HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW review

For the provided HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW (2.8 / 11-18 DA *) lens, many thanks to the PENTAX official representative office in Ukraine. I was lucky to work with the lens as one of the first in Ukraine.

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW. The lens is shown on the camera. Pentax KP

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW is a fast ultra wide-angle lens for cropped Pentax DSLR cameras. In general, it is excellent, with the exception of a few nuances.

For a long time Pentax cameras lacked a fast aperture TOP lens, which would replace and become an addition to the older SMC Pentax-DA 1: 4 12-24 mm ED AL [IF]. The HD Pentax-DA * 11-18mm 1: 2.8 ED DC AW was designed to become such a new lens. Now Pentax has a set of professional fast lenses for crop in the range of 11-135mm (EGF 16.5-202.5 mm), which allows you to solve almost any photo tasks.

For complete 'photographic happiness', the owner of a cropped Pentax camera now only needs to assemble triptych out of 11-18 / 2.8, TBU и TBU.

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW and HD PENTAX-D FA * 1: 1.4 50mm SDM AW DFA * were first officially unveiled on 26.02.2018/17/2015 and became the first 'next-generation stellar lenses'. At the same time, since December XNUMX, XNUMX, there was already a stellar 'digital' Pentax HD DFA * 70-200 / 2.8 ED DC AW. A new generation of stellar lenses is exclusively aimed at working with new digital cameras with a high pixel density, primarily with regard to full-frame lenses of the DFA * line.

Basically HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW is aimed at landscape photographers, especially those who shoot night scenes. Also, the lens is suitable for experienced amateur enthusiasts who want to squeeze the most out of their cropped Pentax cameras.

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW. The lens is shown on the camera. Pentax KP

Star lenses for digital cameras

DA Series *

The series is designed for digital SLR cameras with APS-C sensor (for crop)

Fix Lenses:

  1. SMC Pentax-DA * 55mm 1: 1.4 SDM
  2. SMC Pentax-DA * 200mm 1: 2.8 ED [IF] SDM
  3. SMC Pentax-DA * 300mm 1: 4 ED [IF] SDM

Zoom Lenses:

  1. HD PentaxDA * 11-18mm 1: 2.8 ED DC AW
  2. SMC Pentax-DA * 16-50mm 1: 2.8 ED AL [IF] SDM
  3. HD PentaxDA * 16-50mm 1: 2.8 ED PLM AW
  4. SMC Pentax-DA * 50-135mm 1: 2.8 ED [IF] SDM
  5. SMC Pentax-DA * 60-250mm 1: 4 ED [IF] SDM

DFA * Series (for full-frame SLR cameras):

Fix Lenses:

  1. HD PENTAX-D FA * 1: 1.4 50mm SDM AW
  2. HD PENTAX-D FA * 85mm 1: 1.4 ED SDM AW

Zoom Lenses:

  1. HD PentaxD FA * 70-200 / 2.8 ED DC AW

As you can see from the list, the HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW is the first Pentax DA * lens to receive new enlightenment. HD, and also became the first lens in this line with a motor type DC (instead of the usual SDM), as well as the first lens marked 'AW'.

DC motor? Really? After all DC motor (DDirectly Current motor, a conventional micro DC motor) usually use simpler Pentax lenses, and all the rest of the DA * range use an advanced ultrasonic motor SDM (Suppersonic Direct drive Motor). Apparently, I still had to save on something. Although the same situation can be observed with the TOP DFA * lens HD PentaxD FA * 70-200 / 2.8 ED DC AW.

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW has one interesting feature. Between the focus ring and the projection for the thread under the filter there is a small groove, which serves as a place through which you can carry out lens heating (!). Heating prevents condensation and dew drops. The lens is designed so that it evenly distributes heat throughout the body, mainly due to the metal base of the body. Actually, the lens can be heated not only through this groove, but also, for example, in the place between the focus ring and the zoom ring.

I used to never met focusing on such things, especially the introduction of special recesses for heating into the design of the lens. Under real shooting conditions, this can be a very useful way to avoid fogging the lens. For example, when night time-laps are shot, in the morning the lens may become covered with dew, which will make all the work in vain. Constant heating of the lens will save the photographer from such troubles.

The official website shows the heating with an electric heater in the form of a cable wrapped around the lens, you can see here.

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW. The lens is shown on the camera. Pentax KP

Sample Photos

All sample photos were taken with a camera. Pentax KPon camera JPEG, image control mode 'Natural' or 'AUTO' with default (basic) settings. Highlight Compensation: Auto, Shadow Compensation: Auto, Distortion Correction: on, Optical Correction vignetting: auto, diffraction correction: on, chromatic zoom correction: on, everything else: off. Some photos were taken from protective light filter HOYA PRO1 DIGITAL 82mm MC UV [0] Made In Japan, part of the photo was shot with a hood.

Archive with source files can download from this link (67 JPEG files, 0.7 GB).

