| Author: | | New Member Registered: October, 2010 Location: bronx Posts: 6
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 16, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $190.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Price..Aperance on camera Price | | Cons: | bouquet is shallow | | New or Used: New
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Hello all.
I bought this lens based on the the reviews on this board.
Definitely worth the money.
Maybe not a NINE.
Mine came with a small internal scratch which I did not
expect on a modern lens..Trying for an exchange but will see.
I bought it from prodigital2000 on ebay. It's difficult to return stuff to canada.
Pentax USA will honor warranty with receipt. Next time I will buy local.
I don't know how common this is since I have been buying mostly
used lenses on ebay.
This lens is price wise what one would pay for a used auto focus wide angle one on ebay.
The reviews here are a little overstated
The pro review here I feel is is understated.
(Non working link removed)
I think the lens is an 8.5.
The Bokeh, I prefer bouquet is shallow compared to my SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7.
I don't know if this is due to the aperture or because of the focal length.
I thing cosmetically its attractive compared to the older Pentax grey whales.
Much better than the SMC Pentax-DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL.
If you really need a 35mm then buy it.
If I can return mine because of the blemish I would not replace it.
I prefer the SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7 for indoor shooting.
I must say that that this lens feels sturdy. If it were not so light it would feel more expensive than it is.
I personally really like the weight, look and feel of this lens.
I feels funny screwing in a steel filter in to a plastic mount. I felt worried I would strip it but I did not.
Focusg is really fast and smooth.
I took at F2.4 ad f3.4 but really could not see any difference in sharpness.
This forum is excellent.
Thank You
| | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: July, 2017 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,585
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 22, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $87.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Inexpensive , sharp , small. | | Cons: | No aperture Ring , plastic mount. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: KS2 , KP
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I don't know exactly why I didn't do this earlier.
Picked this up on an Amazon Prime deal for $87. I wanted small and light.
There is not much to be said that hasnt been said previously by other reviewers.
It is sharp , small , and inexpensive.
I could live out the rest of my life a contented man if it was the only lens I had.
( Thankfully it isnt)
Mine does everything well. From quick portraits , to landscapes.
I have zero complaints even if it cost triple what it did for me.
Definitively has lived up to its name and reputation as the " Plastic Fantastic" !
My overall rating is 8.5 considering everything.
| | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2021 Posts: 8
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 21, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, fast enough and lightweight | | Cons: | Not weather sealed | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 7
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K5 iis
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This little plastic fantastic was my first lens with autofocus, and I can say I was not only surprised by how useful it is, but also by the quality of the images I can get from such a cheap lens. I do love some sharp images, and with the K5 iis, this lens delivers in that respect. Strictly speaking of image quality, it won't disappoint. My only gripe is how the lens handles. It's not too bad, but the lack of weather sealing and on-the-go focus adjustments and a decent focus ring are minor annoyances. All in all, I can't complain for the price. Us Pentax users are lucky to have access to this much quality at this price!
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2019 Posts: 2,009
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 30, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $110.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Excellent image quality, Light, Ideal focal length for a prime | | Cons: | No distance scale, Classic autofocus, No hood, Front cap | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K-S2
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The Plastic Fantastic (this lens!) is extremely light, has a good look (even if it does not look like premium), and has an excellent image quality. Furthermore, 35mm on APS-C is more or less the "human eye point of view", this means that even if it is a prime, it can almost do everything as long as you zoom with your feet. Only wide landscapes and astrophotography will be out of reach with this lens. You can see that "Fantastic" is not a too strong word when it comes to this lens.
This lens is cheap (second cheapest of Pentax lens line) and have a really good image quality, so it is not a surprise that cost measures have been taken : no quick shift, no distance scale, no hood.
The front cap is rather annoying. Instead of the common center-pinch cap, here you have to put your fingers on the edge of the cap and press the buttons in order to remove the cap. It's taking a longer time and I am always worried to put my fingers on the front element. The DA 50 F1.8 (the Other Plastic Fantastic) does not have this problem. I replaced the original cap with a cheap generic 2 € center-pinch one.
Bottom line, if you want a prime for greater image quality, greater maximum aperture or just for the sake of trying prime, this one is probably the first one you should buy. And you will probably keep it and love it, like me. Well, until you buy a Limited of course.  | | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: September, 2018 Location: Poland Posts: 1,800
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 6, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $95.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | image quality, price | | Cons: | for the price - nothing | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 8
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-50
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I bought this lens new in 2018 and have been using it quite a lot with my K-50. Image quality is ok wide-open (certainly usable) and very good stopped down.*The 2.4 maximum aperture is not very fast, but for the price it's fair and I've been using it wide-open in many low-light situations (like concerts).
