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Fun with DA*16-50 [for as long as it last]

benroy

Subscriber Member
Thanks, Rich, for the kind comments.

More train station stuff with the 16-50: lot of fun taking the pictures (had a great time with the yellow handle bars), but no fun straightening the lines of all of them in Photoshop...that was a job!

Roy Benson
 
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jonoslack

Active member
Thanks, Rich, for the kind comments.

More train station stuff with the 16-50: lot of fun taking the pictures (had a great time with the yellow handle bars), but no fun straightening the lines of all of them in Photoshop...that was a job!

Roy Benson
Very nice Roy - although some of those yellow handle bars still seem to be bent :)

Distortion was not something which worried me about it to be honest, the problem was the edges and corners.

all the best
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
Thanks, Jono and Jim. I agree...16-50 is weak on the edges and corners...you can see that in these pics...but the lens sure does cover the territory...the second picture in the second set (rear end of the caboose) reveals this shortcoming in a strange way...image gets softer as it goes to the left, but the right hand edge seems to hold its own. I think this is the problem you ran into, Jono, with your set of 16-50s.

Roy Benson
 

jonoslack

Active member
Thanks, Jono and Jim. I agree...16-50 is weak on the edges and corners...you can see that in these pics...but the lens sure does cover the territory...the second picture in the second set (rear end of the caboose) reveals this shortcoming in a strange way...image gets softer as it goes to the left, but the right hand edge seems to hold its own. I think this is the problem you ran into, Jono, with your set of 16-50s.

Roy Benson
HI Roy
That was it - Pentax seem to be experts at making de-centred lenses, but my 16-50 really did seem the worst. But it was very odd, as sometimes it was fine, and sometimes it was so bad as to be almost unusable - I never really managed to reproduce the difficulty consistently, but it was dreadfully apparent in some shots.
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
The question that lurks behind the posting of each 16-50 image: would I use this lens on a professional assignment or for publication? My answer: NO...I would trot out the Zeiss or Leica lenses...lenses that I would have confidence in providing edge to edge, corner to corner sharpness...but...nonetheless, it sure is fun using the 16-50, and for 72 dpi internet pics, I'm satisfied with the lens...but for pay, out comes the SuperWide, Biogons, and Super Angulons.

Roy Benson
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
I tried to demonstrate this in earlier postings...that the 16-50 is much better close up...here are more examples of this from the locomotive's working parts:

Roy Benson
 
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Knorp

Well-known member
Hi there Roy,

I enjoyed your locomotive series and the close-ups are marvelous.
Still believing the 16-50 is fun !

All the best.
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Some shots from 'Day of the Park' last Sunday.
All sorts of craftsmen showing of their skills.






(bee keeper)


Thanks for viewing.
 

jonoslack

Active member
HI Bart
Great Stuff
Looks like just what the lens IS good for - rather than what I wanted to use it for. Probably designed that way too I guess.

all the best
 

Knorp

Well-known member
HI Bart
Great Stuff
Looks like just what the lens IS good for - rather than what I wanted to use it for. Probably designed that way too I guess.

all the best
Hi there Jono,

well it's not so strange as it might look like, because after all - let's face it: you're spoiled :poke:
Yes that's right, you're spoiled by some pretty impressive Leica glass :)
But you already knew that of course.

And I think, if I understand you correctly, you're spot-on regarding the 16-50 being an all-round street lens.
It's perhaps not great, but it is certainly nice.
Albeit rather huge ... :p :ROTFL:

Thank you & kind regards.
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
Bart: really fine "craftsman candids"...just what this lens is perfect for...pictures have an almost 3 dimensional quality...looks like the people (and sheep) are going to step right out of the picture...that sheep shearing shot is great.

Roy Benson
 

Armanius

New member
Seems my copy is doing not too bad at the extremes.
Anything in the middle - hmmm not so sure :confused:

But it's a fun lens for sure and I love the way it produces wonderful close-ups.
Here are a few from Saturday morning in the park.
I had problems with the AF on my 18-135 on all lengths except the extremes (18 and 135). It wasn't a problem that the focus was off. the lens would just not auto focus at all. This would happen from time to time and I was never able to determine the conditions that the 18-135 would refuse to AF when not @18 or 135.
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
Bart: I've been fooling around with Leica R lenses lately, but looking at these pics has me itching for another dawn patrol with the 16-50...the 16-50 has something magical about the way it takes in space....almost 3-D.

Roy Benson
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Bart: I've been fooling around with Leica R lenses lately, but looking at these pics has me itching for another dawn patrol with the 16-50...the 16-50 has something magical about the way it takes in space....almost 3-D.

Roy Benson
I'd love to see the results of your "fooling around", Roy !
What lenses were you trying ?

All the very best.
 
I've not used the DA* 16-50 much since I bought it several weeks ago so yesterday a friend and I decided to spend the day driving through several small Texas towns to see what we could find to photograph. Below are a few from that day spent in 102 degree Texas heat.








PS.. not a single mirror-flop during the entire day because I was using a half-discharged battery. Pretty much rules out the thought that heat might have something to do with the problem.
 

Terry

New member
Hi Jim -
The piano and lanterns/lights are my two favorite. Good to hear that you are closer to completely isolating the issue. Have you seen any new reports from someone having the same problem?
 
Hi Jim -
The piano and lanterns/lights are my two favorite. Good to hear that you are closer to completely isolating the issue. Have you seen any new reports from someone having the same problem?
Yes, numerous PMs and quite a few on various forums... seems it not isolated to the K5 but also the K-r.

Love the camera.. just need to get this one issue fixed and it will be fine. Can't see sending it in before the SF trip though.
 
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