| Author: | | New Member Registered: March, 2020 Posts: 13 | | Review Date: February 15, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | A wide 23mm ff equivalent on Q7 and Q-S1. Very underrated. | | Cons: | Hard to get bokeh | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 5
Handling: 8
Value: 8
Camera Used: Q-S1
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If you only buy one lens for your Q-System camera, I'd recommend this, over even the prime.
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1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 15, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $75.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | IQ, Build, Size, Overall usefulness | | Cons: | manual focus | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 6
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Q7, Q-S1
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It is hard to find anything to complain about in this kit lens. Exceptionally sharp at the wide end, very good at the long end. How many other kit lenses are 24-70 FF equivalent with flash sync up to 1/2000 and a built-in ND filter? It is robust (especially compared to the 06) and a great starter lens. It would be nice if it was constant 2.8, but then it wouldn't be as small. The common 40.5mm filter size is also a plus—it’s easy to find filters, caps and hoods. It is a little slow for low-light use. The manual focus option is twitchy.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: August, 2009 Location: Wandering the Streets Posts: 1,411
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 13, 2016 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | great IQ, quick and silent focus, good colors, awesome wide angle results | | Cons: | A constant aperture would be nice but not really necessary | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Original Q and Q7
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This is a terrific lens. Based on what I have read, I must have an astoundingly better copy of this lens than most others do. 
I typically prefer primes on larger cameras but this lens makes the Q (or Q7) a perfect walk around digital camera so it literally spends a large amount of time on one or the other camera. (Actually I have two so can have one on the Q and one on the Q7...which I most frequently do.)
If you pixel peep on a computer screen you will probably be able to find some type of problem. This is usually true of most lenses and this is typically how lens reviewers review lenses now days. However, if you are inclined to use the lens the way it should be used, and print your results, there is no problem. I can't remember seeing any diffraction, or poor quality, or lack of sharp detail in any of my prints. Its not that I don't get those kind of photographs...I do, they just don't make it to the print stage.
I love the wide end on this lens, it has provided me with a large number of great photographs, and the long end is quite capable as well for those circumstances where you may want to reach out a little ways. Of course, that is what the Q is most famous for, reaching out a little, or a long, ways. So to be able to use the "kit zoom" as a very effective moderate wide angle is kind of nice. Instead of being just a souped up zoom camera on steroids, this lens actually turns the Q into a real, honest to goodness, camera that can be used to do lots of things other than shoot birds. I can actually photograph my cat once in awhile. 
I can't quite figure out why this lens ended up with such a poor reputation. I guess the fact that it came as part of the kit made people think it wasn't very good. So, without really using it they immediately started scrutinizing all aspects of it and, voila, it had a few small faults. Nothing that really made the photographs look bad, but enough to justify their initial impression that it couldn't be a good lens.
However, like most things, the truth is actually much different than the myth. It turns out that it is a pretty good lens after all. Like almost all lenses, it is not perfect. But it does do an awful lot of things right.
Like I said at the beginning, I Love This Lens!
It isn't a 10, I actually believe that there are very few zoom lenses that actually deserve a 10. Unfortunately those that do don't wear a Pentax brand. But this is very easily a 9, even a touch above that.
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2012 Posts: 4
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 21, 2016 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very Sharp, very wide on Q7 and Q-S1 | | Cons: | could be faster at all, or at least on the long end | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax Q-S1
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It was just an addition to the Q-S1 cam, it is a black one. Originally I planned to sell this lens as soon as I have received the cam, but after some shots I was that impressed, that I kept it.
(+) 5mm at Q7/Q-S1 is quite wide for a kit lens, full frame equivalent 23mm
(+) even wide open very sharp, in center but also in the corners and still sharp enough at 15mm, thus I cannot understand that bad grading of some users regarding the sharpness of this lens. It would easily pass enough "information" to a sensor with higher resolution than 12MP.
(+) very silent focus, actually nearly soundless, you can only hear if your ear is "touching" the lens.
(+) it is a bargain
(o) the corners are not rectified, it looks at the short end little bit like a fisheye, but it is not that bad, it is even better for photography of organic object like a group of people, at the other hand not good for architectural pictures. I rate it neutral.
(o) bokeh is due to the sensor size and the aperture of the lens not realy noticeable but possible at long end if your object is very close to the cam. The bokeh is smooth.
