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Pentax Lens Review Database » Digital Era Pentax K-Mount Lenses » DA Zoom Lenses
SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM

Sharpness 
 9.4
Aberrations 
 9.0
Bokeh 
 9.2
Autofocus 
 7.0
Handling 
 9.0
Value 
 8.4
Reviews Views Date of last review
154 549,789 Sat April 9, 2022
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
94% of reviewers $794.89 9.03
SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM

SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM
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SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM
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Description:
Like all current DA lenses, the SMC Pentax DA* 50-135mm is designed only for Pentax APS-C DSLR cameras. It was announced in late February, 2007. It auto-focuses with an SDM ultrasonic motor on the K10D (firmware 1.30) and newer cameras. On older cameras the lens will auto-focus with the 'screw drive' mechanism.

SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF]
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
APS-C
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
No
Diaphragm
Automatic, 9 blades
Optics
18 elements, 14 groups
Mount Variant
KAF2
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F2.8
Min. Aperture
F22
Focusing
AF (in-lens motor or screwdrive)
SDM
Quick-shift
Yes
Min. Focus
100 cm
Max. Magnification
0.17x
Filter Size
67 mm
Internal Focus
Yes
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 31.5-11.9 ° / 27-10 °
Hood
PH-RBK 67 mm
Case
S90-160
Lens Cap
O-LC67
Coating
SMC,SP
Weather Sealing
Yes (AW)
Other Features
AF/MF Switch,Internal Zoom
Diam x Length
77 x 136 mm (3 x 5.4 in.)
Weight
685 g (24.2 oz.)
w/ Hood: +80g
Production Years
2007 to present (in production)
Pricing
$1048 USD current price
Engraved Name
smc PENTAX-DA* 1:2.8 50-135mm ED [IF] SDM
Product Code
21660
Reviews
User reviews
In-depth review
Unofficial Full-Frame Compatibility Tests by Pentax Forums
★☆☆ Usable with reservations at select F-stop/focal length combinations
Show details
Notes
Internal zoom.
Three ED elements.

Features:
Screwdrive AutofocusSupersonic AutofocusQuick ShiftWeather SealedInternal FocusingInternal ZoomingAutomatic ApertureAPS-C Digital Only
Purchase: Buy the SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM
In-Depth Review: Read our SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM in-depth review!
Sample Photos: View Sample Photos
Price History:



Add Review of SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM Buy the SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM
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Pentaxian

Registered: June, 2008
Location: Holy Land
Posts: 1,165
Review Date: July 3, 2010 Recommended | Price: $750.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Build-quality, IQ, bokeh, sharpness, colors, contrast, fast
Cons: None

The best zoom I've ever used. The optics are excellent and it is very sharp at f2.8 with very good bokeh. IQ is on par with my primes. Excellent build quality, beautiful colors, fast focusing...
Sample images here:





   
Site Supporter

Registered: October, 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 126
Review Date: July 1, 2010 Recommended | Price: $725.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: sharpness, colour, contrast, SDM, silent, speed
Cons: SDM longevity questionable, large minimum focus distance, size

This is without a doubt the best / most-useful zoom lens that I have used. I admit I was pretty nervous forking out the asking price with such a vocal group of people with SDM issues. The price for a new one here in Australia is significantly higher than to import one from the US. Also, as I was unsure whether I would be able to get warranty repairs done here I settled on the secondhand route. Secondhand was also attractive based on my logic that since the SDM complaints seem to happen either very early on or once the lens is a few years old, a relatively new but secondhand lens showing no signs of SDM failure should have a lower probability of issues for at least a few years.

