| Author: | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Posts: 18,076
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 11, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $25.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Sharp, constant f4, close focus, size/handling, "A" lens ease ... | | Cons: | Mine is a bit "too loose" for the focus ring ... | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: K-5, K-r
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Bonjour,
Just a quick entry here since I have had this "A" lens for only a few days. First impressions are quite good, and I think that I am going to prefer this 35-70/4 over my previous "A" lens of this range, a 35-70/3.5-4.5 ...
Cannot really test outdoors due to overcast, crummy weather, but maybe some test shots will come later.
Here's a "close focus" test upon my cat, Crumble ... MFD@70mm ("50mm" entered into "SR" setting), wide open, K-5 with ISO 80, 1/180 with flash @-2 setting ... not bad for a first try ...
Allez et salut, John le Green Frog
 | | | | | | | Inactive Account Registered: January, 2013 Posts: 3
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 5, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $52.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, contrast | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax k-x DSRL
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I can do everything with this lens is the one I use the most since I bought it. I still have this little slow but I have already seen great things for my skills. I use it on my Kx digital and I saw an amazing sharpness and contrast.
Here's an example I know that I need to improve exposure, but if a little 'too open is still ok.
 | | | | | Inactive Account Registered: October, 2010 Location: Baltimore Posts: 2,542
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 21, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | 2 touch zoom, CA/Flare control | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K20D, Kx, K10D
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Superb little zoom! Sharp wide open, excellent "macro" capabilites, typical Pentax colors.
It's strengths lies in the longer end while the weakness is at the shorter end. The zoom range is a bit limited.
One can pick up this lens for under $50 if you are careful. For that price it produces pretty assume IQ! Very dependable and predictable lens...
K-x, 6400 ISO, f4.0 "macro mode"
K20D, ISO1600 f4.0 45mm
IMGP9295FSa3570 by theunartist, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2012 Posts: 14
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 24, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $75.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, good color rendition, macro function | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 9
Camera Used: Ist*DS2, Ist*DL
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The use of this lens is a joy. It's well made and operates smoothly.
The lens is sharp and has a fantastic colour rendition, comparable to the 35mm 3.5.
It has a very nice close focus ability and images are very pleasing and contrasted. One of my favorite lenses. Another positive point is his price. For around 75€ you get a very good image quality in a sturdy built lense.
| | | | | | | Forum Member Registered: April, 2012 Posts: 84
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 9, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $35.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Sharp lens with good color rendition | | Cons: | A Little soft at f4, but after that Excellent | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax LX
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Got this on eBay on a lark. It had an opening price of $35.00 and I said "What the Hell" and placed the bid. To my astonishment, I got the lens for that price.
This is a joy to use. Compact, Fairly Light & Well Built. Focus & Zoom are Smooth. Solid Metal Body. Not quite as good as my 24-50mm, but for the price, grab one.
My walk-around lens on a sunny day.
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2011 Posts: 9
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 17, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | just lovely | | Cons: | none to speak of, could be a tad faster.. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
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So far, I have only had joy from this lens. I bought one last week off of ebay and after a very short learning curve can only say good things about it.
The macro is also lovely.
Here are a few snaps I took on its first day out when walking my dog.
 | | | | | Junior Member Registered: March, 2007 Location: Cascais, Portugal Posts: 40
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 3, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | IQ, range | | Cons: | Blue fringing | |
Recently bought this one, along with a 70-210 / F4. Both great lenses.
The 35-70 is most of the time mounted on my K10D and it's a joy to use. Focusing is easy, the range is quite good for everyday photography, the close-focus capability is handy (not really macro, but...).
I only notice a small amount of CA, namely blue fringing in high contrast situations (a white wall limit, for example. This is only noticeable at maximum size, but nevertheless it's there. Apart form that, for a zoom lens, it gives extremely good results. And it's very sharp!
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2009 Posts: 14 | | Review Date: August 4, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $15.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | good handling, very nice feel to the focus, great value | | Cons: | CA | |
I am actually reviewing the cosmicar 35-70mm f4, but it is the same lens except without SMC. It's coatings are just labeled as MC so 
I picked my copy up from a goodwill for $15 in good condition.
the best thing about this lens is it handles great. good heft, nice compact size, and a very nice focus ring. my only complaint about build is that my copy has a very small amount of play in the zoom ring.
optically, the lens produces good results regardless of focal length (benefit of an short 2x zoom range). there is a little bit of softness at f/4 but not much, from f/5.6 to f/16 the lens is very sharp. Past f/16 diffraction starts taking its toll. There is no perceptible distortion when used on digital, and I haven't noticed any on film either. CA can be a problem wide open, but I would say it is less pronounced than in the 18-55mm kit.
macro performance is very good for a zoom, even when used on extension tubes.
great walk around lens especially if speed is not important to you.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: August, 2009 Posts: 417
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 21, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Handling, constant f4, sharp | | Cons: | slow at f4, relative to f2.8 Vivitar | |
Great lens, handles very well, built well, and its sharp too, my guess is this is intended to be used as a walk around lens for holidays to obviate the need for a series of primes. The macro is very impressive.
