shaloot Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>Hello!<br> I sold my DA 18-250 lens as I was never happy with it. Nothing really wrong with it, but it never clicked for me, and I found myself hardly using the tele range of it. Often times if I knew I would be shooting wide I would use my light kit lens version 1. It also helped filters were cheaper for that size. The following a few pictures from my beach vacation, all shot with the kittens on the k10d. They were shot in RAW and converted in Aperture. I bumped up the contrast, color and and fill light or luminance just a few points. There was no noise reduction or sharpness added. The WB was set to auto, and since I shot in RAW I was able to change it. The camera had set all the shots a little too cold.<br> This first one I know is a cliche shot, but I like it. Shot at 1/250 @ f/11 iso160 @ 26mm:<br> <a title="Down in a Ball of Fire by Shaloot, on Flickr" href=" title="Down in a Ball of Fire by Shaloot, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/3943311256_0e60a50aba.jpg" alt="Down in a Ball of Fire" width="400" height="500" /> </a></p> <p>2nd one at 1/30 (yay for SR!) @ f/7.1 iso200 @ 35mm:<br> <a title="Flying Proud by Shaloot, on Flickr" href=" title="Flying Proud by Shaloot, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3426/3942534903_6c689b6b83.jpg" alt="Flying Proud" width="341" height="500" /> </a></p> <p>This was one those photos that pleasantly surprised me when I downloaded it. I actually like the vignetting caused using it at 18mm. Shot at 1/40 @ f/5 iso200.<br> <a title="Evening Glow by Shaloot, on Flickr" href=" title="Evening Glow by Shaloot, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/3942535993_53d8c5167d.jpg" alt="Evening Glow" width="500" height="340" /> </a></p> <p>This one I'm somewhat torn. I think the foreground is either a little too dark or a little too much of the shot. The color of the sky I up'd the luminance of the blue to really bring it out, and I'm not sure if I like the way it ended up. Shot at 1/125 @ f/9 iso125 @ 20mm. I also had to dial down the blown highlights in the center of the sky. I had an HDR version but that looked awful, and honestly I am done with that process. I'm glad I just got the free version and never did buy the full program.<br> <a title="Playing With the Last Light by Shaloot, on Flickr" href=" title="Playing With the Last Light by Shaloot, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3467/3943314070_e0d820ef6c.jpg" alt="Playing With the Last Light" width="500" height="339" /> </a></p> <p>This shot I wanted to try and get the grass blurry but I could get the shutter speed slow enough without blowing out the sky. Shot at 1/13 (phew for SR!) at f/10 iso125 @ 18mm. I didn't have my tripod with me and I didnt want to go past f/10-11.<br> <a title="Blowing In the Wind by Shaloot, on Flickr" href=" title="Blowing In the Wind by Shaloot, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2454/3943314956_07b8923aa5.jpg" alt="Blowing In the Wind" width="500" height="339" /> </a></p> <p>This scene again I was trying to do HDR and didn't like it but I used one photo from a series of 3 (extended bracketing). This shot had a +1EV. Shot at 1/10 @ f/10 iso125. This photo was a simply convert to "B&W with red filter" in Aperture. I don't know how to do the dodge and burn...<br> <a title="Activity In the Sky by Shaloot, on Flickr" href=" title="Activity In the Sky by Shaloot, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/3943315598_05c15ae82a.jpg" alt="Activity In the Sky" width="339" height="500" /> </a></p> <p>All the borders were done using the borderfx plugin for Aperture. Free and quite nifty, though I'm completely uncreative when it comes to that... I just kept choosing black. There is one photo I had a green border in my flickr stream and I wouldn't mind you guys telling me what you think if you see it.<br> So back to what I was saying; yea I love this lens. I really wonder/think about buying the WR kit lens...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgredline Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>Somanna, The Pentax Kit lens is a fine lens. I have often wondered if replacing it with a similar lens is really an upgrade. My Son has been using the kit lens of late and the images he is getting are stunning...Speaking of stunning <strong>your third looks great </strong> and the vignetting works well there...Anyway, I have been pondering the WR lens myself.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.t. dowling Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>Pentax 18-55 lenses -- including the original one -- are hidden gems and vastly underrated. Most of the complaints I hear about these lenses have come from photographers who haven't actually <em>used</em> them! They just assume that all kit lenses are bad, and therefore the Pentax kit lens <em>must </em> be bad as well. Not true! At moderate apertures (such as f/8), the kit lens can produce images nearly as sharp as a good prime lens. Even when shooting wide open, the kit lens can produce excellent images. It has a relatively low amount of fringing (in fact, it is lowest when shooting wide open), and it has nice contrast and color rendering.</p> <p>I occasionally think about upgrading to the 16-45 f/4... but aside from slightly increased sharpness, I'm not sure that I would really notice much of a difference. The 16-45 has a <em>lot </em> more trouble with fringing, which I'm sure I <em>would</em> notice. The 16-50 f/2.8 has that problem as well.</p> <p>Long live the kit lens!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vrankin Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>Kit lenses are designed specifically for your APS size sensors, and that definitely is a plus. The 18-55 range is probably where the most photos are made. It roughly corresponds to the 28-90 range in 35mm film SLRs of years ago. Pentax has always been underrated, compared with Nikon and Canon. But they can produce wonderful images.