(o) the focus has somewhat of pentax quick shift, you can refocus after autofocus, but it has no boundaries to feel if you have reached the infinity or near point
(-) it could be a little bit faster, like f2-3.2 or constant 2.8, I think it is possible at such little lenses like this one, and it would be not that more expensive.
Overall it is a very good allround lens, I would recommend it anytime.
| | | | | | | Digitiser of Film Registered: March, 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,647
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 5, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Build quality, ergonomics, IQ | | Cons: | Could be faster, not fixed aperture | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 8
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I've only had this lens a few days, so these are very much my early impressions.
I got this as part of a dual zoom lens Q7 kit. I bought the camera primarily for high magnification use with legacy K mount lenses, but decided to spring for the kit so I had a couple of normal Q-system lenses to play with for snapshots. In the few days I've been testing the Q7, I've played around with the 5-15mm zoom quite extensively. Within the context of the Q7 camera system, I'm very happy with it.
The lens is quite usable wide open - however, contrary to some reviewers, I've found my example to be sharpest when stopped down a couple of notches, where it's good throughout the entire zoom range (though never *razor* sharp). Any faster and there is a little softening of extreme detail, while diffraction starts to kick in after this. Whatever bokeh is achievable (given the depth of field) is rendered well - nice and smooth, not at all busy. I notice some minor fringing in high contrast areas - the majority of which can be removed using Lightroom 6 - but it's not objectionable. Build quality is very nice indeed - in fact, I wish the 06 tele zoom build quality was this good! Handling is also fine., with the zoom and focus rings both operating positively and smoothly.
Overall, I'm happier than expected with this little zoom - it's a nice lens that seems well matched to the Q7.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: August, 2012 Posts: 118 | | Review Date: August 4, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Size, handling, weight, flash sync speed. | | Cons: | Sharpness at long end | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 7
Value: 10
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I've got a couple of these (one with a Q-7, one with a Q-S1) and they both have exactly the same IQ.
This is a 'shrunken' kit lens with similar characteristics to its larger brethren..
It's nice that the wide end is 2.8 and very sharp, the long end is not so good. Manual focus is touchy.
Image quality is good until you get to the long end—my Pentax 18mm 110 lens outperforms this one at its long end. Use ND filter in daylight.
UPDATE: I've had this lens for a couple of years now, it is usually on one of the 3 Q camera bodies I use, image quality is all one could ask for in such a light and cheap optic.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: March, 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Posts: 4,460 | | Review Date: February 27, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $165.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Light weight, useful range, reasonable image quality | | Cons: | not always sharp, vignetting does occur on Q7 at wide angles | |
Got this lens with my original Q and continue to use it with my Q7. It's a good lens just not a great lens. For a time, it was the only Q-system zoom and it just wasn't wide enough or long enough. The 06 and 08 lenses have improved that situation. It is a useful length for decent snaps in many situations. Looking at it critically, particularly for landscapes, I wish it was sharper - now that could be said of the Q-system in general but with the 02 lens, again good lens versus a great lens.
There is a separate firmware update for this lens directed at the Q camera but it was issued to make the 02 better focusing regardless. Recommend application of this update.
Here is a nice landscape with the 02 and Q7.
 _IMP9521_2_3 by blackcloudbrew, on Flickr
Bottom line for the cost and quality is that you will need the 02 lens in your Q-system kit until something comes along that's better, like an f2.8 constant aperture lens like the 06 lens.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Posts: 3,348 | | Review Date: December 19, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Sharp wide open, useful range, easily available | | Cons: | Slow lens | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 1
Handling: 8
Value: 9
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Like most Q users who have this lens I got mine as part of a Q kit. I don't have a cost for this since it was built into the kit.
I think this is a very nice basic lens. The biggest open secret is to use it wide open. Never, ever stop it down if you can avoid it. Use the ND filter if necessary. Diffraction effects begin with the lens wide open and only get worse as you stop down. This really only applies to pixel peepers. In reality you wont really notice this, even on large prints, unless you look really close. Who does that anyways in from a practical point of view? You make an 8"x10" and you look at it from 3" away? C'mon...
This lens is susceptible to flare and ghosting. You can use this effect to your advantage and achieve some nice effects.
IMGP6642 by Never Off, on Flickr
The effect is amplified when you stop down. I know it sounds like I'm back pedaling here and I am. That's what makes this review interesting! 