I have had no problems with SDM issues (knock on wood) and like most others who haven't had issues, I absolutely love this lens. It is extremely sharp, even wide open and I think the colours and contrast out of this lens are absolutely beautiful. The SDM is silent and as fast as I expected - which is to say that it isn't lightning quick but pretty decent nonetheless. For a while I owned both this lens and the DA 70mm. While I loved the small size of the DA 70mm, I felt in terms of image quality the DA* was at least its equal and I chose the added versatility of the zoom over the size/weight of the prime. I have a few primes in the wide to normal range but am in love with this lens over anything in its focal length. I use it a lot for portraits and head-shots for which its great though I haven't ever had a chance to try a FA 77mm - perhaps one day I am more than happy with the DA*.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: December, 2007
Location: Montreal
Posts: 1,249
Review Date: June 8, 2010 Recommended | Price: $750.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: optical quality, relatively compact for its class, build quality
Cons: slow AF, huge hood, prone to flare. min. focus distance
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 9   

This is easily one of the best Pentax zoom, the picture quality is amazing, even at f/2.8 which I use a lot for sports.

The downside for me is the size and weight. It's so much of an issue that I often use other lenses like the FA77, D-FA 100mm or even the DA 55-300mm. But actually the size is quite compact for a f/2.8 zoom in this range.

Other big minus is the slow AF. I can't believe that some people find this lens fast. It's pedestrian to say the least. The DA* 16-50mm is faster and the newer DA* 60-250mm is much faster. That's a big minus for me because I use it a lot in situation where I need fast AF (sports, action, etc.).

Flare performance is also not that great. The minimum focus distance could also be better

Build quality is great, better than any other Pentax zoom I own. The lens does not extend like the 16-50 or 60-250 something I always prefer. The zoom ring is very smooth (unlike the 16-50) and is a joy to use.

Pictures taken with the DA* 50-135 mm f/2.8
   
New Member

Registered: December, 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 6
Review Date: May 4, 2010 Recommended | Price: $800.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Razor Sharp, Fantastic Portrait Lens
Cons: Minimum Focusing Distance

I absolutely adore this lens. The auto-focusing is snappy and fast, the sharpness is astonishing, and the clarity and bokeh are just plain fabulous. It's now on my camera about 90% of the time, replacing my Tamron 28-80mm f2.8 as my main shooting lens.

My only issue is that the minimum focusing distance on this guy is much farther out than I'd like, so this is pretty useless as an up-close lens, which is a shame, but only takes it down a point.

Just a gorgeous piece of glass!
   
Veteran Member

Registered: June, 2009
Location: Minneapolis - St. Paul
Posts: 3,067
Review Date: February 28, 2010 Recommended | Price: $850.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Superb build quality yet remains light-weight, quiet SDM motor, sharp all throughout.
Cons: AF could be slightly better.
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 7    Handling: 8    Value: 9    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K-5   

This lens is just perfect, could not live without it. The build quality is superb with weather-sealing. It's light-weight and compact compared to it's 70-200/2.8 full frame counterparts.

Nothing major that could be wrong with this lens, one of the best I've ever owned. Used to own a Sigma 17-70, Tamron 28-75/2.8, DA 35 Macro LTD, 21 LTD, FA 43 LTD, 77 LTD, FA 50/1.4, Tamron 70-200/2.8. Now I currently own only the DA* 50-135 and 16-50. This lens is easily my favorite lens out of all.

A minor issue is the AF could be a bit faster, it's not up to par with the competition, but otherwise it's fast enough for me.


The photo has flare under the headlight due to the fact that I had a measly cheap replica (did not know this at the time) Hoya Pro1 Digital filter on at night.

   
Veteran Member

Registered: December, 2009
Location: Georgia, VT
Posts: 1,657
Review Date: February 25, 2010 Recommended | Price: $849.00 | Rating: 1 

 
Pros: Excellent image quality at all focal lengths, outstanding build quality, looks gorgeous, super silent focusing, great hood, internal zoom and focusing, weather sealing
Cons: Slow focusing, poor minimum focus distance, questionable SDM longevity
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 7    Autofocus: 3    Handling: 9    Value: 1    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K-7, K-5   

When I first got this lens, my initial thoughts were "wow, this thing is gorgeous". I love the gold highlights, the green line near the mount, and the massive zoom and focus rings. The large front element makes this lens look like it means business. This thing looks fantastic.

On my K-7, this lens is perfectly balanced. The large zoom ring means the lens has a wide range of space to support it, so I suspect it would be well balanced on just about any Pentax camera. That zoom ring feels smooth, with a good amount of resistance.

