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SMC Pentax-M 24-35mm F3.5 Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax-M 24-35mm F3.5

Sharpness 
 8.8
Aberrations 
 7.5
Bokeh 
 8.0
Handling 
 9.3
Value 
 9.6
Reviews Views Date of last review
14 90,461 Fri September 23, 2022
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $128.17 8.79
SMC Pentax-M 24-35mm F3.5

SMC Pentax-M 24-35mm F3.5
supersize
SMC Pentax-M 24-35mm F3.5
supersize

Description:
This lens has a small yet useful focal range for wide angle shooting.



SMC Pentax-M 24-35mm F3.5
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
Full-frame / 35mm film
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
Yes (no A setting)
Diaphragm
Automatic, 6 blades
Optics
9 elements, 9 groups
Mount Variant
K
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F3.5
Min. Aperture
F22
Focusing
Manual
Min. Focus
50 cm
Max. Magnification
Filter Size
58 mm
Internal Focus
No
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 62-45 ° / 53-38 °
Full frame: 84-63 ° / 74-54 °
Hood
H-R58 screw-in
Case
Dedicated hard case
Lens Cap
Plastic clip-on
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Diam x Length
64 x 48 mm
Weight
290 g
Production Years
1980 to 1986
Engraved Name
smc PENTAX-M ZOOM 1:3.5 24mm-35mm
Product Code
27040
Reviews
User reviews
Features:
Manual FocusAperture RingFull-Frame SupportDiscontinued
Price History:



Add Review of SMC Pentax-M 24-35mm F3.5
Author:
Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-14 of 14
New Member

Registered: May, 2009
Location: Southern California
Posts: 14
Review Date: September 23, 2022 Recommended | Price: $100.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Compact, very good resolution, great color rendering, nice bokeh. Easy to handle.
Cons: Front element turns when focusing, which limits lens hood types. Barrel distortion, though it's normal for a lens of this vintage.
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Film   

My ratings above take into consideration this lens's era, rather than simply comparing it to modern lenses. Still, I consider it a capable performer, even by today's standards.

It has a constant 3.5 aperture. I never use AE, so this is important to me.

I bought this lens because it just appealed to me. I prefer fixed focal lengths over zooms. I had never had a 24, always using 28s and not caring for 35s. But this lens was not much larger than any of those, and fast enough, so I tried it so I could directly compare 24 to 28 with the turn of the zoom ring. I did not expect the image quality it gave from a zoom! I now have a fixed focal length 24 to go with my 28, and if I'm looking for top optical quality I use one of those, but for regular use this little guy is coming along. I even use it at or near 35mm occasionally, overcoming my prejudice against the focal length.

It does have some barrel distortion, which I expected in a zoom of its era. But it's not too bad for its era and type, and it doesn't bother me usually. I just watch for it in certain situations.
The front element turns when focusing, so I can only use a round lens hood on it. But that allows the lens to be so compact and light, and is a worthy trade-off.
Build quality and feel is typical Pentax-M. Not quite Takumar-sweet, but very nice.
Flare and ghosts are no worse than my 24 and 28 (similar number of elements.)
Noticeable vignetting wide open, not objectionable though (often I want it) -much improved down a stop.

I didn't expect a whole lot out of this lens- I figured I'd use it for a while to help me decide if I wanted to get a 24, then sell it on. But right away I was charmed. It's a very agreeable lens that well outperforms what I expected. It balances well on all my cameras, LX to ME Super, which adds to its agreeability. And I like the character of the images it produces. It doesn't outperform my 24 or 28 optically, (that would be a tall order) but sometimes I just prefer its look.
   
New Member

Registered: March, 2020
Posts: 1
Review Date: March 4, 2020 Recommended | Price: $75.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Great (Classic) focal length for aps-c!
Cons: None!
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Sony ilce-6000   

Wanted to try some manual lenses on my Sony a7 camera, so I started to buy a bunch of SMC Pentax zoom lenses. They come really cheap here in Japan, on Yahoo Auction, so got the whole range.
But, in the end wanted to use one on my crop sensor a6000 and went for the 24-35mm.

This lens turns into a brilliant street photography lens, with a 36-52,5mm range, which kind of covers all the so-called classics (i.e. 35, 40 and 50mm)! So this zoom, with its seemingly extremely limited range, turned out to offer the perfect range for this particular purpose!

