What are the best Adaptall lenses?

**pacerr** · 08-20-2015, 02:32 PM

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Originally posted by ZombieArmy

. . .these lenses are actually sort of exciting to look into.

And like many others, the good ones are very satisfying, and enlightening, to use too.

LBA reigns supreme.

phc9 · 08-20-2015, 02:32 PM

My experience... 24mm f2.5 01B - good 35-70mm f3.5 17A - very good 35-80mm f2.8-3.5 SP 01 - highly rated but I prefer my 17A (better contrast & ergonomics). Needs a hood but front element rotates so can't easily use a petal one 35-80mm f2.8-3.5 QZ-35M - sharp, I think I prefer mine to my SP 01 but that is probably just liking the underdog 35-135mm f3.5-4.5 40A - tests well, not managed any good pictures in the field yet. Heavy 60-300 f3.8-... SP 23A - I can't get mine into macro despite reading lots of advice. But very good and focuses close anyway. (obviously) big and heavy 70-150 f3.5 QZ-150M - good, nice ergonomics & mine is better than my 20AB 70-150 f3.5 20AB - nice ergonomics, ok with increased contrast in PP 80-210 f3.8-4 103A - good 90mm f2.5 52B - has done ok but my copy doesn't seem great. Heavy (not in the same league as my sigma 105) 135mm f2.5 03B - good 300mm f5.6 SP 54B - sharp, light but bad flare I have a few PKA adapters and 1 is unreliable but the PK and M42 versions are fine. The QZ lenses have A/M switches. The choice of PK vs M42 mount lets you choose easy focus (PK mount - held open for focus, stop down to meter) vs easy metering (M42 mount, meters in Av).

---------- Post added 08-20-15 at 10:39 PM ----------

Sorry for the formatting - Firefox on Ubuntu, can't get newlines to register when I post.

**pacerr** · 08-20-2015, 02:47 PM

For Q users: The Adaptall - Q adapter offers some interesting and convenient options -- for $20 it's a good accessory if you have Adaptall lenses -- especially the longer ones - although you can get to the same place via the PK adapters. Consider a 4.5 or 5.5 crop factor with such as the 500mm mirror lens! Can be impressive at 2800mm if you're careful.

Doundounba · 08-20-2015, 04:09 PM

Originally posted by marcusBMG

- 01A YES YES YES but check condition carefully its prone to mechanical wear particularly (complicated mechanics) and there are some old beaters out there. Check out Doundounba's macro pics here on PF in combo with 01F 2x tc and diopter. Availability: medium. Cost: $20 to 100+

Hey, that's me! Thanks!

Indeed, I've gotten, if I may say so myself, great results from the 01A+01F combo, which gives you a 70-160mm zoom with 1:1.25 macro capabilities. I have found this setup is incredibly sharp with very vivid colors. I've used it mostly with a Raynox diopter for flash macro. It will do about 1.5:1 with a Raynox DCR-250. My experience in using this combo as a plain tele zoom has been less stellar however, and my hunch is that lenses like this one or the 17A with a very bulbous front element really need a good hood, and shooting into any kind of light is perhaps not ideal...

I've also now acquired a 52BB 90mm F/2.5 Macro, and though it's growing on me, I wasn't wowed by it like I was by the 01A. It does give a sensor reflection which is more and more noticeable as the aperture value increases. You could probably use it for portrait, but for macro, it's a no go for me. Because of that I only use it with the 01F 2X tele-converter for a 180mm 1:1 macro, and that takes care of sensor reflection. The result is heavy but nice enough, and because of the 180mm, it can reach quite high magnification by just slapping a Raynox DCR-250 on top of it, and this can avoid me a lens swap when I spot a nice jumping spider while I'm out shooting dragonflies...

Kind of a poor man's Sigma 180mm...

Last edited by Doundounba; 08-20-2015 at 05:46 PM.

**pacerr** · 08-20-2015, 05:37 PM

Originally posted by Doundounba

Kind of a poor man's Sigma 180mm...

Or a 'rich man's' bargain.

SpectrumDisorder · 09-03-2015, 01:53 PM

I have received so much good info from this forum I just wanted to return the favor to someone. Keh has a 19AH in EX condition on eBay buy now for $99. Tamron 70 210mm F 3 5 SP CF Macro Lens Requires Adaptall | eBay

**pacerr** · 09-03-2015, 02:10 PM

A nice 'pointer'.

Those of us that have used Adaptall SP lenses know they're high quality (if you can forego bitchin' about AF and do a little bit of work in PP to correct pre-Di coatings). One-third the cost of the later AF lenses and the lack of information about macro/close-up and tele uses often negates the great cost differential for tose on a budget.