I think the lens is sharpest at the wide end. Somewhere after 8mm or 9mm the sharpness begins to fall off. It's still usable though so don't fret.
Good bokeh is nearly impossible to achieve with this lens, even when you get really close to your subject. That's just the physics of using a small sensor.
Handling is good but I find myself accidentally twisting the focusing ring sometimes when I use the zoom ring. Call me clumsy, I guess.
I wish the lens was a little faster. f/2.8 is good but you only get that at the wide end. I understand a faster lens will also be a bigger lens. That would be OK with me. The 02 lens is not big to begin with. A well designed f/2.2 lens would be nice.
The 5-15mm range is useful on the Q. It will give a wider FoV on the Q7 and the Q-S1. Part of me would appreciate the extra FoV degrees at the wide end. Maybe the tele end will appear sharper because the aberrations would become smaller relative to the larger image circle projected onto the sensor.
I read that quality control for the 02 lens is not very good. If you find your IQ to be poor then try another copy of the 02 lens before you relegate it to junk.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2012 Posts: 963 | | Review Date: December 6, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Useful focal length | | Cons: | So-so IQ | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 6
Handling: 8
Value: 7
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This lens has usable focal length. Unfortunately my copy has an IQ befitting a kit lens.
Still, it's usable if the intention is merely to capture a moment.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: September, 2013 Posts: 62 | | Review Date: August 27, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | useful zoom range, fast enough, good fast AF | | Cons: | not detected yet | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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it is a "standard" zoom.
for usual indoor or travel situations.
f/2.8-4.5 enough and useful. sharpness is good, better slightly stopped-down.
bokeh-bla-bla-bla... - it is just a tiny pocket lens. for 1.5 hundred dollars.
AF little slower, than 01 prime 8.5mm, but little slower - just in comparison, it is fast enough.
MF are best and classic zoom ring to.
why not 10 points? it is good, not perfect.
it is good lens on good Pentax-Q body. with 01 lens is perfect set for Q body.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2012 Posts: 123 | | Review Date: March 9, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $133.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Compact, well made, smooth zoom and focusing rings | | Cons: | Just a standard kit zoom | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 6
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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Compact and well made. Smooth zoom and focusing rings.
Standard kit focal range is nothing very exciting, would have been nice to have a slightly longer focal range (But that’s just my taste, so ignore me on that). Built in ND filter is useful. Although starts at f2.8 it quickly get slower.
Image quality is fine, don't get me wrong theirs really nothing wrong with it, it just doesn't stand out for me (Again just my opinion). | | | | | Moderator
Site Supporter Registered: February, 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Posts: 11,267 | | Review Date: September 30, 2013 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Size, weight, sharpness, lack of colour fringing | | Cons: | Barrel distortion | |
This is a really good general purpose lens. It especially shines on the Q7, where its range essentially matches the DA*16-50 on APS-C. It is actually as wide at 5mm on the Q7 as my DA15 is on my K-5.
It is worth noting that the after-market hood for this lens causes vignetting at 5mm on the Q7. A revised hood is apparently coming, but frankly its contrast and flare resistance are pretty good without the hood anyway.
There is substantial barrel distortion at the wide end (hardly surprising for a lens with a focal length of 5mm), but it is easily corrected in post-processing.
Unlike some other reviewers, I have found the bokeh to be quite pleasing when there is enough separation between subject and background. Of course getting truly blurred backgrounds when the lens and sensor combination produce such vast depth of field is a challenge.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2009 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: May 19, 2013 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Small, light, reasonably fast at short end, almost no CA, overall great IQ at short end. | | Cons: | No so great at long end (above 10mm) | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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Overall I feel this lens is a bit underrated. This may be due to the fact that it delivers its peak performance at the shortes focal lengths and is indeed not equally great on the long end where it is a bit slow and also not quite as sharp (although still reasonably usable).
At 5 mm IMO it already delivers best performance at f 2.8 already which, together with the high efficiency of image stabilization at short focal lengths, makes it very usable in low light situations like in museums, etc. I know there are a few compact cameras with faster f/1.4 zoom lenses. However, the test results I saw for these made me wonder whether I would really want to use these wide open or whether I'd rather step down ending up around f/2.8 again. Hence the Q02 with f/2.8 @ 5mm but already delivering peak performance wide open is fine for me.
