conradj's reviews

  • Pentax 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL SMC DA WR

    7 out of 10 points and recommended
    weather resistance, image colour, light weight, good resolution
    not the absolute zenith of optical performance

    Came with my K-7. Had to return the first 2 examples of this lens, first due to optical probs and second to both optical and mechanical probs.

    Third one was a keeper. Very good sharpness in the center of the image when stopped down to f8, good rez at the edges. Some chromatic aberration and vignetting. Colour is great, contrast ditto.

    Love being able to take photos outside when it's pouring rain or snowing.

    i usually have the camera on a tripod when i'm using this lens, but the K-7 balances quite well in the hand when it's mounted.

    reviewed January 22nd, 2010

  • Pentax 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED D FA HD DC WR

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    Great rez and good enough corrections with an APS-C camera.
    On the large side with a small camera body.

    Don't own a full frame camera, just using it on my KP. There it's become the lens i use most often. It's much too much plastic for my liking and the lens sticks way out and is a bit flexy when zoomed to the long end. Ergonomically it's perfectly fine.

    Optically it has great resolution with a crop sensor-- it uses all the KP's sensor rez, and the colour's very nice. The corner problems don't show up with a crop sensor.

    Mounted on an APS-C camera it doesn't have a great zoom range for a walkaround lens, and the out-of-focus areas aren't nearly as nice as you'd get with a good prime.

    Autofocus is fast, accurate enough and quiet.

    What can i say; it's on the camera more than any of my other lenses.

    reviewed November 15th, 2020 (purchased for $380)