Pentax should have made this lens faster and wider. I know its possible: Vivitar made the (massive) Series 1 35-85mm f2.8, and Olympus had the 35-80mm f2.8. This lens is not sufficiently different to its little brother, the mini 35-70mm f3.5/4.5, but does have better optical quality.
For portraiture and happy snaps, which is when I would seek out the 35-70 range, f4 is a limitation and means you need ISO 400 film. So its restricted to good light. I've uprated my rating of this lens to a 7. Optical performance is good enough to produce 10x enlargements from TMAX 400 (sharp BW film easily capable of 100lpmm which means optical performance is limited only by the taking lens).
I can't understand why anyone would want this on a cropped sensor...the 18-55 kit lens is excellent, and 35 equates to 50mm, so the rationale of a "normal zoom" is completely lost on a cropped sensor. I've swapped this out for a Tamron 17A which is better built, faster and has 8 aperture blades.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: December, 2008 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 276 | | Review Date: April 21, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $75.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | IQ, bokeh | | Cons: | manual focus | |
I got this at an auction, so the $75 is half of the price of the lot it was in.
I haven't owned this one very long, but I find it a joy to use. Av/Tav/M modes work like a charm; spin the dials, focus, zoom and shoot. As others have said, great IQ and sharpness. Nice bokeh. Grab one if you can find it.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: July, 2009 Location: Vermont Posts: 17 | | Review Date: October 29, 2009 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | very versatile lens | | Cons: | focus is very sensitive | |
bought off of ebay and really enjoy the macro capabilities and overall flexibility of the len ..only thing is the lens barrel seams to have about 1/16 of an inch of play and it is almost to easy to focus does this sound right? Is it worth sending to pentax to be looked at?
My picts are sharpe for a zoom....
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2009 Posts: 16 | | Review Date: October 1, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp 1 stop down,high quality material, | | Cons: | PF wide open | |
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3558/3381308671_f2041d6485_b.jpg
Look at the shot,not sharpened!!
Amazing lens,easy to use,hard to part.. Macro capabilities are very useful,though i frequently find myself wishing for a wider zoom ring.Nothing to worry about!!
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: March, 2009 Location: EU Posts: 32 | | Review Date: September 23, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp,great colours,handy,close focus | | Cons: | nothing worth to mention | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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I have bought this lens by accident and it has become one of my favorite.
Light, constant aperture, sharp, close focusing and many others pros. It is pleasure to work with. Only focus ring might be wider.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: September, 2008 Location: Portland, OR, USA Posts: 430 | | Review Date: August 22, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Good tactile feel, two-ring zoom, close focus, good overall picture quality. | | Cons: | High contrast bleeding. | |
Using this lens is a pleasure. It feels sturdy and operates smoothly. This is frequently my walk-around lens of choice. It is compact--only 65mm long at the 70mm focal length, slightly smaller than the DA18-55. I strongly prefer the two-ring zoom configuration, as it allows me to set the zoom and not worry about the focal length as I focus on different subjects. The close focusing ability is remarkable to me, although I do not have any true macro lenses to compare it to. And the images are very pleasing indeed.
But the images are not as pristine as with prime lenses. The only significant problem with this lens is that there is some bleeding along high contrast lines, which smudges the dark subject with light from the bright subject; the same thing is seen in the film Gosford Park. However, this effect is only strong when pixel peeping, and I print up to 12x18" with satisfactory results.
Here's an example where high contrast might be a problem, but isn't:
Price is an estimate--came with a camera.
| | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2008 Location: Romania Posts: 22 | | Review Date: December 10, 2008 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | compact, constant aperture, superb colours, close-up | | Cons: | small aperture and zoom rings | |
I bought this lens togheter with another 135 mm prime and a K1000 camera, so the price for the lens alone is irelevant.
Although I thought that 35-70 would be a rock in my bag, I was wrong. The lens is not a fast one but it is compact and well built. The colour rendition is simply superb. I did noticed a very poor tendency to flare, afterall the lens is a SMC. The sharpness is OK, but not amazing. The close-up capabilities are good enough, though not a macro lens.
The focus ring is big and easy to use, but the zoom ring and (especially) aperture one are pretty small and hard to operate. Also, the apperture ring is very close to the body.
The focus operates as close as 0.25m (0.8 ft) for 70mm and increse to aprox 0.6 (2 ft) at 35mm. When it is focused at closer distances the zoom ring will not operate for smaller focal lenght until the focus ring is set accordingly. It took some time to get used, but it is OK for a constant apperture lens.
some samples:
image 1
image 2
image 3 | | |
