[gifthorse]

My first choice would be the Komine built Vivitar 28mm f2 'close focus'

[cyberjunkie]

My first choice would be the Komine built Vivitar 28mm f2 'close focus'

Beautiful pictures!
A great example of the results we can achieve using almost unknown lenses.
Apart from the obvious competence of the photographer, I noticed one thing.
IIRC, recently I read a comment about this very same lens, that reported good performance, but also a strong coma.
The night sky pics are not at very high resolution, so it's quite difficult to judge, though what I see are star trails, not comet-shaped points at the periphery of the image.
All this reminds me that vintage lenses can be judged by the performance of a good example (there no magic stroke of luck at the assembly line that turns a bad optic into something special), but not evaluated on the basis of a single bad example.
I'm happy to share my appreciation for a lens that performs much better than my original expectations. I tend to reserve my judgement when it's the other way round.
An old lens can underperform for non-obvious reasons... I mean, if nothing from the outside shows traces of damage.
It's not so common, but it happened to me a few times

[wtlwdwgn]

My first choice would be the Komine built Vivitar 28mm f2 'close focus'.

The lens also produces a nice pinpoint "star" as in the Milky Way image in the upper right.

[mannyquinto]

My favorite is the cosina 55 f1.2 and soligor 20 f2.8 for bokeh. For macro, it would be the vivitar 55 and tokina 90 "bokina". For portraits, its the vivitar 85 f1.4 similar to the samyang and the pentax version of the cosina 100 f3.5 - fa100 f3.5( yep, cheated a bit). Oh, forgot about the sigma 30 which I also use a lot for environment portraits.

[Ishpuini]

Right now my favourite 3rd party must be the Samyang 16/2. Most used 3rd party is probably the Sigma EX180/3.5 macro, but the Samyang is catching up fast.

Before the advent of the Samyangs, my most used 3rd party lenses were all Sigma I think (both of them), the second one being the 8-16. However, I always had a lot of other options for UWA (Zenitar 16, DA10-17, DA15/4), but only one for long macro. And since I to travel rain forest destinations quite frequently, where a 180mm macro can really shine, the Sigma EX180 has always and will always keep its dedicated place in my bag. Until I get my hands on a FA*200/4 macro that is (=probably never)...

The Samyang 16/2 has changed the wide angle story considerably. It enabled me to push my DA*16-50/2.8 out of the bag from time to time, replacing it by the DA20-40 I like much more. 16mm being a favourite FoV of mine on APS-C, the Samyang 16/2 often spends extended periods of time on my camera. This however may change soon again when the DA*11-18/2.8 becomes available...

Wim

[bassek]

Sigma EX 180 macro and Sigma EX 15-30. Both are used far too little due to bulky size; often seem to be replaced by M100/4 (or F35-135 when AF is required) and DA21ltd...

Seb

[gaweidert]

Though I haven't used it in awhile my old Tamron Adaptall-2 70-210 mm f/3.5 lens one touch zoom lens was my favorite for years. It handles like a dream, has very good image quality and is so responsive that it as fast as a lot of modern AF lenses once you learn how to use it. Being f3.5 makes it much smaller than it's f2.8 counterpart. At one time it was considered the best zoom lens available. .


My Sigma 300mm f2.8 is a great performer too.


My Rokinon 105mm f2.8 Macro and my Rokinon 20mm f1.8 lenses also see frequent use.


My Sigma 17-70 is the main walk around lens for my K3.


On my K1 it is mostly my Pentax D FA 28-105, Pentax D FA 15--450 and Tamron 70-200 f2.8 lenses that see the most use.


My Pentax DA 55-300 WR gets a lot of use on both my K3 and K1 cameras. A full frame version of the PLM model would be awesome.

[Gary H Perth]

I also have the 52BB, a 52B (which I actually prefer) and the 01a. I’ve managed to acquire the hoods and cases for all three, 1.4x and 2x TC, and the 1:1 extension tube(s) for the Macros. So there are two of my treasured 3P K-mount (sort of) lenses.

The third is the Vivitar Series 1 90mm f/2.5 Macro with case and 1:1 Extension, AKA ‘Bokina’ In it’s Tokina iteration (though the Vivitar is the same lens). I have the PK mount version.

I’ll simply never sell those three lenses.

I have four third-party lenses that I use often in preference to my Pentax glass. Each of these has one or two features that rank it ahead of the Pentax lenses that I have for a particular purpose. Two of these are the Tamron 52B and 01A. The third is also an Adaptall2, the 23A (60-300mm f3.8-5.4). All three of these have better macro function than my corresponding Pentax lenses (the A 100mm f2.8 and DA limited smc 70mm, the new DA 16-85mm the M 80-200mm f4.5). If I am going out and expect to get good opportunities for close-ups, I will take one of these three, most likely the 90mm. Like the quoted user, I will never sell these Tamrons. These all have average review scores of 9, so are recognised as really good lenses.


My fourth star performer is the Tokina 17mm f3.5. I have had it for 30 years, previously used it on my Pentax LX with Fujichrome 50 and took some really amazing skyscapes/landscapes. Before my current system, I had a K-m with a Sigma 18-50 DC lens (I know, that's a drop in quality from the LX body), and I always carried the Tokina to get sharp and contrasty wide-angle shots. I am still trying to work out whether I will keep this or whether I can get as punchy a shot with the DA 16-85mm Pentax or my UWA zoom, the Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6.

