DA 16-45 review

Yes, it's an excellent lens. I stopped using mine in favor of the DA 16-85, but only because the latter has WR. I also have the DA* 16-50, but have had SDM fail on my so I don't take this lens when I travel.

Joe

Can I ask you for a favour? My DA 16-45 mounted on the K-x exhibits certain AF problems. For example, if a subject is let's say 2m away, my lens when set to 45mm after focusing shows exact focus distance (i.e. 2m). Now, when I change the setting to 16mm and refocus, the distance scale changes, it shows around 4m (generally twice more). I am sure that this is a camera body problem, as in LV mode the focus distance is always correct and same at any focal length setting. I am just curious whether other Pentax bodies exhibit similar problems.

Regards,

Peter

flektogon wrote:

Can I ask you for a favour? My DA 16-45 mounted on the K-x exhibits certain AF problems. For example, if a subject is let's say 2m away, my lens when set to 45mm after focusing shows exact focus distance (i.e. 2m). Now, when I change the setting to 16mm and refocus, the distance scale changes, it shows around 4m (generally twice more). I am sure that this is a camera body problem, as in LV mode the focus distance is always correct and same at any focal length setting. I am just curious whether other Pentax bodies exhibit similar problems.

Regards,

Peter

I tried my 16-45's focus on a K5IIs.  Generally the distance (and by this, I assume you mean the distance scale on the lens itself which, in turn, indicates the actual focus point) does not change much when refocusing after changing from wide to tele or back.  At closer and farther distances there is some movement, though nothing as large as you describe.  Interestingly, at 2M there is essentially no change at all.  When your lens changes (refocuses) at 2M are both shots in focus?

Hmmm. I've never trusted the distance scales on zoom lenses.

Joe

klimbkat wrote:

flektogon wrote:

Can I ask you for a favour? My DA 16-45 mounted on the K-x exhibits certain AF problems. For example, if a subject is let's say 2m away, my lens when set to 45mm after focusing shows exact focus distance (i.e. 2m). Now, when I change the setting to 16mm and refocus, the distance scale changes, it shows around 4m (generally twice more). I am sure that this is a camera body problem, as in LV mode the focus distance is always correct and same at any focal length setting. I am just curious whether other Pentax bodies exhibit similar problems.

Regards,

Peter

I tried my 16-45's focus on a K5IIs. Generally the distance (and by this, I assume you mean the distance scale on the lens itself which, in turn, indicates the actual focus point) does not change much when refocusing after changing from wide to tele or back. At closer and farther distances there is some movement, though nothing as large as you describe. Interestingly, at 2M there is essentially no change at all. When your lens changes (refocuses) at 2M are both shots in focus?

Thanks Dough. It has to be a K-x PDAF focusing problem. When the lens is set to wider angles, somehow PDAF unit gets confused, because in the LV mode the lens focuses perfectly at any zoom setting. So, for critically correct focusing I have to focus at the 45mm setting, press the shutter button half, quickly change the zoom setting and then to take exposure.

Regards,

Peter

Joseph Tainter wrote:

Hmmm. I've never trusted the distance scales on zoom lenses.

Joe

The distance scale on the DA 16-45 is surprisingly very precise when I shoot in the LV mode. But in any case it shouldn't change when the lens focuses at a stationary subject and you change the zoom (angle) setting. My lens (I would rather say my camera) changes it significantly when using PDAF. Now I checked it again, a subject distant 1m from the camera shows exactly 1m when zoom is set to 45mm and it changes (refocuses) to 2m when I change the zoom setting to 16mm. Crazy indeed.

Peter

I've had focussing issues with my copy before. Apparently some internal contacts had become loose/soiled/unreliable, and that was affecting infinity focus somehow. Took it in for servicing and that fixed the issue. Clean your external contacts and if that doesn't help it may need servicing. Was the issue always there, or did it develop over time?

Matt

flektogon wrote:

Can I ask you for a favour? My DA 16-45 mounted on the K-x exhibits certain AF problems. For example, if a subject is let's say 2m away, my lens when set to 45mm after focusing shows exact focus distance (i.e. 2m). Now, when I change the setting to 16mm and refocus, the distance scale changes, it shows around 4m (generally twice more). I am sure that this is a camera body problem, as in LV mode the focus distance is always correct and same at any focal length setting. I am just curious whether other Pentax bodies exhibit similar problems.

Regards,

Peter

My 16-50 does the same thing on my K-3! Except it front focuses at the wide end, not back focuses like yours.

So it's the opposite phenomenon with a different lens and a different camera. Same thing!

Seriously though, it annoys the hell out of me.

Regards,

KL Matt wrote:

I've had focussing issues with my copy before. Apparently some internal contacts had become loose/soiled/unreliable, and that was affecting infinity focus somehow. Took it in for servicing and that fixed the issue. Clean your external contacts and if that doesn't help it may need servicing. Was the issue always there, or did it develop over time?

Matt

Well, if there were just such problems, the lens would not focus properly even in the LV mode. So, this is only and only the PDAF related issue. I have no experience with the back/front focus adjustment, actually the K-x doesn't even allow such adjustment. But you guys, who have such experience, can you explain how it works? Can you adjust back/front focusing independently for different focal lengths? It's possible that my K-x would back-focus with any other wide angle lens. Unfortunately I have no other such lens, so I can't verify this. Again, as this lens focuses perfectly in the LV mode, I am 100% convinced that the problem is in camera, i.e. in its PDAF unit.

Peter

kitsios_spyros wrote:

Hi Peter,

I am afraid that if this is the case indeed, then your lens needs servicing. If it is a parfocal lens (more or less) as Dough suggests, then you need different AF-FA adjustment for 16mm vs 45mm. Zoom lens suffer from it all the time. Even if you buy it perfectly calibrated, this problem may develop with use.

If speed is not important, you can use it in live view. For PDAF shooting, calibrate focus for 45mm on your camera(s), focus at 45mm and then zoom-out and recompose while holding AF locked.

Hi Spyros,

Is it possible that the lens would be faulty if it focuses properly in the LV mode? I doubt. I still think that this is a problem of the PDAF in my camera. I have no idea how the back/front focus adjustment works in the Pentax bodies. Is this somehow done by mechanical movement (re-positioning) of the PDAF "unit"? Is it possible to make such adjustments independently for different lens angles? And I doubt that the K-x allows such adjustments at all.

Regards,

Peter

flektogon wrote:

KL Matt wrote:

I've had focussing issues with my copy before. Apparently some internal contacts had become loose/soiled/unreliable, and that was affecting infinity focus somehow. Took it in for servicing and that fixed the issue. Clean your external contacts and if that doesn't help it may need servicing. Was the issue always there, or did it develop over time?

Matt

Well, if there were just such problems, the lens would not focus properly even in the LV mode. So, this is only and only the PDAF related issue.

Peter, you obviously know more about the functioning of the lens and camera than I (or the person who repaired my copy) does. Sorry I can only repeat to you what the technician who successfully fixed the problem told me. My lens would not focus properly at infinity.

Matt