Views of the 18-250mm
Posted 24/09/2012 - 18:34
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In my view - from personal experience - you would not be disappointed at the wide end but will be disappointed at the long end. The 55-300 is much sharper - the 18-55 is not.
Price wise - a mint boxed Pentax could cost up to £350 - the Tamron version would be £100 cheaper.
Depends what you are looking for but keeping the 55-300 and upgrading the 18-55 to a 16-45 or 17-70 may be a better option
Carl
Price wise - a mint boxed Pentax could cost up to £350 - the Tamron version would be £100 cheaper.
Depends what you are looking for but keeping the 55-300 and upgrading the 18-55 to a 16-45 or 17-70 may be a better option
Carl
No matter how many lenses I have owned - I have always needed just one more
Posted 24/09/2012 - 19:35
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It's undeniably convenient, but the let down is the very small (f/6.3) maximum aperture at the long end. otherwise, a great lens for travel.
The 18-270mm is a better lens, based on the tests published for the Tamron version.
I'm happiest with the 18-135mm, and some time in the future may be able to augment that with a 135-400mm or whatever the long zoom turns out to be.
The 18-270mm is a better lens, based on the tests published for the Tamron version.
I'm happiest with the 18-135mm, and some time in the future may be able to augment that with a 135-400mm or whatever the long zoom turns out to be.
Best regards, John
Posted 24/09/2012 - 20:05
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I bought one some time ago with the intention of replacing both my DA17-70 & DA55-300, I still have both as my own view was that the 18-250 was someway behind the IQ of both
Simon
Simon
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Posted 24/09/2012 - 20:13
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As a travel lens the 18-250 hits the spot.
But, there's always a but, I found that on my K5 it needs stopping down to f8 or slower in bright lightto avoid burnt out detail/washed out colours.
I didn't have this problem on the K200, just a sensor thing I guess, you pays your money etc.
But, there's always a but, I found that on my K5 it needs stopping down to f8 or slower in bright lightto avoid burnt out detail/washed out colours.
I didn't have this problem on the K200, just a sensor thing I guess, you pays your money etc.
Cheers, HG
K110+DA40, K200+DA35, K3 and a bag of lenses, bodies and other bits.
Mustn't forget the Zenits, or folders, or...
PPG entries.
K110+DA40, K200+DA35, K3 and a bag of lenses, bodies and other bits.
Mustn't forget the Zenits, or folders, or...
PPG entries.
Posted 24/09/2012 - 20:28
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We don't have that problem with either of our K5 bodies, so maybe you have a lens problem?
Best regards, John
Posted 24/09/2012 - 21:17
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Quote:
you would not be disappointed at the wide end but will be disappointed at the long end
+1you would not be disappointed at the wide end but will be disappointed at the long end
I've got a Pentax 18-250 and never fail to be impressed by it - it has better IQ than it has any right to have given the size and zoom range. As others have said, it's not very fast and a tiny bit soft at the long end and there is some barrel distortion at the wide end but it's always in my camera bag when I'm travelling. In my view, it's hard to beat as a combination of size, weight, focal length and IQ.
Posted 24/09/2012 - 21:41
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I keep reading that the DA 18-250mm is poor at the long end. I disagree, this is a photo of the QM2 taken on a GX20 with one at a distance of several miles:
What's more the image is also cropped! (I have posted this before.)
I doubt the extra 20mm of the new lens will make any significant difference; how it will perform we'll have to wait and see.
John
What's more the image is also cropped! (I have posted this before.)
I doubt the extra 20mm of the new lens will make any significant difference; how it will perform we'll have to wait and see.
John
John K
Posted 24/09/2012 - 22:19
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I suspect that telephoto lenses with small apertures can sometimes disappoint because of aerial haze, camera shake and even the limited aperture being a challenge for the AF system.
Sue has taken some amazing telephoto shots with her 18-250mm.
Sue has taken some amazing telephoto shots with her 18-250mm.
Best regards, John
Posted 24/09/2012 - 22:41
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The lens is fine it's probably just me that's the problem.
I have both the K5 and K200 set up in the same way,but get better results on the K200.
Don't get me wrong I still maintain, as I've said on other threads, that this is one of the best all round lenses out there.
And to prove I can get good results this image was taken at f8 in bright sunlight, nowt wrong with it as far as I can tell(except a bit of dust!)
I have both the K5 and K200 set up in the same way,but get better results on the K200.
Don't get me wrong I still maintain, as I've said on other threads, that this is one of the best all round lenses out there.
And to prove I can get good results this image was taken at f8 in bright sunlight, nowt wrong with it as far as I can tell(except a bit of dust!)
Cheers, HG
K110+DA40, K200+DA35, K3 and a bag of lenses, bodies and other bits.
Mustn't forget the Zenits, or folders, or...
PPG entries.
K110+DA40, K200+DA35, K3 and a bag of lenses, bodies and other bits.
Mustn't forget the Zenits, or folders, or...
PPG entries.
Posted 24/09/2012 - 22:56
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Thanks. I'm not too worried if the IQ isn't quite there at the long end but I really want to still get some wildlife shots of birds and butterflies etc. while on holiday without having to take other big lenses for that and yet another for landscapes. So I think it will be this or possibly my Panny Bridge camera which I use for that purpose now.
(The skies look odd on my monitor in the two pics sent in - is that just a cropping/jpg artifact?)
(The skies look odd on my monitor in the two pics sent in - is that just a cropping/jpg artifact?)
Posted 24/09/2012 - 23:27
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Ignore the above about the sky. Never noticed it before but all of the plain backgrounds are showing up stepwise gradations. Something's happened to my monitor!
Posted 25/09/2012 - 15:10
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I rate it highly myself and it gets a lot of use. Of course it is not as sharp or fast as my 60-250 - but that is hardly a walkaround travel lens! I think it performs pretty much as well as the 18-55 within the same range. I don't have the 55-300 so I cannot compare (and that too is f6.3 at the long end) but it is no worse than my Sigma apo macro DG 70-300 at the long end.
Tony Milner
Super A, ME Super, MZ6, K5II, Ricoh GR & lenses from 8-500mm
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Super A, ME Super, MZ6, K5II, Ricoh GR & lenses from 8-500mm
www.amilner.org
www.flickr.com/photos/tonymilner
Posted 25/09/2012 - 21:29
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The 'stepping' in my shot is just a resizing thing from Photobucket, They've altered their tool set hence the dust and steps.
The full size thing that I ran through PhotoScape ids sharp as a knife.
The full size thing that I ran through PhotoScape ids sharp as a knife.
Cheers, HG
K110+DA40, K200+DA35, K3 and a bag of lenses, bodies and other bits.
Mustn't forget the Zenits, or folders, or...
PPG entries.
K110+DA40, K200+DA35, K3 and a bag of lenses, bodies and other bits.
Mustn't forget the Zenits, or folders, or...
PPG entries.
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