[Ephraim]

Hi there!
I got into the habit of adapting Pentax K mount lenses for Fuji X crop sensors...
I do not buy new equipment because photography is a weekend hobby for me, and used Fuji lenses cost like 90% of new which makes buying them a big no for me.

I would like to go wider than my current Vivitar K mount 28mm, perhaps 18 or 20mm? And stay within that "vintagy magical, premium build and cheap" even if not the sharpest.

I am looking particularly at the DA's, but I see there are problems with quality control with every second person, making a used buy a gamble? Also, what is the difference between the green and the red ones and of course, which WA DA is considered the "safest bet" ?

Of course, if you can recommend other K mount vintage WA lenses up to 250$ I would be thrilled to hear!

Mostly used in forestry and the desert, so you can imagine my ideas.
Again, character is the name of the game - I am not posting these in any newspaper, these are between me and my artist friends...


Thanks much

[pschlute]

I am looking particularly at the DA's, but I see there are problems with quality control with every second person, making a used buy a gamble?

I do not know where you are getting that information from but that is not correct.

Have a look here for lots of information on Pentax lenses. Pentax Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

When you adapt the lens for use on the Fuji do you lose control of the aperture mechanism ?

[VictorDA]

I understand you're looking for a prime lens.
Probably the most recommended UWA in Pentax land is the DA 15 Ltd (green one is the oldest, will be slightly cheaper and create better starbursts if that's your thing), but it will probably exceed your $250 budget (more like $400 I think).
The only cheaper option in Pentax brand I can think of is the M 20mm f/4 which can be found around $200.
There are a few 17mm fisheye and 18mm but these are much more rare and expensive.
There are probably also plenty of 3rd party options I'm not aware of. Check out the lens review here: Pentax Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database and Pentax Lenses by Sigma, Tamron, Zeiss, and more - Reviews and Specification Database - Pentax Lens Review Database

[Sandy Hancock]

Our member Pepperberry Farm is probably the resident expert on adapting Pentax primes to Fuji bodies. If he doesn't chime in, shoot him a PM.

I see there are problems with quality control with every second person, making a used buy a gamble

Where do you see that? DPReview, or a Fuji-specific website? It's not even remotely close to the truth; many old Pentax lenses are absolutely superb, and beautifully built. I have bought dozens of vintage Pentax lenses second-hand, and have yet to find a dud.

What is the difference between the green and the red ones

Green ring DA lenses have the original SMC coatings, while red ring DA lenses have the newer HD coatings. The latter have slightly better flare resistance, but it's not a deal breaker.

which WA DA is considered the "safest bet"?

As long as your adaptor allows setting of the aperture from the camera or adaptor, the green ring DA 15/4.0 Limited or 21/3.2 Limited would be my recommendation. They are tiny, built like tanks, and have rendering which is quite special. The old green ring versions give spectacular starbursts stopped down.

If you can recommend other K mount vintage WA lenses up to 250$ I would be thrilled to hear!

If aperture control from the camera or adaptor is not possible, then film era lenses will be your only option. The M 20/4.0 or K 24/3.5 are probably the best bets in your price range, but they are not easy to find.

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Last edited by Sandy Hancock; 02-03-2023 at 01:38 AM.

[wooly11]

Hi You need to buy Pentax lenses with an aperture ring to give control so you are really looking at K,M,A,F and Fa lenses unless you acquire a PK to X adapter that also gives aperture control however as said the Da lenses that you could then use would be out of your price range.

[Ephraim]

Guys thanks so much I am so happy I posted this!
My adapter does not have the control, but I can get an adapter that does for cheap - unless there's some hidden caveat to that, so that's not an issue.

Regarding the DA not being reliable, I am just taking that from the reviews page but it's good to know that that's not true!

So assuming I get the new adapter with the ring on it, will a DA21 be ok? I like how small it is, especially when you use an adapter already and that adds up, so it's important that the lens is small to begin with.

Also, I heard that the DA 10-17, when used at 17 on APS-C is just a nice wide angle 17. Could that be an option too or is the Prime 21 much better?

