DA*50-135 - reviews

Hi All,

Tell me its not true.

Just got latest Digital Photo magazine.

It has a lens review of telephoto zooms.

Mostly 70-200mm and the new Pentax. I've seen other peoples comments on this lens and they are blown away, and with the mag it only gets:

3/5 for image quality
3/5 features & build
4/5 performance
4/5 value for money

compared to the Sigma 70-200 (which I was also looking at)

4/5 IQ
4/5 F&B
5/5 P
5/5 VFM

Does that mean the likes of the Sigma 70-200 is EVEN better than the Pentax?

I'm confused!

Or is this just magazines talking?

Regards

ali

My DA* 50-135 is the best lens I own by far.....

Just magazines talking to some extent. We would have to see what testing methods they used to get any real information from it. Most "tests" these days are really more like subjective reviews.

I confess I've picked up Digital Photo Mag a couple of times in the past and to be honest, if they told me grass was green I'd still go outside to check. The issues I looked at contained some of the most woeful innaccuracies I've ever had the mispleasure of reading - it would be funny if it wasn't for the fact that there are large numbers of people who look to such publications for honest and impartial advice.

I'd look to the opinions of people who own and use the lens on a daily basis to be a much more reliable source of information - as you point out, in the real world there seems to be almost nobody with a bad word to say about the DA*50-135, I think that speaks more loudly than an advertising driven publication run by hacks who seem to have no interest (let alone working knowledge) of cameras.

3/5 v.s. 4/5 for features and Build? On what basis?

Does the Sigma have silent hypersonic focusing?
Does Sigma have the internal focusing?
Can you drop the Sigma from over a meter and still have a flawlessly functioning lens?

I can definitely say Yes for all the above regarding the Pentax 50-135.


I don't actually know what Sigma offers for that lens, but I doubt it stands up to the Pentax 50-135.
As for the other testing areas, like mentioned, I'd have to see on what they based their findings but if the F&B category is any indication of their homework, I wouldn't hold too much faith in their methods and findings.

flip a few pages, in and around the article.
Who bought (more/bigger) ads?
Who got better reviews?

The only difference between magazine editors and prostitutes is this:
Magazine editors screw the guy that DIDN'T PAY!

Thanks everybody, thats made my mind up..., I think 'cos there's always the DA*60-250 coming out soonish... mmm? (anymore word on that)

Kinda thout that about the mag after reading the real reviews I've read on here and some other sites.

Great site thanks

ali

I have the Sigma 70-200 and it is a cracking lens, but you have to be careful at 200 mm with focussing. Build quality is also good and it comes with a tripod collar and case too..

But it does have limitations I have found, that it becomes an effective 105-300....which makes it too long at the short end... so much the 50-135 makes a lot of sense...but I will wait to see how GOOD the 60-250 is...

I await your in depth review Peter.
I think i read somewhere it will be out in August:

The same issue of DP also has reviews of budget DSLR's: 400D, D60, E420, Sony A200, K200D and GX-10. Guess what gets the best reviews?

The K200D despite getting 5/5 for features and image quality got hammered for a slow buffer and autofocus and was the 4th ranked camera in the group (at best), whilst the GX-10 did poorly as well.

I've never seen any Pentax gear get a good review in that mag.

I've read lens reviews for the 10-17 fisheye, 12-24, 16-50 and 55-200 they have all came out poorly in the group tests.:

Somebody working in a camera store on another forum just got a pre-production 60-250 to test, and he said the focus has one of the shortest throw he saw, so that makes it super fast on AF, and from some pictures he took, it seems like it is in the same class as the 50-135.

Just had a swedish magazine yesterday.

The K200D beat the Canon 450.

They had a review of the K20D as well - getting 92% of 100.

So Pentax pretty much had a clean sweep there

(actually the first time I have seen such positive tests).

I keep the 16-50 on one body and the 50-135 on the other body, which covers most requirements other than macro or when the 300 is called into action.

If you mean the thread that was 'pulled' it was very interesting reading and having seen the photos taken it promises to be an outstanding lens. But since the thread has been pulled down there has been a lot of sniping on there.

Back to the main points....the reviewers never have to buy the cameras they review, and sometimes end up with a lens/camera combo that is different to what enthusiasts use, only for a short period.

It is quite obvious on here that the majority of users recommend the DA* lenses, I think that matters much more.

Would definately feel lost without mine, tis my favourite too!