SpectrumDisorder · 09-16-2015, 05:52 PM - **1 Like**

I have had several of the Adaptall lenses over the last several years, and the 19AH is my favorite. In fact, this lens is something special. I use it on an A7, shoot raw, and am blown away by the contrast and colors. It saves me so much time in post, it's ridiculous. Not only is this my favorite Adaptall, it shares the podium of my top two lenses with a Zeiss that is worth 10x's what this lens cost me. It might not be as sharp as my Bokina, but when I reach into my bag for a portrait shooter, this lens comes out. If I ever get divorced, I will probably marry this lens.

pleo · 09-29-2015, 05:05 AM

having had many and still have some adaptall-lenses:
2.5/28: good sharpness on dslr
28-70: 2 different lenses! 62mm filter is much better than the later 52 or 55mm version. No exceptional sharpness but very constant IQ over all apertures and focal lengths. Very low distortion!
SP 28-80: much better lens than the 28-70! Better build quality too.
35-135: not used on dslr.... good IQ on film slr, quite heavy, focus/zoom ring a bit stiff, there are 2 different versions - I had the lens with an additional macro-ring for enlarging the distance of the glass elements.
2.8/35-105 : not the same mechanical quality as the older adaptall-lenses (mine was weak)
2.5/90: 2 different versions! the first full metall and superb build quality, Macro lens: full opened not that sharp (good for portraits though!) but constantly increasing sharpness even at F 16! The newer one has a more plastiky body and a plastic window over the distance scale.
2.8/90: better lens when you're looking for a short tele that's very good even at 2.8. Love it for the IQ! Build quality far from the first 2.5/90.... :-(
3.8/70-210: good sharpness, low contrast, lightweight but long telezoom with very good IQ at short distances! Not used on dslr....
SP 3.5/70-210: very good build quality but optical problems on dslr - very good on film slr though. Sold it due to handling issues on Pentax Ds.... you need a bigger handgrip to hold: very long and heavy...
SP 5.6/300 macro: my favourite because sharpness is better than every xx-300 AF-Zoom I tried. Good build qulity and nevertheless quite lightweight. Good handling. Look for it!

dsmithhfx · 09-30-2015, 01:11 PM

I've had a 24 2.5 for a couple of years, and a 135 2.8 for just over a year, which I've been using on my spotmatic (both lenses have the BBAR multi-coating, not sure of the model numbers). Very pleased with both, though I use the 24 a whole lot more, as I tend to favor wide-angle shots over the alternatives. I like the built-in hood on the 135, just need to remember it's there!

09-03-2015, 01:53 PM	#21
SpectrumDisorder New Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 2	Be Fast I have received so much good info from this forum I just wanted to return the favor to someone. Keh has a 19AH in EX condition on eBay buy now for $99. Tamron 70 210mm F 3 5 SP CF Macro Lens Requires Adaptall \| eBay

09-16-2015, 05:52 PM - 1 Like	#23
SpectrumDisorder New Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 2	19ah I have had several of the Adaptall lenses over the last several years, and the 19AH is my favorite. In fact, this lens is something special. I use it on an A7, shoot raw, and am blown away by the contrast and colors. It saves me so much time in post, it's ridiculous. Not only is this my favorite Adaptall, it shares the podium of my top two lenses with a Zeiss that is worth 10x's what this lens cost me. It might not be as sharp as my Bokina, but when I reach into my bag for a portrait shooter, this lens comes out. If I ever get divorced, I will probably marry this lens.

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08-20-2015, 02:32 PM	#16
pacerr Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Paris, TN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,349	Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Originally posted by ZombieArmy . . .these lenses are actually sort of exciting to look into. And like many others, the good ones are very satisfying, and enlightening, to use too. LBA reigns supreme.

08-20-2015, 02:32 PM	#17
phc9 New Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 2	My experience... 24mm f2.5 01B - good 35-70mm f3.5 17A - very good 35-80mm f2.8-3.5 SP 01 - highly rated but I prefer my 17A (better contrast & ergonomics). Needs a hood but front element rotates so can't easily use a petal one 35-80mm f2.8-3.5 QZ-35M - sharp, I think I prefer mine to my SP 01 but that is probably just liking the underdog 35-135mm f3.5-4.5 40A - tests well, not managed any good pictures in the field yet. Heavy 60-300 f3.8-... SP 23A - I can't get mine into macro despite reading lots of advice. But very good and focuses close anyway. (obviously) big and heavy 70-150 f3.5 QZ-150M - good, nice ergonomics & mine is better than my 20AB 70-150 f3.5 20AB - nice ergonomics, ok with increased contrast in PP 80-210 f3.8-4 103A - good 90mm f2.5 52B - has done ok but my copy doesn't seem great. Heavy (not in the same league as my sigma 105) 135mm f2.5 03B - good 300mm f5.6 SP 54B - sharp, light but bad flare I have a few PKA adapters and 1 is unreliable but the PK and M42 versions are fine. The QZ lenses have A/M switches. The choice of PK vs M42 mount lets you choose easy focus (PK mount - held open for focus, stop down to meter) vs easy metering (M42 mount, meters in Av). ---------- Post added 08-20-15 at 10:39 PM ---------- Sorry for the formatting - Firefox on Ubuntu, can't get newlines to register when I post.

