| Author: | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2014 Location: Nagoya Posts: 577
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 9, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $130.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Image quality, handling, mechanical quality | | Cons: | Heavy | |
There's not much more to be said about this lens, so I'll just concur that it's brilliant. It's heavy but that's the price you pay for constant aperture, good zoom range and tasty metal construction - it handles much better on beefier cameras that balance it out nicely. I find the handling of the lens itself to be uniformly good and I actually like the slide up into macro/close focus feature - it's much nicer than having to shove through a bump stop at the end of the zoom range on many other Pentax zooms. It's also available at all focal lengths.
The image quality that this lens puts out is simply stunning, particularly the 3D 'pop' of the photos. Contrast and sharpness is uniform and good wide open, bitingly crisp from f5.6 onwards on both digital and film.. No particularly unpleasant fringing or distortion.
Although it's relatively expensive for an old zoom lens, what this lens gives you makes it the bargain of the A series range. I can't think of anything that would make me advise against buying it. I wavered for ages, but as soon as I took the first few shots with it I knew I had something special in my hands.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2014 Posts: 3
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 12, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | really good at what it is - an SMC-A 35-105 zoom. | | Cons: | none really, unless you compare it to different lenses | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: K-30
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Just acquired this lens, and it does not disappoint.
This shot was taken in pseudo macro mode, hand-held at 125th f/5.6 ISO 100.
This one is my standard quick-and-dirty lens test.
Can I resolve the wing-nut under the neighbor's antenna? Zoom in to find out if this lens makes the grade! The Magpie is a bonus.
Hand-held at 1000th, f/10, ISO 200. Focal length 105mm.
This view is about 80mm focal length, 640th, f/5, ISO 160.
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: May, 2015 Location: Hampshire Posts: 892
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 28, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, constant F3.5, cheap? with a "macro?" close focus ability | | Cons: | Not a lot. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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There is a lot to like about this lens, it is not as heavy as my (Tokina made?) Vivitar 35-105mm F3.5 ( by about 200 grams) and has a 5mm smaller filter size (67mm vs 72mm) and is sharper.
I rather liked the Viv, it may have been a direct competitor to this Pentax in the day but it is not quite as sharp to my mind.
Is it as good as carrying around a selection of primes?
Well if you are out and about it would save opening up the camera if one needed to change the lens for another focal length.
If the subject was up a tree and skittish, one might get an image with this before the subject disappeared or one climbed up a bit to get closer rather than change the lens.
Though it is always possible that the right FL lens is already on the camera and the wider aperture is needed.
Not wishing to prolong any debate but in  the following circumstance, I took an image, F5.6, AWB, centre weighted, ISO 400 from approximately the same distance away.
The exposures we re both at 1/200th but as you will see, the exposures of the image are not identical when viewing.
Is one sharper or better than the oth er? Well I actually prefer the zoom image this time, I rate it just as sharp.
The brighter image and crop are from the zoom.
I have tried editing the text but it comes back all over the place again!
| | | | | amateur dirt farmer Registered: December, 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Posts: 41,781
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 1, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $33.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | color rendition, handling, sharpness, general feel of quality | | Cons: | weight, odd macro/shift function | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: K-3, K-50
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I'll state the obvious up front: I love this lens...
I ignore the clunky focus-shift into and out of 'macro'...
I ignore the weight and length of a zoom that only goes to 105mm....
all of this for several reasons - it's well-built and all that weight gives it a seriousness to it's handling... and it looks good on your camera...
oh - and don't forget the pictures:
 Stormy Grace by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
 bridal wreath spirea by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
 Spud & Chloe colors... by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
 sunset tonight... by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
they call this lens the Stack of Primes for its abilities and I know that has been debated in the forums time and time again, but I tend to agree that when you nail a shot with TSOP, there's not going to be much difference between that shot and a prime at the same FL...
if you find one of these lenses that is in decent shape for a decent price - add it to your kit, just do it...
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2016 Posts: 1
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 22, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | smooth zoom and focus, image quality, cheap for itīs performance | | Cons: | lens cap doesnīt hold very good | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5
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I own a few manual lenses, cause I do not need autofocus for my photos - and I love the feeling and control of manual focussing.
my lenses are:
SMC Pentax A 50 mm 1.7
SMC Pentax M 35-70 2.8-3.5
SMC Pentax A 35-105 3.5
Vivitar Series 1 70-210 3.5
Pentax DA 16-45 4.0
SMC Pentax DA 18-135 3.5-5.6
Most of these lenses have some macro abilities, but I like the 35-105 the most. Why? It gives a well balanced combination with my K5 plus battery grip. The smooth zoom ring feels very good. You can go very fast from normal zoom in macro mode per pulling the ring away from you. The extension of the tube from 35 to 105 is very short and the rather heavy handed zoom prevents of zoom creep.
