[Pentax1000]

Hi there.

I'm in the need of a new lens with a focal length of less than 50mm, something in the range of 28 or 35, for a SLR.
I can either purchase a 28-80 or 35-70, or similar, or a prime lens 28mm or 35mm etc...

Now, I'm not sure wich kind of lens would fit my needs better, so I would like your oppinion about that, and I will give what I require:

- First, I need a lens with the most possible apperture. I live in a quite dark region, where most of the days are cloudy up to heavy overcast, so big apperture is needed.
- I need one that can be used in most situation, so for example, a fisheye or extremly wide angle lens will produce too much distortion.
- I will be shooting mostly landscape, architecture, street photography (not centering too much on people).
- I need one with good bokeh and with decent sharpness in most of the apperture setting.
- Field of view. The wider, the better, so I a 28mm will be better than a 35, for me.
- I don't need autofocus, but if it has autofocus without highly increase the cost or crystal quality, it would be ok anyway.
- MUST, NEED, ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY: be 100% compatible with the Pentax SFX focusing aid LED, so the camera can tell me when things are in focus with the viewfinder focus LED.
- I will put this lens on a Pentax SFX, so it needs to have K-mount as well as being able to work in aperture priority. Working is shutter speed priority not really needed, but if avaliable, it's ok, if price/crystal quality is not affected. Also, be 100% with that camera's metering system.
- I don't want a very large lens, since I'm going to travel soon and space will be very limited, I will travel with this lens and a 50mm I already own (Zenitar 50mm). I will travel with this Zenitar, so this other lens IS NOT going to replace it.
- Must be 52mm filter diameter or less.
- Of course, second hand, and with good relation quality-price.
- I don't mind SMC, Takumar or third party. I will be shooting B&W negative, but for family and friends portraits I may be shooting color negative.


I have been told that an SMC 35-70 (I think it's like that) is a good lens, but I won't use the range 50 - 70 in that lens too much or at all, so now I doubt if that SMC will be the one I need.


Thanks.

[abacus07]

FA28f2.8 for autofocus

or the A/M28f.28 (same but MF) are much cheaper

or the A/M28f2 if you have more money and want a larger aperture.

The old affordable zooms will have a hard time matching the IQ and simply won't match the apertures of these lenses

[yusuf]

FA35 f2 perfectly fits your need, it's not 28mm though.

[foto guy]

The two zooms you listed are not very good.
The lenses other two people mentioned are good choices.
The only other one I can think of that would suit you would be the FA20-35. The maximum aperture is f/4, which may not be large enough for your purposes, unless you use a higher ISO film. It is a good lens, though. SMC Pentax-FA 20-35mm F4 AL Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

[Sagitta]

The two zooms you listed are not very good.
The lenses other two people mentioned are good choices.
The only other one I can think of that would suit you would be the FA20-35. The maximum aperture is f/4, which may not be large enough for your purposes, unless you use a higher ISO film. It is a good lens, though. SMC Pentax-FA 20-35mm F4 AL Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

FWIW, the F 35-70 is perhaps the sharpest, lightest and closest thing you'll get to a stack of primes in old, cheap Lensland. Period. You can buy it for lunch money. If you check out the PF Lens user reviews, its the highest rated F series zoom outside the ultra wides, and beats out quite a few F series primes in the process.

EDIT: It also has its macro mode, which is very handy to have for close focus stuff. You should be able to snag it for under $40 (probably under $30) with some careful hunting.

Wide open...


f/4.5

[hcc]

Last year I was after a fast lens about 24-28 mm. After careful research, I went for the CZ 28mm f2.0 and I am very happy with the decision. The CZ28mm f2 is MF, metallic construction, very smooth focus ring and excellent IQ.

The problem is that there are few wide and fast lenses. And they are not cheap....

My 5 cents...

[Mistlefoot]

No 18-55 love?

[demondata]

What's this? No-one has ever called me love on the forum ;-)

[Nicolas06]

You have the old 28mm that look to be a bit like what you want. M28 f/2.8 for example. That not expensive at at all and quite great I think.

[Kerrowdown]

The wider, the better, so I a 28mm will be better than a 35

Must be 52mm filter diameter or less

I don't want a very large lens

In many ways I think you've already answered your own question, it looks to me that a fast legacy 28mm prime will do the job for you.

I live in a quite dark region, where most of the days are cloudy up to heavy overcast

Do you live in Scotland? as that kinda sums up living here...

[Pentax1000]

The two zooms you listed are not very good.
The lenses other two people mentioned are good choices.
The only other one I can think of that would suit you would be the FA20-35. The maximum aperture is f/4, which may not be large enough for your purposes, unless you use a higher ISO film. It is a good lens, though. SMC Pentax-FA 20-35mm F4 AL Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

Hi foto guy.
Thanks for your recommendation. According to the reviews, that seems to be a very good lens. But after searching eBay, I found the price to be quite high for what I really need. I mean, the price may be perfectly ok, but I won't use this lens and camera as primary equipment. I already have a good DSLR with a good lens so I don't want to spend that much on a lens that I will use sporadically.