Sharpness is extremely high, even wide open on my a6000, and stopping it down just one click (i.e. half a stop to f/4) makes it as sharp as you could wish for! Much sharper than my ef 24-105mm f/4.0!

I mainly shoot b&w so am not bothered with aberrations, and it would be rather silly to expect serious bokeh magic with a lens like this, with its (relatively) slow aperture and used on an aps-c camera on top of all things.

The small, compact size makes it a natural match with the a6000, and after adding the Meike grip, this combination now simply rocks (and looks the part, being the fact that I have a silver camera body and the grip being black...just like in the good old film-days )

Focus peaking combined with the use of the focus magnification function makes manual focusing a complete and total breeze.

So, this baby will never come off my camera again!
In my humble opinion this combination is absolutely perfect for laid back, artistic street photography, cause remember, none of the greats used wide angle nor telelenses , so if you find one on eBay or what ever, just buy it and get yourself an adapter and go shoot!
   
Junior Member

Registered: March, 2013
Posts: 43
Review Date: November 9, 2019 Recommended | Price: $160.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: compact, wide enough for landscape, sharp
Cons: barrel distortion, purple fringing, soft wide-open
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 8    Value: 9    Camera Used: Pentax K1   

I bought this lens for my K1 from ebay. At the beginning I was not so confident to use for my trip but there was no better choice in my box then it came along with my DFA100 to Germany.
At some first day usage, the result looks from back screen after the shots did not so convincing but I kept trying for more. As I took mainly landscape and architecture, I used mostly in f5.6 - f8. Some shots were in wide open and some at unto f16. I made about 400 shots with this lens in few days.
It is really a big surprise to me when I load the pictures to my laptop (raw files). They are very sharp and good in contrast. I think I will keep this lens and recommend it to any those want to have a reasonable solution for wide-angle on full-frame. Here are some examples.




   
Forum Member

Registered: February, 2019
Posts: 73
Review Date: March 10, 2019 Recommended | Price: $200.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Compact, smooth, character
Cons: Distortion, vignetting
Sharpness: 6    Aberrations: 4    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 8    Value: 8    Camera Used: Canon t3i   

My impressions after doing tests with this lens, and also carrying it as a daily shooter are conflicting. It performs horribly in tests, but I love using it and all it's characteristics. There is fringing at all focal lengths until f/8, there is mild-moderate barrel distortion at all times, there is heavy vignetting wide open. But there's just something about it that keeps it on my camera. It has very mild bokeh-swirling. I like the vignetting because I add a little to my images anyway, I like the mild softness even when focus is nailed because it's flattering, and I like the mild distortion because it takes a while to fall off the edges.

This difference between f/3.5 and f/4 is crazy. It's like 6 primes in 1, instead of 3 primes in one, because of that difference. At f/3.5 the lens's bokeh falls off similar to Cookes.

My 24, 28, and 35mm primes all destroy this lens in image quality, but I can't carry all of them all the time, and they don't have the character this lens does. Very interesting. I will endeavor to shoot a short video project with this lens and see how it does.

   
New Member

Registered: February, 2016
Location: lake constance
Posts: 1

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: February 23, 2016 Recommended | Price: $120.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: built quality, optics, universally usage
Cons: light distorsion
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Sony A7   



I bought this great lens for my Sony A7 and it seems, that the camera and the lens were made for each other, because this zoom is a very compact lens. I can recommend this lens for digital full frame photography in architecture and landscape, especially for high quality trip and travel and even street photography.

I made some shots from street scenes in a dark rainy night, what didn´t cause any problems with stars, disturbing reflections or ghosts. The super multi coating is still working great on digital!
Colors are absolutely neutral. Even a ND 3.0 big stopper doesn`t make any problems with ghosts,
so that this lens is a great lens for experimental landscape photography. At aperture 8 to 11 and even 16, you will get perfect sharpeness from 1m to several kilometers, if the weather is clear.

I hope, my photos are able to convince you

The light barrel distosion can be eliminated by every modern Image software, so that in fact there is no difference to modern digital lenses, which also use a correction software - inside the camera.
But this lens offers you a mechanical quality, which no modern lens can do. I love this lens - all in all a great performance.

If you find a M 3,5/24-35 in good condition, pick it up and keep it.
   
