Which Pentax lens for my Q?

**Mikesul** · 11-04-2014, 09:08 AM

Here is one from the 08.

Piotrek K · 11-04-2014, 09:21 AM

Thank you all - this part of the Forum is even more friendly then the whole one!

6BQ5 · 11-04-2014, 01:38 PM

Your options for the Q are limited but they aren't bad. Everyone has already listed what you can get native for the Q.

01 for a prime
02 for a general purpose zoom
03 for fun fisheye shots
06 for telephoto zoom
08 for wide angle.

The 04, 05, and 07 aren't worth much in my view. They are geared for lo-fi photography. I think it's better to start out with a sharp lens and image and make it fuzzy with filters and post processing.

hnikesch · 11-04-2014, 02:47 PM

For the price, get a used 02, they are easy to find and I believe underrated, I love mine, I have the 01, 02, 03, and 06 Because I have a great 1/1.7 sensor P&S my 06 gets the most use as I tend to use the P&S for the wide end that way I don't need to change lenses.

Piotrek K · 11-04-2014, 02:58 PM

It seems the 02 lenses are the cheapest ones from the bunch. /is this lens really comparable with prime lens?

**Mikesul** · 11-04-2014, 05:44 PM

Originally posted by Piotrek K

Thank you all - this part of the Forum is even more friendly then the whole one!

Yes I have always thought the Q forum was particularly helpful and friendly part of PentaxForums.

**dms** · 11-04-2014, 10:35 PM

I have the original Q and 01, 02 and 04 lens. And if you are not so much into long FL, I think the 01 and 02 is likely the most versatile combo--although for me the 04 and 02 work better so far.

Contrary to most posts, I really like the 04--but 35mm (FF equiv.) is my preferred FL. I set (taped) it to be always in focus for about 5ft to infinity, and it is always is in my jacket pocket. But I don't use the camera except w/ an optical finder--so my experience would not address the longer FL.

The 02 zoom--is actually better than the 04 at the same FL: both in (less) flare resistance, diffraction limited, and lens distortion. Except it is too large to carry the camera [w/ 02 mounted] in my pocket, and I don't care so much for the fact that I cannot set (tape) it to a typical hyperfocal distance.

The 01 is one I have hardly used, so far.

Oh--about purchasing lens w/ body or not--I think w/ the 01 and 02, at least for the Q, the camera is essentially free. I.e., purchasing the lens alone seems to make little sense--may as well get the original Q w/ the lens.

GibbyTheMole · 11-05-2014, 08:01 AM

Originally posted by hnikesch

For the price, get a used 02, they are easy to find and I believe underrated, I love mine,

I agree. My copy of the 02 is plenty sharp. It would be nice to have the faster 01 for low light conditions, but as far as IQ, I'm quite happy with the 02.

Originally posted by Piotrek K

It seems the 02 lenses are the cheapest ones from the bunch. /is this lens really comparable with prime lens?

Some will disagree, but in actual tests, the 01 & 02 have nearly identical image quality. The 01 is faster though, and you can get narrower depth of field with it.

The only native Q-mount lenses I currently have are the 02 & the 03 fisheye. The 03 fisheye is a big favorite of mine. The other lenses in my Q kit are a Russian M39-mount Industar-61 L/D 2.8/55, which is an excellent 308mm equivalent performer on the Q (It's also tiny and looks like it was made for the Q.) and a Pentax M 3.5/135mm tele, which is a whopping 756mm equivalent on the Q.

Nice thing about the Industar is that not only is it plenty sharp, but there is zero CA, even wide open. Pretty remarkable.

6BQ5 · 11-05-2014, 09:11 AM

I think the 01 is perceived as being sharper because of how it renders colors and contrast. The 01 seems more contrasty and vibrant than the 02. When I post process my shots from the 02 I usually bump up saturation, vibrancy, and contrast - just a bit of each. After that pixel peeping shows very similar results.

**Mikesul** · 11-05-2014, 09:27 AM

This is an interesting suggestion. I think I will give it a try. My 02s have gotten very little use.

**crewl1** · 11-05-2014, 10:47 PM

With the Q7 I think all of the available Q lenses get better.
See @hnikesch recent travel photos with the 02 and @Sandy Hancock recent concert photos for proof.
In the Pictures with a Q thread I also saw some nice work with the 04 .