Build quality: it has kind of plastic feel, but apart from that it seems fine - I've been treating it like every other lens and nothing bad happens. Plastic lens mount doesn't fall off  *
AF works well, a bit noisy like every other screw-driven lens. Altogether I like this lens a lot and I can recommend it as an everyday prime.
A few pictures below.
F/2.4:
F/2.8
F/5.6
F/22
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2016 Location: Patrick Co. Virginia Posts: 1,541
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 30, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $125.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, reasonably fast, light, accurate, simple bokeh | | Cons: | Not weather sealed. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-50
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For me, "for the money" usually means I can afford to try one. I was given this lens for my birthday and it now stays on my k-50 except for birding and wildlife shots. The "cheap plastic" lens on my "cheap plastic" camera that weighs less than my g1x "compact" makes it a goto for just about everything now.
edit: It does not focus quite to infinity on stars(hits end stop) which is a minor bummer.
[Update a year later]: This lens is still getting much use, even though I now have the 18-135mm ed wr I always wanted. I'll review that one later. I concur with other reviews about it causing focus issues. I say causing because so much of the focusing duty belongs to the camera, but obviously something in the lens is responsible or all lenses would have problems. It's holding up nicely despite bouncing around in a lens bag attached to my grab-n-go pentax onesie(old school) by the clip and cord.
I wish I had gotten some funky color. because it really is terrific on Pentax the Red my k-50.
This is about a 1:1 crop
  | | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2011 Location: Dorset , UK Posts: 6
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 18, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | price and image quality | | Cons: | none at this price point ! | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-70
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unbelievably cheap lens (£60.-) !
AF is noisy on Pentax K-70 but quite fast and accurate.
IQ is great at f5.6 and f8 and it focuses quite close !
Should be in every Pentax bag (-:
| | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2018 Posts: 8
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 9, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $65.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | contrast, flare resistance, sharpness, price and bokeh | | Cons: | Vignetting wide open, minor CA, sometimes busy bokeh | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Sony a7
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I like this lens a lot on a Sony a7. It is really sharp and contrasty wide open. When stopped down the sharpness is nearly excellent across the frame. For an APS-C lens this is quite remarkable. It vignettes wide open, but the sharpness in the corners isn't that bad.
The bokeh is good but under some circumstances it can be a bit too busy.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: January, 2018 Posts: 47
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 28, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | price, general image quality | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-1, K-7
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I have seen several of these lenses for sale recently with very attractive prices. I picked one at 65 EUR and have seen several other copies at equally low price point. Another deciding factor was that, although a DA series lens, it has been reported as being useful with K-1 at full frame mode as well.
Admittedly, with K-1 in FF, there is some vignetting. I have made no systematic test with see how much or at which f stop. However, my judgement is that this lens is still useful with K-1 for many purposes. I am attaching a f/4.5 image to show some rather obvious vignetting in the image. Still - I have seen some worse examples of vignetting in crop sensor cameras with DA lenses. It is controllable with this lens, if you can avoid situations where you will need to increase the contrast in post processing (as that will bring the vignetting more clearly visible).
With a crop sensor camera, I most recently shot at f/8 and the image quality is superb. Probably it is so even at larger apertures as well. Where I live, it often rains, so this is not going to be my most typical walkaround lens, but clearly this is a very good lens with any of the crop sensor bodies.
 | | | | | Junior Member Registered: January, 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 32
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 28, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $220.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Light, I.Q. | | Cons: | No quickshift, no hood | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K30
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Very sharp, very light, cheap.
The sharpness is 'only' good at full aperture at the center, but is as good on the edges (rare).
Very good everywhere at 3.4, excellent above 3.4.
Quickshift is sorely missed, as well as a hood (telescopic or bayonet would be great).
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2013 Posts: 7
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 12, 2017 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, light, cheap, great general IQ. | | Cons: | No Quick Shift. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: k30
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I am growing in my appreciation off this lens.
I was shooting in Ireland, and found that the greens (of which there are plenty in Ireland) could sometimes look a bit garish. Generally I wasn't convinced by the realism of the colours. So when I found a 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.....?
Anyway, the 2.4 is always sharp. It gives great clarity, and I find that its transitions, micro contrast, or whatever you want to call it, are very natural looking. I love the fact that both 35's are almost distortion free, and are superb for pano-stitching. The limited is perhaps a fraction more '3D'.
But 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 that "classic movie" colour balance that the previous reviewer referred to. So with a preference also for a longer macro, the punchy 2.4 might actually be the keeper of the two; allowing me to swap for a tiny 40mm limited to keep on the APSC as a put in your pocket point and shoot....maybe? Choices, choices. None of which break the bank! Don't let people tell you there are no Pentax lens options!
