| Author: | | New Member Registered: May, 2012 Posts: 14
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 4, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $350.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, build | | Cons: | could be faster?, price, could be WR | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-5
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I can't understand the bad comments such as "slow AF" or "short distance to the subject in macro mode".... Hello? Do you mind to read what's written in the box? No? Ok, I'll read it for you:
35mm 2.8 Macro. So yes, not because it says "limited" that means that this is the "ultimate" lens.
AF is slow, but it's completely normal for a macro lens. My Tamron 90mm is slower from macro to infinity. So no big deal here.
35mm Macro means is meant for flowers or details on small size objets (such as jewellery), no insects. If you want to take pics of insects you should go for a 100mm or even a 180mm.
Some people compare this lens to their 31mm or 43mm limited. Sure the 31mm or the 43mm will be better, but price wise is not the same.
So if you are searching for a sharp versatile walk around lens with macro capabilities, top noch build with very good optical qualities, this is your lens.
A couple of examples:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cvicente1932/6914784326/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cvicente1932/6812648528/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cvicente1932/7369719630/in/photostream
Bokeh is beautiful even if it doesn't match my tamron 90mm but it's a 35mm not a 105mm. If it doesn't get a 10 it's because of the price. As said in a previous post, the same lens badged Tokina costs 100€ - 150€ less, but build quality is not as good as this one.
Would I recommend this lens? Yes, depending on the use you will give it.
Is this the "ultimate" lens as some consider it around here? No, but close to it.  | | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2011 Posts: 274 | | Review Date: June 3, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $550.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp wide open, small, true macro | | Cons: | IQ does not impove much as stops down | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 7
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-x, K-5
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Bought this lens for macro and walk-around purpose. It is sharp at wide open, however it does not improve significantly its IQ as stops down. It is very convenient due to its size and sharpness. Compared its IQ to Sigma 17-50mm HSM at 35mm, it gives better IQ at f/2.8. But it is so shame to Pentax prime, Sigma zoom becomes a winner in term of sharpness at f/4.0, 5.6, and 8.0. This is the reason I gave its value to 7/10 only.
f/5.6
f/4.0
f/5.6
f/2.8
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: January, 2011 Location: Skåne, Sweden Posts: 482
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 22, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | "Dual purpose" lens, image quality | | Cons: | AF speed (if hunting), fear of loosing a shot | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 9
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-5, K-01
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This review is for a like new condition DA35 bought new on eBay from the UK, serial nr is in the 9288xxx-range.
PROS- “Dual purpose” lens
- Image quality
- Build quality
CONS- Fear of loosing a shot (if AF hunts)
- No focus limiter
Build and parameters
A standard lens as well as a 1:1 macro, a true dual-purpose lens. It is the largest of all the DA Limiteds, yet it can't be called large or heavy. Despite having a long focus throw, protruding quite a bit when focusing close and having a built-in hood, the build quality is very good, on par with the other DA Limiteds. In full-frame there are lots of standard (50) macros, but for APS-C it is pretty rare. The Tokina sister of this lens is available for Canikon, but it is larger, mostly plastic, and lets face it – very ugly.
Image quality
The image quality of the DA35 Macro is easy to describe – very good. It is sharp already wide open, and very sharp stopped down. Bokeh is creamy when working in macro mode, since the DoF will be very thin. At moderately close focus distances the bokeh might be a bit busy, but not disturbing. Aberrations, distortion or vignetting is very well controlled. I never experienced any problems with ghosting or flare when working with this lens.
Use and handling
It might be the largest and heaviest of the DA Limiteds, but is is still a small lens. It fits nicely on the camera. Auto-focus is pretty fast, but only as long as it finds the correct focus at first try. If it misses and has to go trough the focus range it will take a while, since it has a long throw (normal and pretty much required for macro work). A focus limiter would have helped this. Regarding the macro mode (it is not really a mode, it just focuses very close) it goes all the way down to 1:1, but at 35mm focal length you subject pretty much touches the lens at closest focus. You must retract the lens hood when approaching 1:1. Another aspect of the very close working distance is that you might interfere with the lightning of the subject. If the subject requires a greater working distance, a 50 or 100mm macro might be more suitable.
The focal length and macro feature pretty much is a giveaway for this lenses areas of use, which is pretty much everything. Standard lens works for portraits, vacation, general shooting etc, and the macro mode for close-up work. It is a bit of a compromise though. Personally I feel that standard lenses is a bit boring. For indoors, streets, architecture etc it will be to narrow, but yet it is too wide to be perfect for portraits, sports and similar. It will also be a bit limiting for serious macro work, because of the very short working distance. However, it is still an impressive package considering all things it will do, and if you will use it at its full potential, it will offer great value. There are some competition though, that are more specialized in certain areas, for example the FA31 (speed, bokeh), DA40 (size, AF-speed), D-FA100WR (macro).
