[selar]

I have massive problems choosing a lens, all my lenses are sharp, even the consumer grade ones. For example, my kit SA 18-55, put my first 16-50 to shame, and i just can't bear to part with my SA 50-200. However, theres more to a lens than just sharpness... I'd consider the DA 70 LTD the pick of what I have amongst the DA prime lenses, and the DA* 50-135 the sharpest zoom. However, without a doubt, the F* 300 is easily the overall best.

[normhead]

Nice article Ash. Now where can I find a wagon car full of cash? ( or at least a set of Limited lenses.)

[pentup]

Best lens that can be mistaken for a body cap?
DA40.

Best lens whose focal length and originally nifty but useless and annoying on digital lens hood constantly reminds you how much you wish you could use it on full frame?
FA31.

Best lens to remind you, "it's actually a good idea to hold the camera parallel to the subject plane, because trust me, you caused that distortion, not this lens!"
DA15.

Best lens to triple inoculate you against LBA, due to 1) it's so f***ing expensive, you don't have money left over, 2)it's so wonderful you won't want to take it off the camera, and 3) what's 14 megapixels for, if not cropping? Forget "portrait lenses"!
FA 31.

[selar]

Best lens to triple inoculate you against LBA, FA 31.

In my case it was the DA* 16-50, spent a whole year getting lenses replaced, repaired, adjusted, sent off to Japan, then same story again with the bodies that had to be adjusted as well for the lens.

Now the very thought of buying a new lens fills me with anxiety, I have decided to stay with what I have instead of playing what now seems to me like a game of roulette. On the bright side, the DA* 16-50 is now permanently attached to the camera body, its that good.

[twitch]

I had no luck with the 16-50's I briefly "owned" but returned, and didn't have your patience that's for sure.

The sharpest lens in my camera bag seems to be my DA70.

[normhead]

OK, just cause I don't own one, and the specs look great I'm going with the DA 60-250 HSM. It actually outperforms the Pentax primes at their focal lengths. That's my nomination and I'm sticking with it, well until someone changes my mind.

[ewig]

i think he ask because he start from kit lens.... perhaps you may considered 50/1,4 or 50/1,7
M version should be enough to now what SMC meaning ... ... what do you think ??
just try first and take some picture here ...

[georgweb]

Or I should ask what is optically the best lens available for a Pentax mount that is currently made?

Just get the resolution record lens in K-mount (to be discontinued soon).
It is lonely at the top but I am sure you can take it.

[peterh337]

To put it another way, which lenses exceed the resolution of a K5?

I would have thought "many" must do so.

[normhead]

Just get the resolution record lens in K-mount (to be discontinued soon).
It is lonely at the top but I am sure you can take it.

Those are impressive numbers. I can't find a source in Canada, and I don't have the cash anyway.. and you didn't give a name.

Zeiss ZF (ZE) Makro-Planar T* 100mm f/2

I wonder if they ever come available second hand. Thanks for that George. I'm assuming those numbers don't translate directly to the Pentax mount.

Sigma 17-70 Canon mount Center @ F4 rated at 2463
Same lens on Pentax mount @ f4 center 2053.

Mind you at f4 on the Canon rated at 3776 even with a 600 difference it would still be light years a head of any other Pentax lens I've seen rated.

The ratings are not comparable across camera bodies, and they don't rate the lens on a K5.

Given that on the one lens where I could find the same lens of both platforms, there's a 400 difference in rating for the same lens, it makes you wonder what the Canon numbers mean. I think the Pentax tests were done on a K10D. There's 4 newer bodies than that body. The canons were done on an Eos full frame, (18 Mp?) .

[georgweb]

...I'm assuming those numbers don't translate directly to the Pentax mount.

Norm, probably not. From all accounts it seems this lens is quite something ahead. Like Wieland/blende8 has mentioned before, this is just a numbers game and we will not necessarily see the difference on any Pentax DSLR. However, I would think that a lens with excellent transmission of detail, colors and light (t-stops) will give you more in marginal lighting conditions (i.e. real world photography). Wieland has said it, too, you will see an immediate (and very obvious once tasted) difference in color separation and plasticity the more we are moving away from counting black and white lines in ideal lighting conditions.

While we're at it, there is a range of f/1.3 lenses for APS-C format and they should be as good as the a.-m. lens by f/2 at f/1.3. I always wondered what in the world do those academy award winning movies use as lenses. These are in the 3KG range, will cost you some more than a limited lens and you might have problems with the mirror box (not so much with lens register afaik), but you will be king of the castle with them: ARRI Group: Master Primes

[MPrince]

Yeah. It's not easy to answer the "simple" question. I'd say among the lenses I currently have, the DA40 is the sharpest. But that means nothing if I need a wide angle, or the flexibility of a zoom.

imo, this is the most useful post in this thread. It doesn't matter what the "best" lens is if that lens isn't suitable for what you are shooting.

My two "best" lenses are the da40 and the da70, with my copy of the da70 being somewhat "better" than my copy of the da40. But I often use my F 35-70 because in addition to wanting good shots at 40 and 70 mm I also want good shots at 35, 45, 50, and 62 mm and the da40 and da70 just don't give good results at those focal lengths.

[benjikan]

Regardless of costs, what is the best lens that Pentax currently makes? Or I should ask what is optically the best lens available for a Pentax mount that is currently made? Does it make a difference if it's on a film camera or a digital camera? I'm really not trying to stir up controversy and I'm sure it's been discussed before somewhere on the forum. I want to purchase the best Pentax lens for the sharpest photos. From what I've read at Photozone for Pentax lenses the Ltd.31 was reviewed as the best using a K10 as the test camera. The number of lenses reviewed at DPReview is small. I'm now considering getting a Ltd 31 and waiting on the K5 price to drop a little.

I have the Ltd 31. But if I were to choose just one lens from Pentax in terms of across the board sharpness and contrast, it would have to be the 40mm Ltd lens.

[normhead]

imo, this is the most useful post in this thread. It doesn't matter what the "best" lens is if that lens isn't suitable for what you are shooting.

My plan is to do most of my shooting with the 18-135 and 60-250... but if I can find a few lenses with better resolution I'll carry them just to pull out of the bag when needed. I already have good enough covered, I'm looking to go "spectacular " when I have time. I like the idea of the Ltds because most of the time they are going to be dead weight in the camera bag, so their size is really appealing. So, yes you're right as far as you go.. but there are some of us you aren't taking into account. Like those of us who carry our gear miles. For every lens I bring, something has to be left behind. Adding a lot of weight isn't an option.

[Foma]

Regardless of costs, what is the best lens that Pentax currently makes? Or I should ask what is optically the best lens available for a Pentax mount that is currently made?

Simple question calls for a simple answer.

Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/50 ZK is it, film or digital.

Distagon T* 2,8/21 ZK and Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZK are great too, but first is hard to find and second will duplicate 100mm macro you already have.