1. Original DA18-55 - 12 Elements in 9 Groups, One Aspherical Element:


2. DA18-55II - 11 Elements in 8 Groups, One ED (Extra Low Dispersion) Element:


3. DA18-55WR - 11 Elements in 8 Groups, One Aspherical Element and One ED Element:


4. DAL18-55 - 11 Elements in 8 Groups, No Aspherical nor ED Element of Any:


After all, it seems that the optical formula and construction of the DA18-55WR should be the best. On the other hand, the optical design of the DAL18-55 is a cutting corner one, which should perform worst. Not even to mention about the cutting corner build of the DAL, which adopts a plastic mount and the quick shift focus mechanism is removed altogether.
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John · 603 weeks ago
When I compare them to my Pentax/tamron 18-250, that lens is much sharper in the 18-55 region that all kit-lenses. Bit more distortion, bit more vignetting, but sharpness is quite okay.
Anyway, the pentax sensors are that good nowadays , allowing higher iso, so you can select a somewhat smaller aperture, and then the kitlenses are reasonable.
zosX · 603 weeks ago
RiceHigh 110p · 603 weeks ago
Arnold Stark · 603 weeks ago
Z.T. · 603 weeks ago
Uncle Vova · 603 weeks ago
IMHO
Ptitboul · 603 weeks ago
The new DAL WR is also named AL, cf. http://colors-k50.pentax.eu/images/front/0_0_0.pn...
And the old DAL is named AL, cf. http://img1.lesnumeriques.com/produits/152/9855/1...
I guess that the diagrams are missing colors and that all the optical formula are the same.
RiceHigh 110p · 603 weeks ago
Ptitboul · 603 weeks ago
An the DA II and DA WR have the same focus ring, with distance info and quickshift.
Here are actual photos of the DA II http://www.lenstip.com/aparaty_image/3341_pen18-5... http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/attachments/so...
I should not have trust Pentax website... but my point is still valid: it is named AL
RiceHigh 110p · 603 weeks ago
Arnold Stark · 603 weeks ago
RiceHigh 110p · 602 weeks ago
Arnold Stark · 602 weeks ago
RiceHigh 110p · 602 weeks ago
Simon T · 603 weeks ago
The design isn't that good even the original one wasn't that great, just not so bad.
A decent Tamron 17-50mm spanks the rear end off of any kit lens Pentax or otherwise, my advice is don't bother with any 18-55mm, as it happens the Pentax is the worst out of all the kit lenses
Arnold Stark · 603 weeks ago