Product Description

What a range! The smc PENTAX DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED AL [IF] interchangeable zoom lens, designed for exclusive use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras, will provide just about all the coverage you'll need. With an approximate 14X zoom ratio covering from wide-angle to super-telephoto ranges, this versatile lens handles a great variety of applications from wide-angle landscapes to close-up sporting events and wildlife photography.

Product Details

• Brand: Pentax
• Model: 258693
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 3.00" w x 3.40" l, 1.00 pounds

Features

• 14x zoom range of 18-250mm makes this the ideal all-around lens
• ED element and two aspherical elements compensate for chromatic and spherical aberration
• Focal length equivalent to 27.5mm to 383mm in the 35mm format
• Lens focuses as close as 18 inches throughout the entire zoom range
• Internal focus mechanism prevents the front lens element and lens barrels from moving during focusing

Amazon.com Product Description
Designed for exclusive use with Pentax and Samsung digital SLR cameras, the DA 18-250mm interchangeable zoom lens gives you just about all the coverage you'll ever need. With an approximate 14x room ratio, this versatile lens handles a great variety of applications, from wide-angle landscapes to close-up sporting events and wildlife photography. Features include ED element and two aspherical elements that compensate for chromatic and spherical aberration; a focal length equivalent to 27.5mm to 383mm in the 35mm format; a close focus range of 18 inches throughout the entire zoom range; and an internal focus mechanism that prevents the front lens element and lens barrels from moving during focusing.

• Angle of view: 76 to 6.5 degrees
• Diaphragm: Fully automatic
• Minimum aperture: f/22-45
• Number of aperture blades: 7
• Metering system: TTL open aperture metering
• Minimum focus distance: 1.48 feet
• Filter diameter: 62mm
• Maximum magnification: 0.28x
• Lens mount: Pentax KAF2
• Hood: PH-RBB 62mm
• Dimensions: 3 inches in diameter and 3.4 inches long
• Weight: 16 ounces (without hood)

Manufacturer Description

The PENTAX DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3ED AL [IF] interchangeable zoom lens designed for exclusive use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras. With an approximate 14X zoom ratio covering from wide-angle to super-telephoto ranges, this versatile lens handles a great variety of applications from wide-angle landscapes to close-up sporting events and wildlife photography.

DA 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 ED AL IF Lens Highlights

• 14x zoom range of 18-250mm makes this the ideal all-around lens
• ED element and two aspherical elements compensate for chromatic and spherical aberration
• Focal length equivalent to 27.5mm to 383mm in the 35mm format
• Lens focuses as close as 18 inches throughout the entire zoom range
• Internal focus mechanism prevents the front lens element and lens barrels from moving during focusing

Customer Reviews

A Sweet Piece of Glass!
I received the 18-250 prior to Christmas and used it throughout the Holidays - taking about 500 snapshots, both with and without flash. What a workhorse this is! All the way from ultra-wide to fully extended, it was a consistently excellent performer. My K10d focused quickly and sharply starting with photo number one. Although I'm no professional, I do have a stable of pretty nice glass including the DA 21mm Limited pancake, the DA 16-45, & the FA 50mm 1.4 prime. (Also owned the DA 18-55mm and the DA 55-200mm zoom which I've already sold). The clarity and sharpness of the 18-250 rivals the 16-45 (beats the 55-200 hands down) and -to my eyes- comes close (but not quite) to the excellent primes, though obviously not as fast. Alas, my 16-45 is now completely redundant and I put it on Ebay today. When you consider the excellent performance of this lens all along the length of its tele range, I believe that it truly could become a do-it-all replacement for most of your medium range zooms while doing a very respecable job at the 18mm wide angle. This lens surpassed all of my expectations and I give Kudos to Pentax for offering this in their digital lineup. Wish it had been there earlier and I could have avoided the expensive migration. I've heard comments that it is a bit pricey - I don't think so. It represents great value in a high quality optic that can cover a wide range of photographic opportunities. My prints and slide shows resulting from the 18-250 mounted to my K10d are vivid, sharp, and colorful and have made my photography hobby more joyful and enjoyable than ever. People are impressed with how consistently beautiful & clear my photos are. And isn't that really why we shutterbugs enjoy making memories with photos? If you can get one, try it. . I think you'll love it. It really deepens my appreciation for the reasons I chucked the point-and-shoot digitals for the flexibility and superiority of the DSLR. Cheers.

Nice all-around lens
This is a good all-around lens: it's relatively fast (all depending on perspective, of course), exhibits good bokeh, and is of reasonable cost. It works well with the K10d. The only thing I object to performance-wise, is the amount of vignetting that is visible on some shots. It's more noticable if you are using a polarizing filter.

This lens is nearly identical to the Tamron 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 AF Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras.

Excellent lens
Just received this lens. It is a quality product and when you have the ability to go from 18 mm to 250 mm with all excellent photos you may not need another lens in your bag. Pentax has produced one fine camera in the K10D and now has coupled it with a terrific lens for both amateur and professional photographers. Auto focus works extremely well and even with the flash the picture quality is excellent. Highly recommended.