My experience

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW currently there are no alternatives. This is both good and bad at the same time.

Unfortunately, Tokina, with its pretty good AT-X PRO lineup, and lenses TBU, 11-16 / 2.8 II, 11-16 / 2.8 V, TBU does not produce the latter with the Pentax K mount. The rest of the analogues from other companies that make similar lenses with the Pentax K mount do not have similar solutions with the same high aperture. There is no other way to get the treasured 11 mm focal length with an F / 2.8 aperture and automatic focus for Pentrop SLR cameras.

The Pentax company cares very much about its stellar lenses, pays a lot of attention to them, and the word “stellar” often appears in the description of the lens, therefore I also put a lot of emphasis on the “stellarity” of this lens and those things that do not quite fit into this concept.

Most likely, HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW will not become a common lens, and few photographers who use Pentax cropped cameras will buy it.

Personally, I would like to see instead of HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW something wider, like a record FUJINON ASPHERICAL LENS Nano-GI XF 8-16 mm 1: 2.8 R LM WR, which in terms of EGF would give 12-24 mm, not 16.5-27 mm.

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HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW. The lens is shown on the camera. Pentax KP

All similar lenses

Below is a list of all ultra-wide angle lenses with auto focus support for cameras with an APS-C sensor (crop Kf = 1.5-1.6X) whose focal length is less than or equal to 14 mm.

Tokina (for different mounts):

With moderate aperture:

  1. Tokina 124 AT-X PRO SD 12-24 mm F4 (IF) DX Aspherical, for Nikon F, Canon EFS
  2. promaster Digital af 12-24 XR EDO F4 Aspherical, previous lens under the 'ProMaster' brand
  3. Tokina 124 AT-X PRO SD 12-24 mm F4(IF)DX II aspherical, for Nikon F, Canon EFS
  4. Tokina 128 AT-X Pro SD 12-28 mm F4 (IF) DX Aspherical, for Nikon F, Canon EFS
  5. Tokina AT-X PRO SD 12-28 F4 (IF) DX V, Canon EFS only

Aperture:

  1. Tokina AT-X PRO SD 11-16 F2.8 (IF) DX ASPHERICAL, since 2007, for Nikon F, Canon EFS, Sony A
  2. Tokina AT-X PRO SD 11-16 F2.8(IF)DX II ASPHERICAL, since 2008, for Nikon F, Canon EFS, Sony A
  3. Tokina AT-X PRO SD 11-16 F2.8 (IF) DX V, for Nikon F, Canon EFS
  4. Tokina atx-i 11-16mm F2.8CF, since 2019, for Nikon F, Canon EFS, black/white
  5. Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8E, since 2022, for Sony E, black/white
  6. Tokina AT-X PRO SD 11-20 F2.8 (IF) DX ASPHERICAL, from 2014, for Nikon F, Canon EFS
  7. Tokina atx-i 11-20mm F2.8CF, since 2020, for Nikon F, Canon EFS, black/white
  8. Tokina AT-X PRO SD 14-20mm F2 (IF) DX, from 2015, for Nikon F, Canon EFS

fisheye:

  1. Tokina 107 Fisheye 10-17 mm F3.5-4.5DX AT-X, for Nikon F, Canon EFS
  2. Tokina 107 Fisheye 10-17 mm F3.5-4.5 DX NH AT-X, for Nikon F, Canon EFS
  3. Tokina 107 Fisheye 10-17 F3.5-4.5 DX AT-X V NH, Canon EFS only

Tamron (for different mounts):

  1. Tamron SP 10-24 mm 1: 3.5-4.5 Di II B001, from October 2008, for Nikon F, Canon EFS, Pentax K, Sony A. Japan / China / Vietnam
  2. Tamron 10-24 mm F/3.5-4.5 Diii VC HLD-B023, from February 2017, for Nikon F and Canon EFS
  3. Tamron Aspherical LD ​​DI II SP AF 11-18 mm 1: 4.5-5.6 [IF] A13, since 2005, for Nikon F, Canon EFS, Sony A. Konica Minolta AF DT Zoom 11-18mm 1: 4.5 (22) -5.6 D and Sony 4.5-5.6 / 11-18 DT (SAL1118) lenses are built on the same optical scheme )
  4. Promaster Digital EDO AF Aspherical LD ​​(IF) 11-18 mm 1: 4.5-5.6, previous lens under the 'ProMaster' brand
  5. Tamron 11-20 mm F / 2.8 Di III-A RXD B060, from April 2021, only for Sony E

Sigma (for different mounts):

