Takumar/Pentax 28-80

condor27596 · 04-16-2015, 12:59 PM

Through the normal course of events that come with a couple upgrades I have ended up with one copy each in the above title. The tacumar is about twice as heavy as the Pentax.

The takumar appears to have better performance. But on paper the Pentax should be better. The double the weight is actually annoying because I usually use the plastic fantastic.

What do you guys think ?

ChristianRock · 04-16-2015, 02:20 PM

Sell both, buy tacos...

condor27596 · 04-16-2015, 02:24 PM

Lol. Neither one gives pics compared to the $100 35mm plastic. But the usefulness pops up now and again.

Dlanor Sekao · 04-16-2015, 05:55 PM

28-80 wasn't impressive enough for me to even keep.....sorry.
It was one of the worst lenses I ever tried....... And I tried a BUNCH !

ChristianRock · 04-17-2015, 09:46 AM

Same here, the Takumar 28-80 was the only lens I ever had that I couldn't get rid of fast enough. I gave it away for free to a guy that bought a couple other lenses. "Here, have this one too...".

Other more interesting options in that range (for less than 100 dollars, or in the range):

- SMC-F 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5 (this lens has a cult following here but I haven't had one)
- Tokina or the Cosina/Vivitar Series 1/Voigtlander/Phoenix 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5 (I have the Tokina, but the Cosina-made one is also very good, bought mine for 90 bucks last year - this is surprisingly good for a walkaround lens in daylight!)
- The DA 50 1.8 (used) to compliment your DA 35
- Sigma or Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens if you don't have one - at 70-ish mm and f4 it's surprisingly good for portraits on the cheap, at least my Tamron is
- Sigma/Quantaray AF 28-80mm - at f/5.6 and smaller, it's a nice lens with good color and contrast
- Tokina AT-X 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 manual focus (seriously good for walkaround)
- 50mm 1.7 and 28mm 2.8 manual lenses to compliment your 35... you might even be able to swing a Sears 135mm 2.8 as well!
- lots of tacos

**RKKS08** · 04-18-2015, 03:30 PM

It is not clear to which of the many different Pentax 28-80 lenses you all are referring.

Most of them were budget kit lenses, bundled with entry to mid-range bodies. I had several of these lenses, and sold them again.

I think the only really good one was the "SMC Pentax-A 3.5-4.5/28-80" (not so easy to find). It is sharp even fully open, and IQ-wise equals the excellent Pentax 35-70 zooms.

And be careful, there is also a "Pentax-A 3.5-4.5/28-80", which was a budget lens with a much simpler optical design. This one has standard multi-coating instead of SMC, and was also manufactured by Cosmicar (the Taiwanese subsidiary of Asahi). On (European) eBay you will often find it also branded as "Profile" or "Takumar [bayonet]".

04-16-2015, 12:59 PM	#1
condor27596 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC, USA Posts: 870	Takumar/Pentax 28-80 Through the normal course of events that come with a couple upgrades I have ended up with one copy each in the above title. The tacumar is about twice as heavy as the Pentax. The takumar appears to have better performance. But on paper the Pentax should be better. The double the weight is actually annoying because I usually use the plastic fantastic. What do you guys think ?

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04-16-2015, 02:20 PM	#2
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	Sell both, buy tacos...

04-16-2015, 02:24 PM	#3
condor27596 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC, USA Posts: 870 Original Poster	Lol. Neither one gives pics compared to the $100 35mm plastic. But the usefulness pops up now and again.

04-16-2015, 05:55 PM	#4
Dlanor Sekao Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 1,457	28-80 wasn't impressive enough for me to even keep.....sorry. It was one of the worst lenses I ever tried....... And I tried a BUNCH !

04-17-2015, 09:46 AM	#5
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	Same here, the Takumar 28-80 was the only lens I ever had that I couldn't get rid of fast enough. I gave it away for free to a guy that bought a couple other lenses. "Here, have this one too...". Other more interesting options in that range (for less than 100 dollars, or in the range): - SMC-F 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5 (this lens has a cult following here but I haven't had one) - Tokina or the Cosina/Vivitar Series 1/Voigtlander/Phoenix 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5 (I have the Tokina, but the Cosina-made one is also very good, bought mine for 90 bucks last year - this is surprisingly good for a walkaround lens in daylight!) - The DA 50 1.8 (used) to compliment your DA 35 - Sigma or Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens if you don't have one - at 70-ish mm and f4 it's surprisingly good for portraits on the cheap, at least my Tamron is - Sigma/Quantaray AF 28-80mm - at f/5.6 and smaller, it's a nice lens with good color and contrast - Tokina AT-X 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 manual focus (seriously good for walkaround) - 50mm 1.7 and 28mm 2.8 manual lenses to compliment your 35... you might even be able to swing a Sears 135mm 2.8 as well! - lots of tacos

04-18-2015, 03:30 PM	#6
RKKS08 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Frankfurt am Main Posts: 1,241	It is not clear to which of the many different Pentax 28-80 lenses you all are referring. Most of them were budget kit lenses, bundled with entry to mid-range bodies. I had several of these lenses, and sold them again. I think the only really good one was the "SMC Pentax-A 3.5-4.5/28-80" (not so easy to find). It is sharp even fully open, and IQ-wise equals the excellent Pentax 35-70 zooms. And be careful, there is also a "Pentax-A 3.5-4.5/28-80", which was a budget lens with a much simpler optical design. This one has standard multi-coating instead of SMC, and was also manufactured by Cosmicar (the Taiwanese subsidiary of Asahi). On (European) eBay you will often find it also branded as "Profile" or "Takumar [bayonet]".