| Author: | | New Member Registered: December, 2015 Location: Piła Posts: 6 | | Review Date: April 8, 2024 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharpness, AF distance, | | Cons: | a bit noisy | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5II
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 | | | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2017 Location: Ronneburg Posts: 1 | | Review Date: February 15, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Outstanding sharpness,Lightweight and compact,Well built, fast fousing at normal distances; Useful built in hood | | Cons: | No focus range limiter | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-3;K-30
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Pentax K-3 / ISO400 / 1/100 sec/ f4.5 / highest resolution
This lens appears to have everything going for it. It's built well, handles well and produces stunningly sharp images from maximum aperture. Given the performance this lens delivers,
value for Money affordable price.
Build quality is excellent image quality also
manual focusing action is smooth
Auto focus is screw-driven but it doesn't matter because the AF is fast enough.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2008 Location: Westbrook, ME, USA Posts: 288 | | Review Date: August 21, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $250.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very sharp without being clinical, nice colors out of the lens, great build, nice focus damping, build in hood | | Cons: | lens cap scratches very easily, long focus throw/hunting | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 6
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: KP
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With a focus limiter this would be a perfect lens. But life is not perfect!
As it is, it's some of Pentax's finest work. It is very sharp, but avoids the sort of clinically sharp look of some macros. Nice bokeh, nice contrast from the usually good Pentax coatings. The focus damping is the best I've used outside of Takumar era lenses and the overall feel of the lenses build is super premium. The built in hood is sort of addictive to pull out, like cocking a tiny gun.
Autofocus is ok, but really hurt by the long focus throw considering that Pentax cameras like to hunt sometimes. I do NOT recommend using contrast detect AF with this lens, it's a huge pain.
This lens is an incredibly good match with the Pentax KP... I use it to shoot macros handheld with the KP's edge extract focus peaking on manual mode. I wish the lens cap didn't scratch so easily, mine looks like it has been in combat just from, I dunno, being in my empty pocket? Annoying.
Overall I'd say it's in the running for best walkaround prime lens for APS-C pentax. For me it's this or the 70mm.
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2015 Posts: 11 | | Review Date: July 5, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $350.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Very sharp and multipurpose lens. | | Cons: | VERY noisy | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 1
Handling: 7
Value: 7
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-30
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Good lens over-all, but a bit too noisy. 35mm f/2.8 is a strange combination as its not the best for portraits, and a bit too close for Macro work. For portraits, the 43mm f/1.9 might be much better, and for macro work several other lenses are more "convenient"; such as, Takumar 50mm f/4 Macro and D-FA 100mm f/2.8 Macro.
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: December, 2018 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 113 | | Review Date: May 21, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Super sharp, compact | | Cons: | Noisy AF | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K3-II
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Wow... Difficult to put short but I'll try.
First it's a very sharp lens and also a very nice gp lens to have attached in your camera.
The built in hood is almos like a secret device, very welcome to have. Actually it's a must because almost every other macro of this type has the front element very recessed (like the old SMC 50/4 M).
My previous all pourpose lens was the 40mm DA Limited, but I prefer this 35mm.
The only con I can remeber is the very noisy AF.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: June, 2014 Posts: 58 | | Review Date: June 13, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $260.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp! macro, small, light, great colours & contrast, low aberrations | | Cons: | No focus limiter | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-S1
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I have a 35mm/F2.4 which is the main walkaround lens on my K-S1. It's a great little lens but with some drawbacks: it has long minimum focus distance, not very sharp edges and so-so bokeh. That is why I bought the 35mm/2.8 Macro Ltd. Wow, what an amazing lens, it blows the 35/2.4 out of the water! It is better in every respect, and the 1/2 stop difference is negligible.
This lens is a pixel peeper's nirvana – sharp corner-to-corner from wide open, has excellent contrast, colours, clarity and detail. Aberrations are low wide open and almost non-existent from F4 and up.
The macro capability is great for objects and flowers, obviously not good for live insects. The built-in hood is very convenient. It is heavier than the 35/2.4 but still very light for a macro lens. As all Limited lenses, the build quality is top notch.
The only drawback I can think of: due to long throw, the autofocus can be slow sometimes. A focus limiter would help.
Otherwise perfect lens, highly recommended!