If I am forced to choose one of these as my ultimate 3P lens, I would probably go for the 01A, but I would be struggling to be certain that I was fair to the others.

[ZombieArmy]

My trashed Tamron 17-50 is a 20 dollar lens with a story and I adore it. I treasure it because despite how it has a scratched front element, wobbly barrel and rubbing elements, it still produces the goods. I don't use it much anymore so it doesn't totally die but you can't do much better for the price. Just don't point it at the sun stopped down

[cyberjunkie]

Though I haven't used it in awhile my old Tamron Adaptall-2 70-210 mm f/3.5 lens one touch zoom lens was my favorite for years. It handles like a dream, has very good image quality and is so responsive that it as fast as a lot of modern AF lenses once you learn how to use it. Being f3.5 makes it much smaller than it's f2.8 counterpart. At one time it was considered the best zoom lens available. .

Yes, that zoom was well regarded in its time, and I'm sure it still performs at the same level of some consumer AF zooms.
I had the previous version with two rings at the time of the LX.
I bought the newer version (same as yours) some time ago because of its PK/A ring.
The vendor sold it for very cheap because he said there was some fungus inside.
Well... that vendor was very honest! The fungus was almost invisible.
The lens came with box, case, instructions, etc. and looked like new.
I was so impressed that I gave him my thai phone number and when he came here on vacation I invited him and his friends for dinner.
Now the ring sits on a Tamron 2.5/24mm, but I'm curious to check that 70-210mm. I will probably give it a spare M42 Adaptall-2 mount and test it on the K-1.
Maybe it will be the first MF zoom with 3x range to get fully approved
The old MF zooms I really like are all around 2x range.

[gaweidert]

Yes, that zoom was well regarded in its time, and I'm sure it still performs at the same level of some consumer AF zooms.
I had the previous version with two rings at the time of the LX.
I bought the newer version (same as yours) some time ago because of its PK/A ring.
The vendor sold it for very cheap because he said there was some fungus inside.
Well... that vendor was very honest! The fungus was almost invisible.
The lens came with box, case, instructions, etc. and looked like new.
I was so impressed that I gave him my thai phone number and when he came here on vacation I invited him and his friends for dinner.
Now the ring sits on a Tamron 2.5/24mm, but I'm curious to check that 70-210mm. I will probably give it a spare M42 Adaptall-2 mount and test it on the K-1.
Maybe it will be the first MF zoom with 3x range to get fully approved
The old MF zooms I really like are all around 2x range.

I purchased mine new back in the olden days. The lens is a dream to use. Here is a shot I posted 3 years ago. It was mounted on my K5. I really need to mount it on my K1 and give it a go.

[StarTroop]

My first choice would be the Komine built Vivitar 28mm f2 'close focus'

Wow, what a coincidence! I just picked up this exact lens at a show this past Sunday, and when I saw this thread I came here to sing its praises (despite the short time I've had with it.) I skipped ahead the last page wondering if anyone else had mentioned it, and the first thing I see is your post!

It's pretty soft and flare-y wide-open and focused to infinite, but focused in-close it's at least acceptably sharp, and tack sharp when stopped down. My research into this lens shows that it seems to have a minor cult following, so I feel quite lucky to have picked it up by chance at a good price. At the very least it fulfilled my desire for a fast 28mm, and cat close-up lens.

Glad to see I'm on the same wavelength as other photographers!

[Kim Coxon]

For the APS K3, it has to be the Sigma 8-16. If for no other reason than nothing in the Pentax range can go that wide without huge distortion.


For full frame, the Voightlander 125/2.5, and the 5 Zeiss lenses. (25/2.8, 28/2, 35/2, 85/1.4, 100/2). Love them for their image quality and the way they seem to render things differently from Pentax glass.

[cyberjunkie]

For full frame, the Voightlander 125/2.5, and the 5 Zeiss lenses. (25/2.8, 28/2, 35/2, 85/1.4, 100/2). Love them for their image quality and the way they seem to render things differently from Pentax glass.

You got some serious glasses!
I envy your Voigtlander. Not easy to find it in PKA mount.
The others can be found with a certain ease and leitax'ed. Outside my budget right now, unfortunately.
Always cared more for extreme bokeh and smooth rendering. Now I wouldn't mind trying a couple of lenses with top sharpness.
My Samyangs are quite close to that level, though Zeiss build is far better... and I love the look of the classic versions

[Pentax Mainer]

Tamron Adaptall-2 35-70mm F/3.5 Model 17A....one of my favorites for closeup and near macro...gives me as good results as my 52bb....my copy of this is excellent in condition.

Lester Dine 105mm f2.8 1:1 Macro....for a longer range macro I love this lens. My copy is near mint.

Tamron SP 90mm F/2.5 Macro Model 52B.....Still a favorite but has some quirks with light at smaller aps..

Tamron SP 70-210mm F/3.5 Model 19AH....For a telemacro I love it as well. This is another near mint copy...after buying two previous versions that were fungus junk.

Tamron SP 35-80mm F/2.8-3.8 Model 01A...was my favorite lens but is not as minty as the others and has developed some weird focus throw issues at times. But prefer the 17A now as that copy is excellent and is a joy to use.

All Adaptall lens have a PKA mount....

I only own one auto focus lens a sigma for walk around....