The KP with the DA16-45

https://lawrencehelm.smugmug.com/RiverPhotography/May-2018/i-crjFsc3/A

This is the fourth in my test-outings to make sure my recently purchased KP is okay, but I used this particular lens because someone asked me to check it out with the KP (his KP failed during an outing with this lens).

The day was cloudy and drab.  It was hard for me to see the exposure information in the viewfinder, partly because of the darkness of the day, but also because the sun glare.  I soon gave up and switched from M to TAv.  When I'm finally convinced that my KP is okay and I'm not going to send it back, I'm going to be on the lookout for these lighting conditions to see if I have the same problem seeing the exposure information in some of my other cameras.  I suspect I must have and just struggled with it and did the best I could.  I can't think of any reason why the KP should have a worse viewfinder setup than, say the K-70.  Also, I don't feel much like struggling to see the exposure information because my eyes have been sort of burning lately.

But as to the KP working with the DA16-45, it did as well as it did with the other lenses I've used this particular KP with:  the 18-135, 55, and 16-85.  The image quality seems very good at the settings I've used, but the day is so drab it is sometimes difficult to see, or (and I'm not ruling this out), the image quality isn't all that good, but my burning eyes are too weak to see that.  However, not trusting my eyes totally, I enlarged the photos during editing, checked the corners for softness (didn't find any), etc. so I'm inclined toward what I said first, that the image quality is good.

I wasn't the only one having trouble seeing on this hike.  There is one shot where the dogs are going about their business, when I short distance up the trail a rabbit runs off.  Had they seen the rabbit they would have chased it, but they didn't.  And, to give credit to those who advised me to use the TAv setting, I wouldn't have gotten that shot had I not been in the TAv mode.

Lawrence

Nice shots, looks terribly hot and dry Looks like you have a good copy. I had this lens about 10 years ago, and I miss it. I sold it along with K200D to a friend, she got good use of that combo and liked it a lot. This is the only zoom I remember having good contrast and colours like a DA prime - I liked this lens a lot, always thinking if I should grab one since I have seen a few pop up for around 200 (north of the border currency). I enjoy seeing your hikes with the dogs, looks like fun!

SMCTakumar wrote:

Nice shots, looks terribly hot and dry Looks like you have a good copy. I had this lens about 10 years ago, and I miss it. I sold it along with K200D to a friend, she got good use of that combo and liked it a lot. This is the only zoom I remember having good contrast and colours like a DA prime - I liked this lens a lot, always thinking if I should grab one since I have seen a few pop up for around 200 (north of the border currency). I enjoy seeing your hikes with the dogs, looks like fun!

Eric,

I should mention that this wasn't my first 16-45.  I purchased the first one, used, from KEH at about the same time I purchased a new 55-300 PLM from Amazon and a KS-2 from B&H.  The AF wouldn't focus properly on either lens.  Thinking it doubtful that both lenses could be at fault, I sent the KS-2 back to B&H (They have a 30-day return policy and I was nearing the 30th day & so didn't have time for further testing).  Rather than replace the KS-2, I bought the K-70 with which I've been happy.

After I sent the KS-2 back I tested both these lenses on my K3 and discovered that, indeed, both lenses were faulty.  So I sent the 55-300PLM back to Amazon and the 16-45 back to KEH.  I decided not to replace the 55-300PLM but to content myself with the 55-300WR which I already had.

I still wanted a 16-45 though and shopped around until I found one at Adorama which was described with some superlative I don't recall: EX++ perhaps.  In any case the 16-45 I received did seem in excellent condition.  I recall a bit of wobble in the one I returned, but the Adorama 16-45 was very tight and the photos I got from it seemed of high quality.

I add all this in case you decide to hunt a 16-45 for yourself.  I had some work to do to finally get a good one.

Lawrence