Pentax DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 ED wins Editor's Choice 2007

[roentarre]

Few more shots. Love this zoom

 

[fengwei]

Hi Frank!

On a small note of this zoom, I basicly brought it for the sake of having a lighter load for travel. Seriously I did not know this zoom was quite a performer.

I shot plenty of landscape and aperture f8 would gaurantee landscape shots that you would not be able to see from any competition brands. The colour and contrast are just amazing! Actually, the wider the aperture, the better colour and contrast.

It is slightly weak in sharpness wide open in the corners (but narrow depth of field and front focusing to a degree). This is the area where quality control is an issue.

This zoom had been debated a bit in pentaxforums and I aggreed with some of the weakness of this zoom. f2.8 to f4 does cause a bit of inconsistent focusing. SDM is silent with no sounds fantastic for street candids but to get sharp shots using AF is a bit of luck involved.

For you Frank, the lens would be fantastic to use for protraits or candids. I shot food, people with the zoom and they are quite good in deed.


I still love Da14 and it is definitely sharper wide open. It is lighter and it is more capable to giving better AF. Though it gives a lot more flare than the zoom. Da 14 does not yield more colour or contrast than the zoom but you can bring all the colour and contrast out easily in photoshop.

This is really a great zoom to own (Tell me which competition brand has a zoom like this?)

BTW I walk through rain and tough weather with no concern over the whole k10d and zoom soaked with rain water

Hi James, thanks for the feedback. I used the DA1650 before, so I know how good (and bad) it is. I haven't bought it 'cause I thought I didn't really need it. But after walking in the rain for four days (btw, I'm still in Berlin right now ), I really need a weather sealed lens. My DA14 was totally soaked yesterday when I was shooting at the Charles Checkpoint. The rain was too heavy, but I had to take a photo or two (just to show I was there, you know). The 1650 would be a perfect choice in the rain.

Oh well, I'm sure I'd get one too, really soon

 

[roentarre]

Wow, I would love to visit Berlin where I had never been before. I know your feeling about soaking rain and took shots of "I was there" kind of evidence photos,

For camping or travel, this zoom proves its value greatly

 

[istDeS]

Hi James nice pic you got there with the 1650. I bought this lens similarly for a trip also.

Fengwei bro, yeah i know the feeling. At my recent canadian rockies trip, i walk through the rain also to take the "I was there" photo.