  1. Sigma 4.5 mm 1: 2.8 EX DC HSM CIRCULAR FISHEYE, since 2007 for Canon EFS, Sigma SA and Nikon F. Since 2008 for Pentax K and Sony / Minolta A
  2. Sigma 10 mm 1: 2.8 DC FISHEYE HSM, from 2007 for Canon EFS, Sigma SA and Nikon F. In 2008 a version for Pentax K and Sony / Minolta A was released
  3. Sigma 8-16 mm 1:4.5-5.6 DC HSM, since 2010, Canon EFS, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sigma SA, Sony/Minolta A
  4. Sigma 10-20 mm 1: 4-5.6 DC EX [+ -HSM, + -D], since 2005 for Canon EFS, Sigma SA, Nikon F, Pentax K and Sony / Minolta A. Since 2008 for 4/3 SLR system. 'D' prefix for select Nikon and Sony / Minolta A only. HSM motor only available for Canon EFS, Sigma SA, Nikon F and 4/3. The Pentax K and Sony / Minolta A versions have a different appearance (there is no focusing distance window). There are two sub-versions: with a matte finish and with a velvet finish on the body.
  5. Sigma 10-20 mm 1: 3.5 DC HSM EX, since 2009, for Canon EFS, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sigma SA, Sony / Minolta A
  6. SIGMA 10-18 mm 1:2.8 DC DN C, from 2023, for Sony E, FujiFilm X and Leica L

Nikon DX (for Nikon F mount):

  1. Nikon DX AF Fisheye Nikkor 10.5 mm 1: 2.8G ED
  2. Nikon DX VR AF-P Nikkor 10-20 mm 1: 4.5-5.6G
  3. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 10-24 mm 1: 3.5-4.5G ED SWM IF Aspherical
  4. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 12-24 mm 1: 4G ED SWM IF Aspherical
  5. Nikon Nikkor ZDX 12-28mm 1:3.5-5.6PZ VR

Canon EF-S / EF-M

EF-S (Mirror APS-C)

  1. Canon Zoome Lens EF-S 10-18 mm 1: 4.5-5.6 IS STM
  2. Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 10-22 mm 1: 3.5-4.5 USM

EF-M (Mirrorless APS-C)

  1. Canon Zoom Lens EF-M 11-22 mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM [2013]

RF-S (mirrorless APS-C)

  1. CANON LENS RF-S 10-18mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM [2023]

Pentax DA (+ Samsung / Schneider-Kreuznach, for Pentax K mount):

  1. SMC Pentax-DA 1: 2.8 (22) 14 mm ED [IF] (Pentax 14)
  2. SMC Pentax-DA FISH-EYE 1: 3.5-4.5 10-17 mm ED [IF] (Pentax 10-17) (FISHEYE, most likely optically identical Tokina Model 107)
  3. HD Pentax-DA FISH-EYE 1: 3.5-4.5 10-17 mm (FISHEYE, most likely optically similar to Tokina 107 NH)
  4. HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18 mm ED DC AW
  5. SMC Pentax-DA 1: 4 12-24 mm ED AL [IF] (Pentax 12-24) (most likely optically identical Tokina Model 124)
  6. Samsung Zoom Lens Fisheye D-Xenon 10-17 mm 1: 3.5-4.5 AL, copy Pentax 10-17optical scheme from Tokina Model 107
  7. Samsung Zoom Lens D-Xenon 1: 4 12-24 mm ED ALcopy Pentax 12-24optical scheme from Tokina Model 124
  8. Schneider-Kreuznach D-Xenogon 1: 3.5-4.5 10-17 mm ED AL, copy Pentax 10-17optical scheme from Tokina Model 107
  9. Schneider-Kreuznach D-Xenon 1: 4 12-24 mm ED AL, copy Pentax 12-24optical scheme from Tokina Model 124

Sony / Minolta (A or E):

E-mount (E):

  1. Sony E 4 /10-18 OSS (2012)
  2. Sony E 4 /10-20G PZ (2022)
  3. Sony E 1.8 /11 (2022)

A-mount (A):

  1. Sony 4.5-5.6 /11-18 DT (SAL1118) (most likely optically identical Tamron model a13)
  2. Konica Minolta AF DT Zoom 11-18 mm 1: 4.5 (22) -5.6 D (most likely optically identical Tamron model a13)

Samsung NX

  1. Samsung Lens 1: 3.5 10 mm Fisheye
  2. Samsung Lens 1: 4-5.6 12-24 mm ED I-FUNCTION

Fujifilm x

  1. FUJINON ASPHERICAL LENS SUPER EBC XF 8 mm 1:3.5RWR
  2. FUJINON ASPHERICAL LENS SUPER EBC XF 14 mm 1: 2.8 R
  3. FUJINON ASPHERICAL LENS NANO-GI XF 8-16 mm 1: 2.8 R LM WR
  4. FUJINON ASPHERICAL LENS SUPER EBC XF 10-24 mm 1: 4 R OIS
  5. FUJINON ASPHERICAL LENS SUPER EBC XF 10-24 mm 1: 4 R OIS WR

Zeiss (E / X)

  1. ZEISS Distagon Touit 2.8 /12 T* (Sony E-mount, Fujifilm X-mount)

VILTROX (E/X/Z)

