[creampuff]

Here's some shots taken recently with the Pentax FA 135mm f/2.8.
A focal length that is great for subject isolation.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/54864-two-cats-rooster.html

[fwcetus]

[gofour3]

Wow that’s quite the collection! I don’t recognize the one second from the right, what is it? I agree the 135mm is a great focal length, which one of yours do you like the best?

[Illuwatar]

Ya Can't Have Too Many 135's ...

I agree - one Takumar 135/2.5 on the way...

[Class A]

Could be sharper but I haven't complained for what I paid for it.

I am disappointed with my Pentax M135/3.5. Beautiful piece of equipment and a joy to handle, but sharp it is not.

My experience is confirmed by these Tests of Classic Pentax Lenses. The (low) resolution figures for the telephoto lenses demonstrate that, in this era, manufacturers struggled to produce sharp telephoto lenses.

Don't know what the technological breakthrough was but my Tammy 18-250 is sharper and more contrasty at 135mm then my M135/3.5.

[Jonson PL]

My original thinking was, on a backpacking trick or other travel, it would be a lot easier to carry around a 135 and some primes, rather than a great big zoom like the Tammy.

I've considered a 135 mm for hiking as well.


I also heard that the Takumar 135/3.5 should be very good.

[Marc Sabatella]

I am disappointed with my Pentax M135/3.5. Beautiful piece of equipment and a joy to handle, but sharp it is not.

My experience is confirmed by these Tests of Classic Pentax Lenses. The (low) resolution figures for the telephoto lenses demonstrate that, in this era, manufacturers struggled to produce sharp telephoto lenses.

Don't know what the technological breakthrough was but my Tammy 18-250 is sharper and more contrasty at 135mm then my M135/3.5.

Hmm, could be your copy of the 135 is unusually bad. My 135 outperforms my 50-200, which is at its best around that focal length and presumably performs at least as well as the 18-250.

[Cambo]

I don't usually repost photos, but for that I'll make an exception. Very VERY nice, man. Especially that A*135 - sweeeeet! Wish they'd bring THAT one back as a DA*...

Or better yet, a limited.

Nice set'o'glass, man! Which one do you like best?

Cheers,
Cameron

[fwcetus]

Wow that’s quite the collection! I don’t recognize the one second from the right, what is it?

That's the Takumar Bayonet 135/"2.5" (really f/2.8), a budget lens that is not as good as some of the others there, but does provide a lot of "bang for the buck" if you can find one at a good price (and, if you can stand the silly colors on the barrel - <g>).

I agree the 135mm is a great focal length, which one of yours do you like the best?

Nice set'o'glass, man! Which one do you like best? Cheers,
Cameron

The one I likeD the best ~was~ the A* 135/1.8, but (due to its size, and due to its worth) I didn't carry and use it as much as the K 135/2.5 (which I liked almost as much actually, which I've called the "Poor Man's A* 135/1.8" for years, and which was more likely to be in the kit bag), so the 135/1.8 "has moved on"... (Although, I am now frustrated with the green-button metering on my K20D, so that my A lenses are looking better and better...)