[Thomasbrowphoto]

G'day all,

Just wondering what lenses you all consider to be superior in your kit. More specifically 645/67 lenses.

My two stand out lenses are the 35A and the 120FA.

I would love to know what you consider your sharpest lens.

[CDW]

I concur with your opinion. My 35 and 120 645 lenses are sharpest of the group that I own. My 75 is also near what I would judge as excellent and my 55 and 200 are very good. My 80-160 zoom just so-so

[Silent Street]

SMC Pentax 67 55mm f4 and hot on its heels the 45mm f4 (my standard landscape optic). I print big from either/both.

None of the 67 Pentax zooms approximate prime quality, but that is pretty much how it has been for eons with MF.

[Ed Hurst]

The best performers in my experience are:
- 6x7 300mm f4 EDIF (film or digi)
- 6x7 75mm f2.8 AL (film or digi)
- 645 120mm A (only used it on digi)
- 645 35mm A (only used it on digi)
- 6x7 55mm f4 (final version) - especially when used on 6x7 film, but no slouch on 645D/Z

Many others are very good, but these are the standouts for me.

[desertscape]

For the 67 there are several. Surely the latest 55mm, the 75 f/4.5, the 55-100 zoom, 75AL, 100 macro, 300EDIF, 400 Takumar and 105. The 400 and 800 EDIF are sharp as well. The Pentax 200 and 165LS are well corrected also. The lenses not mentioned are not dogs just not quite at the level of the ones listed.

[Thomas]

It's interesting that everyone mentions the 120mm macro as one off the sharpest (me too). Given the sample variation that occurs in most lenses, how is it that everyone finds the 120, and to a lesser extent the 35mm A, so good. If there is such consistent quality in these lenses why not others?

[mikeSF]

Good question and though I have no scientific data to support it, I will say I am very satisfied with IQ of:

67 M*300
645 DFA 25 is stunning
645 A35/3.5
645 DFA 55
645 A120 macro

[dgdb]

Does anyone who owns 120mm macro compare it to new 90mm?

[Jonathan Mac]

I have only used them on film, where any shortage of sharpness would be less apparent than on digital, but I find the 75mm and 55mm very good, I'm certainly happy to use them wide open (and often do to get shallow DOF). I also have the 150/3.5 but haven't used it much and not sure if ever wide open, so I can't comment on that one.

[672]

90mm DFA, 400mm ED IF

[Ryan Tischer]

645 120mm macro A, 645 25mm D FA, 645 35mm A

[Thomasbrowphoto]

The 120mm FA/A's definitely seem to be in every ones top lens list. I love mine, and I'm surprised of its sharpness even wide open. I would love to see how the 90mm DFA and the 120FA compare optically.

[mikeSF]

The 120mm FA/A's definitely seem to be in every ones top lens list. I love mine, and I'm surprised of its sharpness even wide open. I would love to see how the 90mm DFA and the 120FA compare optically.

Me too. I am out of money, but I imagine the new 90 Macro is a stellar lens.
The A120 is hard to beat in the $300 range, no doubt.

[Lacunapratum]

Me too. I am out of money, but I imagine the new 90 Macro is a stellar lens.
The A120 is hard to beat in the $300 range, no doubt.

I had performed a quick comparison with the 645D and a couple of macro lenses a year ago, and the 90 is definitely outstanding. Here is the ranking I had: 1. Schneider Makro Symmar HM120mm, 2. P645 DFA 90mm, 3. Printing Nikkor 95mm, 4. P645 A 120mm, 5. Pentax 67 100mm. They were all very similar and very very good, hard to tell the difference. The 95mm Printing Nikkor is legendary, while the quality of the 120mm Schneider is less known. I have been trying to find time to repeat the test under more stringent conditions, but haven't found the time as of yet. The test made me revise my opinion about the 90. It does have it's place and it's worth the money. Still at odds with the focal length though, but it's a fantastic lens.

[rob1234]

Of the 67 lenses I have had, I'd put the Tak 105 and latest SMC 200 top, with the 45 and 165/2.8 hot on their heels. I find the 45 lets go in the corners slightly.

I'd love to try a 75/2.8, and must also have a go on the latest 55/4 (widely reported to be one of the sharpest lenses in the line-up).