On Oct 22, 2005, at 9:31 PM, Boris Liberman wrote:
1) all three primes are better performers than all three zooms.
2) at some focal length/aperture combinations, the differences
between the better zooms and the primes becomes small.
3) the tamron 28-75 and the pentax 20-35 are clearly better
performers than the DA18-55.
4) the differences at equal focal lengths between the 28-75 and
the 20-35 are pretty small, and which is better depends on
specific focal length and aperture setting.
5) the 18-55 is not a bad performer; it just isn't quite as good
as the others.
Godfrey, at al, I have a question. My Sigma 18/3.5 is a fine piece
of glass... I've nothing about it except that it is manual focus...
I like to shoot things that involve close-far motif and the close
piece is that close that DOF scale based approach may not work...
What are my options... I am leaning towards FAJ 18-35 lens since
both my bodies (MZ-6 and *istD) have aperture control from the
body... I decided not to buy any reduced image circle optics, so
this lens seems the only choice if I am to go wider than 20 mm...
What do you say? Or must I go to third parties - Tokina, Tamron?
They have 17-35/2.8-4 group of zooms...
Far as I can see you have five possible lenses to look at.
For use on up to 24x36 bodies:
Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Asph IF
Pentax SMCP-FA-J 18-35mm f/4-5.6 AL
For use on the 16x24 digital bodies:
Pentax SMCP-DA 16-45mm f/4.0 ED AL
Pentax SMCP-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL
Pentax SMCP-DA 14mm f/2.8
I've used both the DA14 and the DA16-45 on the DS body. Both are very
good. But I like the FA20-35 more than the DA16-45, and it doesn't
replace the DA14. I don't know much about the FA-J 18-35.
I've heard good things about the Tamron, know little other than that.
Godfrey