Overall impression
A jack of all trades, a master of none. That would describe my feelings for this lens. I do not specialize in macro work, but still I can feel that the short working distance is limiting in some situations. The fact that it sometimes will hunt and have to go trough the whole focusing range will make me hesitate to use this lens for critical situations where you only get one change, for example at a wedding. Depending on what you shoot and in what situations, there might be a better lens or combination of lenses.
My pictures on Flickr with this lens | | | | | Junior Member Registered: May, 2011 Location: Melbourne Posts: 29
6 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 13, 2012 | Recommended
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Image quality, build quality, 'character' | | Cons: | Small aperture, troubling autofocus | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 5
Autofocus: 4
Handling: 4
Value: 5
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-5
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Like the 31/1.8, I've been using this lens in all kinds of conditions for all kinds of purposes; nightclubs, events, street, landscapes, portraits, pseudo macro, and even some sports. I can confidently say that I now know this lens well enough to give an informative review on all aspects of this lens in various demanding conditions. I will not 'go easy' on this lens because I like it, or give a 'feel good' review, because they are worthless. Instead, the ratings of 5-6 are underlined by 'Good', so I will use the pentax forums scale appropriately.
Sharpness: No problems here. The resolution of this lens is not the best, but there is no lack of contrast at the widest aperture, as expected from a slow prime. You can expect great image quality at all practical apertures from this lens, even f/22 for macro.
Aberrations: This lens has a tendency to show purple fringing and chromatic aberrations. They're not particularly severe, but will be annoying when they ruin a great shot. Flare is generally well controlled as you will not get much in normal circumstances, however it behaves like any other modern lens if the sun is right next to the frame, maybe a bit better.
Bokeh: Fine at macro distances, but at normal distances it's quite bad. It's hard to get bokeh with a 35/2.8 lens at 1-2 metres, but if it happens, you'll see strong highlighting around the edges, which is distracting. Luckily the balls tend to be quite small at these distances.
Autofocus: In low light, the autofocus is quite horrible. Assisted by the grid of light from my flash, this lens still failed to focus accurately, let alone quickly. Compared to the nikon 35/1.8 AF-S, which has a slightly slower autofocus speed in normal operation, the nikon focuses accurately nearly 100% of the time on a D90 while maintaining its normal speed. Even the kit lens with the k-5 had better speed and accuracy in low light, which was very disappointing.
Another issue with the pentax system is the K-5's tendency to check its focus like a point and shoot by moving forward and back after it's reached focus. This is made even worse with the 35/2.8, which seems to begin and end the extra checks slower than the kit lens.
In AF-C mode, this lens is slow to update, behaving similarly to the AF checks by not moving as soon as possible, making it poor for slight adjustments in real time.
Handling: Being all metal, this lens is a beauty but becomes very nasty in cold weather, conducting heat away from your hands quickly. In weather where gloves are almost, but not quite necessary, this lens becomes a pain to touch.
Being a 1:1 macro lens, the infinity to 0.3 (normal) range is only 20 degrees long. This means manual focusing is extremely inaccurate, though autofocus is fast in this range. The whole ring is about 150 degrees, so if you're unlucky enough to make this lens hunt, it will be very slow while making a very loud noise.
The lack of a focus limiter switch suggests that Pentax values form over function, as a lens that is obviously not a dedicated macro lens should have one. At 1:1 magnification, the lens has a working distance of 1-2cm, making lens shade a real risk at higher magnifications. Due to the extreme extension of the barrel when focusing closer, focus breathing is a significant problem. These two issues make the macro capability look like a gimmick, suited for someone who would shoot pseudo macro just because he can.
Value: This lens is very versatile, but ends up sacrificing too much in vital areas to make it work well. If they had made it a 1:2 macro and adjusted it accordingly, all aspects might have been improved. So what are you buying here? $500 for a 35/2.8 normal lens? $500 for a 1:1 macro? $500 for a pretty paperweight? Fortunately, you get all three for the price. It has performance issues as a normal lens, and handling issues as a macro lens, but its compact size and attractive build along with the excellent image quality makes the 35/2.8 Limited Macro a beautiful package that I can't help but love. The 35/2.4 is better suited for me, and the 35/1.8 nikon even more so, but I love using this lens and working around its flaws, as if it was a woman with a unique personality  (distasteful analogy, but it describes exactly how I feel).