I personally think of this lens as a reasonably fast and compact wideangle lens with the additional option to also use it at longer focals if needed. Within this line of thought it performs just great. Fine for me as I mainly use the Q for landscape, architecture, snapshots and for macro, where large DOF is desireable. This is also why I did not rate Bokeh for this lens. Just not relevant for me when using the Q. For portraits and shallow field applications I'd always pick my K5 instead.
For macro, the Q02 lens combines quite nicely with a raynox macro converter. Vignetting does not occur above some 6-7mm. This gives you the otion for closeup with a wideangle perspective and high DOF (Bokeh admittedly is a bit weird in this setup, though...). See the second example below for an example.
You can find more examples under http://www.flickr.com/photos/95662691@N02/sets/72157633518536707/ (most of the images there were taken with the 02 lens, if in doubt, please consult the EXIF data)
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: July, 2012 Posts: 205 | | Review Date: April 23, 2013 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, light and well built for what it is. | | Cons: | Distortion and bokeh (the rest has to do with the sensor size) | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 4
Handling: 10
Value: 8
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I think this light weight lens is sharper than others give it credit for (at least my copy), but it is made for a tiny sensor. The sensor size limiting depth-of-field is both a blessing and a curse, depending on what you are shooting. Bokeh? It is hard to have bokeh when a lot of the photo is in focus, even when shooting wide open. Shooting wide open at most focal lengths is actually sharper than stopping down (due do issues of using the small sensor)! I would not stop down more than two stops from wide open at any focal length. In other words, you can do just fine shooting wide open. You will have to live with the heavy barrel distortion at 5mm too (because of the sensor). The build quality is certainly good enough, with the focusing both easy and precise.
I did not post a price since the lens came with the camera. The kit cost $265, now that the prices have recently dropped. Compared to the retail prices for the Q lenses, it is like getting the camera for almost free.
Note: The low rating for the bokeh is because it is difficult to get any out of focus blur with the small sensor.
The photo below shows what the lens can & cannot do:
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: January, 2011 Location: Skåne, Sweden Posts: 482 | | Review Date: March 30, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $160.00
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | Build quality | | Cons: | Sharpness, slow at wide end | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 6
Handling: 8
Value: 7
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This review is for a brand new 02 Standard Zoom that came with my Q.
PROS
CONS- Sharpness not optimal
- Too slow at tele end
- Manual focus feel (goes for all focus-by-wire that I've tried)
- Wished it went to 24mm equiv.
- Distortion at wide end (eats pixels when correcting for it)
I'm mostly a prime shooter, but when the Q dropped in price I went for the zoom, thinking that the system would be small enough anyway, and sometimes missing the flexibility of a zoom for casual shooting. It is in no way a bad lens, but I never really enjoyed it either. Let me explain.
Lets start with the obvious. It is a standard zoom, roughly equivalent to 28-80mm on FF. It has a somewhat faster aperture than normal, but that doesn't say much regarding the small sensor on the Q. The Q really needs fast lenses to stay on low ISO and DoF will still be pretty much non existing unless you are near the minimum focus distance. The build quality is pretty nice, a step up from other "kit zooms", but it's not a Limited
The fun pretty much ends there. I wish it went to 24mm at the wide end, which would have opened up more possibilities for architecture, landscapes or interior shots. Like some micro four thirds-zooms, its maximum aperture at the tele end really goes below the optimum aperture range, leaving you very little playroom there. The largest problem for me is image quality, more precisely sharpness. At first I only had the 02 zoom, but after trying out the 01 prime it really showed me what the Q was capable of, and it is capable of more than the 02 zoom can deliver. Distortion can also be an issue. I normally always correct for distortion, usually in Lightroom, but you loose quite a bit of image since it distorts so much. For manual focusing, the combination of focus-by-wire and huge DoF makes it pretty much useless.
Value is a bit hard, since prices on the Q-system has been a bit of a roller-coaster. I wouldn't recommend getting it at retail price, but you could probably pick it up in some cheap kit. If you need the flexibility of the zoom it would be alright to use, but I definitely would recommend also getting the 01 prime. Now I am wishing for the upcoming wide angle prime to be as good as the 01 prime.
Price indicated is half of the kit price with the Q.
My pictures on flickr with this lens | | |