The focus ring is very similar, it's even larger than the zoom ring. It also has a fairly smooth motion with good resistance, although I found it felt kinda "dry" initially. Nowhere near the smoothness of my Super Takumar 50mm F1.4's focus ring, which is buttery smooth. It also has a super-long 130 degree sweep, which would be great for manual focusing but is far too long for an auto-focus lens. One oddity I hadn't experienced with a lens before: when I reach the end of the focus throw, the focus ring doesn't stop turning. There's a distinct "clunk" of the internal focusing mechanism reaching its limit, but the ring can continue to be turned indefinitely. It's a weird feeling, none of my other lenses behave this way.

Its size is a bit daunting at first, but this is mostly due to the fact that it focuses and zooms internally. So no matter what focal length you're using or where you're focusing, this lens always stays exactly the same length. The weight is also a bit much to carry around your neck during a long shooting session. After buying this lens, I got a new neck strap from Op/Tech to help reduce the strain on my neck, and it's been a huge help.

I've been using this lens regularly for over a month now, and I've mostly gotten used to the way it behaves. But one thing that still bugs me is the 3 foot minimum focus distance. The F2.8 aperture and 50mm focal length beg for this lens to be used indoors in low light, but the 3 foot minimum focus distance makes this a really frustrating task. I keep getting caught by this, and have to move back or stand on my tip toes to get 3 feet from my subject. I really wish this thing had a macro mode, or at least allowed closer focusing. 3 feet sucks.

Outdoors, this lens is at its best. Sharpness is impressive at any focal length, including the extremes. Even at F2.8, overall sharpness is surprisingly good. I've never seen a lens that gives such great results wide open. Of course, stopping down to F4 makes things even better.

Contrast and saturation are gorgeous. The colours come out vivid and clear, and chromatic aberration is incredibly well controlled. I have yet to be able to induce flare, even on purpose. The lens hood does a perfect job of keeping stray reflections off the lens. It's even lined with black felt on the inside!

Focusing performance is... disappointing. With all the hype from Pentax over SDM, I expected focusing to be on par with high end Canon and Nikon offerings, but the truth is, it barely matches the kit lens with its screw-drive focusing. Accuracy in daylight is excellent, but it takes a long time to get from close focus to infinity. The focus throw is so long, you can feel the mechanism rolling through its entire range... it reminds me of the distant rumble of a bowling ball rolling down the aisle. Sometimes, there's a hesitation before the focus mechanism gets going. Like it's not sure if I really meant to half-press the shutter button. Occasionally, when I haven't used the lens in a couple days, the focusing mechanism takes a few tries to "wake up". It won't move at all the first few times I half-press the shutter button. Once it does wake up, the precision is excellent. It always focuses accurately on my target. If it doesn't have to go through its entire focus range to find a target, it's usually pretty quick. So if I manually focus real quick and then half-press the shutter button, I can get focus blazingly fast. But this is an annoying two-step process. Overall, I'd say it compares favourably with the kit lens in this respect, but it doesn't come close to the competition. It doesn't even come close to my old and ultra-cheap SMC Pentax F 35-70mm F3.5-4.5, which auto-focuses like greased lightning on ice.

As soon as I get out of daylight, focus performance drops like a rock. This lens has a tendency to hunt more than my kit lens does. It'll often sweep through its entire range twice, and then give up, even when there's an obvious line to focus on RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE!!! Honestly, I don't get it. With an F2.8 aperture, it should have plenty of light to focus easily in most situations, but somehow that doesn't matter. The worst part is, sweeping through its range takes so long, by the time it's failed to focus, my shot is often gone. On the upside, the focusing mechanism is whisper quiet. I hear it when I operate the camera, but anyone around me can't hear it at all.