Practical recommendation:
If you don't need macro, look at the sigma 30/1.4 and the 35/2.4. Don't pixel peep in the corners of the sigma (who does that anyway?) and you will love how the 1.4 aperture and IBIS of the pentax system works. Being a 1.4 lens with good bokeh, shallow depth of field options are very good. The pentax is much cheaper and receives great reviews, however I have not used it extensively in demanding conditions.
| | | | | | | | | | Review Date: May 8, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Size, build, sharpness, colour, contrast, hand-holdability | | Cons: | No focus limiter. Bumping glass against subject. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 8
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5
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UPDATE: I'm updating my review one year in. My rating remains a 9 (not a 10) simply because it needs a focus limiter (and the big metal cap is pretty but a bit of a hassle). I also think that the limiteds should be WR. This makes no sense for a several hundred dollar metal lens. Otherwise, it is an incredible lens.
ALSO: I've since bought then sold a 100WR Macro. I still prefer the shorter length for the kind of macro work I do, as I did a 50mm macro on full-frame. Why? I spend a lot more time carrying it around than using a tripod. That's just my style. I also like carrying around a "normal" focal length lens that also does macro and which is about as sharp as a lens can get at all settings. It always delivers.
At 35mm, it is very hand-holdable for macro shots. And it's a very compact and light setup with the K-5.
As a 'normal' focal length, it is also very versatile for non-macro purposes. So I find it practical to have with me. I'm tempted to take it and it alone as my only lens on my next vacation and see how I 'see' things. So I make a case for shorter Macros for someone who isn't a bug chaser.
The DA35's colour, contrast, bokeh, sharpness are really top notch. So optically nothing at all to fault.
Mechanically it's beautiful. The lens cap is some trouble if you add a filter. This is the case for all limiteds but the smartly designed 21. I wish it had a focus limiter. This doesn't seem too much to ask. That said, on the K5, it's pretty quick to focus. Manual ring is double width so works well.
Other comment is, I traded my FA43 for this lens. I felt this lens would be more versatile. I'd say I was happy with the exchange and the decision. I now have an FA50 for portraits and a bit longer length.
A very happy customer. If I wanted a single prime lens as my only choice, I would go with this one.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: January, 2009 Location: Rochester, MN Posts: 765
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 25, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Versatility, build quality, value, sharpness, macro capability | | Cons: | Less inspiring at infinity | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5
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The DA 35's greatest strength may be its versatility. It's obviously great as a macro tool (though admittedly a little longer focal length would be a more ideal macro tool), with sharpness at macro focal lengths that rivals the Sigma 70/2.8 macro and the FA 43 limited, but also does a commendable job of close-up portrait work and is a reasonable walk-around near-normal lens for travel or everyday shooting. If one had to choose a single modern Pentax prime to cover the greatest number of possible applications, this may be it. I personally found it to be a bit uninspiring at longer focus distances, particularly at/near infinity, where I thought it lost some sharpness and the images just didn't "pop" as much. AF is also not the snappiest, as is to be expected with a macro lens with longer focus throw, but I never found this obtrusive. Overall, no hesitation recommending this lens. Particularly good for someone looking for a versatile everyday, near-normal lens for mostly close-up, portrait, and mid-range work, with the macro ability an added bonus. If you do mostly landscape work where focus distance is near-infinity, I may look at other options in this focal length range.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: September, 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Posts: 3,327
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 24, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $550.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharpness, small size, macro 1:1, build quality, bokeh | | Cons: | long focus throw for AF, lens hood slips off | | New or Used: New
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Not only is the Pentax 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited extremely well designed and built (very compact, all metal body, quick-shift focus clutch, built-in retractable metal hood, etc.) the optics inside it are simply awe-inspiring. Like most "true Macro" lenses (1:1 reproduction), this lens has a flat, undistorted field-of-view and incredible edge-to-edge sharpness from wide-open to f/22 (very little falloff from diffraction). How this is accomplished is a mystery, but I'll take it!
Beyond the obvious technical details, the lens is also a comfortable "normal" focal length on an APS-C sensor camera (1.5x crop from 35mm, which all current Pentax DSLRs are at this time). This means it is a great lens to just put on the camera and walk around with, whether taking snapshots of family, or traveling light in the city or country. As a Macro, there is almost no instance where the minimum focus distance will be a limit; it can be practically pushed up against a flower or bug and still AF reliably. The only downside, if any, is that as a Macro lens it has a very long "focus throw" which means it can take a while to switch from focus on a very close object to way in the distance, and there is no focus-limiter built in. In practice, this is seldom a problem as the lens is very light and easy for the camera motor (screwdrive) to move about, and it is decently quick to refocus on the K-5.
