HD 50-135mm f/2,8 arriving soon!

The existing US stock of SMC 50-135mm f/2.8s are almost gone. B&H lists them as Special Order 2-4 weeks to deliver, Adorama and Amazon have the last copy of the lens listed at $300 off. I'm assuming that the new version should be out in the next 1-3 months.

I love this lens and have had excellent results with it. It makes a great lens for landscape, architectural, people, street scenes, etc. My hope for the new version is a more reliable AF motor and just a bit improvement in the IQ to make it equal to its sister the HD 16-50 f/2.8 for around the same price and little increase in size/weight.

To celebrate the SMC version I thought I would post a few of my last shots with the lens. If anyone wants to feel free to add some of yours.

1) How sharp is this lens? From the overlook, nobody could see the hikers on the Grand Canyon trail with their naked eyes.  I've always thought it was pretty sharp.

Enjoy!

Have to enlarge it to original size to see everybody.

The First Presbyterian Church of Newton, NJ (w/ CPL)

8th Spruce St building. NYC  (w/ CPL)

Brooklyn Bridge, NYC (w/ CPL)

Night Street Scene, NYC

Night Street Scene, NYC (through the front window)

Nice selection of pictures.

To be precise I think you are referring to the HD DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] PLM. Or something like that.

I would be happy with improved AF, updated coatings and rounded aperture blades. I don't think tweaking the optical design is needed as it was with the DA*16-50. And if it results in a bigger lens (like it did with the DA*16-50) then that would give me pause for thought.

Doug

Hercules, Hercules, Hercules! I'm waiting for this lens! I'm actually hoping that all the current DA* lenses get reworked & that they also release new DA* focal lengths as well. I really love the DA* lenses.

Nice pictures by the way.

asahi man wrote:

DougOB wrote:

Nice selection of pictures.

To be precise I think you are referring to the HD DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] PLM. Or something like that.

I would be happy with improved AF, updated coatings and rounded aperture blades. I don't think tweaking the optical design is needed as it was with the DA*16-50. And if it results in a bigger lens (like it did with the DA*16-50) then that would give me pause for thought.

Doug

The resolution was at the limit to be good enough for current cameras and more in next future.

Open aperture was good, but today we can get it better.

Look to the new 16-50.

Quality like a prime lens.

Higher contrast and sharpness at 2.8, resolution good for more than 60 megapixels.

The focus lens group is old school, needs new construction and technology.

We will get a new one

Quality - image clarity -- and at all f settings::: that would be ideal.   If that is the Pentax goal as they update their lenses and as Doug says not making it a monster, wow!!!  Many of us would but such a lens or set of lenses.

John

asahi man wrote:

DougOB wrote:

Nice selection of pictures.

To be precise I think you are referring to the HD DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] PLM. Or something like that.

I would be happy with improved AF, updated coatings and rounded aperture blades. I don't think tweaking the optical design is needed as it was with the DA*16-50. And if it results in a bigger lens (like it did with the DA*16-50) then that would give me pause for thought.

Doug

The resolution was at the limit to be good enough for current cameras and more in next future.

Open aperture was good, but today we can get it better.

Look to the new 16-50.

Quality like a prime lens.

Higher contrast and sharpness at 2.8, resolution good for more than 60 megapixels.

The focus lens group is old school, needs new construction and technology.

We will get a new one

OK, this sounds very promising.  As long as... it doesn't result in a (much) bigger lens.

Thanks,

Doug

manual_focus wrote:

1) How sharp is this lens? [...]

8th Spruce St building. NYC (w/ CPL)

... too sharp: it creates very strong aliasing and false details

manual_focus wrote:

OK, this sounds very promising. As long as... it doesn't result in a (much) bigger lens.

The improved 16-50 lens kept the same diameter but increased length 150mm or 18%. The weight increased from 562 to 712 gms. An increase of 27%.

The original 16-50, for that focal length range, was already too big for me.  The increased size of the new one disuaded me from buying it.  Between the DA 20-40 Ltd and the DA 16-85 I am OK with me zooms in this range.

I can handle such an increase with the new 50-135mm. Whatever happens it has to stay within a reasonable APS-C size, otherwise I agree with you and you might as well go FF.

Ya... based on your numbers above I could take increases in the order or 10-15%  But would prefer none.  Or perhaps new special glass that reduces weight by 25% 

Doug

It should be glorious.

And soon.

JeremieB wrote:

manual_focus wrote:

1) How sharp is this lens? [...]

8th Spruce St building. NYC (w/ CPL)

... too sharp: it creates very strong aliasing and false details

I do worry with Ricoh/Pentax in recent years that perfection is the enemy of the good.  I know that they need a niche but they should not make that niche too small.

Doug

manual_focus wrote:

JeremieB wrote:

manual_focus wrote:

1) How sharp is this lens? [...]

8th Spruce St building. NYC (w/ CPL)

... too sharp: it creates very strong aliasing and false details

The direct sunlight on all that stainless steel made for some crazy light. To get any chance of normalcy I had to raise the angle of the lens. Here is what happens pulled back a bit. Maybe use of the K3M3 anti-aliasing filter?

Camera, lens or both?

I'm sorry manual_focus and Doug, it was just a (apparently very bad) joke

I was comparing the weird look of this building with "false details" as there were some discussions about it recently, but no there is no trace of aliasing/moiré/false details in this image.

On your second image, I think we can see some chromatic aberrations and (maybe) overexposure, but it might be only CA I'm not sure. But no, again, I don't think it has anything to do with aliasing or that AA filter would make any change.

asahi man wrote:

DougOB wrote:

Nice selection of pictures.

To be precise I think you are referring to the HD DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] PLM. Or something like that.

I would be happy with improved AF, updated coatings and rounded aperture blades. I don't think tweaking the optical design is needed as it was with the DA*16-50. And if it results in a bigger lens (like it did with the DA*16-50) then that would give me pause for thought.

Doug

The resolution was at the limit to be good enough for current cameras and more in next future.

Open aperture was good, but today we can get it better.

Look to the new 16-50.

Quality like a prime lens.

Higher contrast and sharpness at 2.8, resolution good for more than 60 megapixels.

The focus lens group is old school, needs new construction and technology.

We will get a new one

Will there be a new 60-250 F/4 as well?

DougOB wrote:

JeremieB wrote:

manual_focus wrote:

1) How sharp is this lens? [...]

8th Spruce St building. NYC (w/ CPL)

... too sharp: it creates very strong aliasing and false details

I do worry with Ricoh/Pentax in recent years that perfection is the enemy of the good. I know that they need a niche but they should not make that niche too small.

Amen to that brother!

Doug

PentUp wrote:

Will there be a new 60-250 F/4 as well?

I sure hope so!

Excellent pictures . Thank you for sharing .

Regards ,

mrp .