18-135 ed wr

Hi all.
Following on from a previous post, im now looking to get the above lens. I know its had mixed reviews but it does seem very popular with users on here....though it seems that not many gallery or "your photos" section are taken with this lens.
I have looked at the few video reviews on youtube, and one thing i have noticed on all the videos is the beeping noise when the lens has focussed. Can this be turned off in camera (k5), and if it can, do you prefer to turn it of?
One last question....do you think its good value new (£325 - £340), or would you buy used.
Thanks,
Simon.

While only a couple of the images I've posted here were taken with it, it probably spends more time on the camera than any other single lens. It's my 'go to' walk about lens. I brought mine new from SRS and definitely worth getting new (IMHO).

Regarding the Beep - it can be turned off, or specified for specific functions only, on my K-5ii in Set-up menu 1. I presume that the K5 would be similar.

Phil

thanks for that phil all I wanted to know really. It would be used mainly as a walk around lens.
On your equipment list I noticed you also have the 55-300 wr...what are your thoughts on that lens, as that is basically the set up im after..18-135wr, 55-300wr, and a couple of primes what I already have (A50 1.7 & A28 2..

simon.

Simon

Quite a few of my recent images posted here were taken with the 55-300, including quite a few landscapes. I think that it represents GREAT value for money.

However, when I brought it I immediately put a protective filter on the front of it and the results, while still good, were quite not as good as I had expected. Then I took account of the advice that I had previously been given on here not to put anything in front of it, and immediately the result were much better. I don't know the reason why, but it really doesn't like having a filter on the front of it. As a result, I always have it with the lens hood on, but nothing else.

The A50 1.7 is very nice to use, beautifully made and as I don't mind manual focus great for me. My 28mm is an ancient Vivitar that I love (see my latest image of the glasshouse at RHS Wisley).

What precise set up of lenses you want depends on what your preferred style/subjects are, and there are many much better photographers than me on the site that can advise.

Phil

AFAIK, the beep is not lens-specific, but I keep it switched on all 3 bodies because it helps with focus confirmation - especially at wider apertures - and, as long as the single point focus option is selected, I just have to make sure that is where I want it to point, wait for the beep and then push the button

The first thing that gets sorted on any new camera (or computer, washing machine etc) is to turn off the beep.
On the camera you can use the hexagon in the view finder to confirm focus, or set the camera to not take a photo unless focus has been found.

I use the 18-135 as a walkabout, and in low light when I know the 17-70 will struggle. I generally get good results with it, but with some horrible vignetting on occasion.

This

And how annoying if you are next to someone who has theirs on

Yep

Thanks for all the replies...very helpful.
I got the lens today and my initial thoughs are that it feels much more of a quality product than my other lenses. I havent took it out yet (tomorrow), though i did have a bit of a play in the house. I couldnt believe how quiet the focussing is....to the point i wasnt even sure it had! Yep, i had already turned the beep off in camera, so turned it on just to make sure it there was a beep in focus, there was, turned back off. So quiet.
I think im gonna like this....

Regards,
Simon.

Enjoy..

There are a few pics in my gallery taken with the 18-135, especially the mountain pics.

l only "beep" in open spaces, so hopefully don't disturb too many others, and the noise from the Ks' shutters usually mask it anyway

Hi,

I bought/paid for a k3 kit with the 18-135mm lens. Long story short, allegedly I got the lens from a k-50 kit split without the lens hood. Now the store wants the lens back after I emailed them about the missing hood, saying that the kit lens is different from the separately sold lens or the k3 kit lens. As far as I know there`s no other variant of the 18-135 lens. Is that correct?
I didn`t want to open a new topic just for this, hope that`s ok.

Cheers,
GM

There's only one 18-135mm lens.

There are different 18-55mm lenses, one without hood and with plastic mount for the lower priced models and the WR version for the more expensive ones.

Maybe they think they have sent you an 18-55mm?

I think John may be correct.

I bought my 18-135 from Cardiff Camera Centre, and so did Andre who bought the one I recently sold for his (now my) K-3 at the beginning of this year - both were bought as split from kits and both came with hoods, so that certainly what is normally supplied when that is done.
(also when I bought the K-3 & 18-135 from Andre, it arrived with TWO 18-135 hoods and so I sold one of those on with the sold 18-135 and kept the other one as a spare for my own lens in case I lose my original - so, sorry but that spare is not for sale! )

Thanks guys, I guess you are right. I get to keep the lens and will receive the lens hood eventually.