16-85 issues

Am I being pedantic and expecting too much from this lens?
A couple of piccies;
1.


52mm @ f8 -

2.


16mm f4 - focal point was toward the nearest part of the boat

The issue is to do with sharpness across the frame. Any comments appreciated !

edit; not sure how well things show up!

I can't tell anything from your loaded images as they are a very small. My feelings about this lens having owned it for a few months are generally very positive. It has very even sharpness across the frame BUT it is not the sharpest lens I have. In the centre part of the image I think my 18-135mm is generally sharper, but does not compare to the 16-85 on the borders and in the corners.
Can you load larger files or post a link to some larger files. At the size presented the photographs look great.
The boat one, if you focused on the front of the boat surely the background will not be in sharp focus at f4 even at 16mm

De-centred? Right side oof compared to left.

Try taking some pictures of a brick wall. Then you can better compare sharpness across the whole image.

That's not a lens it's a disgrace

Send it back.

-

I've come back for a fresh look. I can see the trouble now (I think). The building on the right looks crap compared to the rest of the image, as in very fuzzy. My first Sigma 10-20 was like that, I sent it back and they replaced it with another that was a much better lens. If this is a constant issue I'd certainly send it back.
Sorry not to have looked better on my first try.

The second image is out on the right but not the left so I concur, send it back.

Thanks for the comments. It is the right hand side, and so the bluebell wood - the flowers to right of foreground tree are mushy, from front to back whereas they are sharp in the rest of the frame (and that is stopped down to f8 ). And yes Nigel, that rhs on boat image is awful.

I have printed the bluebell wood at A4 and it shows up easily!

Peter; I have done the wall test and it shows up badly at wider angle settings on the rhs of frame.

I am in a quandary as for some focal lengths and so on this lens shows some great sharpness etc. The trouble is this is the 4th copy I have had, all exhibiting the same fault (some worse than this) and understandably SRS are getting a bit fed up with having to arrange collection and replacement.

Perhaps you should let them have the camera too and they can check a brick wall out back for themselves.

I can replicate it on more than one camera!

Hi Andy, have you got a record of the lens serials?
We discussed my recent debacle with the Da* 16-50mm F2.8 and all my serial numbers were pretty close together which might mean a batching problem with SRS's stock?
If you could get a free repair via Johnsons, or get any new lens tested there first, they could get it on the bench for you and that would solve the problem once and for all! Assuming it was repairable that is, after four goes, like me you'll be a bit fed up! I've eventually settled on the 20-40 Linited to fill the gaap between my 12-24 and the 50-135 but the limited may not suit your usage due to it's small zoom range. I'll bet SRS would be willing to get the lens serviced free of charge to solve the problem.
Best of luck mate, it shouldn't have to be this difficult.

Hi Jules
Stupidly, I only made a note of the last one (although I thought I had noted one of the earlier copies) - wondering if perhaps one might have been recycled! I had wondered whether all my copies were from a duff batch. The second copy I had did get sent back to Johnsons and on to Pentax France for recalibration, but came back not much better. Still not sorted as I went for the John Lewis clearance offer on a 16-50; guess what? Not sharp across the frame even stopped down.