[Ephraim]

I see the DA's are quite expensive, but I can manage if they are really worth it. I will shell out the premium for them.

[Sandy Hancock]

I heard that the DA 10-17, when used at 17 on APS-C is just a nice wide angle 17. Could that be an option too or is the Prime 21 much better?[/B]

Because of its fisheye design, the DA 10-17/3.5-4.5 is actually wider at 17mm than the impressively rectilinear DA 15/4.0 Limited. There is still quite a bit of barrel distortion though, which is not to all tastes. Even when the image is de-fished in PP software, the angle of view is pretty much identical to the DA15.

The DA 21/3.2 Limited also has considerably more barrel distortion than the DA15, but that doesn't stop me loving the lens

[Fogel70]

There is also some cheap 3rd party manual focus lenses for Fuji. Usually below $200 new.

Meike optics 12/2.8
Meike optics 25/1.8
TT Artisan 17/1.4
TT Artisan 23/1.4
And possible several others...

They may not perform like best modern lenses, but may be alternatives to using vintage lenses.

[Ephraim]

Cool Fogel will check them out!

My only concern with the 21 is this:
Problems about DA 21mm focusing at infinity - Page 2 - PentaxForums.com

Being overseas, I can't return bad ones, and if that's common then I might look at the old SMC-M

[Papa_Joe]

Tokina RMC II is quite a decent lens as well. Needs to be stopped down.
Tokina RMC II 24mm F2.8 Lens Reviews - Tokina Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Or a Tokina 17/3.5 perhaps?
https://opticallimits.com/pentax/142-tokina-rmc-17mm-f35-review--lab-test-report?start=1

[kypfer]

I would like to go wider than my current Vivitar K mount 28mm, perhaps 18 or 20mm? And stay within that "vintagy magical, premium build and cheap" even if not the sharpest.
Of course, if you can recommend other K mount vintage WA lenses up to 250$ I would be thrilled to hear!

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6
Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 … often cheaper than the Pentax FAJ 18-35mm.
Tamron Adaptall-2 17mm f/3.5 with the appropriate PK/A adaptor


You could always fit an M42-PK adaptor into your PK-Fuji adaptor and try some M42 vintage glass.
Fujinon 19mm f/3.5
Fujinon 16mm f/2.8 fisheye
Peleng 8mm f/3.5 fisheye
Sigma 21-35mm f/3.5-4 … I believe this was available in PK as well, but I've not got one.


Enjoy

[pepperberry farm]

Our member Pepperberry Farm is probably the resident expert on adapting Pentax primes to Fuji bodies. If he doesn't chime in, shoot him a PM.

thank you, Sandy...

as far as adapting Pentax DA lenses, you lose aperture control (except with specific adapters) and autofocus - with the manual-focusing aids in Fuji bodies, buying second-hand manual focus lenses is a better/cheaper move....

there are no quality-control issues with DA lenses, only individual variations in production, so wherever you read that - stop reading it....

TTArtisan, 7Artisans, Laowa, and several others, are all making solid third-party, native-X-mount lenses in pretty much any focal length range you could ask for - I have the TT 23mm f1.4 and love it...

as far as adapting lenses, K&F seem to be making the best adapters with a compromise between price & quality...

I'd be looking at wider lenses by Nikon, Yashica, Olympus, and Minolta as other options as well....

[DeKay]

I have a Samyang 14mm 2.8 manual focus that I use for Astro photography. It is an awesome lens for the price.
Just checking the website now show that it is available in Fuji X Mount so no adapter required.
To be honest you can probably buy it new for the price of a second hand Pentax lens.
Just something to think about.

[ChristianRock]

I see the DA's are quite expensive, but I can manage if they are really worth it. I will shell out the premium for them.

They are cheap compared to native Fujifilm lenses....

But the best bet would be to get a Pentax body to use them. A used K-3 or K-70 is also priced about the same as an entry level Fujifilm used body and would give you a 24MP sensor and a lot of body controls.