| Author: | | New Member Registered: September, 2020 Location: Derbyshire Posts: 3
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 18, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $79.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great optical performance at all apertures and focal lengths, well made | | Cons: | None that I can recall | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: MZ5n/MX
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This is one of those Pentax lenses that I really miss using.
On the MZ5n, switched to 'A' it made photography very easy indeed. It balanced well too plus and on the MX. It's a one touch push pull zoom with a built in lens hood to boot. A lot of bang for your buck.
This is a very consistent lens optically in my view on film throughout the aperture and focal length range (I did not use these lenses on digital) and the consistency of performance reminds me of my Nikkor 50-135mm zoom which is saying something as that zoom is really sharp even wide open.
Colour photography was great - the SMC coatings doing their job really well. Distortion was not evident to me in pictures and focussing was easy to achieve. It is also a good lens in high contrast situations, coping admirably well with bright light sources.
Build quality is simply superb - it's built to last and looks the business. Construction is robust and precise.
Highly recommended that you try one.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2015 Posts: 11
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 1, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $180.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Exposure is correct with TTL flashes; sharp wide open; robust construction | | Cons: | CA; zoom creeping | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 3
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 5
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-30; K-S2; NX500
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The best thing about this lens is that its Pentax-A; meaning, the exposure is correct with TTL flashes. This alone makes this lens perfect for any Pentax DSLR in indoor environment. Sharp wide open; CA control is not good.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: December, 2015 Location: Charleroi (Belgium) Posts: 60
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 4, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $28.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | macro mode, really smooth to use, solid as a rock | | Cons: | heavy | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-50
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This might be my 2nd best lens, after the 50mm 1.7
It's incredibly fast for a 210mm, F4 all the way is magic, and the macro mode saves your life if you don't have enough money to buy a good macro like me.
Overall, it's really smooth, the zoom and the focus on one ring is really fun, makes this lens (imo) some sort of extraterrestrial.
It has a builtin hood, which is also excellent for photography.
I find the contrast not excellent, but the colors it renders make up for it. And these days, it's nothing a raw editor can't fix.
I strongly recommend, if you're not afraid of the weight of this lens.
| | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2016 Posts: 3
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 25, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | One of the most sharp zoom, f 4 permanent, mf very easy and fast, pump mechanism, simil macro feature | | Cons: | F***ing heavy, no tripod socket, aberrations | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax KS-1
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For me, best vintage sportive lens ever. The pump mechanism make it very fast to zoom and the focus is very rapid and easy (often faster than some AF lenses). It have an incorporated lens hood, that i found long enough.
The IQ is incredible for a zoom, i usually crop pictures taken with it and i obtain wonderful results. The magnification ratio for macro mode is 1:4, and you can shoot a good close up even at 210mm with fantastic bokeh.
Personally i love the bokeh of this lens, i use it for photo hunt (yes, as i said the MF is very fast and easy), simil macro, portraits and others.
The worst thing in analog is probably the tendency to aberrations, but in digital you can remove them in one click, so the problem is solved.
Its heavy but very solid and resistant, the only negative note is the abscence of tripod socket.
Under 150$ i bet you can't find a better tele lens, this is better also than the dal smc 55-300 or the F 70-210 cause is faster ( f 4 permanent) and sharper than both.
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: September, 2014 Location: Nelson Posts: 266
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 15, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $15.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Prime sharpness throughout | | Cons: | Big | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 4
Value: 10
Camera Used: K100DS
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Underated. Mine came attached to a dead P30 body, threw it in the wardrobe and forgot about it. Too many lens so recently decided it was time to thin the herd -ended up testing everything with a view to keep or sell. This one stood out, and the more I use it the better I like it.
The glass on mine's like new, focus is razor sharp after I tightened up the screws under the barrel rubber to fix the focus issue. The zoom slide is frankly awful, it sticks requiring two hands to move it, and the focus ring's stiff to boot, but the IQ makes it worthwhile. Attached photo is at 210mm, wide open at F4 on a K100DS, this lens just has no softness anywhere. Just wish it had some zoom creep...
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: March, 2007 Location: Tucson Posts: 292
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 16, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $49.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | light weight, sharp, built in hood | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-3, K-5, K10D
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Picked this up on the Bay from a listing by Henry's in Canada for $49 US. It's my "buy of the year" for 2014.
This lens works great for catch-in focus shots of hummingbirds. Good minimum focusing distance, bokeh and sharpness. Example below:
On K-3, 1/1000s, f14, ISO 1600, ~135mm
 | | | | | Inactive Account Registered: June, 2011 Posts: 1
6 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 1, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $85.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | tack sharp | | Cons: | zoom creep | |
Although it's a great lens, I am dissatisfied with the zoom creep. I recently purchased a Lens Band to stop the zoom creeping. This is what they look like:
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2010 Location: California Posts: 2,223
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 16, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Solid construction, last forever, great bokeh, sharp | | Cons: | A bit heavy, however, it goes with the quality | |
I got this lens one week ago and found it is the same great quality of the Pentax-A 35-105mm (they are from the same family, I guess!), Its a bit heavy, but I can still do hand-held shots (those are the ones I do the most anyway). Below is an example, I had it setup for a high ISO and high shutter speed because I was waiting for hummingbirds, however, I got this beauty. The contrast is not great, but it has a nice bokeh. Judge for yourself. I would give 9.5 to this lens (just because of the weight). I wrote 10 because they do not have 9.5. I better go on the positive side
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54927073@N04/5361039416/
Since an image is worth 1000 words, here are some images to give you an idea of how the lens behaves at certain aperture and speed. All the shots were done at a focal distance of 180mm, ISO 200. The pics were taken at aperture f: 4, 8, 9, and 14.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54927073@N04/5361273796/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54927073@N04/5361303184/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54927073@N04/5360681615/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54927073@N04/5361285788/lightbox/
   
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 | | | | | Inactive Account Registered: July, 2008 Location: South Dakota Posts: 15 | | Review Date: October 11, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Nice images, good build quality | | Cons: | | |
This is my favorite lens, it produces very nice images. It has some zoom creep but nothng serious. It feels very comfortable.
| | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2017 Location: Ronneburg Posts: 1
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 5, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | built like a tank, constant arperture, a-setting, SMC Colours | | Cons: | None for me | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-3,K-7,Z-1
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Pentax K-3 HIghest Resolution /70mm Macro Mode/Center Weighted
Out of cam no post processing. JPEG
     | | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2020 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 17
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 6, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | handling, sharpness, heft if you like heft | | Cons: | heft if you don't like heft, mild CA | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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High on the fun factor, great color, gets plenty of attention. Built well. My copy has no zoom creep issues. Used outdoors/in brighter light, images are sharp enough, at center areas anyways, and there are the common and relatively mild chromatic aberrations visible here and there. Below are 2 images, handheld at 210mm, 1/1000, ISO 400, on K-3 crop sensor DSLR, with first one at f4 = wide open, and second at f4.5. Remember, the resolution of the photos after upload are limited - these don't do the actual sharpness justice when compared with original images on my home computer. Realizing that the iPhone camera development continues its encroachment on hobby (and professional) photography, I am glad to say that there is just no satisfaction in using their AI to artificially create the small depth of field or pleasing bokeh or far reach that this affordable lens can mechanically and optically provide on both film and digital sensor.
f4 = wide open
f4.5
 | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: February, 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 2,710
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 26, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | IQ, Colors, Handling, Sharp, Inexpensive | | Cons: | A bit soft at F4, | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-3, K-5iis, KP, K-1
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My review will be brief. The positive aspects of this classic Pentax A series zoom are impeccable build quality, SMC lens coatings, IQ from short to long, easy one touch zoom and focusing and very good to excellent sharpness across the frame from f5.6 to f11. The built in lens hood and 58mm filter size are a bonus. The macro capability at the 70mm end is useful, with good IQ and even at 210mm the lens focuses to a close 120cm/ 4 feet.
Negatives? Yes, there are a couple. Images aren’t exactly tack sharp at F4, though they are useable with some PP sharpening. Contrast often needs a small PP boost and magenta/green CA can appear at Wide apertures in high contrast lighting. Manual focusing is aided by the bright, constant F4 aperture, however I highly recommend using the Pentax 1.3X magnifying eyecup to increase accuracy.
Compared to my DA HD 55-300mm WR, the SMC-A lens holds its own in the center but kicks the modern zooms posterior where edge sharpness and distortion are concerned, especially at 210mm. Also, colors have that special Pentax look.
I really like this lens for shooting trains and cars. The lack of distortion and smooth tonal rendition of benefit in these situations.
Verdict, if you can find a clean copy for $80 or less, the SMC-A 70-210mm should follow you home.
I recently acquired a K-1, the 70-210 REALLY shines on full frame! From f4.5 to f11 at all focal lengths . | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: June, 2013 Location: Utrecht Posts: 255
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 5, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Well build, sharp, shines on full frame | | Cons: | You have to pop up the contrast, a bit fringing wide open | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: K-1ii, K-01, film
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Another very cheap but interesting A-zoom that performs much better on FF than it does on APC-C. Wide open there is some fringing in harsh areas and some green magenta aberrations in the outof focus areas, but not by much. Stopped down this lens is serving the K1ii real nice delivering nice clean crisp images up to 800 ASA and SR. In post I only adjust the levels somewhat (stretching the histogram to full 0-100%) and adding some contrast in case the pictures might be a bit flat (low contrast). Always focus on the long end and then adjust your zoom range, old school focussing....
About 180 mm at F8
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2012 Location: Endeavour Hills, Victoria, Australia Posts: 210
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 21, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Surprisingly sharp | | Cons: | Suffers from lens creeping | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: ME Super, K-1
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I bought this new in 1985 to use on my ME Super. I wanted to use it for sport but was disappointed with the manual focus being difficult. When I purchased a camera with auto focus, this lens became redundant. However, I kept it and when I purchased my K-1 I wondered how it would go. I knew it would be ok for full frame, but I was more than pleasantly surprised by how sharp it was. I also discovered that the manual focus actually became a strength. This was because sometimes, auto focus just will not focus on what you really want. With the manual focus you have much finer control. To my mind this lens is now sharper than it ever was when using film.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: May, 2018 Posts: 34 | | Review Date: June 5, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Using this a lot with my K-1 | | Cons: | It's a zoom, not fast, not optically perfect but what do you expect? | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax K-1, Ricoh KR-10
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This lense surprised me. I bought a K-1 to use with my legacy Pentax and PK third party manufactured prime lenses. Now I'm not scared to carry tripods around with me. Stop this down to f8 or f11 and it's perfectly good enough to shoot library / stock image footage to the extent where I leave this on my K-1. I prefer manual focus and often shoot in poor light so I get sick of DSLRs and AF lenses hunting around for something to focus on in poor light before the shutter will fire. It's big, it;s heavy, has a built-in lense hood, can be picked up cheap. Let's put it this way, it seems Pentax were making very nice zooms in the 80s and if you have a load of APS-C lenses and can't justify spending a lot of money on a load of lenses to use with a FF, this is worth looking at. I will, eventually, look at more modern zooms and compare them to this but so far, I've been please with what this delivers on my K-1. The FA 50mm 1.4 and Pentax-A 28mm f2.8 are probably my go to lenses for absolute quality at the moment but I don't think enough clients of picture editors are doing so much pixel peeping they're going to reject anything from this lense
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