I'm a skeptic and very honest about the faults or weaknesses of my gear. This lens, however, deserves a "9" rating because it is not only so technically accomplished and such a pleasure to use, but also that it really produces "special" images with that lovely, smooth "Macro bokeh," and has a warm, detailed rendering that is perfect for living things (plant or animal). It is also very flare resistant and really brings out micro-details even in the shadows with a good camera sensor behind it (K20D, K-7, K-5, K-01, etc.).
The only thing I can say in caution to a buyer is that you should know going in that this is a "normal" lens at 35mm on APS-C, and you have to get very close to macro subjects. It is also (obviously) not a zoom, so you will have to move yourself back and forth to frame things, down to lying on the ground for a mushroom shot, but this is part of the pleasure of prime lenses for me (getting physically involved in composing my image), and for some it might be frustrating... but then they wouldn't be reading this review, would they?
Near 1:1 macro at f/2.8
Walkaround snapshot at f/4
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2011 Location: Derry Posts: 776 | | Review Date: February 17, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Rendering, Size/Weight, Colors, Brilliance! | | Cons: | Noisy autofocus can be annoying at times | | New or Used: New
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I love this lens and it has inspired me to write my first review of anything photographic. I am fairly new to Pentax and didn't even really know about it till last year. I have spent most of my time shooting Canon and it's lenses like this amongst many other things which is why i love Pentax.
The beauty of this lens is it's versatility all wrapped up in a small beautiful, pleasure to use and robust item. I shoot a lot of abstract macro type shots, landscape and pets and with this lens i can do it all. I am no expert on photography nor am i a professional so maybe i'm not as qualified as some would be to discuss it's effectiveness at rendering landscapes in a most desirable manner. In saying that, to me eye it does the job very well. I love shooting trees and with this beauty i feel i get a 3D effect to the images which i love (subjective concept i know). It is massively sharp and i was shooting with the Canon 70-200 f4 IS last year (super sharp) but i think this is close but with much nicer rendering in my personal opinion.
Autofocus in quiet situations can be a bit of a nuisance but if out and about it would be of no concern and as far as speed and accuracy is concerned i find no problems in these areas (quite to the contrary).
Sometimes i feel the images can have a slightly clinical feel but most of the time i find it to produce great images. This lens cost me £290 which i feel is great value for something so well made and of such high quality.
For me also having to get so close to achieve 1:1 magnification is not a problem as with shooting still things to me it makes no difference. i could obviously see if one were shooting insects it would be a different story but it's sharpness at macro functions is superb to say the least!
Here are several images which i hope shows how many different facets of photography this lens allows exploring (and these from an amateur)
Highly recommended!
Untitled by garbhan myles, on Flickr
(Non working link removed)
Untitled by garbhan myles, on Flickr
(Non working link removed)
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: February, 2012 Location: athens Posts: 39 | | Review Date: February 17, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | quality | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: k-x
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What a lens?! Well its a Pentax Limited! now that i've got one i am a believer.
contrast , colours, quality are great, the bokeh i found it exceptional because it has a personal character .
The only problem for me is that is dangerously sharp. If you shoot girls wth this lens they will freak out with the details, so dont buy it if you want to impress your girlfriend with the macro on her face, otherwise its what i call 'one step beyond' lens!
What i discovered, after a year, is that the sweetest spot of this lens, at least my copy, for best color rendering pics is f6.3!
here are some samples with the k-x
 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: November, 2009 Location: Israel Posts: 55 | | Review Date: February 16, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $540.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Versatile,superb build quality | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-5
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Excellent lens. Just handling it is a joy, since it is built so well. Very versatile so it stays as my walk around lens (at least for a while  ).
But versatility has its price.
In macro department:
It is noticably less sharp then DFA 100mm macro. You can shoot bugs with it, but you have to get real close and use flash with bouncer or dedicated macro flash, since the lens blocks the light when close. Oh, and those have to be very cooperative brave bugs that can deal with big scary lens shoved in their face.
Medium-long range performance:
Sharpness of picures taken in medium-long range is acceptable but nothing more. Contrast is great , and focal length suits me much better then my DA 40mm 2.8.
Focus:
Focus is a bit slower then DA 40mm - but still much faster then the impression i got from reading the reviews. Much faster then DFA 100mm 2.8 macro for sure.