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2016 Posts: 316
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 7, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Price, sharpness, versatility, portability | | Cons: | Build, focus, color rendition | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax Kx
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This little lens is great for anyone who wants a fast normal prime for general use (2.4 may not be really fast, but is its enough for my photography). It is very lightweight, quite compact, plus the 35mm give you a lot of flexibility and you can always bring it with the camera as a general walk around lens or an addition to another lens. Very fast focus, very sharp, and 2.4 aperture give you enough speed in most situation. And with the price (I paid 90$ for an used one in very good condition), I see no reason not to recommend it.
Now, for the things I do not like, this is very personal, so you may find it important or not:
- Build: for a plastic lens it is very well build, and you don't find it cheaply at all. However I have used only old manual Pentax lens before with metal build and great handling with aperture ring and focusing ring, and I have been spoiled by them, so if you like metal build, or you enjoy handling them, you won't find it the same with this little lens.
- Auto focus: while very fast, sometime my pictures are slightly back focus, sometime I have to point the camera out of the subject, and point it again to refocus, this happens only occasionally so I don't know if it is due to the lens, or due to my camera, or all autofocus lens are like that. It is nevertheless a problem.
- Color rendition: this lens give you a very sharp and colorful picture, if you like the "film" look, or "classic" look that limited lens give you, this colorfulness maybe a little bit too much. It would be great for shooting festival, market however.
- At 2.4 the camera use to underexpose and I have to compensate 0.7 EV
Still all of those problems may not matter at all, and I still find it a very good lens.
    | | | | | amateur dirt farmer Registered: December, 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Posts: 41,781
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 5, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $79.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | lightness, color rendition, clarity, easy to use | | Cons: | poor ergonomics if using as a manual lens, no hood from Pentax | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-50 and K-3
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what can you say about such a lens - inexpensive, versatile, useful.... I bought mine used from KEH for $79 and could not tell it from a new lens...
the ergonomics of the lens do leave something behind - if you intend to use this lens manually, you'll be sorely disappointed... the all-plastic build is does not offer any tactile-feedback, especially if using the focus ring...
however - you didn't expect this to perform as a manual lens, since it is a DA lens (why is it not a DA L lens?) and designed specifically for a DSLR and to be controlled entirely through the camera body...
now then - my month with Marigold was awesome - wide enough, fast enough to do just about anything you ask of a standard-length lens... typical Pentax color rendition, quick to focus, flare-resistant - there truly are not many things wrong with the lens...
but can a lens be too sharp and clinical? I've read discussions on this point for this lens, that it tends to render images almost sterile in their lack of aberrations, or character...
there has also been discussions on the lens' AF and how it occasionally will need to be point away from the scene at hand, focused, and brought back to allow it to focus properly - is that a lens problem or a camera problem (this is a very occasional issue and I have found it with my DA 50 also)...
the lens is a keeper, based on its performance in October (Single In Challenge)...
sample images:
 tree frog by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
 jeans and pegs by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
 morning light - desaturated by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
 vanilla by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
my flickr album for the DA 35:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pepperberryfarm/albums/72157666281579370 | | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2016 Posts: 20
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 17, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $129.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | cheap for it's ability | | Cons: | build quality | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 7
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K1 Pentax
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I did a test of the lens from it's f2.4 through F11. Once you are past about F3.5 the lens is simply stellar considering the cost. Center sharpness is great and it maintains that all the way to the corners above F3.5. Vignetting is not serious at any F stop nor is fringing or distortions. I use DXO11 software and you can see it correcting the distortions as it has a profile for this lens. It reminds me of when I was a Nikon fan and bought the 35mm F1.8 and found it too was awesome and very sharp and about 200 bucks.
The Pentax also maintains good color and contrast with no washing out at any point in the range I have stated above. I have learned to quickly juggle the speed and F stop to make it work for this lens and the K1 makes that less of a chore or a trauma using front and rear dials. If it ever dies will just buy another one for sure.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: March, 2013 Posts: 170
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 6, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $155.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, cheap, light-weight, small | | Cons: | noisy, could be faster | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-x
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Since I have this lens, the photography is fun again. Although it could be faster, the f-number 2.4 makes a huge difference against the kit lens.
The autofocus is only screw-driven, but it's very fast (the fastest autofocus of all of my lenses) and very accurate. There is almost no focus hunting. The only downside is the noise and the lack of quick-shift.
The front element does not rotate, which is good, too.
Bokeh could be smoother, but I somehow like it. The out-of-focus parts of the image are not disturbing.
Colors are just great.
Exposure metering on my camera (K-x) works much better with this lens, than with the kit lens. When I use kit lens, I have to compensate about +2/3EV. With this lens it's much more reliable.
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