Since I mainly use this lens outdoors during the day, it's been a perfect fit for me, hence the 9 rating. It's really unfortunate that I can't make better use of it indoors or in low-light, but that's not what I got it for. I mainly got it for outdoor shots of static objects, and for this purpose the lens is excellent. I'm also hoping to use it a lot when the Canadian Football League season starts up again in July, although I'm not sure how it will do with fast-moving subjects. I guess I'll find out the hard way... (update: it was terribly, the AF speed and accuracy was miserable and useless for fast action shots)

edit: oops, forgot to mention weather-sealing. I've been using this lens on my K-7 in winter, through some snow falls and rain. The combination never missed a beat. It's great to be able to do these things and not worry about water getting into the camera. Weather sealing is one of this lens' great qualities, and definitely contributes to the 9 rating I gave it.

update: While everything written above still holds true, the fact is I couldn't wait to get rid of this lens. Why? After about 10 months, the SDM started showing signs of failure. Hesitation before auto-focus, weird stuttering. Eventually it died altogether. It was fixed under warranty (took about 5 weeks to get it back), only to fail again within a month. This time the motor made a funny whirring noise and the entire focus mechanism jammed solid. I couldn't focus manually either, the focus ring would just turn and turn and accomplish nothing. Turns out everyone who warned me not to buy this lens was right. I did get it fixed again (the repair facility gives a 6 month warranty on all repairs), but only so I could sell it on eBay.

So I've adjusted my rating accordingly. Buyer beware. And don't fall for the lie that Pentax has resolved the problem on newer copies of this lens. I heard the same BS back when I first bought mine, and it had already been on the market for many years by then.
   
Loyal Site Supporter

Registered: March, 2008
Location: N. Calif
Posts: 3,644
Review Date: February 22, 2010 Recommended | Price: $750.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Everything!
Cons: None!

This lens is an absolute beauty.
I initially bought into the Pentax line just for the comparability with older (read cheaper) lenses. Soon I realized the true potential of the K-mount cameras and moved up to the K20D last year. I tried this lens once and just could not believe the difference it made. The colors are just stunningly real. Initially I was wondering if 135mm would be enough so I also bought a 1.4x Tamron TC. Works great with it as well.

The one thing Pentax could have improved is the AF speed . This could be better but even after deducting 1 point for that, the score is still 10 since based on my expectations, this lens has already scored 11 on image quality.
   
Junior Member

Registered: July, 2008
Location: Western Canada
Posts: 37
Review Date: December 4, 2009 Recommended | Price: $750.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Build quality/weather sealing, bokeh, colour rendition
Cons: Slightly subpar AF for pro lens, flare, CAs

Some flare issues. Some CA.
Other than that, it focuses slow for a motorized lens, and tends to hunt quite a bit in less than ideal light. At least for a high end lens like this.
But on the positive side I'm still giving it a 9 because it is sharp, renders colours quite nicely, has wonderful bokeh for a zoom.
It's big and heavy but most fast pro zooms are.
   
Inactive Account

Registered: October, 2008
Location: Torun, POLAND
Posts: 119
Review Date: November 14, 2009 Recommended | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharpness, colour, contrast, bokeh, weatherproof, silent
Cons: No

Very well made zoom;
   
Veteran Member

Registered: March, 2007
Location: Ankara, Turkey
Posts: 401
Review Date: October 22, 2009 Not Recommended | Price: $800.00 | Rating: N/A 

 
Pros: Optical performance
Cons: SDM

Mine is not really a review, for now, that is!

This lens has the highest price tag among my set of lenses (too many to count).
It is also the only one that failed!

After about a year of infrequent use (I was busy shooting film!), I have started using/re-using this lens. It was "optically" perfect; almost like a prime at every focal length!

However, its SDM started to behave and since using the screw driven AF engine is actively blocked (read, forbidden) my lens turned into a manual one within weeks. The lens was used lightly (first on K10D, then on K20D). It is in "new" condition for all practical purposes. It was used just like all of my other lenses (Pentax and Sigma), of which I am happy.

There are only a few places in the world that are authorized to fix the SDM. And, there is no local representative or service, Pentax is not currently represented in my country.
I wrote two of them for paid repair. None replied!

I do not understand what my mistake was. Do you?

I am not thinking of buying another lens "with SDM" until Pentax either issues a satisfactory statement about the reported problems (and their solution) or publishes a firmware to allow usage of screw driven AF when needed.