Build quality:
Superb. In my opinion it is as good as old SMC K/M/A primes but the lens is not as heavy. Lack of apperture control on the body of the lens bothers me a bit but this is how it is with all modern Pentax lenses.
As a conclusion - love this lens. However those who do not need macro and build quality is not very important to them should check the DA 35 2.4 because it is much much cheaper.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: May, 2011 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 368 | | Review Date: February 15, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharpness and rendering | | Cons: | nothing | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-5
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This is really a great lens. It has all the qualities that you can expect from pentax prime and perfect as normal lens. As compare to FA31, it is definitely sharper and versatile. I think that it is a great value. If I asked to choose one lens, it will definitely be the one.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2010 Location: California Posts: 2,223 | | Review Date: January 19, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $480.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, light, great colors and IQ in general, limited and DA | | Cons: | None. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
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This is my best Pentax lens, together with the DA70/2.4 are the best in my bag. Closely followed by my DA40/2.8 and the DA35/2.4. I purchased this lens after looking at thousands of pictures taken with it by others. I am very satisfied with it and I recommend it. It is even better than my Flektogon 35/2.8. I will post pics later
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2008 Location: RSM, CA Posts: 505
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 21, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $595.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Focal Length, Build Quality, Sharpness, Versatility, Greater than 1:1 Magnification | | Cons: | No weather resistence | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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I do not take away points for lack of speedy auto focus compared to other lenses, this is a macro lens and should be judged by AF speed in the Macro category- in which this lens focuses extremely fast against it's peers (I've used macro lenses from several other manufacturers).
I wish it had a WR (weather resistant) badge, but the tolerances in the build quality are so tight that the occasional sprinkle on this lens doesn't affect it. However, I guard it against dust more than rain.
Versatile, sharp, small and light, this lens is a perfect foray into quality prime lenses for the Pentax enthusiast photographer. I'd recommend this lens as a first prime over any other Pentax lens because of its versatility.
Quality made, beautiful dampened focus ring, coated (SP) front element, and quick shift focus make this lens a dream to use in hand. The images produced motivate you to keep using it over and over whether for its intended macro use or even landscape and some (limited) portrait use.
Out of focus areas (Bokeh .. pronounced bo-kay) are beautiful enough, especially for this focal length.
Autofocus can be a bit loud because of the use of the AF motor in the camera body (screw driven lens) so use precaution in quiet settings.
Hands down the most versatile, well built, and fun to use macro lens I've ever purchased or reviewed (and I've made many lens reviews published on the internet).
A must buy for Pentax DSLR users.
-Carl Garrard
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: September, 2010 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 2,653
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 3, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, nice build, compact, excellent optics | | Cons: | AF prone to hunting | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 9
New or Used: New
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Solid design, optically excellent - little distortion, no CA to speak of, very sharp even wide open, no flare. Colour rendering is excellent, as is contrast. Bokeh is OK, can end up a bit 'busy' with some shots when wide opened. Mechanically it is a good design with a built-in retractable sliding hood and a recessed front element.
35mm is a nice focal length on APS-C and I've found that I tend to use this lens more and more, not just for macro shots. f2.8 is not all that fast though.
On a K-7 the AF can hunt - it is a long way between the end stops and it takes time to spin if AF misses the first time. Assembly quality and QA could be better - on mine one of the iris blades sometimes slightly sticks.
At 35mm you have to get in really close for macro shots - not much use for things that can crawl or fly away !
If you are thinking of splashing out on a DA prime, get this one - it will grow on you. But do not lose that expensive metal lens cap ! 
  
  
  
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: December, 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 1,548
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 2, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $539.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Image quality | | Cons: | Prevents use of other lenses | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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A phenomenon.
Doesn't have any optical weaknesses, all photos seem to work out like magic.
Wish there was an 18-50 zoom lens like this. I think it's "mind controlling power" is stronger than the 15 Ltd. 
... and the autofocus is fast people. Look at how short the distance is between 0.5m and infinity in the photo of the lens. So you can use it as a normal lens. However, if you focus between 1cm and infinity, obviously it will take a bit longer... 1:2 magnification tends to be as close as can be hand held and provide safe working distance from insects, however that photo of the bee is so sharp at 100%, you could read the dry cleaning label sticking out of her pants.
Now using the Pentax 31491 plastic cap, instead of the aluminium cap.
Great for document and slide copying - please see my post here:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/107-film-processing-scanning-darkroom/269...aperwhite.html
Blah, blah, blah. It's perfect. Stop reading, go and get one. What other lens can do this?:
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;)
;)
