What is the sharpest zoom lens that you have used?
Posted 17/07/2011 - 11:32
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I think it's probably the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8
Very sharp lens.
Very sharp lens.
Posted 17/07/2011 - 11:46
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DA*50-135
I think most of the sharpest zooms will be in the short tele range.
I think most of the sharpest zooms will be in the short tele range.
Stefan
K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Posted 17/07/2011 - 11:49 - Helpful Comment
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This is a question very much open to interpretation... sharpest wide open? sharpest on the tele end sharpest on the wide end?
I think the best zoom lens I have used is the 50-150 Sigma followed by the 17-50 Tamron. Both benefit from stopping down from 2.8 to about 3.5/4 both are not at their best at the very extremes.
Never used a 70-200, find them extremely big and bulky though I was very tempted by the 70-200 Tamron mentioned above. Heard the 50-135 Tokina is absolutely great as is its Pentax equivalent
Couple with the 50-150, I will be happy if the 50-135 is just as good
http://flic.kr/p/9X6oej
http://flic.kr/p/9WUE6K
I think the best zoom lens I have used is the 50-150 Sigma followed by the 17-50 Tamron. Both benefit from stopping down from 2.8 to about 3.5/4 both are not at their best at the very extremes.
Never used a 70-200, find them extremely big and bulky though I was very tempted by the 70-200 Tamron mentioned above. Heard the 50-135 Tokina is absolutely great as is its Pentax equivalent
Couple with the 50-150, I will be happy if the 50-135 is just as good
http://flic.kr/p/9X6oej
http://flic.kr/p/9WUE6K
Posted 17/07/2011 - 12:02 - Helpful Comment
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Tamron 17-50 for me. I posted about it ages ago, along with a sample 1:1 crop: here.
In my own tests (which could easily be wrong) the sharpness peaked at f5.6 where it is razor sharp. At f2.8 it's decent, but not especially sharp.
I also have a Sigma 70-200 which is pretty sharp wide open. I posted some 1:1 comparisons, both with and without teleconverters, here.
In my own tests (which could easily be wrong) the sharpness peaked at f5.6 where it is razor sharp. At f2.8 it's decent, but not especially sharp.
I also have a Sigma 70-200 which is pretty sharp wide open. I posted some 1:1 comparisons, both with and without teleconverters, here.
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Posted 17/07/2011 - 12:11
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The 'sharpest' zoom I've used is also the DA*50-135, but subject to the caveats already mentioned here by Vrapan.
Posted 17/07/2011 - 12:16
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i-Berg wrote:
The 'sharpest' zoom I've used is also the DA*50-135, but subject to the caveats already mentioned here by Vrapan.
The 'sharpest' zoom I've used is also the DA*50-135, but subject to the caveats already mentioned here by Vrapan.
It's probably true for most lenses that they benefit in resolution by stopping down but does someone know a lens where that isn't the case?
Stefan
K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Posted 17/07/2011 - 12:28
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Anvh wrote:
It's probably true for most lenses that they benefit in resolution by stopping down but does someone know a lens where that isn't the case?
i-Berg wrote:
The 'sharpest' zoom I've used is also the DA*50-135, but subject to the caveats already mentioned here by Vrapan.
The 'sharpest' zoom I've used is also the DA*50-135, but subject to the caveats already mentioned here by Vrapan.
It's probably true for most lenses that they benefit in resolution by stopping down but does someone know a lens where that isn't the case?
The relevant ones included were "sharpest on the tele end sharpest on the wide end?".
Posted 17/07/2011 - 12:29
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Another vote for the Tamron 17-50. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this lens to sharpness junkies. My 'Cwmorthin' gallery shot was with the Tamron and at 1:1 everything from the grass blades in the foreground to the stones of the ruined building was clean and sharp, right to the edges. It was shot at f5.6.
[link=https://500px.com/will_brealey/[/link]
Posted 17/07/2011 - 12:49
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DA12-24mm, for such a wide angle it really does produce very sharp images - reviews suggest it outperforms the Pentax prime lenses in the same range, I've never compared but I can well believe it
Simon
Simon
My website http://www.landscapephotographyuk.com
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Find me on Google+ link
Posted 17/07/2011 - 12:59 - Helpful Comment
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My Phoenix 28-210mm Lens does quite well. The Tamron 70-300mm Lens does a great job, also. Since I can't afford those big fancy, expensive Lens that I really don't need, I use what I have and they seem to work just fine. I would just love to have one of those big Wildlife Lens's, but they are for Professional people. I just don't have $1000 - $3000 to spend on Lens's like that.
Regards,
Les
Regards,
Les
"Those who do nothing . . . make no mistakes in Life"
http://s404.Photobucket.com/home/Corker2/index
I'm just full of questions . . . It's the only way I learn anything! I have so, so, much to learn using my Pentax K100D DSLR
http://s404.Photobucket.com/home/Corker2/index
I'm just full of questions . . . It's the only way I learn anything! I have so, so, much to learn using my Pentax K100D DSLR
Posted 17/07/2011 - 13:23 - Helpful Comment
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If your shooting at around f/8 the Pentax 18-55mm Kit lens is very
sharp, almost as good as the 43mm Limited and better than 24, 28 and
35mm M and A primes.
For longer lenses the Pentax 55-300mm is quite sharp at f/8.
You can compare non-Pentax lenses here: link
sharp, almost as good as the 43mm Limited and better than 24, 28 and
35mm M and A primes.
For longer lenses the Pentax 55-300mm is quite sharp at f/8.
You can compare non-Pentax lenses here: link
Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
Posted 17/07/2011 - 14:34
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simonkit wrote:
DA12-24mm, for such a wide angle it really does produce very sharp images - reviews suggest it outperforms the Pentax prime lenses in the same range, I've never compared but I can well believe it
Simon
DA12-24mm, for such a wide angle it really does produce very sharp images - reviews suggest it outperforms the Pentax prime lenses in the same range, I've never compared but I can well believe it
Simon
I had both the 12-24mm and the 15mm and sold the 15mm because, lovely little lens that it was to use, the zoom was so much sharper at f4 throughout the range. The 15mm needed to be stopped down to f8 to get properly sharp, as all the magazine tests confirm.
I found that if you didn't need wide apertures,the 18-55 kit lens stopped down to f8 was superb. I only changed mine because I wanted a wider angle but looking back, for what I got for it, I should have kept it.
But back to the OP, the Pentax 60-250mm is about the best zoom I've ever used when set to 135mm and over. At 60mm it's less so, though still more than acceptable.
Posted 17/07/2011 - 15:30
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This was a test shot between the Pentax 18-55mm Mk2 lens and the
Pentax 43mm Limited. Both f/8 at 1/200th (tripod) 200ISO K-5
1:1 (100%) Compare captured by a screen grab at 1280 wide.
This is the centre of the frame, but the edge was very
similar. The 43mm was slightly better in the corner.
This one has been reduced to 800w and slightly sharpened.
The 1280w original unsharpened is here:
http://uppix.net/c/0/8/4a4a760fa76be196f270cd16b2dd8.jpg
I've deliberately not said which is which
-
Pentax 43mm Limited. Both f/8 at 1/200th (tripod) 200ISO K-5
1:1 (100%) Compare captured by a screen grab at 1280 wide.
This is the centre of the frame, but the edge was very
similar. The 43mm was slightly better in the corner.
This one has been reduced to 800w and slightly sharpened.
The 1280w original unsharpened is here:
http://uppix.net/c/0/8/4a4a760fa76be196f270cd16b2dd8.jpg
I've deliberately not said which is which
-
Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
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18 posts
13 years
and also tell us how much the lens costs