  1. Viltrox AF 13mm 1: 1.4 STM ASPH ED IF C (2021, Sony E-mount, Fujifilm X-mount, Nikon Z-mount)

Leica CL/TL/T/L

  1. Leica SUPER-VARIO-ELMAR-T 1: 3.5-4.5 /11-23 ASPH. (2014)
  2. Leica SUPER-VARIO-ELMAR-TL 1: 3.5-4.5 /11-23 ASPH. (2014)

Samyang (E / X)

  1. Samyang AF 12/2E + Samyang AF 12/2X (2021, Sony E-mount, Fujifilm X-mount)

Yongnuo (E/X/Z)

Yongnuo 11mm 1:1.8 DA DSM WL S/X/Z (2023, Sony E-mount, Fujifilm X-mount, Nikon Z-mount)

Do you know more similar lenses? Or do you have experience with any of them? Then be sure to share your thoughts in the comments.

Video review

You can watch the video review at my humble Youtube channel by this link, or below:

Price

The prices for the HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW lens can be tracked at the following links to E-CATALOG or Magazilla.

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW. The lens is shown on the camera. Pentax KP

Conclusion

HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW turns out to be a quality lens both in terms of build and image. This lens has no direct competitors. First of all, this lens is designed for professionals and advanced amateur photographers who know exactly why such a 'lens' should be in their case.

Focusing

  1. [+] Auto focus speed is average (closer to high). The focusing speed does not depend on the selected focal length or on the orientation of the lens. Speed ​​comparable to lens Tokina AT-X PRO SD 11-20 F2.8 (IF) DX ASPHERICAL... I personally expected better speed from a 'star lens', for example Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 10-22 mm 1: 3.5-4.5 USM (2004 release!) Focuses much faster
  2. [-] the lens uses a conventional DC DC micro focus motor instead of SDM, the latter being used on all other DA series lenses *
  3. [-] There is little noise from the focus motor during auto focus. The noise level is sufficient to in some situations affect the sound track, which is recorded using the microphone built into the camera. Most likely the noise is due to the use of a DC motor
  4. [+] good work of auto focus in Live View mode (depends on the camera used)
  5. [+] constant manual focus control (the lens supports the Pentax Quick-Shift Focus function, which allows manual focusing even in the automatic [AF] position of the focus mode switch)
  6. [+] focus ring remains stationary during auto focus
  7. [+] convenient manual focus, wide rubberized focus ring. The focus ring pitch is approximately 135 degrees. When extreme positions are reached, the focus ring continues to rotate without affecting the focus.
  8. [+] there is a special switch 'Focus Clamp Mechanism' that allows you to disable the focusing ring. Useful to avoid accidentally knocking out precise focusing. The 'CLAMP ON / OFF' switch is huge and handy enough. In the 'ON' position, the focus ring can be rotated manually, but it will not affect the change in focusing distance
  9. [+] there is a focus mode switch AF / MF (the old SMC Pentax-DA 1: 4 12-24mm ED AL [IF] there was no such switch)
  10. [+] internal focusing (the front lens remains fixed during focusing)
  11. [+] window with focusing distance in meters and feet
  12. [-] non-hard stop (hard infinity mechanical stop) which allows you to accurately and quickly focus the lens at infinity. At different focal lengths, infinity is at different positions of the focus ring
  13. [-] sufficiently large MDF, equal to 30 cm, as a result, the maximum magnification factor during macro photography is only 1:10
  14. [+] The effect of 'Focus Breathing' (changing the viewing angle during focusing) is not noticeable. During focusing towards MDF, the viewing angle increases (!)
  15. [-] compatibility issues: this lens will not work on older cameras that do not support lenses with built-in motor focusing, such as K110D, K100D, * ist DL2, * ist DS2, * ist DL, * ist DS, * ist D. For some older cameras it may be necessary to update the firmware (data are being specified)

Assembly

  1. [+] premium lens, the first lens from the new generation of cropped fixed-lens Pentax DA * star series
  2. [+] good build quality, the lens body is made of metal, including metal mount
  3. [+] plastic hood PH-RBF82 bayonet type with the ability to install in the opposite direction. The lens hood is supplied. There are labels for its installation. The front cover can be snapped into place easily with the hood installed
  4. [+] the hood has a window that allows you to conveniently use polarizing, gradient and other filters, for which the correct orientation is important. True, the sash is completely removable and easy to lose.
  5. [+] dustproof, weatherproof (waterproof) lens barrel. The lens is designed to operate from -10 to +40 ° C. There are 10 seals, including a bayonet seal
  6. [+] special dust and moisture-repellent SP (Super Protect) coating of the front lens
  7. [+] special heat-removing protrusion near the focus ring. Lens design for even heat distribution
  8. [+] virtually internal zoom. During a change in focal length, the front lens wave-like moves in the middle of the frame of the housing and does not go beyond it
  9. [-] while changing the focal length, the rear lens moves, but the effect of the air pump is weak
  10. [+] diaphragm with 9 rounded petals
  11. [-] there is no electromagnetic diaphragm that is used, for example, HD PENTAX-D FA * 1: 1.4 50mm SDM AW DFA *. There is noticeable noise / aperture change sound during movie shooting
  12. [+] when used on Pentax cameras, a kit with a stabilizer is obtained (the merit of the system as a whole is greater than the lens). I was able to take pictures with my hands on shutter speed 1/5 seconds using the camera Pentax KP
  13. [-] heavy weight, 704 grams (739 grams with a hood). More 'longer' Tokina 11-20 / 2.8 weighs only 560 grams
  14. [-] 82 mm large filter diameter instead of the classic 77 mm diameter used by many professional lenses
  15. [-] no depth of field scale and tags for working in the infrared spectrum
  16. [-] high cost, about $ 1400 (Tokina 11-20 / 2.8 costs about 500 dollars)