In the past with the original Q the 01 and 06 were thought of as the best, but I also pulled off some decent shots with the 02.

sapporodan · 11-06-2014, 02:08 AM

Originally posted by crewl1

With the Q7 I think all of the available Q lenses get better.
See @hnikesch recent travel photos with the 02 and @Sandy Hancock recent concert photos for proof.
In the Pictures with a Q thread I also saw some nice work with the 04 .

In the past with the original Q the 01 and 06 were thought of as the best, but I also pulled off some decent shots with the 02.

I agree the 02 would be better on a Q7/S1, 24-70 is more versatile than 28-80, that's one think I am looking forward to when I finally upgrade my Q to a Q7 or S1 (Still undecided on which one!).

**barondla** · 11-07-2014, 07:02 AM

Of the Q lenses, I use the #01 and 03 the most. The 04 makes an incredibly good macro lens. Try it. The rest of the time is spent with large adapted lenses. 100mm or bigger. Usually 180mm on up.
thanks
barondla

The Q is incredble.

sapporodan · 11-07-2014, 08:09 AM

The 04 with the build quality of the 01 is probably my most desired lens. I love a 35mm prime that can focus really close!
But I tried the 04 in a shop and just could not get on with the focusing, I can live with it on the 03, but on the 04 it just never seemed to feel right.
Shame

cjfeola · 11-07-2014, 11:56 AM

As several people have mentioned here, the lenses are very different on the Q and the Q7. I've had a bunch of Qs, and added a Q7 this summer. I've always been a wide-angle guy, so YMMV. With the Q, I actually gave away two copies of the 02; just wasn't interesting to me. My wife and daughter both love it, though, and keep 02s on their Qs pretty much full time. My Q was the 01, 03 and 06.

I bought a yellow Q7 with the matching 02. And fell in love with it; on the Q7 it was wide and interesting. It became my daily driver....until September, when my 08 arrived. Oh. My. God. The 08 is FANTASTIC. The Q7/08 is straight-up better than my K20d with kit lens. These days, I'm about 50% 08 use, 40% 06, and 10% combined for my 01, 02 and 03.

The Q was my daily driver; a good camera I'd always have with me. When I was going to shoot seriously -- my daughter asked me to do her engagement photos -- I brought the K20d kit.

The Q7, for me, is both. The K20d is stuck in the closet, these days...

cjf

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11-04-2014, 09:08 AM	#16
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Here is one from the 08.

11-04-2014, 09:21 AM	#17
Piotrek K Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,384 Original Poster	Thank you all - this part of the Forum is even more friendly then the whole one!

11-04-2014, 01:38 PM	#18
6BQ5 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,348	Your options for the Q are limited but they aren't bad. Everyone has already listed what you can get native for the Q. 01 for a prime 02 for a general purpose zoom 03 for fun fisheye shots 06 for telephoto zoom 08 for wide angle. The 04, 05, and 07 aren't worth much in my view. They are geared for lo-fi photography. I think it's better to start out with a sharp lens and image and make it fuzzy with filters and post processing.

11-04-2014, 02:47 PM	#19
hnikesch Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,316	For the price, get a used 02, they are easy to find and I believe underrated, I love mine, I have the 01, 02, 03, and 06 Because I have a great 1/1.7 sensor P&S my 06 gets the most use as I tend to use the P&S for the wide end that way I don't need to change lenses.

11-04-2014, 02:58 PM	#20
Piotrek K Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,384 Original Poster	It seems the 02 lenses are the cheapest ones from the bunch. /is this lens really comparable with prime lens?

11-04-2014, 05:44 PM	#21
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Originally posted by Piotrek K Thank you all - this part of the Forum is even more friendly then the whole one! Yes I have always thought the Q forum was particularly helpful and friendly part of PentaxForums.

11-04-2014, 10:35 PM	#22
dms Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,192	I have the original Q and 01, 02 and 04 lens. And if you are not so much into long FL, I think the 01 and 02 is likely the most versatile combo--although for me the 04 and 02 work better so far. Contrary to most posts, I really like the 04--but 35mm (FF equiv.) is my preferred FL. I set (taped) it to be always in focus for about 5ft to infinity, and it is always is in my jacket pocket. But I don't use the camera except w/ an optical finder--so my experience would not address the longer FL. The 02 zoom--is actually better than the 04 at the same FL: both in (less) flare resistance, diffraction limited, and lens distortion. Except it is too large to carry the camera [w/ 02 mounted] in my pocket, and I don't care so much for the fact that I cannot set (tape) it to a typical hyperfocal distance. The 01 is one I have hardly used, so far. Oh--about purchasing lens w/ body or not--I think w/ the 01 and 02, at least for the Q, the camera is essentially free. I.e., purchasing the lens alone seems to make little sense--may as well get the original Q w/ the lens.