Forum Member

Registered: April, 2014
Posts: 61

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: November 21, 2014 Recommended | Price: $150.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Build quality and colour rendition
Cons: Purple fringing and CA
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 6    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Sony a7r   

I bought this lens for landscape photography for the Sony a7r, for those occasions when I would wish to travel light with only one lens and in the hope that I could leave behind the k28 f3.5 and k35 f3.5.
The lens is superbly made, a joy to use and has lovely colour rendition.
Whilst centre sharpness is excellent, there is significant fall off towards the corners even at f8 and f11.
There is extensive purple fringing at the edges and to a lesser degree CA, at all focal lengths.
I would not recommend it for use with the Sony a7r but I look forward to using it with my Pentax ME. I suspect that the aberrations will be less problematic with film.

I thought it would be worth inserting an addendum having had greater useage of the lens since my original review and in the light of my purchase of the much acclaimed Sony zeis fe 16-35 f4 zoom.

I really have become somewhat impressed by this little lens. It is a joy to use and so well built. The focus ring is silky smooth.

This lens, a tenth of the price of the Sony, more than holds its own against the bigger lens in terms of sharpness at f8. It renders the colours more deeply producing vibrant blues and greens. It does produce more purple fringing than the Sony but this is easily corrected with the purple defringe tool in LR 5.

I can now conclude that this is an excellent lens that works very well with the a7r and which is a joy to use. It makes for an excellent landscape lens and is an excellent companion to the smc m 20 f4.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: November, 2008
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Posts: 2,497

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: September 20, 2013 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Colors, size, sharp for wideangle
Cons: Two touch zoom, limited range

I already have a very nice Sigma 10-20mm for wide-angle but I purchased this for using on film camera, and now I am using it both on film and DSLR, it's perfect for landscape on Film/FF and perfect for streets on APS-C

It likely to be not your sharpest lens wide-open, but stopped down a bit, it's as sharp as primes. So if your intended use is landscape at smaller apertures, this will be a perfect lens. Also, it's very compact, almost the same size M85 so it becomes perfect lens for hiking/tracking etc. A bit of barrel distortion but you won't notice it unless you are shooting architecture. Some comparison shots against Sigma 24mm and Sigma 19mm here, https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/237496-pentax-...n-crop-ff.html

M24-35 on left, M85 on the right.


Overall, I love this lens.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: October, 2008
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 8,085

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: April 30, 2012 Recommended | Price: $275.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Small, decent speed and constant aperture.
Cons: Cumbersome to use.
Camera Used: K Series film bodies (K1000, KM, KX, K2, K2DMD)   

The M24-35/3.5 was released in late 1979 and is the one and only Pentax zoom in this focal range. The M24-35’s production run lasted six years and it was discontinued in 1986. The M24-35 also happens to be the smallest Pentax zoom, with a height of only 48mm.

Optics:
The optics are good but these older wide angle zooms do suffer from some distortion. Although I found the distortion to be less than with the M24-50/4 zoom. You do have to sacrifice some optical quality for convenience with these older zooms.

Focal length:
A short focal range of only 11mm, but on film 24mm-35mm covers the wide angle range nicely. This is a great street lens on film.

Build/Mechanics:
Good build and a very small size for a faster zoom. For me this is perfect for traveling when I only want to carry one wide angle lens. The M24-35 has a dedicated screw-on metal lens hood, with a 58mm filter thread. The zoom is a two touch design which makes the lens cumbersome to use, as you have three rings in a short space. (Aperture, zoom and focus) It would have been better as a one touch zoom and there would be less chance of turning the wrong ring when you are looking through the cameras viewfinder. The M24-35 does not have a DOF scale which is missed on a wide angle lens.

Speed:
F3.5 is pretty good speed for a 24-35mm lens, so no complaints here. This is also a constant aperture zoom, which I like much better than the variable ones.

Summary:
As a film only shooter I’ll use this zoom as my wide angle lens, when I want to travel light. It’s not as good optically as my K series primes in this focal range, but good enough when you want the convenience of only one lens. I would have given the M24-35 a 9 if it was less cumbersome to use and had a one touch zoom design.

Overall I rate the M24-35/3.5 an 8.5


Sample shots taken with the M24-35/3.5. Photos are low resolution scans from original slides or negatives


Camera: K1000SE Film: Fuji Sensia ISO: 100




Camera: KM Film: Ilford HP5+ ISO: 400

   
Veteran Member

Registered: November, 2009
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 1,432

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: February 23, 2012 Recommended | Price: $120.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Accurate color, nice contrast, small size
Cons: limited focal range
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: K20d   

Focal length is a bit limited, but it is a very nice range for landscape work. Lens give great color rendition without being too saturated, and nice sharp results (when my old eyes yield accurate focus!).