Image quality

  1. [+] the optical scheme uses two aspherical elements, two low dispersion elements and another element, which is both aspherical and low dispersion
  2. [+] no focus shift
  3. [+] New special enlightenment of Pentax HD Coating optics paired with updated ABC II (Aero Bright Coating II)
  4. [+] vignetting not amplified when using filters (checked with HOYA PRO1 DIGITAL 82mm MC UV [0] Made In Japan)
  5. F / 4 to F / 16 aperture blurs have the shape of regular polygons
  6. [-] there is no lens profile for popular RAW converters, for example, from the ADOBE company, which will allow you to quickly and accurately correct some optical distortions in RAW files (distortion, vignetting etc.). But the profile should appear, or you can create it yourself
  7. [+] built-in functions of some cameras, for example, Pentax KPeasy fix vignetting и distortion
  8. [+] the lens tolerates side and backlight well
  9. [+] on heavily covered diaphragms you can easily get 18-ray star effect
  10. [+] good, sometimes excellent optical performance. Low or medium levels of basic optical distortion
  11. [+] From 15 to 18 mm focal length, the lens can be used on full-frame cameras without dark angles
  12. [-] certain optical imperfections. At f / 2.8, the image could be even better, especially in the corners of the frame.
  13. [-] chromatic aberration noticeably appear on highly contrasting frame elements
  14. [+] the distortion is small, which is critical for such lenses
  15. [+] It is stated that the lens was designed taking into account future cameras, which are likely to have a higher pixel density (Sony APS-C sensors at 30-50 MP are not far off)
  16. [+] Pentax just simply doesn’t have any better solutions, and therefore the potential owner can be sure that this is really the “best of the best”

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

Add a comment: Arkady Shapoval

 

 

Comments: 57, on the topic: HD PENTAX-DA * 1 review: 2.8 11-18mm ED DC AW

  • Oleg

    Pentax has an interesting line, 50-135 / 2.8 stands out not every system has it, but the prices for everything are probably stellar

    • Arkady Shapoval

      The optical design of Pentax 50-135 / 2.8 is the same as Tokina 50-135 / 2.8 under Nikon / Canon. Most likely this is the same lens of joint (or not?) Development, or someone bought it from someone. Well, of course, there are three similar Sigma 50-150 / 2.8.

      • Oleg

        Third-party manufacturer, always a roulette game with front-back focus. And here is a completely completed native crop system

        • Arkady Shapoval

          By the way, I recently thought that Sigma also produces cameras and its lenses are "native" for their cameras. Therefore, for example, for Sigma SD1, Sigma 50-150 / 2.8 OS will be native. True, I understand that Sigma cameras with his Foveon are not suitable for everyone :)

          • Pokemon

            Arkady, on the SD-1 Merrill Sigma 24-70 / 2.8 EX DG Macro and Sigma 35 / 1.4 (A) ART are not particularly fast and there are focusing errors, especially on open apertures.
            The focus module on all Sigma under Foveon is not very fast and works well in good light.

            • Arkady Shapoval

              Nevertheless, this does not in any way alter the fact that for her these are native lenses.
              Is there a constant back / front that was spoken about in the previous post?

              • Pokemon

                There is no permanent (Thank God!).
                But in the open, 35 / 1.4 mow more often than 24-70 / 2.8 EX DG.

        • Andrei Other

          50-135 does not have a front-back focus. this is generally one of the best alternative crop lenses. he lacks only a stub

          • Arkady Shapoval

            Pentax has a stub in the cameras themselves :).
            Sigma 50-150 / 2.8 OS with a stub, sorry, out of production.

      • Andrei Other

        << >> it is. only Tokina for the rest no longer produces this lens.