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alvinyap Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>Sommana,<br>To be honest I think you will create great images with whatever lens and camera brand - judging from yoru flickr, you have developed "the eye"! Equipment helps, but the eye is so important. Wish I could develop a good eye like yours. All the best!</p><p>Alvin</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chune_hoong_pong Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>The 4th photo looks pretty good to me, Somanna.<br /><br />The highlights in the centre of the sky are well-controlled, and personally I would leave the foreground as it is. Sort of contributes to the dramatic skyline.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laur1 Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>The 18-55 is probably the best value lens I've seen around. I still remember how impressed I was with it after the first photo session with my K10D. I have the original version and I heard the second version is even sharper, but I haven't seen a comparison between the two yet.<br> Great resolution, small size, light, plus it has that great opening in the hood for adjusting a CP.<br> If there's a lens with better value out there, let me know about it.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanrb Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>Without question a great lens. My daughter has the second version and I tried to see if it was sharper than my first. I wasn't able to see a difference with the same settings but the I'm not a pixel peeper.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miserere_mei Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>I'm one of those people who aren't particularly in love with the kit lens. I used mine for quite some time, and ended up treating it as a fixed f/8 lens, unless I didn't want the corners sharp, in which case I'd shoot it wide open. It didn't help me that I don't like the 18-55mm range at all because it doesn't go long enough. An 18-70mm is the least I would want.</p> <p>I ended up getting a Tammy 28-75mm f/2.8, which suits my needs of speed and focal length range very well.</p> <p>Somanna, I like the photo of the dock (#3). For once, I think the vignetting at 18mm actually helps :-)</p> <p>I also like the B&W, but I would maybe have included less fence and more sky.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_kuhne Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 <p>As ALL of your excellent photos above testify, the small, lightweight but well-made kit lens is a marvel. Sure it has some weaknesses, but these are of no consequence for most shooting needs. Best to not shoot wide open if wanting sharp corners, etc. etc. but otherwise, fine results can be had. Very handy carrying, and great when you need a compact zoom. I have the II version and love it too. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfrog Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 <p>The 18-55mm WR is basically the same as the kit lens isn't it? Has anyone tried one of those out? I never got the kit lens with my K10D but in order to get a weather resistant setup I might pick one up.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_wyatt Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 <p>I have used the mark one Pentax DA 18-55mm lens for about 12,000 frames on my K10D, and to be honest I really can't wait for my Sigma 24-60 EX DG f/2.8 to have its focus issues sorted out. I want the speed, and the Pentax really needs to be stopped down to get decent results.</p> <p>The Pentax gets pretty ugly in the corners, especially at the extremes of the zoom range, but even up to 25mm I have had real problems in the corners. If you want to use it wide, I would say get another lens. A recent shot I took at 22mm, f/8 had horribly blurry edges. The lens is good at around 30mm, f/8.</p> <p>That said, I've taken a lot of good photos with this lens, and some award winning ones. There's no doubt it's very good for a kit lens. Overall, fine for a cheap lens, but it's still a cheap lens. I would say if you have the money for something like a K7, get a better lens first.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.t. dowling Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 <p>Camus, I kind of wonder if yours might be slightly defective. The only time I've had any issues with mine is in the <em>extreme </em> corners when shooting at 18mm. The way you described yours makes it sound like a completely different lens than the one I've got.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_wyatt Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 <p>Here's a 100% crop of part of an image, near the edge, not really in the corner, f/8, 21mm, 1/350</p> <p>(this is from an unprocessed jpeg, and I shoot RAW to help combat fringing etc)</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.t. dowling Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 <p>Hmmm... for 21mm and f/8, that is a bit fuzzy. Mine definitely doesn't act like that at that length and aperture. Maybe I just have an amazingly good copy. ;-)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_wyatt Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 <p>It's certainly not unusable, and not out of order for these kinds of lenses to get that kind of fringing on bright parts, but I will upgrade to a Sigma 10-20 when I have the money!</p> <p>I DO find this lens hard to use wide open. I stop down to f/8 any time I can, which is a bit limiting.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_wyatt Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 <p>In saying that I'm no big fan of the 18-55, here's a shot from today. Lower contrast scenario, much better results. 18mm, f/8, 1/250, Pentax K10D. </p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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