08-20-2015, 02:47 PM	#18
pacerr Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Paris, TN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,349	For Q users: The Adaptall - Q adapter offers some interesting and convenient options -- for $20 it's a good accessory if you have Adaptall lenses -- especially the longer ones - although you can get to the same place via the PK adapters. Consider a 4.5 or 5.5 crop factor with such as the 500mm mirror lens! Can be impressive at 2800mm if you're careful.

08-20-2015, 04:09 PM	#19
Doundounba Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Montréal QC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,351	Originally posted by marcusBMG - 01A YES YES YES but check condition carefully its prone to mechanical wear particularly (complicated mechanics) and there are some old beaters out there. Check out Doundounba's macro pics here on PF in combo with 01F 2x tc and diopter. Availability: medium. Cost: $20 to 100+ Hey, that's me! Thanks! Indeed, I've gotten, if I may say so myself, great results from the 01A+01F combo, which gives you a 70-160mm zoom with 1:1.25 macro capabilities. I have found this setup is incredibly sharp with very vivid colors. I've used it mostly with a Raynox diopter for flash macro. It will do about 1.5:1 with a Raynox DCR-250. My experience in using this combo as a plain tele zoom has been less stellar however, and my hunch is that lenses like this one or the 17A with a very bulbous front element really need a good hood, and shooting into any kind of light is perhaps not ideal... I've also now acquired a 52BB 90mm F/2.5 Macro, and though it's growing on me, I wasn't wowed by it like I was by the 01A. It does give a sensor reflection which is more and more noticeable as the aperture value increases. You could probably use it for portrait, but for macro, it's a no go for me. Because of that I only use it with the 01F 2X tele-converter for a 180mm 1:1 macro, and that takes care of sensor reflection. The result is heavy but nice enough, and because of the 180mm, it can reach quite high magnification by just slapping a Raynox DCR-250 on top of it, and this can avoid me a lens swap when I spot a nice jumping spider while I'm out shooting dragonflies... Kind of a poor man's Sigma 180mm... Last edited by Doundounba; 08-20-2015 at 05:46 PM.

08-20-2015, 05:37 PM	#20
pacerr Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Paris, TN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,349	Originally posted by Doundounba Kind of a poor man's Sigma 180mm... Or a 'rich man's' bargain.

09-03-2015, 02:10 PM	#22
pacerr Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Paris, TN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,349	A nice 'pointer'. Those of us that have used Adaptall SP lenses know they're high quality (if you can forego bitchin' about AF and do a little bit of work in PP to correct pre-Di coatings). One-third the cost of the later AF lenses and the lack of information about macro/close-up and tele uses often negates the great cost differential for tose on a budget.

09-29-2015, 05:05 AM	#24
pleo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamburg Posts: 116	having had many and still have some adaptall-lenses: 2.5/28: good sharpness on dslr 28-70: 2 different lenses! 62mm filter is much better than the later 52 or 55mm version. No exceptional sharpness but very constant IQ over all apertures and focal lengths. Very low distortion! SP 28-80: much better lens than the 28-70! Better build quality too. 35-135: not used on dslr.... good IQ on film slr, quite heavy, focus/zoom ring a bit stiff, there are 2 different versions - I had the lens with an additional macro-ring for enlarging the distance of the glass elements. 2.8/35-105 : not the same mechanical quality as the older adaptall-lenses (mine was weak) 2.5/90: 2 different versions! the first full metall and superb build quality, Macro lens: full opened not that sharp (good for portraits though!) but constantly increasing sharpness even at F 16! The newer one has a more plastiky body and a plastic window over the distance scale. 2.8/90: better lens when you're looking for a short tele that's very good even at 2.8. Love it for the IQ! Build quality far from the first 2.5/90.... :-( 3.8/70-210: good sharpness, low contrast, lightweight but long telezoom with very good IQ at short distances! Not used on dslr.... SP 3.5/70-210: very good build quality but optical problems on dslr - very good on film slr though. Sold it due to handling issues on Pentax Ds.... you need a bigger handgrip to hold: very long and heavy... SP 5.6/300 macro: my favourite because sharpness is better than every xx-300 AF-Zoom I tried. Good build qulity and nevertheless quite lightweight. Good handling. Look for it!

09-30-2015, 01:11 PM	#25
dsmithhfx Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Toronto Posts: 5,144	I've had a 24 2.5 for a couple of years, and a 135 2.8 for just over a year, which I've been using on my spotmatic (both lenses have the BBAR multi-coating, not sure of the model numbers). Very pleased with both, though I use the 24 a whole lot more, as I tend to favor wide-angle shots over the alternatives. I like the built-in hood on the 135, just need to remember it's there!