  • Koba

    Since they had Pentax KP on hand, it would be interesting to test it, after all, it is supposedly the best cropped camera in general on the market, especially in terms of image quality at high ISO, in terms of image processing, in terms of the effectiveness of matrix stabilization, in terms of real security, dimensions too ... I'm going to buy it myself along with my D3s. Lenses for lenses are produced by Tokina, but everything else is done by Pentax itself, and the enlightenment, and the case is completely protected, and compatibility with cameras, in a word, look for yourself, other eminent manufacturers do not give anything like this to their customers, only super-dark and mediocre quality ultra-wide-angles. not to mention the real security of the entire system.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      If I hadn’t heard from every crack on the Internet that “Pentax KP” is the best, or one of the best crops of our time, I would never even think about it. I have carefully studied the Pentax KP, it has a few nice little things, but my personal opinion is radically different from the radical vaunted reviews.
      As for other manufacturers - among the TOP lenses, they went, by and large, to the full-frame segment, and there are no new crop products from this. Pentax, on the other hand, cannot enter the full-frame segment, since with one or two K1 / K1-2 you cannot run far away, so they produce stellar lenses and tasty limas for an army of cropped cameras.
      By the way, about “everyone”, there is also an inaccuracy here. There is an exception, for example FUJINON ASPHERICAL LENS Nano-GI XF 8-16mm 1: 2.8 R LM WR for Fuji X, for the same money as 11-18, also protected, and most importantly - much, much, much wider :)

      • Michael

        Your opinion and test to the heap - it would be very interesting

      • anonym

        And then what is better to take KR for + - about its price?

      • Bro

        The Fujinon 8-16 scores better because it's designed for mirrorless.
        A smaller flange length greatly simplifies the development of widths for mirrorless cameras. And if you need a very wide lens, then this is for the BZK.

        In televisions, there is no difference between mirrorless and DSLR lenses; the flange distance does not decide there.

        • Arkady Shapoval

          In general, yes. But there is one more thing - a high-quality DSLR will still be better than a mediocre mirrorless one

  • Michael

    Arkady, typo:
    "Photographic happiness" of the owner of the cropped one, probably the owner. Thanks for your review. I would like to know your opinion, how does this lens compare to Tokina 11-20 at wide angle? Did Pentax make a more advanced optical lens or about the same level?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      The Pentax 11-18 is a little better on the smallest detail, but if Tokina had released the 11-20 on the Pentax, I would not have thought to overpay for the DA *, since the Tokina AT-X PRO is also a very good solution.
      But Pentax 11-18 / 2.8 is so far the only such autofocus shirik under Pentax K.

      • Michael

        Thanks. That is why it was interesting, because Tokina and Pentax do not intersect, and you can only compare them with 2 systems

  • Alexander

    “Pentax cannot enter the full-frame segment, because with one or two K1 / K1-2 you cannot run far ...” - Arkady, when you wrote this, did you think well or just ran somewhere? And it would be wiser and more convincing if, without rushing anywhere, you would pick up this very K-1, with which “Pentax ... cannot enter the full frame segment”, and on your impartial experience checked whether Pentax entered full frame and with what quality it came. A reasoned opinion of a specialist is always valuable and interesting, in contrast to an unreasoned one.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Pentax users, including K-1 and K-1 II, highly value the camera data, I worked with the first and second. And specifically to the full-frame system / segment (I wrote specifically for the segment, and not for specific cameras) there are a number of questions. I appreciate Pentax users, who are very well versed in almost all matters, but there are objective factors that usually go down after the K1 wow effect (when switching from crop to full frame). Once again, the problem is not in K1 / K1-II, but in the system. First of all, the system lags behind, is far behind the main three.

      • Vladimir Buritsky

        Penthouse defenders came running, now they will tell you that ZK invented the pentax and that this is the best system. Here are just my dears, they remove the very 2% of them on Pentax

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Well, then, Pentax deserves attention, for example, they have medium-format solutions that others do not have, there are so many things. But in the usual full frame I do not see a serious player in Pentax.

        • Carl Zeiss

          Vladimir Buritsky is ridiculous to read such attacks on Pentax, with such unfounded argumentation to them.
          However, this is not important. Because the most optimal system for obtaining high-quality photos, it is still Sony anyway.

  • Alexander

    I will not engage in discussions, only the question is not in the market share,
    and in the “frivolity of the player” (?), and not in the “errors of the system” (?), but in the direct purpose of the equipment: to make high-quality photographs. And indisputable, based on many quite competent tests, and to the displeasure of many, Pentax, both in crop and full-frame, demonstrates quite acceptable quality (let the interested ones look for and discuss the details) - so, Arkady, he definitely "dropped in" and even settled with dignity in all classes of devices, including even medium format. Put on a fifty kopeck piece on "Your" Nikon and on the K-1 the same lim, take a picture of a portrait or a landscape and honestly compare. Honest and competent research, as I already wrote, is always important and interesting. And then we can already talk about the "errors" of something. And before THIS, your words are just a shaking of the virtual air. But I read many of your articles with interest and even copied them - thanks for that!

