Does anyone own a SMC Pentax F 28mm f/2.8?

mxlinn · 10-08-2010, 08:06 AM

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It seems this lens is hard to comeby, any comment on how it performs on dSLR is appreciated, and what's it worth? Thank you.

blende8 · 10-08-2010, 08:10 AM

It performs very well. I can recommend it!

Comparison Pentax FA28 versus F28

Not sure about the US, but in Europe the price is around 140 €.
A real bargain if you ask me. But the prices are rising lately. I saw one going for 246 €.

Groucho · 10-08-2010, 01:42 PM

A couple months ago, there was one on a local Craigslist sale. I inquired if they'd sell for $75 but they wouldn't go any lower than $100. I passed... but wonder if I should have scooped it up.

It would probably (but not definitely) have been resold by me... or maybe my A28/2.8 would have gone (and may still!)

$100 certainly seemed like a good price but I generally take much longer than I mean to to actually put lenses up for sale... I probably should have bought the whole package; heck, the whole thing was $400 for the FA28 and a K-x!

SOldBear · 10-08-2010, 02:13 PM

I recently sold one - Listing.

It was good, very good. But I didn't use it often enough to keep it. If I needed a lens of small size, I'd use either the DA40 or DA21. If I needed a fast prime, I'd use the Sigma 30mm F/1.4.

pbo · 10-08-2010, 02:52 PM

I recently acquired one, and it looks very promising! I can post some of my first pictures from this lens...

pbo · 10-08-2010, 03:27 PM

Okay, here - all are clickable for full size. Pictures are somewhat mundane in nature - just first shots with a new lens

All except two are straight from the camera with no edits.

This one - click for full size. I think it's really sharp (this one is at f/5.6, I think) - you can clearly see the faces of the two guys in center, as well as the faces of those in the booth.

Don't see much fringing...

[imgtall]http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pengbooo/f28mm/IMGP2644.jpg[/imgtall]
Here focus was on the closer tables, I think. Theres some movement blur here, too, and a lot of noise from K-7

Cropped a bit.

Flare's pretty good, considering the sun is near the center of the frame.

At close focus, some light processing. The flower to the right is in focus.

There you go

Pentax-F 28mm

axl · 10-08-2010, 03:36 PM

By many accounts it's a great lens. I was looking for one but after I got a good deal on 31 I don't need it anymore. If however I wouldn't have 31 I would definitely try to hunt this one down. From what I've read the only Pentax 28s better than F are K and A28/2.
If you can get one, do so while you can!

paugie · 10-08-2010, 03:47 PM

I received mine the other Friday. It's very quick in focusing, sharp, very good colors. I bought mine for $250 and I think is very much worth the price.
Here's a pic I took yesterday with it @F5.6/ISO200

JeffJS · 10-08-2010, 04:31 PM

Originally posted by Groucho

A couple months ago, there was one on a local Craigslist sale. I inquired if they'd sell for $75 but they wouldn't go any lower than $100. I passed... but wonder if I should have scooped it up.

It would probably (but not definitely) have been resold by me... or maybe my A28/2.8 would have gone (and may still!)

$100 certainly seemed like a good price but I generally take much longer than I mean to to actually put lenses up for sale... I probably should have bought the whole package; heck, the whole thing was $400 for the FA28 and a K-x!

You should have taken it..

Originally posted by SOldBear

I recently sold one - Listing.

It was good, very good. But I didn't use it often enough to keep it. If I needed a lens of small size, I'd use either the DA40 or DA21. If I needed a fast prime, I'd use the Sigma 30mm F/1.4.

You didn't get enough for it

PENTAX SMC PENTAX-F 28mm f2.8 LENS/K10D/K20D/USED - eBay (item 230532561595 end time Oct-07-10 09:49:13 PDT)

An FA went for a little more than half that on a BIN (that I passed on)..