I humbly advice Pentax to define a process where users living outside the countries it has representatives and/or services can apply for help.
What am I supposed to do if my equipment fails? Pray?
(The lens was bought in the US, by the way).

I also warn potential buyers (of lenses with SDM, especially second-hand) think thrice if they live in the remote & neglected corners of the world. For other lenses, there is not much reason to be extremely cautious; even my 40 or so years old Takumars work like magic!
   
New Member

Registered: April, 2008
Location: italy
Posts: 12
Review Date: October 12, 2009 Recommended | Price: $1,200.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: The perfect one.
Cons: A bit, only a bit large and long (with hood)

What a lens!
It's very difficult for me change lens if DA* 50-135 is on, for me it's the perfect range.
from 50 to 135!
Pentax hasn't prime lens from 77 to 135 and this lens is a set of primes!

The only bad things are that it is a little long with hood and that i'm a bit scared about the dead SDM motors.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: March, 2007
Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia
Posts: 7,183
Review Date: September 18, 2009 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: size, IQ, WR, SDM, weight
Cons: some vignetting

I have been waiting with this review until I put the lens through it's paces. I finally had that chance during trip to Egypt.
First impressions:
the lens is well put together, with tight tolerances and with nice finish. The rubberized zoom and focusing rings are easy to handle and nice and wide. I'd love to have them swapped though, meaning zoom ring would be closer to the front and focusing ring closer to the body (being AF person I don't use MF a lot and lens + body combo would be easier to handle if you could zoom with your hand more forward). But that's just personal opinion. What could be better tough is, the space between the rings. It's really narrow and with hood mounted in storage position it's bit tricky to mount/dismount the lens. All in all 9/10
On camera:
This lens balances well on K100/K10D + grip/GX20. Even for the small K100D it's not intimidating. I like it best on K10D + grip. I don't miss the tripod collar as the lens isn't too heavy and the setup is reasonably stable on tripod. All in all 10/10
Performance:
I will start with negative thing. And that is vignetting, I have noticed it with hood attached but I have yet to do proper testing to see if it's general thing or only certain f stop/focal length combination.
Now to the positive things. This lens has exceptional colour rendition, is plenty sharp from wide open, especially from 1.5m and behind. Focuses very quickly and accurately. The SDM and WR are great and very welcome bonuses. Focal range is very good for streets and traveling. And for zoom it has nice bokeh. All in all 9.5/10
Conclusion:
Because of it's small(ish) size and weight, exceptional performance this lens represents great value. I have been quite a bit into the primes but this zoom makes you think twice. It's easily the best zoom I have tried to this date (09/09) and it's one fantastic lens to own.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: January, 2009
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 330
Review Date: September 12, 2009 Recommended | Price: $750.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: weight, sharpness,
Cons: AF occasionally has issue but otherwise flawless

another review while im at it

My favorite lens. I wise the zoom range was a bit larger but thats only a small problem. This is an incredible lens and my favorite for portraits. The solid build and internal zooming takes away all fears of using this set up in rain (I did use it in rain very very regularly while in costa rica for 3 months). It holds up well and I've even had to wash it to keep it clean during several 14+km hikes through mud/forest.
For its size i think its rather light and at F2.8 very sharp.

put simply.... if you dont have this lens.... your missing out
   
Senior Member

Registered: July, 2008
Location: montreal
Posts: 136
Review Date: August 29, 2009 Recommended | Price: $719.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp,small size for me,Weather sealed
Cons: None yet

Nothing bad to say here...what a lens,i love it
I tried it for landscape and some animals shots in a zoo and the shots are very sharp,thank you again Pentax.It will be great for shooting in the rain and snow here in Canada!

Buy one,you will have no regret.
   
Senior Member

Registered: February, 2009
Location: SLovakia
Posts: 141
Review Date: August 28, 2009 Recommended | Rating: N/A 

 
Pros: Very fast AF on K-7! Very sharp!
Cons: missing tripod collar - kind a heavy lens

For direct sunlight performance look here


http://www.flickr.com/photos/41918127@N03/3863479373/
Add Review of SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM Buy the SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM



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