Focus and zoom rings are smooth and well damped. Good solid construction and feel. Front element rotates when focussing. Focus throw from infinity to minimum (0.5m) is about 1/4 turn.

I have not tried it without a hood, but had no problems with flare on a very bright day.

Here are some sample photos:


https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-sample-photo-archive/176514-pentax-m-24-35-f3-5-a.html
   
Senior Member

Registered: December, 2006
Location: Lincoln, UK
Posts: 229
Review Date: June 5, 2011 Recommended | Price: $100.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Size. Constant Aperture
Cons: Zoom Range

Although I enjoyed using this lens, it never had that much use as I had the 24-50/4.

The IQ is similar but the zoom range is quite limited. Where it does come in useful is as a "travel" lens. Although larger in diameter, it is not much longer than the Std lenses and is quite "petite" compared with the 24-50. It is also faster.

However, if neither of these are important the 25-50 is more readily available and probably more flexible.

Kim
   
Pentaxian

Registered: February, 2010
Location: Eerbeek
Posts: 1,850
Review Date: January 8, 2011 Recommended | Price: $60.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: nice colour rendition, surprising quality
Cons: limited range
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Handling: 9    Value: 10   

I only briefly owned this lens, when I was on a stroll and also had a couple of other 35mm's. These include the Pentax-M 2/35mm, M 2.8/35mm, the DA-L 18-55mm at 35mm, and the A 645 3.5/35mm via the Pentax adapter. The 645 lens was in a league of its own, in every respect, but what hugely surprised me was the quality of this zoom lens. I liked its sharpness, but above all its rendering. I actually preferred it to my copies of the 2/35 and 2.8/35, and the only reason I did away with it was because I sold my 135mm camera system altogether and invested in 645. Had I kept a lens, it would have been this one (I had no access to the 1.4/35mm, let alone the 1.8/31mm).

Update: I repurchased the KX and this zoom lens (and a range of other lenses). I still like its range, limited as it is, and it goes very well together with the M 2/85mm in a light bag.
I can now test it against the 24 and 28mm Takumars (but I cannot see the aperture on these lenses in the KX's viewfinder, which I can with all K lenses).
The KX I can still use sleepwalking, it feels natural, and has a great viewfinder.
   
Forum Member

Registered: March, 2010
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 85
Review Date: September 10, 2010 Recommended | Rating: 7 

 
Pros: Optically OK, decent construction
Cons: Poor handling, fiddly zoom and focus

This zoom just couldn't match the 2.8/24 and 2/35 M primes it was intended to replace. I found its handling fiddly - the focus and zoom rings were poorly matched and, on my version, needed more effort than they should. Otherwise a good performer, nice build, but annoying to use.

The zoom range, already limited, became an unexciting 36~52mm (effectively) when dSLRs arrived and I recently exchanged it for a 24~50 M which is far more useful and now very usable with the green button facility.

For film shooters it's a worthwhile buy if the 24 and 35 primes aren't already in your bag. It gets 7 from me because the ergonomics let it down.
   
New Member

Registered: July, 2009
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1
Review Date: July 16, 2009 Recommended | Price: $119.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Versatile for landscapes
Cons: Slight distortion

I bought this lens in 1991 when I lived in Saudi Arabia. I use it a lot for landscapes and I like it. When I take flower pictures at the 24mm setting there is some distortion of the plant stems. There is minor bending. This is on the corners. I don't mind this. Overall a great lens.
   
Senior Member

Registered: June, 2008
Posts: 240
Review Date: April 11, 2009 Recommended | Price: $59.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Small, sharp, superb construction
Cons: Barrel distortion

I haven't had this long, but since there are no reviews yet, here are my initial impressions, after just a few rolls. I got this to use with my LX, essentially so I wouldn't have to buy a 28 and a 35. It isn't especially fast, and there is a fair bit of barrel distortion at the wide end, but overall I think it's superb, and quite a surprise. VERY small for a wide zoom, plenty sharp, and it handles beautifully. I also think it's extremely cool looking. I really can't overstate how good the lens feels to use. Unless you need the extra stop or so, or are extremely fussy about IQ, it can easily replace a couple of primes in your bag. This, plus the little Pentax-A 35-70, and perhaps an ME Super, would make a wonderful walk-around film rig that could fit in a tiny bag.
Add Review of SMC Pentax-M 24-35mm F3.5



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