Pentax SMC 28mm f/2.8 FA Lens - eBay (item 110592196123 end time Oct-05-10 12:14:31 PDT)

Pablom · 10-08-2010, 04:39 PM

Originally posted by JeffJS

You didn't get enough for it

Damn. I bet at least two people got extremely drunk that night

SOldBear · 10-08-2010, 04:52 PM

Originally posted by JeffJS

You didn't get enough for it

Hey Jeff,

I know.....

You don't want to know how much I bought it for, and how much I recently bought the Sigma 30mm F/1.4 for.....

I did get drunk the night I picked up the Sigma.

yeatzee · 10-08-2010, 05:01 PM

Damn all of you! I was so close to owning this lens when the other person backed out

JeffJS · 10-08-2010, 05:09 PM

Originally posted by Pablom

Damn. I bet at least two people got extremely drunk that night

There are reasons I quit drinking alcohol

Originally posted by SOldBear

Hey Jeff,

I know.....

You don't want to know how much I bought it for, and how much I recently bought the Sigma 30mm F/1.4 for.....

I did get drunk the night I picked up the Sigma.

I don't know if that's a real going rate but expect the next one on ebay to be similarly priced. I don't see those lenses come up very often. It's certainly more than I would ever give for ANY F or FA prime lens (aside from the * lenses). I just got an FA35 f2.0 (MIJ) for $300, a price I consider fair but still a little on the high side.

Want to know what I paid for my FA31 Limited?

TOUGEFC · 10-08-2010, 05:14 PM

I dont own the F version but i do own a mint A 28 F/2.8 version, was thinking about selling it...

creampuff · 10-08-2010, 05:32 PM

I owned the FA 28mm f/2.8 and after using it for awhile I sold it because I didn't feel it was anything remarkable about it. The FA has a different number of elements and 6 aperture blades compared to the F version.
The F version could well be better than the FA version but as it only has 5 aperture blades, I just gave it a miss. Plus I just don't like the hard plastic focusing ring and the ugly dated styling of the F lenses.

10-08-2010, 08:06 AM	#1
mxlinn Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NORTHEAST USA Posts: 193	Does anyone own a SMC Pentax F 28mm f/2.8? Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. It seems this lens is hard to comeby, any comment on how it performs on dSLR is appreciated, and what's it worth? Thank you.

10-08-2010, 02:52 PM	#5
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	I recently acquired one, and it looks very promising! I can post some of my first pictures from this lens... Last edited by pbo; 10-08-2010 at 03:04 PM.

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10-08-2010, 08:10 AM	#2
blende8 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 1,521	It performs very well. I can recommend it! Comparison Pentax FA28 versus F28 Not sure about the US, but in Europe the price is around 140 €. A real bargain if you ask me. But the prices are rising lately. I saw one going for 246 €.

10-08-2010, 01:42 PM	#3
Groucho Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 416	A couple months ago, there was one on a local Craigslist sale. I inquired if they'd sell for $75 but they wouldn't go any lower than $100. I passed... but wonder if I should have scooped it up. It would probably (but not definitely) have been resold by me... or maybe my A28/2.8 would have gone (and may still!) $100 certainly seemed like a good price but I generally take much longer than I mean to to actually put lenses up for sale... I probably should have bought the whole package; heck, the whole thing was $400 for the FA28 and a K-x!

10-08-2010, 02:13 PM	#4
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	I recently sold one - Listing. It was good, very good. But I didn't use it often enough to keep it. If I needed a lens of small size, I'd use either the DA40 or DA21. If I needed a fast prime, I'd use the Sigma 30mm F/1.4.

