Digital SLR Reviews Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Pentax Digital Slr Cameras’

Pentax SMC DA Series 16 50mm f 2 8 ED AL IF SDM Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras

Designed for exclusive use with Pentax digital SLR cameras, the Pentax DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 wide-angle zoom lens is a terrific choice for landscapes, portraiture, and just about any other application. The lens features a tightly sealed, weather-resistant and dust-resistant construction to enhance durability in rainy or dusty conditions. The lens’s three aspherical elements and two special optical glass elements, meanwhile, help compensate for chromatic and spherical aberration, producing images with superior contrast, clarity, and edge-to-edge sharpness. And thanks to the lens’s Pentax-original Quick-Shift Focus System, you can easily and instantly switch from autofocus to manual focus.

Specifications

• Focal length: 16-50mm
• Maximum aperture: f/2.8
• Minimum aperture: f/22
• Lens construction: 15 elements in 12 groups
• Angle of view: 83 to 31.5 degrees (when used with Pentax digital SLR camera body)
• Number of diaphragm blades: 9
• Metering system: TTL open-aperture metering
• Minimum focusing distance: 0.3 meters
• Maximum magnification: 0.21x
• Filter size: 77mm
• Corresponding AF mounts: Pentax KAF2
• Dimensions: 3.3 inches in diameter and 3.9 inches long
• Weight: 19.9 ounces (without hood)
• Warranty: 1 year

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Stunning lens
It’s too bad there are bad copies out there because the only thing thing I can say about my copy is “stunning.” Well, there are other adjectives but you get the idea;)

I’ve had mine for a little over a month now and it’s by far my favorite lens. Crystal clear sharpness, incredible colors, great bokeh, and wonderful contrast. For me it’s the perfect walkaround lens–although I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on a 31mm Limited!

As for the bad copies, I know there are bad copies out there and you should always test your lens but make sure you test it correctly. The WRONG way to test it is to make a test board, open up the lens to 16mm, 2.8 and get close to the board so that it fills or nearly fills the frame. I guarantee the edges will be hugely out of focus. The reason is the edge is 40% farther from the lens than the center of the picture. So it’s better to back away and take several shots by focus locking on the target and then moving your camera so the image is on the various edges of the frame.

My copy does have very, very slight vignetting at 16mm at 2.8 but it’s never been annoying, but it can be easily PP’d out if need be. I didn’t mark it down for this because it is so slight and is actually pleasing to the eye, imo.

One thing, however, is you should buy it from a reputable dealer with a good return policy so if you do get a bad one it won’t be a hassle to return it. I have to say, though, that this lens is so good it’s worth taking the risk.

5 Stars Great Lens!
I’ve been using the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8, and upgraded to the Pentax because of the SDM, the wider wide angle, and the Weather Resistance, and I don’t regret it. The Sigma isn’t a bad lens, considering it costs ~60% as much, but this lens is far superior.

Initially, I thought it was broken – when I pressed the shutter button I didn’t hear *anything*. Then I realized that it had focused, and was amazed. It’s much faster focusing than my other short zooms, nearly silent, and very precise. Contrast is great, bokeh is very nice. It also focuses closer than I expected – down to around four or six inches. Not a Macro, but definitely useable for lots of close-ups.

The images I’ve gotten from it in the days I have had it are extremely sharp and contrasty. The Sigma I have tended to underexpose by about half a stop; this one seems dead on.

This thing is huge, too. It’s probably 30% bigger than the Sigma, and much heavier. Prepare to spend money if you want to put filters on this baby. Make sure you have a good strong back before strapping this thing on your camera, too!

Pentax continues to amaze me with the quality they produce at such low prices. If you’re one of the people that just snorted when I said “Low prices”, I suggest you go check the price on the Nikkor or Canon equivalent of this lens (L series in Canon lenses). Then report back.

2 Stars I sent the first two back
They are still having problems with quality assurance. This lens arrived and it looked great. I took several test images of a large 2 foot square black-on-white ink line drawing. It had sharply defined ink pen lines all over it, all the way to the edges. The images showed that the focus was unacceptably out of alignment from left to right and also a bit out from bottom to top. Looking at the test images over all, it seems like it might be a good lens if they can get me one with the alignment right.

Ammended 9/24 2009

The replacement arrived I tested it today using the same method and the alignment on this replacement lens was out of alignment in roughly the opposite direction by a similar amount, making the left edge significantly less sharp focused than the right. I returned it for replacement. We shall see what we get on the next try. I really would like to to get a properly aligned example of this lens that can provide images with a consistent focus left and right and top and bottom.

