18-135mm DA WR

How long is the focus throw off the lens?
If it's very short than that might be the reason.
The DA*16-50 for example is much faster than the DA*50-135 but the focus throw of the DA*16-50 is 1/2 or 1/3 from the DA*50-135.

Just throwing something out there.
Pentax have said they will keep using SDM in the DA* lenses so they must preform well enough apparently

I sure I read too, that SDM would be kept for the DA* lenses and the new design was for the mid range lenses. If that is the case it is hard too see how the motors in the lower spec lenses can be better.

Stefan may well have a point regarding the length of the focus throw.

Regards - Steve

It will be interesting to see some reviews on this, especially compared to my current DA17-70. Having just bought the 12-24 the wide end isn't quite so important and the WR would be great for a "walkaround" travel lens - IQ/distortion levels are the most important for me though so I'm looking forward to seeing a bit more info.

Simon

There's a decent informal user review here, with lots of photos.

It looks pretty decent, nice bokeh too.

I should also add that I have apologised to Stefan in a PM for calling him a little boy. Sorry for going off the rails

I might do some testing later.
Measure the focus throw of the focus ring and then how much time it takes for the AF to move the focus from closes to the horizon and back. I think the movement speed will be roughly the same for all.

Howard
your question about smc DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL and is it the same quality as the DA* 16-50mm

The short answer is no! But when you say quality to you mean the build quality, or the quality of the lens elements?

The aperture of the DA 18-135mm is not fixed
The Drive Motor is different
However, the coatings are the same
Both are WR sealed

Both are very good lenses and the DA* 16-50mm has dropped in price since i purchased mine. The DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL has a good variety in terms of focal length, but i think the price is a little to high currently.

I guess it al comes down to what you want from a lens in terms of what you intend to use it for. The majority of todays lenses are all good and if used correctly will produce good images.

When you compare it to Canon and Nikons 18-135mm I would say its about £100 to high.

Are we comparing RRP? Or street price?

Street price of the Canon is around £300, Nikon around £350.

Pentax 18-135mm is rumoured to be coming in at around £550 so I am actually being quite generous when saying only £100 too much (but I will allow them the extra as I like the look of it)

We'll have to see what the actual price ends up at. Just at the moment nobody is quoting a street price.

I've had a quick look and there don't seem to be many of the 18-135mm lenses on offer for any make, maybe they are so sought after that there's no spare stock.

It will be interesting to see how it performs as it's certainly a very useful range.

Seem to be plenty of Canons 18-135mm about, Nikons not so much.
Looking at Warehouse Express, camera world and Mifsuds pricing of the Pentax lens I would have to revise my price to £600.

Still, we shall see ....

Well Ned Bunnel has 2... http://nedbunnell.posterous.com/my-lenses-arrived

In this interview link a price of $530 (around £399 with VAT) is said, I assume that's the advice price from Pentax.
Surely the lens won't be 50% more expensive in the UK right?

If that's the advice price it would come very close to the Nikon and Canon offer while Pentax has WR.

That seems to be true, but I paid for mine yesterday so I have a pretty good idea what the bill was.

Hmm true - it seems strange that having developed an alternative to the largely-discredited SDM (whatever the real prevalence of problems, it has now I would argue acquired an "Xbox RROD" level of PR), Pentax would choose not to use it in their most expensive glass. Of course this might just be until the current SDM-equipped stocks are depleted of course!

IIRC Nikon tend to offer an 18-105 as a kit with most of their midrange consumer bodies (D90, D7000 etc.). They probably don't make many of the 18-135s anticipating relatively low demand (since they're too expensive for buyers of entrylevel bodies and don't offer sufficient performance for buyers of pro bodies).

I don't see where SDM lenses have been "largely discredited" - in fact apart from a few teething troubles I haven't seen any mention of any problems for a long time.