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Well, look, I'm talking about the system as a whole, and not about a specific comparison. Try to understand it again. The cameras themselves are good. But comparing systems - there are questions to Pentax. Here's a quick glimpse of what comes to mind first and what is an indicator for me:

      Reporting full frame? Like at least D3 from 2009? This is a very, very important indicator. Where are the guys from Pentax in the pools of pro-photographers? Shakers with 10-15 fps sit in pools, the same goes for wild-life where these very 10 K / s are extremely important (to sit all day in ambush waiting for a bird and get 4.4 K / s?). And here you are claiming to have settled in all classes of cameras :(

      4K? Full HD 60P? UHS-II? Combos (even Olympus made a combo monster) :)

      K1 based on the SONIV sensor d800 / D800E / a7r3 since 2012

      K1-2 only makes the illusion that Pentax has two full-frame cameras. It’s the same as D800 / D800E (with a certain stretch)

      For a long time, Pentax did not update full-frame lenses for digital full-frame, since this full-frame was not. Despite the delicious decisions in the person of various Lims, for example, there is no professional (let it be stellar) 24-70 / 2.8, and this is one of the most important lenses in the trunks of many photographers.

      I believe that Pentax is decades behind Kenon, which introduced its full frame back in 2002 and developed all this time, K1 was released in 2016 (the difference is 14 years old, Karl, 14 years old!). For these 14 years, the same Kenon optimized its lenses (consider the system) for this very full frame. Pentax MZD of 2000 did not put on sale :(

      No new technology. Nikon switched to BSI, IBIS Z6 / Z7, PF, retro full-frame DF. Canon has a Duap Pixel, Hybrid CMOS AF, 4K, STM, Nano USM, DO, 50 / 1.0 / 1.2, 85 / 1.2, 200/2, 11-24, etc.

      By themselves, K1, K1-2 are nice cameras, I like them. Here I am thinking about the system as a whole. This is a very difficult and ignoble job. Personally, I first of all look at the integrity and flexibility of the system, and only after - at the specific models in this system. By the way, I really love Takumara, just in the last year I did a lot of Pentax / Takumar reviews, so please don't blame me for hating Pentax.

      I love Pentax, if K1 and K1-2 are nice cameras on their own, it's not about them, it's about an integrated approach. Peace, labor, good photos :)

      • bbb

        The whole world has switched to the BZK, Pentax will never go. Arkady still walked gently along the Pentax :) if you need more, I'll add !!!

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Most likely not necessary, for a holy war will begin whose god is better whose lens is longer

      • Alexander

        Arkady, your erudition commands sincere respect! Let us make a "Solomon" decision with you: we will give Nikon to the reporters, we will advise the Videoks, say, Sonya with her 4K. Well, for the remaining “minor” “amateur” genres we will recommend using the K-1, and sometimes we will even put on it the “non-professional” Pentax HD Pentax-D FA 24-70mm f / 2.8 ED SDM WR lens! Well, do you agree? If not, no longer write meaningless words, but honestly compare photos. And then make informed conclusions.

        • Osh

          And you seem to be completely stoned. The author tells him about the system as a whole and its backwardness, and he “compare the photos” ... Here you advise the author not to write “meaningless words” ... The author will write and will express his own vision, I think, despite your prohibitions. And the lens is not “put on”, but “put on”, this is so, for information, learn Russian.

          • Onotole

            Lens - install. Attach, as a last resort, "this is so, for information."
            Language watchers are always touched, especially on the Internet.

            • Osh

              Install, put on, put on, attach, even attach, attach, screw on - it will be correct. And there is a significant difference between “dress” and “put on”. The guardians touch him ...

              • Alixanr

                Catching on to humans: no Osh-from hefty bitching completely! And the scientist Velmi Ubo. It is fair to rasskivat Russka mov.

            • Michael

              And those who are illiterate and proud of it kill

              • Onotole

                And what about literate, but not counting an illiterate text in unofficial correspondence for displaying illiteracy and, moreover, pride in it, but rather - permissible negligence, often - deliberate banter, or, in extreme cases, disrespect for the interlocutor?

              • Osh

                Some kind of incoherent set of words is simple. The meaning is grasped with difficulty ... You, instead of trying to express yourself beautifully and intelligently (which seems to be given to you with great difficulty), would clothe your thought in shorter phrases so that the meaning of your saying would be clear.

              • Valery A.

                Very fast, I didn’t understand anything.

              • Onotole

                No, the sentence is sensible, composed correctly. It's just, most likely due to intelligence, it is too tough for you. But I tried and put in there a second sub-meaning, a hint, but where is it ... Try, then, really, to find errors in it, because, as I understand, you know the language well and do not miss the opportunity to point out to others the inaccuracies that have been made.
                By the way, “what that” is written with a hyphen, a space after the parenthesis is unacceptable, punctuation marks must be punctuated with a space. "That's right, note."

              • Osh

                And you are funny, Tolik. Judging by the turnover of speech, you are far from being a young man, but be aggressive like a schoolboy. That's all.

        • anonym

          Pentax is not a system, but K1 is delicious

        • Passer

          I support Alexander.