10-08-2010, 03:27 PM	#6
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	Okay, here - all are clickable for full size. Pictures are somewhat mundane in nature - just first shots with a new lens All except two are straight from the camera with no edits. This one - click for full size. I think it's really sharp (this one is at f/5.6, I think) - you can clearly see the faces of the two guys in center, as well as the faces of those in the booth. Don't see much fringing... [imgtall]http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pengbooo/f28mm/IMGP2644.jpg[/imgtall] Here focus was on the closer tables, I think. Theres some movement blur here, too, and a lot of noise from K-7 Cropped a bit. Flare's pretty good, considering the sun is near the center of the frame. At close focus, some light processing. The flower to the right is in focus. There you go Pentax-F 28mm

10-08-2010, 03:36 PM	#7
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	By many accounts it's a great lens. I was looking for one but after I got a good deal on 31 I don't need it anymore. If however I wouldn't have 31 I would definitely try to hunt this one down. From what I've read the only Pentax 28s better than F are K and A28/2. If you can get one, do so while you can!

10-08-2010, 03:47 PM	#8
paugie Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Quezon City, Philippines Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 168	I received mine the other Friday. It's very quick in focusing, sharp, very good colors. I bought mine for $250 and I think is very much worth the price. Here's a pic I took yesterday with it @F5.6/ISO200

10-08-2010, 04:31 PM	#9
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by Groucho A couple months ago, there was one on a local Craigslist sale. I inquired if they'd sell for $75 but they wouldn't go any lower than $100. I passed... but wonder if I should have scooped it up. It would probably (but not definitely) have been resold by me... or maybe my A28/2.8 would have gone (and may still!) $100 certainly seemed like a good price but I generally take much longer than I mean to to actually put lenses up for sale... I probably should have bought the whole package; heck, the whole thing was $400 for the FA28 and a K-x! You should have taken it.. Originally posted by SOldBear I recently sold one - Listing. It was good, very good. But I didn't use it often enough to keep it. If I needed a lens of small size, I'd use either the DA40 or DA21. If I needed a fast prime, I'd use the Sigma 30mm F/1.4. You didn't get enough for it PENTAX SMC PENTAX-F 28mm f2.8 LENS/K10D/K20D/USED - eBay (item 230532561595 end time Oct-07-10 09:49:13 PDT) An FA went for a little more than half that on a BIN (that I passed on).. Pentax SMC 28mm f/2.8 FA Lens - eBay (item 110592196123 end time Oct-05-10 12:14:31 PDT)

10-08-2010, 04:39 PM	#10
Pablom Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Usa Posts: 1,940	Originally posted by JeffJS You didn't get enough for it Damn. I bet at least two people got extremely drunk that night

10-08-2010, 04:52 PM	#11
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	Originally posted by JeffJS You didn't get enough for it Hey Jeff, I know..... You don't want to know how much I bought it for, and how much I recently bought the Sigma 30mm F/1.4 for..... I did get drunk the night I picked up the Sigma.

10-08-2010, 05:01 PM	#12
yeatzee Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Temecula Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,675	Damn all of you! I was so close to owning this lens when the other person backed out

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10-08-2010, 05:09 PM	#13
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by Pablom Damn. I bet at least two people got extremely drunk that night There are reasons I quit drinking alcohol Originally posted by SOldBear Hey Jeff, I know..... You don't want to know how much I bought it for, and how much I recently bought the Sigma 30mm F/1.4 for..... I did get drunk the night I picked up the Sigma. I don't know if that's a real going rate but expect the next one on ebay to be similarly priced. I don't see those lenses come up very often. It's certainly more than I would ever give for ANY F or FA prime lens (aside from the * lenses). I just got an FA35 f2.0 (MIJ) for $300, a price I consider fair but still a little on the high side. Want to know what I paid for my FA31 Limited?

10-08-2010, 05:14 PM	#14
TOUGEFC Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,561	I dont own the F version but i do own a mint A 28 F/2.8 version, was thinking about selling it...

10-08-2010, 05:32 PM	#15
creampuff Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,953	I owned the FA 28mm f/2.8 and after using it for awhile I sold it because I didn't feel it was anything remarkable about it. The FA has a different number of elements and 6 aperture blades compared to the F version. The F version could well be better than the FA version but as it only has 5 aperture blades, I just gave it a miss. Plus I just don't like the hard plastic focusing ring and the ugly dated styling of the F lenses.