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PENTAX-110 18mm F2.8 Review RSS Feed

PENTAX-110 18mm F2.8

Sharpness 
 7.4
Aberrations 
 7.6
Bokeh 
 7.9
Handling 
 8.9
Value 
 9.1
Reviews Views Date of last review
10 57,938 Sat May 15, 2021
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $25.00 8.40
PENTAX-110 18mm F2.8

PENTAX-110 18mm F2.8
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PENTAX-110 18mm F2.8
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Description:
A wide angle lens for the Pentax Auto 110 system.

Max. aperture: f/2.8
Closest focusing distance: 25cm
Diagonal angle of view: 61.5 degrees
Optics: 6 elements in 6 groups
Filter diameter: 30.5 mm
Size: 34 x 21 mm
Weight: 28 g

Matching close-up lens: W21
Price History:



Add Review of PENTAX-110 18mm F2.8
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Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-10 of 10
Pentaxian

Registered: December, 2016
Location: London
Posts: 1,079
Review Date: May 15, 2021 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp within the limits of wide aperture
Cons: No aperture control
Sharpness: 7    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 8    Value: 8   

I've tested a few different Pentax 110 lenses on a Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 with a Pixco adapter

The 18mm lens I tried had slight fungus but was surprisingly good, and I got some nice results. Some examples:







the album is here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/150868539@N02/albums/72157718461017862

Any file with the name beginning pen110-18mm is with this lens.
   
New Member

Registered: May, 2019
Posts: 4
Review Date: May 12, 2019 Recommended | Price: $30.00 | Rating: 7 

 
Pros: Contrast, character, size
Cons: Dirty corners
Sharpness: 4    Aberrations: 4    Bokeh: 4    Handling: 8    Value: 7   

This is a great little lens to have and it is fun to operate.

I was lucky to obtain a sample that was like new. The QC sticker was still attached. Optics are excellent, no dust inside the lens.

All pictures are shot wide open. Shot on Olympus Micro 4/3.

I just took a few quick shots this morning, nothing fancy!



There is some distortion and the edges are kind of gone



The bokeh is interesting but quite nervous



This lens seems to have great contrast!
   
Review Date: August 28, 2017 Recommended | Price: $25.00 | Rating: 7 

 
Pros: IQ, Build, Size, Overall usefulness
Cons: No Iris, not quite as sharp as 06 @18mm
Sharpness: 6    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10   

Used on a Q7.

Very nice little lens, capable of quality images. I usually use with a rubber washer in the adapter to give a f4.5 aperture, although it is also nice wide open. Use a hood. Gives images a different 'look' than modern optics. Here is a link to a photo essay I shot with the 18mm:

https://flippistarchives.blogspot.com/2017/07/food-truck-frenzy.html

In direct comparisons, for near to mid distances I've found it to be almost as sharp as the 06 at 18mm and the 02 at 15mm. This is a very easy lens to use, with only 1/8 of a rotation to change focus from 4 feet to infinity. The 10" close focusing distance is very nice for a FF 80mm equivalent FOV. Used on the Q7 edge to edge sharpness is excellent, with minimal distortion and CA. That said, it is hard to justify its use if you have a 02 or an 06. I've also been using it with the W21 close-up lens for macros for nice compact macro lens about the size of a film canister—with about a 2 x 2 3/4 inch field of view.
   
New Member

Registered: May, 2013
Posts: 1
Review Date: April 3, 2017 Recommended | Price: $40.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Very compact, nice bokeh and unique colours
Cons: Very soft on edges
Sharpness: 7    Aberrations: 6    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 10   

Bought this lens out of curiosity, I've been using it on my NEX 5n with an m43 adapter with aperture lever and a m43 to NEX adapter. Having the lever is really useful.
I love it's unique color rendering and it's distorted bokeh, it really is great for portraits. I use it from time to time.
Now I even use it on my Sony A7 (!!) which is usually a weird combination but brings amazing results! Following samples were taken with NEX 5n though
   
Senior Member

Registered: August, 2012
Posts: 118
Review Date: August 25, 2015 Recommended | Price: $5.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: IQ, price, size
Cons:
Sharpness: 7    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 9    Value: 10   

I picked up a couple of these little beauties, one was significantly sharper than the other.

