Very compact, not too heavy but feels sturdy. Performs very well on my Pentax K3.

Great every day and all occasion lens. I use it almost exclusively with my Pentax K-5II.

This lens is my everyday all purpose lens. I take it everywhere. It is fast, quiet and more than adequate for my needs as amateur photographer.

That's right, not to big, and not to small. I used the 18-55 kit lens for about ten years on my K-100D. However, after moving up to the K-50, I noticed that my old 18-55 was getting a little stiff on the focus-not to mention noisy.

The new Pentax 18-135mm lens is a very welcome addition to the Pentax lens lineup, and seems like a natural companion to the K-5 and K-30. It boasts impressive AF performance as well as above-average image quality, and offers a flexible multi-purpose zoom range, which when combined with its...

"I'll start and say right off the top, if you're looking for a great pro quality lens, this isn't it. Think of this as more an extended range kit lens. Don't get me wrong, I have seen some astounding images taken with this lens, but it's not up there with the pro quality lenses.

Pentax's 18-135mm zoom has a weather-resistant (WR) design – a claim to fame that only stands up if the optics are any good. Fortunately the optical performance is sound and there are also several other features that make this lens worthy of a second look… Despite its compact size there is a full...

Fuss-free operation

Distortion at extreme focal lengths

The Pentax SMC DA 18-135mm F/3.5-5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR ($476.95) is a compact, long range zoom with a weather-sealed design to match the Pentax SLR lineup. It's price isn't bad, especially when you consider its build quality, but image quality drops off significantly as you zoom, delivering soft results at 70mm and beyond. Coupled with the distortion that's typical of this type of lens, we don't recommend buying it, which is a shame as there aren't any third-party alternatives available with an all-weather design. The Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM ($399.00 at Amazon) is a fair-weather lens, but one that delivers a longer zoom range and better optical performance, all for less money. Design The 18-135mm ($399.95 at Amazon) is a sturdy, compact zoom. It measures 3.0 by 2.9 inches (HD) when set to the 18mm position and weighs about 14.3 ounces. It's finished in black, with a green accent ring, and its barrel is a mix of metal and polycarbonate elements. A reversible lens ho...

The Pentax SMC DA 18-135mm F/3.5-5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR lens features an all-weather design and delivers on its promise of a long zoom range, but its image quality is disappointing.

7.5x zoom range; All-weather design; Compact and light

Soft edges and weak telephoto performance; Noticeable distortion