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: October, 2010 Location: Dundas, Ontario Posts: 28 | | Review Date: March 29, 2017 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Versatile, compact, amazing capabilities | | Cons: | I am sure some will find some, but I can't seem to. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax
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Another review to over a 100 here, well I think it's not going to matter much. I think this lens is excellent, or maybe even amazing. Macro lenses require some dedication, skill, maybe even patience and probably a tripod if focusing really close. I find this lens to be great throughout the focus range. Perfect colors, hues, tonal range and sharpness is amazing. Some people complain about the focusing which is rather odd, I find this lens to focus plenty fast and quick shift focus assist really helps speed things up - so then when I go from close range to mid range, I always use the quick shift focus and then use the AF button to fine tune the focus point if necessary. This lens focuses really fast for me, as good as all the other DA Limited lenses. My wish would be for Ricoh to make like a DA70/2.8 macro lens, it would be my ultimate lens.
DA 35 Limited is a great lens. It looks really well matched on any Pentax DSLR - just look at the gorgeous focus ring and the build in hood! It's probably my most favorite DA limited lens, but all are very equal and amazing in a way.
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2013 Posts: 7 | | Review Date: January 12, 2017 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Sharp, contrast, build and feel are great. | | Cons: | AF unconvincing | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 4
Handling: 9
Value: 8
New or Used: New
Camera Used: k30
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I was shooting with the 2.4 in Ireland, and found that the greens (of which there are plenty in Ireland) could sometimes look a bit garish. Despite the great clarity, and nice micro contrast, generally I wasn't convinced by the realism of the colours in some situations. So when I found the 35mm 2.8 macro limited going cheap, I snapped it up, thinking I would sell the 2.4. However, I found with the limited, that oddly blues seem to boom out quite a bit! Maybe my eyes are going funny! Or maybe it's the white balance on my k30, which somehow has never been as convincing as my old k100d.....?
Pros:
The Limited has fantastic sharpness, and a touch of extra 3d depth. Perhaps the thing which really strikes me is the deep contrast. It seems easier to balance the shadows and highlights convincingly in PP. I love the build and feel. The built in hood is nice, and manual focus is a pleasure, just like with the old lenses.
Cons:
The AF is really pretty bad. It does this weird micro hunting, as if you were in AF-C mode, and when it finally locks you are never quite convinced it's nailed it. I do find the colours a little cool for a Pentax lens.
With a possible move to FF on the cards, I have a nice (ridiculously sharp!) A 35-105mm 3.5 which compares pretty well, giving more of a classic subtle colour balance. So with a preference also for a longer macro; the punchy, FF compatible, and quick AF 2.4 might actually be the keeper of the two.
Thinking of trying the 40mm limited instead maybe. Quick, small, cheap, with by all accounts just as good IQ, tiny, and seemingly more useful on FF???
Update, 11/7/17:
I did get the 40mm limited. I know this goes against the opinion of many here who think the 35macro is one of the best there is, but I think I do prefer it? The 35 is definitely sharper, but the AF is much better, the pocketability is great, and the rendering is warmer and more flattering, with slightly better bokeh.
The 35 is great at some things, and is incredibly sharp. I find the cool colour rendition combined with the almost brutal sharpness can make some images unattractive. It often shows fantastic 'pop', mainly because the colours are so vivid, but the 40 has a different kind of 'pop' with great separation of the subject, never seems to LACK sharpness, and has that fantastic useabililty as a bonus.
If I do get that FF, I think the 35macro might be on the sell list to pay for a 100macro. That said, I can't deny a faint sneaking suspicion I might yet learn to love it....?
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: October, 2009 Location: Central Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 420 | | Review Date: October 2, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $251.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Allowes plenty of light at f2.8. | | Cons: | The push-on front lens cap | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K-3
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I've had this lens for awhile and I had to really think something up for the "negative aspects" section. I had the DA 35mm f2.4 and although that lens was sharp I think that this 35mm f2.8 macro limited is sharper. I pick out my sharper images by zooming in or cropping and with this lens the job is really tough because (as long as I hold the camera still) all of the photos are sharp! The 35mm focal length is good because it makes it easier to take hand-held macro shots. The first mushroom photo below is without a flash and the second mushroom photo one is with my Metz 58-AF-2 at a 45 degree bounce angle.  I have a Tamron Di SP  90mm f:2.8 Macro that I most always use on a tripod but I find that the 35mm macro doesn't need "babysat" as much. Some times you know that a particular lens is a "keeper" and you won't ever give it up for any reason. I've got 4 lenses like that and this one is at the top of my list!
