| Author: | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2009 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 509
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 9, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $115.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Light, Good Color, Good IMQ at f2.4 | | Cons: | Apeture too small, no quick shift focus | | New or Used: New
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I have to give it a 10, because this little lens outperforms my expectation by so much.
Construction: Very well built. Everything fits properly. The focusing ring is properly damped for MF even though the focusing throw is ever so slightly short. I am not concerned, because this is a 35mm lens. People have complained about the polycarbonate material used on the bayonet. The material is hard and the lens is light. So I am not so worried. I rarely use distance scale, so no distance scale is not a big issue for me either.
Focusing is pretty fast. It does not have the quick-shift function. However, it is not hard to MF even when the AF motor is engaged. Focusing a bit noisy, but not as bad as my F50 f1.7. Due to mechanical limitations, it should be called DAL instead of DA.
IMQ: Simply Great. It rivals limited. I can easily use the largest aperture for daily use. It does not suffer from significant CA at the largest aperture. My only gripe is the largest aperture is too small. I understand the marketing mechanism behind the choice. But f2.2 is a more reasonable number in the market. BTW, I love large apertures. That is why we use fixed focal lens. Since the lens is so light, I can ignore this problem.
| | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Posts: 18,076
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 30, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $225.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | IQ, fast, price/value ratio ... | | Cons: | None given its price point ... still no hood provided ? | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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Bonjour,
Given all the accolades that have been stated previously and which are well deserved, here's my input ...
Really a great lens. Best "bang for the buck" performance in the Pentax primes (IMHO), and this lens is basically glued to the K-r now ... Love the feel of shooting with something like my old K1000 and a (almost) 50mm equivalent lens. This is photography as I learned to love it so many moons ago.
Overall, one cannot really complain about this lens, but a hood would have been a nice addition. I'm using a screw-on filter and rubber hood combo. If a "Quick Shift" had included, this lens would be fantastic ... hands down. Still manual focus mode is a fine substitute. The plastic mount issue does not bother me too much now ... and we'll see now it holds up over time.
To sum it up, as the French say, "C'est super!"
Allez à bientôt et bon courage, Jean le Frog
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: August, 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 161
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 30, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $170.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Best in its class | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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Having used the following lenses for comparison:
Pentax-K 35/3.5
Pentax-K 30/2.8
Pentax-K 28/3.5
Pentax-M 28/3.5
Pentax-A 35/2
Takumar SMC 35/3.5
Takumar SMC 28/3.5
In terms of real life image output, in my opinion the DA35/2.4 produced the best results from them all.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2011 Location: Delaware Posts: 344
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 30, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $220.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness | | Cons: | No hood | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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This is the lens I leave on my camera when it's in the bag. That's how much I like it. Very sharp, great bokeh and pretty good quality build for the price. Not a single complaint.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2011 Location: IA Posts: 7
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 20, 2011 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | light, sharp and reletively fast | | Cons: | for the price none | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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Great little lens for the right price. Fast enough to capture my two and four year old running around the house even when there aren't many lights on.
| | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2011 Posts: 21
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 13, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $170.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, lightweight | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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Great value for an amateur shooter like me. It's very sharp and colors are true. Here's a 100% crop of one of the shots I took with it:
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2011 Location: New York City Posts: 5,638
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 11, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $170.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Great color rendition, amazing value, small lens with quick AF, pretty sharp | | Cons: | Manual focusing is tough, plastic build (but not so bad), screw on hood only | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 10
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This lens is my budget 35mm lens, and it's quite amazing for its cost. The images it produces are very nice in color and contrast, with good sharpness. By F4, I already get plenty of center sharpness, and at F8 I get great sharpness all throughout. The image is still very good at F2.4, but expect a bit more CA when dealing with more contrasty conditions.
The bokeh on this lens is very lovely and creamy. With the short focusing distance, it's pretty easy to get up close to shoot smaller objects like flowers with amazing bokeh in the background.
Flare control is pretty good; I've shot into the sun a few times and never had a bad flareup. I got a hood regardless, to help protect the lens from bumps. The plastic build of the body feels terrible to the touch, but since it's so tiny and it's a prime, I don't normally have to touch it. It's amazingly light (thanks to the plastic build) so I can literally shoot one-handed with my k-x.
The plastic build can't be mocked for durability though, as I've given it some hard knocks and it's survived everything. My friend accidentally dropped my k-x with the 35mm attached from head level (long story) and everything is still working perfectly.
I would highly suggest this lens to be budget alternative to the DA 35 F2.8 and FA 35 F2.
Images:
 | | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2011 Location: Toila Posts: 2
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 9, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $230.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Small, lightweight, very sharp, real very good IQ by f/2,4 | | Cons: | no relevant cons | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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Excellent sharpness starting from max. apperture f/2,4 already! (A lot of different f/1.8 lenses gain the good sharpness from f/2.8 or more.)
No CA-s, no purple fringing.
Good color rendering, nice bokeh.
Quick AF, OK, a little bit noisy maybe.
Just right focal length for DX standard fix (35mm to 52mm).