Now a few words to the image performance: f3.5 is rather fast compared to other cheap zooms available now. The sharpness is very good. I think in most situations you do not need excellent sharpness until corners, so you can use it also full open. Bokeh is very pleasant for me. Hereīs an example of a macro shot. Itīs besides the A50 my favourite lens I use.
 | | | | | Junior Member Registered: March, 2016 Posts: 41 | | Review Date: March 19, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Form & function | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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I love this lens for it's positive handling and images, great value.
Very useful with fill flash around the city.
I put a 67mm metal hood on mine.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: December, 2012 Location: Seattle, WA USA Posts: 1,753
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 12, 2016 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Rendering, consistency, constant aperture | | Cons: | ...haven't quite found the best hood solution... | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5ii, MX
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I've had this lens for a few years and honestly, don't think to use it as much as I could and should. It is an astonishingly good lens, though. I use it on both dSLR and film with great results.
I don't think it's too big or heavy. It's not plastic or a pancake, but it's not supposed to be. It feels like a fine piece of perfect equipment. I really appreciate the 2-touch zoom. I set the focal length and then treat it is a prime of that length. I mostly use it in TAv mode, so I set the aperture and shutter speed and let my K5 adjust ISO to consistently get the correct exposure.
The quasi-macro mode is nice and creates some opportunities that I enjoy. Rendering is beautiful and colors and clarity are great through the range.
What prompted my review today is that I was testing a modern zoom from a tripod, through range at various apertures and found it to be very inconsistent. Exposure was frequently off. Sometimes stopping down helped and sometimes it seemed to hurt. I get some good photos with that lens too, but I don't use it much, because I miss so many. Bench testing it like this, I see why.
So, for fun, I repeated the test with my A 35-105/3.5 and did 100% crops on my focal point. There is very little difference in sharpness with this lens between f3.5 and f8 or even f11. It's just so consistent. It's a marvel. I'm baffled as to why this design hasn't persisted into more modern Pentax lenses. That said, with Catch in Focus, I've more or less got a fast, constant aperture 35-105 zoom for the cost of a bag of chips. I may very well, make this my only zoom in this range.
There should be better more modern, reasonable choices for a zoom in this range, but...I honestly don't know of any within 3x the price range for a good copy.
 | | | | | Junior Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 31 | | Review Date: December 25, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness ,Colour .Alu and glas.Cheap | | Cons: | Heavy ,a little hard to focus | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: k52
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Had svorn not to buy a zoom again since ....a never mind . but then a very bright moment came to me . he said ... no . I thougt ,what do i like best about me k and m prime lenses (you know) .and i have to say ,that this A zoom got a lot of it .
Actually i got two .this one i got so dirt cheap i could not resist (yes i say that every time:rolleyes        | | | | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2015 Posts: 130
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 20, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharpness, contrast, focus control, macro | | Cons: | zoom ring too close to the camera body | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 10
Camera Used: K3
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I'm in love!
Simply amazing lens that I finally decided to buy.
The only thing I don't like is the small zoom ring. I wish it was one ring for both zoom and focus.
The zoom ring is kinda hard but that could be a problem in my copy.
https://flic.kr/s/aHskoKR9SS
-------------
----------------- 35-105 ------------------
------------------- A 35-70-------------------
The shot with the 35-70 is at its best f-stop
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: June, 2015 Location: Fonthill, Ontario Posts: 44
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 22, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $20.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very well built, smooth accurate focus, good zoom range. | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-50
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I really like this lens a lot. I picked it up a few weeks ago on ebay, and took it out on three evenings and Sunday afternoon to give it a try. I found that it worked best in good light, but I guess that's true for most lenses, particularly one that is a bit on the slow side wide open. Not that F3.5 is bad, it just isn't great in poor lighting.
Knowing that the lens is a "stack of primes", I went out hoping that I would get sharp, sharp shots as in "sharp like my M50 1.7". That didn't quite happen, but the shots are still quite good, even while peeping pixels. It produced some very nice shots, with good colour and contrast throughout the range.
I'm in my 50's now and need reading glasses, so manual focus is a bit of a challenge at the best of times. I purchased a magnifying diopter at about the same time as this lens, so I was using them both for the first time. I found that I got really good results with this lens while using the new diopter and I imagine people with good vision will have no issues focusing with the standard diopter. The focus ring is long and smooth so it is easy to hone in on the correct focus, providing the lighting is good.
The focal range of 35-105, as well as the macro switch made this a really versatile lens for walking around. You can take fairly wide shots, zoom shots, and then you can get right up close with the macro ring to capture an insect on the flowers. It's a heavy, solid lens, and that is a downside for some people, but I like it.
I have not been into photography for that long, so I'm not comfortable commenting on the quality of the Bokeh this lens gives, but I'm personally pleased with the soft backgrounds.
