Comparison Between 18-55 Version I & II
- Thread starter airconvent
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creampuff - You can pick up my kit lens ver1 if you happen to pass by ihub. i am having a lot of fun w your 300 tele.
Eh, follow me. But I needed it for IR prposes.
Yes the new lens is cute. The center pinch front lens cap is definitely better designed.
I may decide to call you the week after to "borrow" yours to do a side by side comparison of the kit lenses. I'll bring along a few lenses for you to try out.
Hi Dennis
Do share the results after your comparison...
I am thinking if the Ver II is so good, maybe I will let go of my Sigma 18-50 macro and use the kit lens instead (will miss the f/2.8 though and the sharp images). That will eventually make my collection pentax only...hahaha
Do share the results after your comparison...
I am thinking if the Ver II is so good, maybe I will let go of my Sigma 18-50 macro and use the kit lens instead (will miss the f/2.8 though and the sharp images). That will eventually make my collection pentax only...hahaha
My not so scientific comparison between the original DA 18-55mm and the new DA18-55mm II
The lenses are identical in size and body. Externally, there are only 3 small things that distinguishes the 2 lenses, the chromed lens name on the barrel, a red II on the front of the lens and lastly Assembled in Vietnam is silk-screened above the serial number. The new lens has a much better center pinch clip-on lens cap that makes it easy to cap the lens with the hood in place.
Internally Pentax made changes to the version II, it now has 11 elements in 8 groups instead of the original 12 elements in 9 groups. Measured on a digital scale the original version weighs in at 242g and the newer lens is lighter at 237g.
The lenses operate and feel the same when focusing and zooming.
The lenses are identical in size and body. Externally, there are only 3 small things that distinguishes the 2 lenses, the chromed lens name on the barrel, a red II on the front of the lens and lastly Assembled in Vietnam is silk-screened above the serial number. The new lens has a much better center pinch clip-on lens cap that makes it easy to cap the lens with the hood in place.
Internally Pentax made changes to the version II, it now has 11 elements in 8 groups instead of the original 12 elements in 9 groups. Measured on a digital scale the original version weighs in at 242g and the newer lens is lighter at 237g.
The lenses operate and feel the same when focusing and zooming.
Ok here is the optical comparison. All the shots were shot at ISO 100 in Manual mode. Aperture and shutter speed kept to the same setting. Image was resized to 600 x 399. No sharpening or levels adjustment.
Version I at 18mm (1/250 sec at f/8)
Version II at 18mm (1/250 sec at f/8)
Version I at 55mm (1/250 sec at f/8)
Version II at 55mm (1/250 sec at f/8)
Version I at 18mm (1/250 sec at f/8)
Version II at 18mm (1/250 sec at f/8)
Version I at 55mm (1/250 sec at f/8)
Version II at 55mm (1/250 sec at f/8)
From the rough comparisons, the version II is definitely a little sharper than the original version I. Pentax tweaked this lens and got it to perform better.
The most interesting thing about the lenses was the fact that despite the camera exposure being the same on the K20D (and referenced to a hand held meter), version I tended to produce images that were a little underexposed. This was also evident when other auto exposure modes were used.
When the version II was used on the K20D, exposures were consistent and worked the same on all the auto exposure modes.
The newer lens shows better contrast and without PP gives "snappier" images. Both lenses still showed some barrel distortion at the wide end but nothing to worry. The good thing is the version II appears to vignette less compared to the version I at 18mm.
I would say that version II is definitely the better of the two lenses but it still remains a starter lens. Certainly a good lens to keep as a cheap wide angle.
The most interesting thing about the lenses was the fact that despite the camera exposure being the same on the K20D (and referenced to a hand held meter), version I tended to produce images that were a little underexposed. This was also evident when other auto exposure modes were used.
When the version II was used on the K20D, exposures were consistent and worked the same on all the auto exposure modes.
The newer lens shows better contrast and without PP gives "snappier" images. Both lenses still showed some barrel distortion at the wide end but nothing to worry. The good thing is the version II appears to vignette less compared to the version I at 18mm.
I would say that version II is definitely the better of the two lenses but it still remains a starter lens. Certainly a good lens to keep as a cheap wide angle.
Thanks Denis for the test. The version I is consider one of the best kit lens. Now, the version II is even better.
yup...thanks Denis for doing the test I could not do properly.
Looks like I can still keep my V2 for now although the sigma 18-50 is also a joy to use too.
Looks like I can still keep my V2 for now although the sigma 18-50 is also a joy to use too.
denis,
did you try this lens for ir?
Not yet. But then again I only just got my new camera this week.
Will probably give it a go next week.
Denis, you are welcome. By the way, is it right to say for the V1 kit lens, the exposure should be compensated by a magnitude +0.3? I checked the site photo of the buildings that i took last tuesday and overall, i feel the photos are underexposed. I thought it was due to the cloudy sky. now i know the lens is slightly underexposed, will compensate in my next shoot.
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