But anyway, thanks a lot for your recommendation. I will definetely take into account for future purchases.

FWIW, the F 35-70 is perhaps the sharpest, lightest and closest thing you'll get to a stack of primes in old, cheap Lensland. Period. You can buy it for lunch money. If you check out the PF Lens user reviews, its the highest rated F series zoom outside the ultra wides, and beats out quite a few F series primes in the process.

EDIT: It also has its macro mode, which is very handy to have for close focus stuff. You should be able to snag it for under $40 (probably under $30) with some careful hunting.

Wide open...


f/4.5

Yes, the 35-70 was what someone recommended before. But, since I will be using the SFX+Lens for family photos (vacation etc), street, landscapes and architecture, I won't use the 51-70 zoom range too much, and since I will use the Zenitar 50mm in this body (SFX) or in another, I will only use the range 35 - 49 from the lens you suggest, that is why I think that a prime lens could be a good choice too, although it will give me less flexibility.

But yes, the 35 - 70 is a lens I'm considering purchasing because of its balance price-quality, if I can find it at a lower price than a good prime lens.

Thanks you too for your answer.

Last year I was after a fast lens about 24-28 mm. After careful research, I went for the CZ 28mm f2.0 and I am very happy with the decision. The CZ28mm f2 is MF, metallic construction, very smooth focus ring and excellent IQ.

The problem is that there are few wide and fast lenses. And they are not cheap....

My 5 cents...

Yes, I know that lens, but way too expensive for being a "sporadic use" lens.

No 18-55 love?

You mean the kit lens that comes with today's DSLRs?

In many ways I think you've already answered your own question, it looks to me that a fast legacy 28mm prime will do the job for you.



Do you live in Scotland? as that kinda sums up living here...

Sorry, I missed your answer.
I don't live in Scottland, but a certain region in a country that is not in the UK, south-west of EU, that has a similar weather that UK :P
Many people says this is a celtic country too. Even there is a football (soccer) team called Celta

[Mistlefoot]

Hi foto guy.
Thanks for your recommendation. According to the reviews, that seems to be a very good lens. But after searching eBay, I found the price to be quite high for what I really need. I mean, the price may be perfectly ok, but I won't use this lens and camera as primary equipment. I already have a good DSLR with a good lens so I don't want to spend that much on a lens that I will use sporadically.

But anyway, thanks a lot for your recommendation. I will definetely take into account for future purchases.





Yes, the 35-70 was what someone recommended before. But, since I will be using the SFX+Lens for family photos (vacation etc), street, landscapes and architecture, I won't use the 51-70 zoom range too much, and since I will use the Zenitar 50mm in this body (SFX) or in another, I will only use the range 35 - 49 from the lens you suggest, that is why I think that a prime lens could be a good choice too, although it will give me less flexibility.

But yes, the 35 - 70 is a lens I'm considering purchasing because of its balance price-quality, if I can find it at a lower price than a good prime lens.

Thanks you too for your answer.






Yes, I know that lens, but way too expensive for being a "sporadic use" lens.





You mean the kit lens that comes with today's DSLRs?





Sorry, I missed your answer.
I don't live in Scottland, but a certain region in a country that is not in the UK, south-west of EU, that has a similar weather that UK :P
Many people says this is a celtic country too. Even there is a football (soccer) team called Celta

Yes. The kit lens. The kit lens (I have the WR) is every bit as good as my 28-70. And the 28-80 you suggest was a former Kit lens. The 18-55 is compact, gives you the same f3.5 as the 28-80, it's WR for "heavy overcast" implies you might benefit from that, it's wider then the 28 (which you prefer). Just curious what pushes you away that economical lens.

[Nicolas06]

Yes. The kit lens. The kit lens (I have the WR) is every bit as good as my 28-70. And the 28-80 you suggest was a former Kit lens. The 18-55 is compact, gives you the same f3.5 as the 28-80, it's WR for "heavy overcast" implies you might benefit from that, it's wider then the 28 (which you prefer). Just curious what pushes you away that economical lens.

Obvously it would not cover film and 18mm would be extremely wide.

[Mistlefoot]

Obvously it would not cover film and 18mm would be extremely wide.

I did miss the "film" body.

To note though, per this thread https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/249895-da-18-55-ii-film.html, the 18-55 is fine from about 24mm on. Anyhow, probably not a workable solution. My bad.

[Pentax1000]

I did miss the "film" body.

To note though, per this thread https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/249895-da-18-55-ii-film.html, the 18-55 is fine from about 24mm on. Anyhow, probably not a workable solution. My bad.

Not at all. Every opinion is welcome!
I would definetely use a 18-55 DSLR kit lens, but unluckily, I do not have any Pentax SLR nor a Pentax kit lens like that.
And now that you mention it, those kit lens don't have depth of field scale, and that is something that I cannot live without. I don't know why the hell they don't include a damn DOF scale... You can't set hyperfocal without DOF scale!

I will probably end up buying a 28mm prime lens.

Whatever, thanks for your idea.