[davy5toes]

Hi all, as the title suggests I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations regards a cheap vintage wide angle lens to mount on my k5. I've been watching YouTube and so far I've come up with a Konica hexinon 28mm f3.5 (unsure if it will fit on my k5). The reason I ask for vintage is firstly I'm on a very tight budget and secondly it'll obviously be manual focus but for landscapes it makes no difference. Another possibility was an Olympus I'm 28mm f3.5 but again I'm unsure of whether it'll fit. Any help would be extremely appreciated.

[bertwert]

Hi all, as the title suggests I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations regards a cheap vintage wide angle lens to mount on my k5. I've been watching YouTube and so far I've come up with a Konica hexinon 28mm f3.5 (unsure if it will fit on my k5). The reason I ask for vintage is firstly I'm on a very tight budget and secondly it'll obviously be manual focus but for landscapes it makes no difference. Another possibility was an Olympus I'm 28mm f3.5 but again I'm unsure of whether it'll fit. Any help would be extremely appreciated.

First off, neither of those are going to fit your K-5, they need to be K-mount. And I recommend, for ease of use, finding at least an 'A' lens.

What sort of budget do you have - and you're looking for around 28mm I presume?

Looking at your profile, it looks as though you have the 18-55 kit lens, I suggest stopping it down to f/11 and try some shots there while you search as well...

[Apet-Sure]

Welcome to the forum davy5toes. Nice of you to join us.

On 35mm film cameras and full frame DSLRs a 28mm lens is considered to be wide angle since a 50mm lens gives you a 'normal' field of view. On a APS-c sensor camera like the K-5, 28mm is only slightly wider than the 'normal' field of view rendered by a 'standard' lens in the 30-35mm range. The 'crop factor' of an APS-c camera is 1.5. In practice this means that to equate lenses designed for a full frame field of view camera you have to divide focal length by 1.5 to get an APS-c equivalent. For instance, a 50mm lens is 'standard' on FF. For an APS-c camera, 50mm divided by 1.5 = 33.33mm. For an APS-c equivalent FOV to a 28mm lens on a FF camera: 28mm/1.5 = 18mm. This explains why your 18-55mm lens has the focal length range that it has.

There are some respectable 28mm lenses available for $100 or less on average, such as this one: SMC Pentax-A 28mm F2.8 Reviews - A Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database I'm just not sure they will be wide enough for landscape shots, depending on how much field of view you want to capture.

[StarTroop]

There are plenty of decent and cheap vintage 28mms for k-mount or m42 mount (you'll need an adaptor for m42 lenses, though). Even the Pentax brand ones will be quite affordable, and they'll likely have better coatings than any lens from any other brand at the time. There are also a bunch of different Vivitar 28mm lenses made for k-mount, with varying qualities, but the lens database here and the Vivitar 28mm bestiary are good resources for judging which ones are a good value.

I'll disagree with the previous post and say that you don't need an A lens, because you're not gonna need to change aperture frequently anyway, and its not worth the extra cost when you're on such a tight budget. I will agree, though, that the kit zoom from 18-28mm at f/8 or 11 should be quite good already, and any cheap vintage prime may not be noticeably better at all once you've stopped down that far.

[davy5toes]

First off, neither of those are going to fit your K-5, they need to be K-mount. And I recommend, for ease of use, finding at least an 'A' lens.

What sort of budget do you have - and you're looking for around 28mm I presume?

Looking at your profile, it looks as though you have the 18-55 kit lens, I suggest stopping it down to f/11 and try some shots there while you search as well...

Thanks for your response bertwert, looking 24-28mm (possibly longer). To be honest the kit lens lacks sharpness and I'm shooting landscapes.

---------- Post added 04-13-20 at 12:33 PM ----------

Welcome to the forum davy5toes. Nice of you to join us.

On 35mm film cameras and full frame DSLRs a 28mm lens is considered to be wide angle since a 50mm lens gives you a 'normal' field of view. On a APS-c sensor camera like the K-5, 28mm is only slightly wider than the 'normal' field of view rendered by a 'standard' lens in the 30-35mm range. The 'crop factor' of an APS-c camera is 1.5. In practice this means that to equate lenses designed for a full frame field of view camera you have to divide focal length by 1.5 to get an APS-c equivalent. For instance, a 50mm lens is 'standard' on FF. For an APS-c camera, 50mm divided by 1.5 = 33.33mm. For an APS-c equivalent FOV to a 28mm lens on a FF camera: 28mm/1.5 = 18mm. This explains why your 18-55mm lens has the focal length range that it has.

There are some respectable 28mm lenses available for $100 or less on average, such as this one: SMC Pentax-A 28mm F2.8 Reviews - A Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database I'm just not sure they will be wide enough for landscape shots, depending on how much field of view you want to capture.

Good point apet-sure, I'm not really going to benefit a great deal. Thanks for your input and warm welcome.

---------- Post added 04-13-20 at 12:34 PM ----------

There are plenty of decent and cheap vintage 28mms for k-mount or m42 mount (you'll need an adaptor for m42 lenses, though). Even the Pentax brand ones will be quite affordable, and they'll likely have better coatings than any lens from any other brand at the time. There are also a bunch of different Vivitar 28mm lenses made for k-mount, with varying qualities, but the lens database here and the Vivitar 28mm bestiary are good resources for judging which ones are a good value.