Nice 85mm FOV on the Q7, OK sharpness stopped down to f4.5 (with washer-see threads in Q section) flattering portrait lens wide open.

A good balance of sharpness, contrast and minimal CA.

Generic adapter should be shimmed (I used thin packaging tape) when using these lenses to attain infinity focus.
   
New Member

Registered: October, 2012
Posts: 1

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: October 1, 2012 Recommended | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Image quality, bokeh, speed,
Cons:
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 10   

Many of my favorite Auto 110 Pentax pictures are posted at JustNex.com. I have 14 digital cameras and many lenses, and the combination of NEX-5 and 18mm Pentax 110 is a great package. It makes for a light camera. I shoot it at the fixed f2.8 usually 1/4000 on a sunny day. It is a good close up lens.
   
Giveaway winner!

Registered: December, 2007
Location: beantown
Posts: 944

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: June 27, 2012 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Simple and sharp
Cons: smaller than other lenses, built inhood would be nice
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 8    Value: 9   

On film I will point out.
Kodak or Fuji. The lens has delivered very good images. Recently I've purchased the Lomography 110 b&w film and it is very good. So far is that this lens does will to put image to emulsion and the flare and contrast quality is very big lens in performance. No surprises in any way and I'll let you know if I cut Ektar down to 16mm how it all works out.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: February, 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 314

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: April 16, 2012 Recommended | Price: $25.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp lens in direct lighting. "Dreamy" flare in side-lit situation.
Cons: Sometimes a little too dreamy...
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 9   

Picked up this lens to use on the Pentax Q with an adapter, since the Pentax-110 24mm was not a good companion.

It is a very interesting lens in use, for pixel level sharpness I would say it is very good, however many images exhibit a certain dreamy softness which is very appealing when using this as a portrait lens (100mm equivalent on Q). I find this "dreamy" look happens most often in side-lit situations, so it is simply a veiling flare, but I've never seen veiling flare look this nice.
If you're not into the dreamy veiling flare: fashion a lens hood out of something, and this would be a very competent lens in any lighting.

Here's one shot demonstrating sharpness, another the nice out-of-focus highlights this lens delivers. In the future I'll add a shot of two demonstrating the dreamy qualities.


   
Senior Member

Registered: September, 2011
Location: Lodz
Posts: 232
Review Date: February 27, 2012 Recommended | Price: $15.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Sharpness, vintage-looking pictures, small weight&size
Cons: Constant aperture (f/2.8) on mirrorless cameras
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 6    Bokeh: 6    Handling: 7    Value: 9   

A very nice, small lens with great sharpness and, what's more important, giving a nice vintage look to pictures made with my Nex-5N (strong vignetting may be one of the reasons...). Of course one cannot change the aperture, but it doesn't have to be a bad thing, as it makes you think before taking a picture. And for objects located a bit further the DOF is deep enough.
Nice distortion control for such a small and old lens, bokeh is acceptable (good for a wide lens), it's sharp wide open and very nice to handle.
I bought it in a set of a camera, flash and two other lenses (24mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/2.8) for ca. 60 USD and don;t regret a penny spent! :-)
   
New Member

Registered: October, 2009
Location: Irvine CA
Posts: 1

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: January 11, 2011 Recommended | Price: $35.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Very good to Excellent optically and bright
Cons: Fixed f/2.8 no iris

Practically this lens is about equivalent to 28mm/35mm film on Sony NEX-5.
Compare with Sony SEL1855 this lens shows cleaner image in the room light. Because Sony Zoom can go f/4.0 max, but it goes f/2.8.
It is such a small lens that one can not resist to carry it.
Add Review of PENTAX-110 18mm F2.8



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