Small, lightweight.
And all it for very very reasonable price.
Missing hood you can find everywhere.
Some people don't like "plastic construction". It spares weight and has no influence on image quality.
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2011 Location: Chester Posts: 719
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 8, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $230.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Size Feel Weight Look Bokeh Sharp | | Cons: | Aberrations Fringing or something like that No Quick Shift | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 4
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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A staple of my kit, this is small, lightweight and reliable. It has a few issues here and there, but at the price you have literally no reason not to buy this lens.
Unless you've already bought the 35/2... But that's like, twice the price.
EDIT: I now use this, with my 15mm Limited and DA* 50-135 as my staple kit, generally with this or the 15 mounted on a K-x, and the 50-135 on a K-5. And I am absolutely loving it. I do stage work, and the ability to grab wider shots of the stage with this is great. It's faster than the 15mm f/4 so I generally use this more often. And I love the look of the bokeh from this lens, not sure what everyone else thinks, but it's impressive when you stop it down to about 3.5, and even at 2.4 it's still very nice.
Edit 2: It's become one with my admittedly neglected K-x now, they both feel as rigidly plasticky as each other and they're small light and high quality. I've since become addicted to my DA* zooms, so it's not seen that much use, and handling wise it's not much to shout about. Fits the K-x like a glove though.
| | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2011 Location: Rovigo Posts: 13
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 26, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $173.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Great image quality, fast, cheap | | Cons: | Plastic mount, lacks hood, somehow loves flares | |
According to me this is a GREAT Pentax lens and it has a really low cost.
The only drawback is the fact that it lacks a lens hood (buy one on eBay from those China sellers, otherwise the lens loves flares!) and it has a plastic mount.
Otherwise, buy it!
http://www.pentaxiani.it/gall/albums/userpics/13302/Torre-Dona-con-fuochi-artificiali.jpg | | | | | Senior Member Registered: May, 2011 Location: New York Posts: 233
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 25, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | King of snap shots | | Cons: | What do you expect under $200 with F2.4 | |
King of snap shots ...... why i call it this name?
it feeds snap shot photographers very full: small/light lens, prime lens(sharp), 35mm for wide shot or makes you shoot close to objects (shoot closer, impress more), low price.
I suggest the beginner should get this lens after the kit zoom. It is easy to make you take moody pictures.
One more thing is the macro of this lens, whatever it has not come with real macro function, but it can shoot the object very close and sharp.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: June, 2007 Location: quebec Posts: 75
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 18, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $180.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | very simple to use. fast focus, sharp at all apperture, great image quality | | Cons: | no hood | |
Its a beautiful lens.
Fast and accurate auto focus.
Sharp at all apperture,
Great in low lighting
Colors and contrast are beautiful.
I would like more lens like this one.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2011 Location: Oxford Posts: 244
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 1, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $181.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Wolf in sheeps clothing | | Cons: | lens hood is extra | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-5, K-30
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This is a peach of a lens, beautifully understated and unpretentious. I have quite a few pentax primes and zooms, nothing too expensive, but this baby beats them all for quality of image. I really do like it; a simple but effective lens, and good value for money. Lets hope this is the start of a series. Now to scan the internet for a lens hood............
Since my initial review I have acquired four limited DA lenses, including the 35mm f2.8 macro, and have consequently discovered new levels of sharpness. I have therefor lowered my rating to 9. This lens still is, however, excellent value.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: March, 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Posts: 23,920
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 25, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $135.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, contrasty images - Fast AF - Petite size - Lightweight - Cheap | | Cons: | Considerable back focusing in low light | |
A great idea from Pentax, a long time coming for the prime dabbler.
Hopefully the start of a few budget primes for APS-C.
This lens is a brilliant example of Pentax's optical brilliance without the high price tag.
Punchy colours and detail unrivalled by any lens its price range, it's perfect for the discerning point & shooter or young aspiring photographer (kids included  ).
My copy suffers from significant BF in relatively low light, which I just cannot correct for. This would be my only grip, but otherwise a brilliant piece of plastic and glass!
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 2,846
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 25, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $187.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharp, great IQ, affordable, colorful and contrasty | | Cons: | none unless you don't like plastic mounts | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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I've had this lens for about a month now and I'm really enjoying it. It's extremely sharp, lightweight and small, and produces excellent image quality. The bokeh is pleasing as well.
This lens gets a 10 because I can think of no negatives. Sure, it could be faster, but I've not actually needed it to be faster. It's fast enough for the conditions I shoot in the great majority of the time. I have no qualms about the plastic mount - it feels solid and there's no indication that it won't work just fine for years to come.
It's also a pretty nice bargain. For less than $200, you get a really versatile and sharp lens with a very useful focal length. I have had this lens on my camera most of the time since acquiring it.
Below are a few examples of the sharpness and colorful nature of the DA 35/2.4. Bottom line: it's an excellent alternative for people like me who can't afford the big bucks Limited Pentax lenses.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2724/5794652191_19e93201be_z.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/5870192602_1a77dcc930_z.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3374/5846569738_43f446200c_z.jpg | | |
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