March 27, 2017--The lens I used (35mm 1:2.8) for this review almost got sold but it ended up getting broken by a "potential buyer". Sooo, I bought another one. It seems I didn't want to sell it as bad as I thought. After having used my new one extensively, (and having bought a Pentax 49mm snap on front lens cover) the only thing I have to add is that this copy is every bit as good as my first one. I upgraded all the "aspecs" to 10 all the way because I really, really have a lot of faith in this lens. I'll never- ever even think of selling this one!
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: May, 2014 Location: Galway - Ireland Posts: 213 | | Review Date: August 21, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, IQ | | Cons: | Don't buy it for macro | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K3
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WHO IS IT FOR ?
The 35mm f/2.8 Macro is a great prime lens for almost everything you can think about... except macro. The focal is great for street photography and portrait (even if we could expect a larger aperture). But, the macro option here is a bit disappointing, we will take about it later.
HANDLING
This lens is small sized but perfectly build in the best of Pentax tradition. The focus rings are smooth and soft.
AUTOFOCUS
The autofocus is not top fast, but for most uses it is correct.
IMAGE QUALITY
>SHARPNESS
This lens is amazingly sharp and contrasty.
>BOKEH
Bokehs could be softer, there are some luminance variations in the bokeh spots.
>CHROMA ABERRATIONS
A little bit of purple fringing can be observed, but nothing to care about.
>FLARE
I did not notice any flare issue for this lens. Ghost is well controled.
>COLOR RENDITION
Nice rendering. Maybe slightly cold.
>DISTORSION
Almost none
>VIGNETING
Nothing to care about in field conditions...
MACRO : REALLY ?
When I tried this lens it was mainly for its macro option. And this are some considerations about it : the macro images you can get from this lens are great in terms of image quality, with nice sharpness and low aberrations. The focal seems weird when you try to do macro however because it includes too much background elements. Macro tends to isolate the subject from its background and the 35mm focal is not great for isolation. Last but not least, the working distance at 35mm is ridiculous, which is not convenient for outdoor shooting and which is not convenient for te lighting of your subject. You can keep this lens for casual 1:10 proxi, but don't expect to use it much for 1:1 macro.
CONCLUSION
If you search for a nice 35mm providing clean and sharp images for portrait and casual proxi shots, this is a great lens. But it should be clear in your mind when you buy it that you don't want it for macro purpose. Macro is just an extra option on it, not the aim of the lens.
SAMPLE PICTURES
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134793426@N02/20493628368/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134793426@N02/20060690033/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134793426@N02/20688400551/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134793426@N02/20060687083/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134793426@N02/20493656250/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134793426@N02/20655378176/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134793426@N02/20681644025/in/dateposted-public/ | | | | | Senior Member Registered: November, 2009 Location: 'Merica! Posts: 209 | | Review Date: August 19, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $479.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Crisp contrast and colors | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-5IIs
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Image quality in all lighting, all apertures and at all distances is consistently crisp. Colors are rich.
I find the 35mm (50mm equivalent) FOV great for everyday use.
True 1:1 macro makes this superior for real close up work. The difference between 1:2 and 1:1 is significant and allows you to maximize bokeh blur. At 1:1 the front element is less than one inch from the subject making setup more challenging.
Handling is similar to other true macro glass with short focusing throw at long end near infinity and much longer throw as you go to greater magnifications.
Auto focus is screw drive so down side is it is slower and noisier than SDM variety. Pros are that it is unlikely to fail as SDM models are prone to. I use this lens exclusively in manual focus and find it smooth and intuitive.
The pull out hood is great and I use it constantly.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2011 Location: LODINGEN, Northern Norway Posts: 275 | | Review Date: November 21, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp,dual purpose | | Cons: | why isnt it WR? | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5 and K3
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This is one of my most used lenses.
Fantastic easy to use, for hand held macro.
Very easy to control D.O.F
| | | | | New Member Registered: July, 2011 Location: ile de france Posts: 29 | | Review Date: July 14, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Excellent optical and mechanical properties | | Cons: | No | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K5
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Excellent optical and mechanical properties
The best quality, focus is super ...sharp, super ...contrast, super
I recommend this lens to anyone looking for a versatile and sharpen lens.
Top quality and valuable lens.
A lens is just perfect
Exemple
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100897798@N05/14595712086/ | | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2011 Posts: 10 | | Review Date: May 10, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $800.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, microcontrast, colour rendition, bokeh (mostly) | | Cons: | occasionally distracting foreground bokeh, screwdrive AF, cost | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 7
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K5
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By far my favourite lens on the K5. Images just "pop" like no others, colour and contrast are spectacular, construction and handling are bombproof (no "manual override", alas).
 | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2014 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 13 | | |
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