18-55 Kit lens

Hi all

It looms like pixmania have the K100D plus 18-55 in stock, but not body only. Is the 18-55 worth getting? It's only £30 or so more. The widest lens I currently have is a 28-70 Sigma EX, so extra width would be useful unless distortions etc are excessive. If it's junk I'll probably wait until the body only is available.

All comments gratefully received.

Matt

ps. my apologies for asking such questions, I'm sure they've been covered ad infinitum but I have previously blanked out all digital-related information as it was always out of my price range.

Hi Mattie,

Don't know specifically about the 18-55mm, I got the 18-35 with my istD, and that was okay, but I've now upgraded to the 16-45 which is lovely - but then it should be 'cos it was £300.

If you've not got a lens that you can use as a wide angle on a digital body (18mm gives the same field of view as 27mm would on 35mm film), and if it's something you'd want (a wideangle lens, I mean), then you've just got to decide whether you want to spend £30 extra getting the kit lens, which would undoubtedly be fine, and just as good as any of the basic Sigma or Tamron lenses of the same focal range, or whether you want to get something like the 16-45, which is obviously a better lens, but whether it's worth that extra expense to you might be debateable.

Regarding your comment "previously blanked out all digital-related information as it was always out of my price range", do you know that you can get an *ist DL2 with lens for around £350 in many shops? I gather this is very similar to the K100D, just without the anti-shake. Just a thought...

Have fun with whatever you get - I haven't looked back since going digital.

Dan

At that sort of price you might as well have the 18-55mm. It is a little soft wide open, but sharp enough closed down a couple of stops. It also focuses reasonably closely. All in all a very respectable and useful lens.

I bought the kit with lens then immediately sold the 18-55mm on Ebay.

I got £30 for it.

Andy
www.andymcinroy.com

I agree john, the (kit) lens is a good little lens, just a lot of snobbery with the word 'kit' methinks.

I have heard that it's also a lot better than some of the kit lenses offered by other manufacturers.

Having said that, the 16-45mm is better, but then so is the price!

The 18-55 kit lens is pretty soft wide open but the centre sharpens up considerably when stopped down. Unfortunately the corners remain quite soft even at small apertures. For £30 it's still worth having though, especially if you don't have other wide lenses to use.

When I got mine I had one of the cheap Cosina/Pheonix 19-35mm lenses - comparing it to the 18-55 they were roughly comparable in terms of centre sharpness but the Pentax was noticeable softer in the corners at all resolutions.