18-250mm

I've been looking in to this lens, but would love to hear what others have thought.

Is it as good as it looks, or are there any pit falls for such a large zoom range...I'm thinking of it as my prime Wedding lens...

Any cooments please.
Thanks

Duncan

250mm for a wedding?

G

If you want to think of something as 'your prime wedding lens' then buy a PRIME LENS to suit your wedding needs.

The 18-250 is a great zoom lens, very good image quality for a zoom, absolutely incredible versatility.

It is not comparable to a DA* lens in IQ, and even further away from a Prime lens IQ. (Be it the 31,35,43,50,70,77,100,200,300mm)

If you want a walkabout/travel lens, because you wish to not change lenses and travel light, than this might be for you. In my opinion it is better than the kit lens, if this is what you are updating from.

Hope this helps,

Nathan

Damn, George, you beat me again!

Duncan's in Newport, the weddings are in Gosport. He'll need that much zoom

Seriously, I doubt that the 18-250mm (nearly 14:1 zoom ratio) would be any more suitable for a wedding shoot than most P&S cameras. Great for a walkabout lens that would cover most of what you might come across on a holiday, but not for weddings.

A range of primes is better, or at least some DA* glass. Maybe a DA 16-45mm + DA* 50-135mm if you can't afford the DA* 16-50mm as well. McBrian has a DA* 50-135mm for sale at a good price.

Remember you are capturing a once in a lifetime moment for the happy couple. They'll want the best you can produce and the 18-250mm wouldn't cut it.

Put that lens on your back-up body.
Nice to be able to grab a camera that's ready to fill in anywhere in a pinch.
now your main camera.... you need highest quality, fastest glass oyu can afford.

Try to keep up, Nathan!



G

Hmm....
for those poo pooing the idea of a 250mm range for weddings.....try it..(I have for the last 15 years)

The 18mm to 100mm part would be good for groups and portraits....up to the 250mm range is great for candids of children, the speeches (stay at the back of the room and take it them there, and look out for candids ya can take of the guests whilst listening to them).....

Anyway, back to the question......
its the image quality I'm asking about,....and I've heard the this and the Tamron lens are one of the same, but different badges....
Is this true??

Recent experience with shooting a wedding taught me that mostly used lens was the DA* 16-50, with the DA* 50-135 on the 2nd body.

That was more than enough, with a couple of Limiteds in the bag for the odd arty shot of course!

I've never shot a wedding, and never will.

But if somebody held a gun to my head, and forced me, I would use the DA* 16-50 and nothing else (except some good flash gear).

Unless you are highly experienced, you wouldn't want the hassle of changing lenses, and wondering where you'd left the rear lens cap, etc., etc.. Any advantage you might get by having an additional lens would be offset by losing shots while changing over.

And of course, if you were highly experienced, you wouldn't be asking our advice, or suggesting an 18-250!

Good luck with the 16-50. Or 16-45.

G

Thanks for sounding patronising

After 15 years in the Wedding business I think I do have some experience thanks......

Now can some one WITH one of these lenes please let me know what its like.....
Thank you....
D

There are example shots posted in the Pentax Photo Gallery - navigate your way to Image Data > Lens and you'll find the 18-250 is the fifth on the list. There are some quite attractive photos on there although I'd personally want something a tad faster for interior shots - each to their own though...

I don't have this lens, and I won't be buying it.

If you need that range right now then the DA 18-250mm may have to do if the IQ is acceptable. If you want that range and can wait, the DA* 60-250mm should be available fairly soon.

Let's face it, you probably know enough about consumer zooms having a 14:1 zoom ratio to be able to guess what it's like, and to know that it's going to be at its worst at the long end.

Thank you.....
As for interior work....I know what ya mean....but for speeches and the candids I do....a bit of flash helps.
But a nice fast 18-250 would be out of my league,..if one was ever made...

OOOHH!!

I like the sound of that...
Thank you....
The Wedding season is coming to an end soon here on the Island.....so all this is for 09 season....so this lens sounds rather nice