11-05-2014, 08:01 AM	#23
GibbyTheMole Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Iowa Photos: Albums Posts: 2,275	Originally posted by hnikesch For the price, get a used 02, they are easy to find and I believe underrated, I love mine, I agree. My copy of the 02 is plenty sharp. It would be nice to have the faster 01 for low light conditions, but as far as IQ, I'm quite happy with the 02. Originally posted by Piotrek K It seems the 02 lenses are the cheapest ones from the bunch. /is this lens really comparable with prime lens? Some will disagree, but in actual tests, the 01 & 02 have nearly identical image quality. The 01 is faster though, and you can get narrower depth of field with it. The only native Q-mount lenses I currently have are the 02 & the 03 fisheye. The 03 fisheye is a big favorite of mine. The other lenses in my Q kit are a Russian M39-mount Industar-61 L/D 2.8/55, which is an excellent 308mm equivalent performer on the Q (It's also tiny and looks like it was made for the Q.) and a Pentax M 3.5/135mm tele, which is a whopping 756mm equivalent on the Q. Nice thing about the Industar is that not only is it plenty sharp, but there is zero CA, even wide open. Pretty remarkable.

11-05-2014, 09:11 AM	#24
6BQ5 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,348	I think the 01 is perceived as being sharper because of how it renders colors and contrast. The 01 seems more contrasty and vibrant than the 02. When I post process my shots from the 02 I usually bump up saturation, vibrancy, and contrast - just a bit of each. After that pixel peeping shows very similar results.

11-05-2014, 09:27 AM	#25
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	This is an interesting suggestion. I think I will give it a try. My 02s have gotten very little use.

11-05-2014, 10:47 PM	#26
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	With the Q7 I think all of the available Q lenses get better. See @hnikesch recent travel photos with the 02 and @Sandy Hancock recent concert photos for proof. In the Pictures with a Q thread I also saw some nice work with the 04 . In the past with the original Q the 01 and 06 were thought of as the best, but I also pulled off some decent shots with the 02.

11-06-2014, 02:08 AM	#27
sapporodan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 123	Originally posted by crewl1 With the Q7 I think all of the available Q lenses get better. See @hnikesch recent travel photos with the 02 and @Sandy Hancock recent concert photos for proof. In the Pictures with a Q thread I also saw some nice work with the 04 . In the past with the original Q the 01 and 06 were thought of as the best, but I also pulled off some decent shots with the 02. I agree the 02 would be better on a Q7/S1, 24-70 is more versatile than 28-80, that's one think I am looking forward to when I finally upgrade my Q to a Q7 or S1 (Still undecided on which one!).

11-07-2014, 07:02 AM	#28
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,715	Of the Q lenses, I use the #01 and 03 the most. The 04 makes an incredibly good macro lens. Try it. The rest of the time is spent with large adapted lenses. 100mm or bigger. Usually 180mm on up. thanks barondla The Q is incredble.

11-07-2014, 08:09 AM	#29
sapporodan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 123	The 04 with the build quality of the 01 is probably my most desired lens. I love a 35mm prime that can focus really close! But I tried the 04 in a shop and just could not get on with the focusing, I can live with it on the 03, but on the 04 it just never seemed to feel right. Shame

11-07-2014, 11:56 AM	#30
cjfeola Staff Writer Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Grapevine TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 240	As several people have mentioned here, the lenses are very different on the Q and the Q7. I've had a bunch of Qs, and added a Q7 this summer. I've always been a wide-angle guy, so YMMV. With the Q, I actually gave away two copies of the 02; just wasn't interesting to me. My wife and daughter both love it, though, and keep 02s on their Qs pretty much full time. My Q was the 01, 03 and 06. I bought a yellow Q7 with the matching 02. And fell in love with it; on the Q7 it was wide and interesting. It became my daily driver....until September, when my 08 arrived. Oh. My. God. The 08 is FANTASTIC. The Q7/08 is straight-up better than my K20d with kit lens. These days, I'm about 50% 08 use, 40% 06, and 10% combined for my 01, 02 and 03. The Q was my daily driver; a good camera I'd always have with me. When I was going to shoot seriously -- my daughter asked me to do her engagement photos -- I brought the K20d kit. The Q7, for me, is both. The K20d is stuck in the closet, these days... cjf