      • Past Crocodile

        Great answer, Arkady!
        But ... the announced price of $ 1400 ...
        It seems to me that this review could be led to a reasonable conclusion)))
        I will make it -))))) - fate in the crop market with a total market share of 1.78% according to Pentax - only a few, the most loyal fans of the brand, will buy it. This is not a fulka, it is not needed for work. Just as Stump himself is not needed for work ...
        Why do they do it???

        • Arkady Shapoval

          I suppose that they invested a lot of money in its development a couple of years ago, so it needs to be released, to show the world. Maybe really as an addition to 16-50 and 50-135 to create a “holy” trinity of crop zooms.

        • Past Crocodile

          And also - Tolik, Osh and sympathizers. Guys, can you flog on the site on the topic of photos or so? The rest is by phone between each other or at a meeting once you have absolutely nothing to do. # mock on profile sites, there and find out your spelling and so on # kill!

    • Novel

      Sorry, but the question is in the market share and in the seriousness of the player. They most often determine the range of products.

      The fact that Pentax was sold and resold is a demonstration that it is not considered a market leader. Only as a niche solution. No market leadership - no assortment. To solve a specific problem or for some specific function I can take this camera (astrophotography there, for example, or a SLR with a whale lens, which I’m not going to change). And as a systemic solution, in the framework of which I will evolve as a specialist (or even an amateur) - this is unlikely.

      • Bro

        The last time Pentax positioned its 35mm as a system for professionals was the all-around system camera Pentax LX from the eighties; Well, also the Pentax Z-1p with its fast autofocus and rate of fire; the last two film generations MZ and *ist are purely amateur.

        Pentax did not make any professional efforts in the digital age.
        Adding a memory chip so that the frame buffer is larger and, accordingly, you can make long series is not at all difficult or expensive. Pentax had no such goal.

        But they have excellent-looking, inexpensive and compact Lim lenses and equally small bodies. This is an amateur system.

  • Alexander

    Okay, let me tell you a last joke.
    They put a young prisoner in a cell with an old prisoner. Well, the old one explains what happens in prison life and how. The young one asks: "What about women?" The old man takes out a grubby (outdated, unsystematic, niche, unprofessional, brakish (oh! Osh, don't swear: I'll finish the Russian language for the next anniversary of Shukhevych) and just a moronic) picture from under the pillow and shows it. Young: "Dad, it's Lomonosov!" Old: "Lomonosov-Nelomonosov, but I like it!" So let's drink to make us like what we do and what we do! And let everyone set the criteria for himself. (Only let Arkady not offend someone else's Lomonosov just like that!)

  • scif

    here I would have inserted the handle heating in Nikon D5, otherwise it freezes wildly in the cold

  • anonym

    I, as the owner of cheap and plastic 10-18, are very flattered that the $ 1500 lens has chromatic aberration on covered apertures and a drop in sharpness at the corners and edges of the frame. This lens is a solid middling, but not a top-end lens for 1500 ye. While on Crop, the best at the moment, Fuji 8-16, it’s obvious engineers tried there. Sorry for t9

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Fuji is mirrorless, so it's probably easier to design a similar solution there. But of the autofocus, it's still the widest - this is for Canon 11-24 full frame :)

    • Novel

      10-18 is an amazingly good lens, especially for its price.

      In general, it seems that Canon is very reluctant to underestimate the performance of its glasses in order to sell them cheaper. On my crop, my main macro lens was 35 / 2.8 IS STM, which is sharper there than the top 100 / 2.8L.

      That is, it is played with the body material, creating the feeling of a plastic bauble, but the optical design remains at its best. Well, quite possibly, modern optical plastic has grown significantly in quality.

  • anonym

    Everything became clear, Pentax is no longer a cake, and this 11-18 will not save him, all landscape painters went to the full frame and Arkady rightly mentioned this on YouTube

    • Bro

      Didn’t the landscape painters go to the Northern Fleet?
      Since the waterproof Pentax 645D appeared many years ago

  • Eugen

    And yet no one has bothered to compare the “newborn” buzzer DA * 11-18 with the “old-timer” fixer Da 15 lim. Does it make sense to overpay if the angle is 15 mm and so behind the eyes?

    • anonym

      15 f4 completely different feathers, here are 11 and 2.8? Compare green to warm? let's compare with 16-50

    • Carl Zeiss

      I agree. The comparison will be incorrect. 15 lim a good lens. But he is good primarily for its average price and small size. The picture has normal parameters only in the center and more or less acceptable parameters in the corners, but only on covered fiesters.
      The same in the picture is better, and zoom. It drains 15 lima only in price and dimensions. In all other respects, he surpasses him.

      • Bro

        If we consider 15 Lim as a landscape lens, then we need to clamp the aperture down to 7.1-8.
        At these values ​​it is optically magnificent.

        But comparing 15/4 Lim with 11-18/2.8 is strange. Completely different weight. A completely different price.
        Zoom vs fixed? And there is a fundamental difference in moisture protection (15 Lim does not have it)

        They don't replace each other in any way

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