[paden501]

I've been made an offer on an F 35-70/3.5-4.5 so I was wondering if any has any experience with th lens that they can share with me.

I've already searched up the lens database and it's proven quite helpful but I was wondering if anybody else had something to add?


Thanks,

[jamesk8752]

Only to comment that this little lens offers great image quality in a small, light, inexpensive package. It's drawback is that it only offers the 35mm equivalent range of about 52-105mm on digital, so you will probably need an additional lens or two to get wide angle coverage.

If you can find one, an FA20-35mm would pair nicely with the F35-70.

[rvannatta]

I've been made an offer on an F 35-70/3.5-4.5 so I was wondering if any has any experience with th lens that they can share with me.

I've already searched up the lens database and it's proven quite helpful but I was wondering if anybody else had something to add?


Thanks,

I've got one. what da you want to know. The are cheap, they do have a 'close focusing ability' which is worth something if you don't have a macro lens. They label it 'macro' but I don't call it that because you can't focus as close as you can with most true macro's, but it has a special mode that gets you closer than many lenses.

[creampuff]

This is one of the better Pentax zooms made by Pentax. Unfortunately it is often overlooked because the narrow focal range has been surpassed by newer lenses and the crop factor means it is no longer a wide angle FOV at the short end. Has a nifty close focusing macro setting beyond the 70mm zoom setting. Very compact in size and light weight. I rate this lens highly. Here is a test shot taken with this lens.

The 35-70 zooms are usually high IQ zooms, that particular lens is quite good for what you pay for it, there are also some Tokinas 35-70 that they are very good. I think that it is an useful lens for "minigroup" portraiture.

[paden501]

Thanks for the comments all. I'm really most interested in using it as a portrait zoom (mostly at the wide end). I have an FA50/1.4 and I find the FOV to be too long on my digital to get full-body portraits in many situations, so i'm looking for something a little wider.

I realize that a 35 prime would probaby be the best way to solve my problem, but when I can get a brand new 35-70 for $80 locally it makes me wonder if I should do that!

Mainly I'm interested in hearing about sharpness and Image Quality at the wide end of the lens. It doesn't bother me that it's not a real fast lens because I'll do most of my shooting w/ umbrellas and speedlights.

I think that armed with this info, I may go ahead and get the lens.

Thanks all.

[Kaimarx]

Definetly get one. Mine is as sharp and contrasty as my 16-45. Easily a step up in IQ from the kit 18-55. There is slight distortion on the wide end, but hardly noticeable if your not shooting architecture. Colour reproduction is superb, a little on the warm side but its enough to keep the images lively. The F 35-70 and F 70-210 are a killer old school (1st gen autofocus!) combination.

[paden501]

I just picked this baby up today. Thanks all for the comments. I don't think that I'll be looking back on this buying decision with any remorse.

[creampuff]

paden501, congratulations on a good find. Nice picture, the colours are nice and rich. As I expected, you won't be disappointed with the image quality of this lens. Pentax made a number of mediocre zooms, thankfully this isn't one of them.