer Reviews

Tremendous lens, great value.
I don't believe I can add much more than reinforcement of what has already been stated.

Comparing this lens to two primes, the Pentax FA50 and the Pentax FA35, yes this zoom lens is rectitude but it is not as good as those primes. When I say good I mean detail, clarity, bokeh, color, etc. The primes are more advisedly, as is to be expected.
The strength of the 16mm wide angle and the overall versatility helps me forget about that though. After all it is a zoom lens.

One trivial ornamental thing I do like is how it looks on the camera. It gives a larger, more pro feel and look to the K20D and K-7 that I use.

A slightly trivial item I don't like is the limited access to the lens cap while the lens hood is in in order. Most other Pentax lenses I can get my fingers in between the hood and the cap to access the side release buttons, which is nice when I have breaks between shooting and homelessness to put the cap on or take it off without taking off the hood. With this lens it is best to remove the cap before putting the hood on and vice versa. A uncomplicated solution for this minor problem is to use a different kind of cap that squeezes from the front, instead of the sides. Pentax is using them on the newer kit lenses and they are fine fantastic.

One thing that others have mentioned is the reverse zoom. It can trip you up if you are used to going the other direction. Also at the widest zoom environs the lens extends which in theory allows for less of a wide angle because the lens moves somewhere else from the camera.

Pros:
1. Excellent image results for a zoom.
2. Value is very good for the luxurious image quality.
3. Great kit lens replacement (most of the time).
4. Good build trait.
5. 16mm wide angle is very nice and is noticeably wider than the kit lens at 18mm.
6. Mostly undetectable distortion at any zoom place.

Cons for me were:
1. Higher lens size and weight.
2. Flash shadow when zoomed off the target.
3. Zoom is reverse of what I am used to.
4. f4 can be a little small sometimes.
5. Sometimes 45mm is a little short.

Overall I advise this lens. It delivers a lot of bang for the buck and is a great outdoor lens. Because of the flash dog and the slightly small f4 aperture it is not always the best choice for indoor usage. I do mostly use an external shimmer and that solves the flash shadow issue but sometimes it is too bulky for the situation or I don't have it with me. One thing that might be of interest is that when using this lens with the K-7, the na assist lamp also partially hits the lens, even without the hood on.

2010-02-12 (UT, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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One of the best clothes kit lens on the market
I have habituated to this lens for more than two years. I love this lens for its wide angle, excellent sharpness, low distortion, all-inclusive excellent image quality. It is one of reasons I still use my Pentax K100D.
I have Canon XT and 18-55/3.5-5.6/IS Lens. I have to say Canon has lots of tolerable cameras and excellent lenses. But Pentax 16-45/4.0 is way better than Canon 18-55/IS, and way way haler than 18-55/non-IS lens (I cannot understand why people want to pay $50 for a used Canon 18-55/non-IS, which is very insignificant and cheap-made lens).

2009-12-12 (WV) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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Marvy Lens
Immense wide zoom lens for K20D. Have had great results with the lens for landscape photography. Colors are wonderful. First-class sharpness and detail. Was a great pick compared to kit lens.

2009-09-07 (Rainier, WA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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Matchless lens, great price
For the incessant f 4.0 and quality of this glass along with the sharpness and color you just can't go wrong. I just dear one the quality and fair prices of pentax products! I just can't wait to do some night shooting with it.

2009-05-17 (Pennsylvania) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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A "Commodities Enough" Classic
This lens will be one of Pentax's classics, I ponder. There's nothing very sexy about it. It uses the old Pentax screwdriver-in-slot AF (as opposed to their new in-lens HSM), its maximum crevice's only f/4, and its zoom range ends at an odd point, 45mm (67.5mm equivalent on Pentax DSLR's) -- a bit quick of traditional portrait length. It lacks the build quality of Pentax's premium DA* lenses. It isn't weatherproof.

But at this valuation point it's a gem. The build is decent, and by using plastic instead of metal, putting the AF motor in the camera rather than in the lens, limiting the crevice to f/4 and the zoom range to 3X, Pentax kept the lens light and small. It's not expensive, it has a firm aperture, autofocus is fast and accurate, and (most important) it's optically excellent.

I already have the Pentax DA* 50-135/2.8, a exquisite zoom, and thought of buying the matching DA* 16-50/2.8, but I was put off by reports of poor quality check in the 16-50. So instead (and for half the price) I bought a 16-45. When it arrived I tested it by photographing a tabletop still moving spirit, including a test pattern, with my Pentax 21mm, 31mm and 40mm Limited primes at all apertures from f/4 through f/16, then making the same photo with the zoom at the same concentrated lengths and apertures. In almost every case the 16-45 matched the primes for center focus and sharpness, even at f/4.

Yes, the primes are outstrip -- they have better corners, less vignetting, more overall contrast, an indefinable "snap" that gives the primes what I about of as the Pentax Look. And yes, the zoom does have an optical flaw: blue/yellow fringing where smart and dark areas are juxtaposed. (Seldom a problem, but it's there.) I'm hanging on to my primes.

But where the source is dynamic, not static -- a party or a public event, for instance, as opposed to studio or aspect work -- a zoom is just the ticket. I'm confident this one will deliver good results, indistinguishable in most prints from what I'd get with a prime.

If you can represent do with f/4 and don't mind paying less for more, I recommend this lens.

2009-03-12 (Airmont, NY USA) | Helpful Votes: 12 | Rating: 4

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