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DAL 16-85 WR

RobL
Posted 22/09/2015 - 19:03 Link
This lens is priced at £499.00 but is bundled with the K3-II at £999.00, i.e. £250.00 plus body which sounds a real bargain. This compared to the 18-135 WR priced £379.00 but bundled with the K3-II for £1049.00. The latter is a smaller more versatile every-day lens but does anyone have any experience to compare?
Conqueror
Posted 22/09/2015 - 20:10 Link
reading around the 16-85mm wins apart from size and doesn't reach as far (to 135)

photozone liked it

http://www.photozone.de/pentax/903-pentax_1685_3556?start=2

there are some comparisons here (if you scroll down to Heie's review)

http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/hd-pentax-da-16-85mm-f35-56-ed-dc-wr.htm...

The £999 k-3ii + 16-85 does seem a good deal, given that the k-3ii body has never been below 700 yet and might never go beneath 500 new from a shop
K-3ii
McGregNi
Posted 22/09/2015 - 20:15 Link
Have you got the designation right in the title here? DAL implies the budget series with plastic mount .... But the 16-85 is a high quality new lens with HD coatings, I thought .... Is it not the DA HD 16-85 you mean? .... Apologies if there are two versions I'm not aware of.
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MrB
Posted 22/09/2015 - 20:32 Link
The pricing seems crazy but, given that is the way they are, the K-3II + 16-85 looks like a great bargain.

Cheers.
Philip
1stEverPentax
Posted 22/09/2015 - 20:35 Link
It is a great price for the 16-85 bundled with the K3II. The lens on its own seems very expensive..should imagine it'll be heavily discounted come Christmas. Best price I can find online is £389 including free next day delivery from Microglobe.
MrCynical
Posted 22/09/2015 - 21:49 Link
I bought the bundle you're referring to, and the 16-85 is an astonishing lens. I'm a prime person (wanted to have at least one WR lens for storms) and it has thoroughly won me over IQ-wise.
RobL
Posted 22/09/2015 - 22:14 Link
McGregNi wrote:
Have you got the designation right in the title here? DAL implies the budget series with plastic mount .... But the 16-85 is a high quality new lens with HD coatings, I thought .... Is it not the DA HD 16-85 you mean? .... Apologies if there are two versions I'm not aware of.

sorry, you are right. it is 16-85mm f3.5-5.6 HD ED DC WR DA.
doingthebobs
Posted 22/09/2015 - 23:35 Link
Since I got it, I find the DA 16-85 is mounted on the camera a lot. The range is very useful and the quality is very good. It is bigger and heavier than the 18-135. On the whole I find the extra 2mm at the wide end to be useful and the lack of reach less of a problem than I thought I would on the 16-85. The image quality on the 16-85 is definitely better than the 18-135.

I also have the 18-135 which is smaller, lighter and has a bit more on the long end. Where the 18-135 scores is when I will be carrying the camera all day in the mountains. It offers a compact lens with greater reach and still works well when there is plenty of light. Whilst test charts show it is not the best lens, it does have qualities that produce really good landscape pictures. The sharpest lens will not always produce the best pictures after all!

So you pays your money and you takes you choice. I'm just glad I have both!
Bob
Jetsam1
Posted 24/09/2015 - 08:42 Link
How do you feel it compares with the DA*16-50? Seems to be very good but is there enough difference to justify the relative costs?
K5, K200 and several film Pentax cameras!
redbusa99
Posted 24/09/2015 - 13:28 Link
i would imagine the extra cost of 16-50 is down to the constant f2.8 available as much as anything
odd lens or 2

Flickr
Conqueror
Posted 24/09/2015 - 22:03 Link
being a DA* the 16-50 should also have superior weather sealing to the DA lenses
K-3ii
bychan
Posted 20/10/2015 - 23:35 Link
Jetsam1 wrote:
How do you feel it compares with the DA*16-50? Seems to be very good but is there enough difference to justify the relative costs?

I'm also very tempted by this lens, but used 16-50's can be had for less. Have any got any experience of using both?

Regards
Adrian
K5IIs, Sigma 10-20, Pentax DA 16-85, Pentax DA 55-300, Pentax 70 Ltd, Metz 44 AF-2.
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ambott/
smudge
Posted 21/10/2015 - 17:57 Link
bychan wrote:
Jetsam1 wrote:
How do you feel it compares with the DA*16-50? Seems to be very good but is there enough difference to justify the relative costs?

I'm also very tempted by this lens, but used 16-50's can be had for less. Have any got any experience of using both?

Regards
Adrian

I have both lenses. They both offer good IQ and are of broadly similar size and weight. It is really a question of which is more important to you - constant f2.8 or greater range. The other issue is reliability. My 16-85 has not let me down yet but the 16-50 has spent more time in repair than on the camera. Even the supposedly new upgraded SDM motor failed in days (I appreciate that I may have been particularly unlucky). So I would advise that if you really want the 16-50 buy new so that you have the guarantee. Personally I am more pleased with the 16-85.
Regards, Philip
bychan
Posted 23/10/2015 - 22:13 Link
smudge wrote:
bychan wrote:
Quote:
How do you feel it compares with the DA*16-50? Seems to be very good but is there enough difference to justify the relative costs?

I'm also very tempted by this lens, but used 16-50's can be had for less. Have any got any experience of using both?

Regards
Adrian

Thanks Phillip, the 16-85 ticks all the boxes as I thought.
Regards

I have both lenses. They both offer good IQ and are of broadly similar size and weight. It is really a question of which is more important to you - constant f2.8 or greater range. The other issue is reliability. My 16-85 has not let me down yet but the 16-50 has spent more time in repair than on the camera. Even the supposedly new upgraded SDM motor failed in days (I appreciate that I may have been particularly unlucky). So I would advise that if you really want the 16-50 buy new so that you have the guarantee. Personally I am more pleased with the 16-85.

K5IIs, Sigma 10-20, Pentax DA 16-85, Pentax DA 55-300, Pentax 70 Ltd, Metz 44 AF-2.
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ambott/
johnieutah
Posted 03/12/2015 - 15:42 Link
Am very very tempted by this lens, but I have to say there aren't that many reviews around. I'm surprised there isn't more talk on the forum about it, looks like a really great quality lens. Perhaps too expensive?!?

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