[Papa_Joe]

I support the recommendation for the M 35/2.8.
Espescially when working with prefocus, you are allready stopped down to f8. Then it is amazing sharp.
Contrast and colors are the usual of the Pentax SMC M-series, i.e. very nice.
To stop down to f4 is recommended.

Prices are slightly above EUR 100,- here in Germany. It is not a budget lens. When the 35mm M was on the market, the standard wide angel prime focal length had moved from 35 mm to 28 mm. So you find a lot of 28/2.8 but a 35/2.8 is a rare lens. I would even suggest finding a 35/2.0 (around 200 EUR) is easier.

If you just want to try the focal length you might buy a third party 35/2.8 which then were still sold for the thrifty customers with third party cameras. Such as Chinon, Ricoh, Cosina or Vivitar. But they are also quite seldom and I would rate their performance lower then the one of the Pentax M 35/2.8.

The Revueflex variant of the Chinon 35/2.8 might be an alternative here in Germany. But I guess they are not available in the UK.

P.S.: For trying the focal length you might also buy a zoom like a 35-70 or a 28-70. They are probably cheaper and easier to come by then a 35 mm prime.
Something like this one: https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/tokina-mf-28-70mm-f3-5-4-5-sz-x-270-sd.html

---

Last edited by Papa_Joe; 02-02-2023 at 03:26 AM.

[kypfer]

@BenwayB Good point - it would mostly be for street photography in daylight conditions so it would be stopped down most of the time, wide open performance isn't important. Budget is around £50-100 and not too big - just want to test out that focal length for a bit and see how I find it compared to the 28 and 50. Resolution probably isn't too important since I'll be using it on 400 speed film.

At which point I re-iterate my suggestion for the Soligor 35mm f/2.8 in T2 mount … mine cost less than £10 including p&p only a few months ago

[jersey]

If you are not against adapters then CZJ Flektogon 35mm on M42 mount is very nice lens.

[UncleVanya]

Hello, I'm doing some street photography using a Pentax MX and I'm looking for 35mm lens - I've been using the Pentax-M 28/3.5 and 50/1.4 but I'm feeling like I want to try something in between these two focal lengths. Any recommendations that would be good for street photography from either Pentax or other brands? I'm mostly using 400 speed film.

Thanks!

35mm on a 35mm film camera is a classic focal length for street photography. The m series lenses are nice and small and smooth as butter - but for zone focusing any lens that has a focusing scale and depth of field scale can be used. Realistically it’s more about what physical feeling you want and the specific rendering desired.

Lastly 30mm or 40mm are also excellent options with good field of view to showcase street subjects.

[tonyzoc]

I'd agree that the 35/2.8 (or 2.0 if you want to spend 3x as much) is a must have lens. At the tele end... The 100/4 Macro is a good lens but be aware it has an issue with coating degeneration. The 100/2.8, 120/2.8, 135/3.5, 150/3.5 and 200/4 are all good lenses that can usually be found under $100. I especially like the SMC Pentax 135/2.5 (earlier K mounts not the later version). The 80mm f/2.0 M is a nice compact lens but will run in the $300 (although I recently picked one up from Japan for under $200).

For zooms...
I like to 40-80/2.8-4 because it's decent optically and you can find them under $30 all day. The 35-70/2.8-3.5 is maybe the best M zoom... If you're lucky you can find a decent one for under $100. Also I like the 80-200/4.5. It soft wide open at 200mm but stopped down to f/8 it performs well...especially with film.
I do have a 24-50A and a 28-50M but I don't use them much. The zoom rings can get a bit stiff with age and both lenses are slow and present a dark viewfinder image.

I didn't mention the 20/4 M or K and the 24/2.8 K. All are good and worth picking up if you have a need for wider than 28mm. The 15mm and 18mm lenses are overpriced and you can get to those viewing angles cheaper and better quality with digital.

[Ranger2022]

Thanks for the recommendations, I'm probably going to go with the Pentax M 35/f2.8. I've seen a few for a decent price and I've had good experiences buying older Pentax glass in the past (got the 28/f3.5, 50/f1.4, 100/f2.8, 135/f3.5, 200/f4 and 75-150/f4 all M series so far).

