9-18mm Test shots

[guzziknight]

I've been wanting this lens for a while now. I have the 11-22, but want the slightly wider view of the 9-18.

The big question is: is there a big difference in the IQ of these lenses? Am I going to lose some quality by doing this?

With what they're going for now, I could probably sell the 11-22, buy a 9-18, and pocket some money out of the deal.

[Greg McCary]

I've been wanting this lens for a while now. I have the 11-22, but want the slightly wider view of the 9-18.

The big question is: is there a big difference in the IQ of these lenses? Am I going to lose some quality by doing this?

With what they're going for now, I could probably sell the 11-22, buy a 9-18, and pocket some money out of the deal.

Well the 9-18mm is a standard lens while the 11-22mm is a high grade lens. I would think you would lose just a slight amount of shapness. I know thw 9-18mm doesn't seem as sharp as my 12-60mm, but you have to look hard. You will also lose a couple of stops in speed and the performance of the 9-18mm won't be as good as the 11-22mm. So to answer your question. Unless you print large pictures I doubt you will notice much drop in IQ. You will see it more on the performance side. But the 9-18mm is more of a landscape lens than any thing else to me so I manual focus the biggest part of the time and also use a tripod so speed really isn't an issue with me.
In the long run I hope to pick up the 7-14mm. Maybe at the end of the year if used prices continue to fall. You could always pick up the 9-18mm and try it out. Sale it if you don't like it. It is a popular lens and reselling would be easily done.

[guzziknight]

Like you, the speed of the lens isn't critical for me. 99% of the time, the camera is on a tripod. I actually want to get a smaller lens for portability on the E-P1. The 11-22 isn't a small lens.

I usually enlarge to 16x20 and 20x24, which I've done with the 14-42 kit lens, so I'm thinking the 9-18 will be better than that.

I'm not convinced prices will come down much. A year ago, when I bought the E-600, I was finding 9-18s for $375, now you're lucky to find one under $450. Also, the 11-22 was selling for around $500 used, now it's around $650. Maybe that's just a sign of a better economy, I don't know.

[Greg McCary]

Like you, the speed of the lens isn't critical for me. 99% of the time, the camera is on a tripod. I actually want to get a smaller lens for portability on the E-P1. The 11-22 isn't a small lens.

I usually enlarge to 16x20 and 20x24, which I've done with the 14-42 kit lens, so I'm thinking the 9-18 will be better than that.

I'm not convinced prices will come down much. A year ago, when I bought the E-600, I was finding 9-18s for $375, now you're lucky to find one under $450. Also, the 11-22 was selling for around $500 used, now it's around $650. Maybe that's just a sign of a better economy, I don't know.

I feel the 9-18mm is sharper than the 14-42. It has been a long time since I shot with the 14-42mm and the last time I used the 14-42mm was on an E-500. The DOF is also very good with the 9-18mm. Light weight as well. But the AF is better than I thought. Certainly not as good as the 12-60mm but nothing to complain about. I don't think you can go wrong with it.