I'll disagree with the previous post and say that you don't need an A lens, because you're not gonna need to change aperture frequently anyway, and its not worth the extra cost when you're on such a tight budget. I will agree, though, that the kit zoom from 18-28mm at f/8 or 11 should be quite good already, and any cheap vintage prime may not be noticeably better at all once you've stopped down that far.

Wise wise words stormtroop, makes a lot of sense. Many thanks and very much appreciated

[vector]

My personal recommendation would be to get a tripod if you don't already have one before spending on more lenses. I shot a lot with the kit lens before I got better primes and to be honest using a tripod improved my landscape photography more than the lenses did. Most of my landscape images are shot around F8 and while corner sharpness does improve with better lenses, the lighting, framing, and subject matter way more. I personally find using a tripod helps my process and gives me the option for longer exposures that allow creativity that isn't possible handheld.

[johnyates]

cheap vintage wide angle lens to mount on my k5

Keep your eye out for a Sigma 24mm 2.8. I'm very pleased with mine.

[davy5toes]

My personal recommendation would be to get a tripod if you don't already have one before spending on more lenses. I shot a lot with the kit lens before I got better primes and to be honest using a tripod improved my landscape photography more than the lenses did. Most of my landscape images are shot around F8 and while corner sharpness does improve with better lenses, the lighting, framing, and subject matter way more. I personally find using a tripod helps my process and gives me the option for longer exposures that allow creativity that isn't possible handheld.

Great advice vector, I already own a tripod but can't help being sucked into the "sharpness obsession club". Many thanks vector

---------- Post added 04-13-20 at 02:24 PM ----------

Keep your eye out for a Sigma 24mm 2.8. I'm very pleased with mine.

Will do exactly that johnyates, thank you for that.

[vector]

My second piece of advice: given that the field of view that most seem to desire for landscape is on the wider end and most vintage lenses are for 35mm, you might be better off looking for a deal on a used Tamron 17-50mm F2.8 zoom. It is markedly better than the kit lens, not too expensive, and gives you wide angle and some telephoto capability. I see there is one on our favorite auction site right now for $128 plus shipping.

[davy5toes]

My second piece of advice: given that the field of view that most seem to desire for landscape is on the wider end and most vintage lenses are for 35mm, you might be better off looking for a deal on a used Tamron 17-50mm F2.8 zoom. It is markedly better than the kit lens, not too expensive, and gives you wide angle and some telephoto capability. I see there is one on our favorite auction site right now for $128 plus shipping.

Funnily enough vector I have a one I'm watching on eBay now. I'm in the UK so I will incur tax duty and more expensive postal charge. Can't thank you enough for checking that out for me though.

[kypfer]

For a manual focus lens at a "reasonable" price you'll do well with one of my favourites, the Tamron Adaptall-2 28mm f/2.5 #02B. The PKA adaptor obviously makes life a little easier, but if your happy working in manual the "ordinary" PK adaptors are somewhat cheaper. The wider angle Adaptall-2 lenses still command a premium price, but the 28mm seems to have been popular enough for there to be plenty around
After that, the Pentax-M 28mm f/2.8 is usually inexpensive, or you'll probably find a Sigma or Vivitar within budget. A lens-hood is often an investment with these older lenses, also, as you're using manual focus, you can use an "old-fashioned" linear polariser ,which are usually much cheaper these days than a circular polariser
Enjoy

[johnyates]

I'm in the UK

I bought my Sigma 24mm from a company in the UK--Ffordes Photographic and would buy from them again. Pentax Fit | Ffordes Photographic

[GUB]

I have a range of Pentax 28mm from the Takumar thread mounts ( S-M-C/Super Takumar 28mm F3.5 Reviews - M42 Screwmount Wide-Angle Primes - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database ) through to the A series Pentax. I have compared them and the A series seems to be slightly ahead in IQ. The Takumar Bayonets ( Non-SMC Pentax Prime Lenses - Reviews and Specifications - SLR and Interchangeable Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database ) are of the same era as the "A" and perform almost as well and can be real "bang for buck" because they get bad press. The M 28 2.8 with the silver ring is the only Pentax to avoid. ( SMC Pentax-M 28mm F2.8 Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database )
As far as wider lenses I have not found a vintage lens with good enough performance to beat a couple of 28mm shots stitched. Of course there are situations where this doesn't work.

[ramseybuckeye]

I’m of the opinion that any vintage k- mount prime will do, A setting even better. Any focal length is useful for landscapes, and primes are generally better than zooms, especially in vintage lenses. You have a few suggestions for a 24mm, if you can find one in your prices range that’s good, they are normally very good because they were never cheap. But you can take good landscapes at any focal length!

[DWS1]

I use this one SMC Pentax-A 28mm F2.8 Reviews - A Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database on a K50 and K70 and like it very much. It's not very expensive. Also, I don't normally like ultra wide landscape shots. I would rather do a series merged into a panoramic. 28mm is too wide for me on a 35mm film or FF camera. About right on a crop sensor.