I'm sure this one will get a lot of use in the years to come.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2015 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: June 20, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Nice range, close focus, center sharpness | | Cons: | A bit heavy | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: Sony a6000
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I have been experimenting with legacy glass on my a6000 and found the Pentax SMC A 35-105 a pretty good performer. Very easy to focus compared to some other legacy zooms. Most surprising - pretty good bokeh for a zoom! Center is contrasty and sharp stopped down a notch, corners perform well at f8. All in all, a good contender for the 1-lens solution. Just a snap from today.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2014 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: February 9, 2015 | Not Recommended
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | Useful focal length range (FF) and aperture | | Cons: | Big, heavy, not too sharp wide open | | Sharpness: 5
Handling: 4
Value: 6
Camera Used: Sony A7
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This lens is known as the stack of primes, but it lacks the image quality, large aperture and handling of good M and A primes. What it does have is a very useful focal range on FF, and a decent maximum aperture (for a zoom).
The lens is not that sharp wide open at all focal lengths, but the center and middle of the frame is usable. However, the lens delivers a respectable performance at f/5.6, where it is sharp across most of the APS-C frame. FF corners remain soft until f/8.
I do not like the handling of this lens. It is too big and heavy, and it is very tedious to use the macro "clutch" mechanism every time you want to focus closer than 1.5 meters. So although the lens is capable of producing sharp images (stopped down), I prefer the larger aperture, superior handling and better sharpness of A/M primes.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: October, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 2,176 | | Review Date: December 2, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $67.70
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | ease & distance of focus, sharpness | | Cons: | a little heavy | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: K5
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Every positive statement reviewers have said is 100% true. The lens is wonderful, sharpness, contrast, ease of focusing. It is just a little heavy, maybe because it has 15 elements inside that tough metal body. I managed to finally find one at a decent price with just a minor amount of paint missing. If you get a chance to pick one up, do so, you won't be sorry. The lens went on my K5 immediately and probably will stay there most of the time.  | | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2013 Posts: 7
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 21, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Super sharp, great colours | | Cons: | Flare, heavy. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 10
Camera Used: k30
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Some reviews have compared the sharpness of this lens to the 50mm 1.7 and I'd say mine is actually sharper, throughout the range. In theory its nice to have constant 3.5, but in practice it is sweeter stopped down (unlike the 50mm 1.7!) and that amazing sharpness seems to bring the colours to life. Its not that it's particularly soft at 3.5, just somehow flatter looking. I guess its more about sharpness than bokeh with this one.
Yeah it would be nice if it were lighter, but I'm not so bothered by that. On the ASPC I do wish it went a touch wider. I use it a lot for landscape, where some extra width would be nice. But it is what it is, and its pretty great.
My main issue with this lens is (oddly) not something that anyone else seems to have mentioned much. Flare. I keep getting whacking great red blobs in the middle of my shots at 35mm! I have a hood and a Hoya Pro UV filter on the front. Any thoughts would be welcome.
Update:
Hadn't used it for a while, but having recently taken it out for a spin again, I must underline the astonishing sharpness of this lens. I think its sharper than my 35mm 2.8 limited. I probably have a particularly good copy but really its smoking quite a few modern computer milled primes.
Also, I have changed my mind about its usefulness wide open. Sure it won't give the dreaminess of a nifty fifty or a limited, but compared to a kit zoom, the extra speed has come in handy, and its still sharp opened up. Also the bokeh is actually not bad in some situations.
Regarding the red blob flare, I tested it by taking the same shot at different apertures and the flare disappeared once opened up to 4.5. Although you have to balance that with more CA a wider apertures.
Update 2;
The colours this lens produces are really lovely. Kind of classic looking, and really realistic. Not overcooked, but with plenty of contrast. The other quality I have come to appreciate with this lens, is one which is missing from some well corrected modern zooms....depth. The 3D effect I get with this lens is simply outstanding. Since I wrote my initial review, I have acquired some nice lenses; FA77 DFA100, DA15, Super Tak 50 1.4. This one always impresses me, and for IQ I think it's hands down the best zoom I've ever used. Classy glass. Just wish I could afford that K1. The range will work so much better on FF, and the front heavy handling will balance better on a slight chunkier camera. Can't wait.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2014 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 890 | | Review Date: July 27, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $95.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp across the zoom range. Excellent color reproduction. "A" lens. Fixede f/3.5. Built like a tank | | Cons: | A bit heavy, but not overwhelmingly so. Awkward Macro function. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K500
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Can't say much more than has already been said. An impressively constructed lens that performs very well in all aspects. The sharpness is very good and consistent across the entire focal range, especially when stopped down a bit. Color rendition is wonderful as is characteristic of Pentax lenses. Max aperture of f/3.5 across the range is extremely nice to have making it a good mid-range tele-photo for lower light situations. And it's an "A" lens, which makes it even better!! Bought mine from a forum member and it was very much worth it!! If you can find one in nice shape and at a reasonable price -- get it!! Looking forward to spending more time with this lens and pitting against the Vivtiar Series 1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5.
 IMGP2610 by Richard, on Flickr
 IMGP1860 by Ripper2860, on Flickr
 IMGP1858 by Ripper2860, on Flickr
 IMGP1880 by Ripper2860, on Flickr
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