Ammended 9/29/2009

Amazon declined to send a third lens, offering simultaneously that getting two defective examples was very unusual, and strangely that, were they to ship a third, it would likely suffer the same defect. They volunteered to refund my shipping cost and purchase price, and recommended I contact Pentax. I will post clips from the center and each of the two extreme edges of the test image on this site.

It was very easy to alert Amazon and initiate a return. I really would still like to get a good one of these lenses. Apparently you do need some amount of luck to accomplish that.

My advice to anyone wanting one of these is, be prepared to test what you get, and do not order it a week before your big vacation trip expecting to have one arrive at the last minute that is good enough to use.

5 Stars A bargain…just buy it!!!
For Pentax K20D users:

(Older model owners: upgrade already, you’re missing all the fun, what are you waiting for?

I reviewed tons of sites before purchasing this lens. Here the lowdown after some extensive K20D (real world studio with people, not charts) testing:

-”Famous urban Internet legend” QA issues: Are done and over with. Blast from the (2008) past. All current lenses in stock do not have any issues anymore (in case you heard).

-Sharpness/Focus: Much, much better then lower grade zooms, especially if you stop down an f-stop or two (which you really should anyhow). It really shows all the (detailed) glory of your sensor. Do not settle for a third party lens (Sigma, Tamron, etc.) if you can have the real thing.

-AF: Way more accurate then kit/consumer lenses. Dead-on 95% of the time (versus non * lenses: More like 50%-70%). And in case you’re comparing: Yes, it’s better then the 17-70mm Pentax.

-A real bargain compared to Nikon/Canon glass: you would have to pay over a grand for the same quality.

-Bottom line: the best zoom glass you can get other then the (new digital) * primes. Even there, I think you would have a hard time to see a difference.

And yes, I do this for a living (shooting, not reviewing, that is).

I’m just flabbergasted how professional Pentax has become: The Nikon D300 with any glass shoots like a Coolpix in comparison (yes, I own an entire Nikon outfit).

5 Stars This is the lens to buy
Stellar! If you’re buying a new camera, don’t buy the “throw away” lens that comes with the camera for a hundred bucks (you get what you pay for), save the money and apply it towards this lens. If you have the camera body already and are looking for a top notch lens, this is it. The 16mm-50mm f2.8 is great for shooting indoors and outdoors. It is excellent in low light situations, especially where you don’t want to use a flash. One of the best lenses I’ve seen in a long time. Well worth the price at full price through Pentax, Amazon has been giving this lens away, so even better.

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Opteka Professional 1X 2X Right Angle Viewfinder for Canon Nikon Olympus Sony and Pentax Digital SLR Cameras

Ever find it hard to get your SLR in just the right angle to take that perfect shot you’ve always wanted. Optekas Professional Right Angle Viewfinder let’s you line up an off the deck shot without needing to crawl on your belly. The Opteka finder features include a built in diopter with 1X and 2X capability, full 360 degree rotation, and universal mounting attachments for most Digital SLR cameras including Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus EVOLT, Pentax, Sony Alpha, & many more. Padded leather-like pouch for easy handling included.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Good quality and good price
I bought this for my Nikon D60. It is not the kind of thing I use a great deal, but it is very helpful for low angles. I bought it primarily for macro photography, although the 2X magnification is very nice when the camera is on a tripod. The finder is well made and it fits perfectly. I noticed comments on loose fitting with Canon cameras, but this is not the case with Nikon. It produces a clear image with good contrast. Its only problem is a narrow angle of view, i.e., you have to look straight into the eyepiece. This is a minor issue. At roughly 1/4th the cost of the Nikon right angle finder, this is a real bargain.

3 Stars Ill-fitting adapter
This was the most reasonably-priced angle viewfinder on the market. After reading the reviews of it on Amazon I decided to buy it since I made a new year’s resolution to do more with macro photograhy this year. The viewfinder arrived quickly and was packaged in a nice leather (or pseudo-leather pouch). Because the viewfinder is “universal” it comes with several different adaptors for different makes and models of DSLRs. I have a Canon 50D, so I immediately selected that adapter and tried to attach the viewfinder to the camera. Unfortunately the adapter is a shade larger than the viewfinder on the camera that it attaches to. The end result is that the viewfinder is loose on the camera–to the point that it might even fall off if you don’t hold it firmly against the camera with your finger. I don’t know if this was an error in packaging of the adapter or not. I did not read anything about this in any of the other reviews, I can certainly still use the viewfinder, and it appears to function adequately, but it is going to be kind of a pain to have to hold it tight with my finger.

5 Stars Using Opteka’s Professional Right Angle Viewfinder
Who would have thought that an accessory like this could be so much fun. I bought this item for the purpose of getting into closeup photography at different angles.

I must have used this in the regular position, looking down like an old box camera, for who knows how many shoots.