[MossyRocks]

I really like my K 35/2. It isn't exactly small but that is a really nice lens and is crazy good. Of the 35mm lenses I have used I probably like it the best, the others that I own or have owned were the DA 35/2.4 which I just never liked but that was a preference thing and the DA 35/2.8 limited macro which I like enough to keep but like the old K 35/2 more. That is just preference in how they render and not specific technical reason.

[Papa_Joe]

Thanks for the recommendations, I'm probably going to go with the Pentax M 35/f2.8. I've seen a few for a decent price and I've had good experiences buying older Pentax glass in the past (got the 28/f3.5, 50/f1.4, 100/f2.8, 135/f3.5, 200/f4 and 75-150/f4 all M series so far).

That is a very nice range of lenses! Suited for nearly everything.

The M series is good when you are on a budget. I built up a quite similar set (100/2.8 still missing ) and no lens costed more then 49,- EUR in near mint condition.
Except the 35/2.8 which I bought new in the 1980s.

[Smolk]

I've owned the M 2.8/35mm for years and i would never buy it again. Bland.
Of the few lenses I tried I actually preferred the 645 A 3.5/35mm via adaptor, then the M 3.5/24-35mm zoom (surprisingly). Over the M 2.0/35mm, 2.8 and a standard zoom.
But the FA 1.8/31mm is of course to be preferred, or else the 2.0 or 3.5 28mm lenses. I have all three. The 3.5 is very affordable and very good. The others are special.

[BenwayB]

I've owned the M 2.8/35mm for years and i would never buy it again. Bland.
Of the few lenses I tried I actually preferred the 645 A 3.5/35mm via adaptor, then the M 3.5/24-35mm zoom (surprisingly). Over the M 2.0/35mm, 2.8 and a standard zoom.
But the FA 1.8/31mm is of course to be preferred, or else the 2.0 or 3.5 28mm lenses. I have all three. The 3.5 is very affordable and very good. The others are special.

I share your experience... like mentioned in one of my first posts here.

Go for the 35mm 2.8, if you like to - but be prepared, not to find "a new favorite lens".
;-)

The FA 31 is the only lens mentioned here, I have no experience with. Sure, it is wonderful on film!

I still recommend the Lydith 30 :-)

It is cheap... and following your budget, maybe even possible together with the Pentax 35 2.8 ;-)

[ChrisPlatt]

The SMC Pentax (K) 35/2.0 is very good. -M/A 35/2.0 lenses are also good. All are pricey today.

Every example of the -M35/2.8 and -A35/2.8 I have owned eventually suffered from sticky aperture defect, requiring professional service.
My very similar XR Rikenon 35/2.8 failed likewise as well. I would avoid any of these lenses.

I have a K 35mm f/3.5 that server that serves me well.

The SMC Pentax (K) 35/3.5 is excellent. If you don't mind the slightly slower speed this one is your best bet.

Chris

[AsahiRaccoon]

Could be an option but I wonder if zone focusing might be a bit tricky to gauge with a 40mm?

Shouldn't be a problem as long as you are stopping down to f/8 and or smaller. One of my favourite street photography camera is a Rollei 35 with a 40mm f3.5.

---------- Post added 02-02-23 at 10:33 PM ----------

I'd agree that the 35/2.8 (or 2.0 if you want to spend 3x as much) is a must have lens. At the tele end... The 100/4 Macro is a good lens but be aware it has an issue with coating degeneration. The 100/2.8, 120/2.8, 135/3.5, 150/3.5 and 200/4 are all good lenses that can usually be found under $100. I especially like the SMC Pentax 135/2.5 (earlier K mounts not the later version). The 80mm f/2.0 M is a nice compact lens but will run in the $300 (although I recently picked one up from Japan for under $200).

For zooms...
I like to 40-80/2.8-4 because it's decent optically and you can find them under $30 all day. The 35-70/2.8-3.5 is maybe the best M zoom... If you're lucky you can find a decent one for under $100. Also I like the 80-200/4.5. It soft wide open at 200mm but stopped down to f/8 it performs well...especially with film.
I do have a 24-50A and a 28-50M but I don't use them much. The zoom rings can get a bit stiff with age and both lenses are slow and present a dark viewfinder image.

