DA* worth the money?

OK, some of you lucky b*****rds have the DA* lenses already.
tomorrow being the 15th, I should soon have the ability to get my hands on one. (assuming the store gets what they ordered and don't have to wait further for back orders).

Anyway, for those that have them and now that you've had a while to play with the lenses, would you recommend them? Are they worth the price?

The weather seals and silent focusing are high on my list, but for half the price and 1-stop slower I can get the 16-45 F/4 for example. Then add the price of a grocery bag and a rubber band I have weather sealing.

Its a long drive to the nearest real camera store, so I'm just trying to plan ahead if it will be worth the trip...

So far I have (worth using),
Pentax 18-55mm kit lens
Pentax 50mm f/1.4
Sigma 18-200mm

A few other of lower quality lenses will be waiting on ebay to help pay for a grocery bag and rubber band, if necessary (they wont bring in much more)

Thanks

The 50-135mm is actually in stock today. I guess I'll be driving out to take a look at it tonight.

There are two sorts of lenses:

Those you regret buying, and those you don't.

I've done very little with my 16-50 so far, for various reasons, but I can say that it is in category 2. Definitely.

For many people, this focal range will cover a significant part of their photography. The question I have is whether the quality (and it seems pretty good so far) will be sufficient to put my 31mm Ltd out of a job.

Not to mention the 50mm 1.4, which is already somewhat over-shadowed by the 50mm 1:1.2.

I can foresee a situation where the 16-50mm and 50mm 1:1.2 largely supplant the 31mm and the 50mm 1:1.4.

Interesting times.

G

Great. I decided to pick it up... About $150US less than I expected, so how could I say no? (BTW: if you don't hear from me you'll know the wife found out )

Anyway, not being one to only read reviews, before I reached a dozen photos I had to take the water test. (Been waiting since January!)



30 seconds under the shower. Hard to focus with that much water falling in the lens. Yet not a drop of water inside the lens/camera seal nor anywhere else as far as I can tell.

Except possibly on your brain...

Still, glad it's Ok

A brand new lens? Under the shower?

My goodness, you are very brave....there could be a big differnce between water resistant and waterproof.

I seriously think you need testing for drugs or a mental disorder to go in the shower with your camera

Only Joking but fare play mate thank god its OK for your sake

Pete

TRUE! I wouldn't put in a fish tank of water, but if it can't handle "rain" I'd be disappointed.

Of course, maybe this is a bit harder rain than specs allow and I wouldn't expect to be there for an hour, but now I feel I can safely run to cover without hunching over frozen like a scared puppy trying to keep the camera dry until I pull out my grocery bags.

Wonder how it would handle Maid of the Mist boat ride at Niagara Falls? I might still want to wrap in in plastic for that.

Hell, you didn't think I went in there with the camera did you? I stood outside the stall where it was safe and dry!! I'm not stoopid!

Yeah, my head may be full of rocks, but I just can't sit and leave such things untested. At age five the parents couldn't leave anything laying out... 10 minutes and I'd have it apart to see how it worked. Teachers didn't like me in school either -- too many questions.

Too much money, more like..

Puts my worrying about whether the anti-rotate lug on my shiny new £9 wrist strap is going to scratch the body in context somehow...

Chris, we need people like this. Somebody once said: "Only fools learn from experience; wise men learn from the experience of others".

Sorry, Amor. Just joking.

G

I know that. Why do you think I was encouraging him?

I resemble that remark!