I experimented with turning the viewer to be able to look around corners. Actually, the viewfinder can be turned to 4 different positions. A whole new world can be seen from almost all of these options.

4 Stars Nice performer for light duty
I purchased this device for occasional, light duty and it fills that requirement very well. The fit on my Nikon D80 and D90 is slightly lose but not so lose as to cause problems given my limited usage. It certainly makes ground level flower photography much easier and is very handy when I attach my camera to my astronomical telescope. If I were a professional photographer or used a right angle viewfinder for a majority of my work, the $230 Nikon viewfinder would make sense but for the more limited work I do with it, this $60 device fills the need and performs very well.

5 Stars opteka right angle viewfinder
This item does a good job for the purpose of it’s design

has quality optic’s and works well.Recommend item

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Pentax DA 18 250mm f 3 5 6 3 ED AL IF Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras

What a range! The smc PENTAX DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED AL [IF] interchangeable zoom lens, designed for exclusive use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras, will provide just about all the coverage you’ll need. With an approximate 14X zoom ratio covering from wide-angle to super-telephoto ranges, this versatile lens handles a great variety of applications from wide-angle landscapes to close-up sporting events and wildlife photography.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Good quality lens
It pretty close to what it is advertised to be. Not good for low light. under bright natural or artificial lights it works great.

5 Stars Terrific lens for the money
It seems that one has to find out which are the outstanding Pentax lenses by reading a lot, and by trial and error. Price is no guide, as with this lens which sells for about half the price of the equivalent Nikon lens. It is an outstanding lens, and even at 250mm (that’s 375mm in 24×36 lingo!), with Pentax’s superb anti-shake mechanism, it is very useful.

An extraordinarily impressive and useful lens. As always, the drawback of these zooms is their lack of speed. f/6.3 is the maximum aperture at 250mm, but if it were any faster, the lens would be enormous. I use two “prime” lenses for speed — 50mm f/1.4 (one of the GREAT buys out there) and my trusty old 85mm f/1.8. Those two, plus a 16-45mm Pentax zoom, and this zoom, cover just about everything. I just wish Pentax would stop improving the camera body about every twenty minutes.

5 Stars Fantastic Walk Around Lens
This Pentax version of the Tamron original does JUST what I wanted it for at a very reasonable price. When I go on trips or outings, I want to carry very little. This more than adequately replaces my previous down-sized kit of an 18-55 and a 50-200. Not only is one lens much lighter than two, it takes considerably less space and provides me fewer opportunities to introduce dust into the camera body while I change lenses. On top of that, it produces sharp pictures with minimal CA.

What it’s not:

Fast. Making this range of zoom fast would require lots more glass (bigger and heavier) and even more cash.

A real macro lens. It doesn’t compete with my FA 100 2.8. This too is a heavy lens and I don’t usually take it on trips.

A real telephoto lens. A 300 and up would be truly heavy and require mounting on a tripod (still more weight).

An ultra-wide ange lens. At its widest it’s the equivalent of a 28.

What it is is a lens I can rely on to capture the picture in almost any situation without having to resort to extensive post-processing work,

5 Stars The best option!
The best option for people like me, who wants to take good pictures but are a little lazy to carry a big bag of accessories every time you go out.

Good photos in all range, good build and love the “lock” key… perfect!

BTW, Pentax rules!

5 Stars Anateur/Enthusiast Photographer
Don’t let anyone tell you anything about the negative side of this DA 18-250mm zoom lens. It is a little darling gadget in exploring good photography. Amateur and enthusiast would just love to have one in his bag. Its focal length is tremendous. You can zoom back and fore with one touch. I was laboriously using two lenses (18-55mm and 50-200mm) in the past; now I just carry one with my camera inseparably. Best of all, it has a tiny lock switch on the barrel to prevent extending out when you carry your equipment up-side-down. Otherwise, you probably have to use a suspender to hold it back.

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PENTAX DA 18 55mm f 3 5 5 6 AL Weather Resistant Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Camera

Featuring high quality, weather-resistant and dust-resistant construction, SDM autofocus, and extra low dispersion glass, the smc PENTAX DA Star 18-55mm F3.5-F5.6 ED (IF) SDM, exclusively for PENTAX digital SLR cameras, is a versatile telephoto zoom lens for photographers who demand flexibility and the highest quality from their glass. The tightly sealed, weather-resistant and dust-resistant construction enhances durability for use in both rainy and dusty conditions, making this lens a perfect companion for the weather-resistant PENTAX DSLR bodies. In addition the PENTAX-original Quick-Shift Focus System allows instant switching from autofocus to manual focus operation. Dimensions – 2.7 x 2.7 Weight – 8.1 oz without hood; 9.0 oz with hood Includes – Case, Hood, Lens Cap, and Rear Lens Cap

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