I didn't mention the 20/4 M or K and the 24/2.8 K. All are good and worth picking up if you have a need for wider than 28mm. The 15mm and 18mm lenses are overpriced and you can get to those viewing angles cheaper and better quality with digital.

I like the 40-80mm f2.8-4 myself too. It is one of the reason I don't get the sometimes over-priced 40mm f2.8 (<-- a good lens itself, but IMO more like a collector item, it does make a compact M-series body even smaller!)

---------- Post added 02-02-23 at 10:37 PM ----------

Hello, I'm doing some street photography using a Pentax MX and I'm looking for 35mm lens - I've been using the Pentax-M 28/3.5 and 50/1.4 but I'm feeling like I want to try something in between these two focal lengths. Any recommendations that would be good for street photography from either Pentax or other brands? I'm mostly using 400 speed film.

Thanks!

And of course, 35mm is always a class focal length, for photojournalists in the past too (before it was replaced by 24-70mm f2.8). At f/8, you get plenty of DOF and should have a reasonably fast shutter speed for handheld, providing you are shooting ISO400 (like Tri-X, HP5+, or the more economical Kentmere 400). Veterans photojournalists used to have a saying "f/8 and be there".

[yucatanPentax]

If you'll be doing zone focusing for street photography, stopped down for more depth of focus, the (K) SMC Pentax 35mm F3.5 would be a good fit and less expensive than many other lenses. It's quite a good lens. (Check the reviews) Sharp, small, easy handling.

There are many, many fine points to all the lenses already mentioned. But if a lens is going to be stopped down anyway to 5.6 or 8 or even 11 (?), then using a larger, faster lens may be overkill. That's not to criticize any recommendations or the fine lenses. I was just thinking of the main purpose mentioned.

On a side note, I have a Vivitar 35mm f/2.5 TX lens, which was mentioned earlier. Although it doesn't have glowing reviews here on PF, I found it perfectly suitable for use 40+ years ago when I was shooting Tri-X 400 and various color slide films.

[Jonathan Mac]

The best two K-mount 35mm lenses that I have used are the M 35/2 and the Ricoh Rikenon 35/2.8 (the version which is not a re-badged M 35/2.8). The M 35/2 would be easier to find but likely more expensive and if you can live without the extra stop the f/2.8 version is on a par regarding sharpness though overall image quality (contrast, colour, rendering) may not be quite as good. If you go for an M 35/2.8 then check the aperture blades for oil as a common complaint is that they gum up.

However, despite it being a relatively recent acquisition, the Rikenon 35/2.8 I have found to be absolutely superb. At f/2.8 I think it's the sharpest FF manual 35mm I've ever used but it also excels in colour, contrast and rendering and is very well built. They are rare and hard to find though, but then few know about them so maybe that will keep prices down. Again, it's important to note this is the copy that is not a re-badged Pentax M lens.

The K 35/3.5 is a good lens though a little too slow for general use for me, but if you generally stop down anyway and don't need a super-bright viewfinder to focus then it may be a good option.

For something available new the HD FA 35/2 is sharp wide open and the feel of the manual focus is good for an AF lens, though it won't fit within your budget.

There's an M 35/2.8 for sale here at a price that's not too bad: https://realcamera.co.uk/product/35mm-f-2-8-smc-pentax-m-lens-for-film-camera-caps-case/

[Smolk]

And if you have enough money:

The Pentax FA 43 Limited

I second this. People seem to fare differently with this lens, but I love mine, enough to keep it alongside the DFA* 1.4/50mm which is superb.The 43mm just has something going for it.
And if you don't like it, the Limiteds retain their resale value. This one is a lot cheaper than the 31mm I mentioned above.

I never tried the FA 35mm. For your MX, the K 3.5/35mm might be good. I guess you would want to stop down for street photography anyway, and it's reputation is stellar. It's also not that expensive.