| Author: | | New Member Registered: January, 2010 Posts: 23 | | Review Date: December 13, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness; Color rendition | | Cons: | Front rotating element; heaviness | |
PZ stands for Power zoom. The lens is made in Japan, with 9 blade diaphragm and 58mm filter rim. Unlike the DA series Pentax lenses, this lens (or other lenses prior to DA series) does not has Full-Time Manual (FTM) focus (or called clutch system), which is a bit less convenient when trying to override the autofocus. Luckily, the autofocus is quite accurate on this lens. Although having autofocus functionality, the lens has auto/manual aperture ring, which is very convenient for Canon/Nikon users shooting in manual mode. However, the front element rotates when zooming and is therefore inconvenient for Polarizer filter users. The barrel is made of polycarbonate plastic and the body is heavy due to the power zoom mechanism. This is one of sharp, walk around zoom lenses made by Pentax. The lens has been highly rated by many other users and I found their statements are quite true. I wish the zoom range could be a bit longer, such as 28-135mm, but who cares as long as the lens is sharp.
The maximum aperture ranges from f/4 to f/5.6, which is not a fast lens. To be able to take indoor pictures hand held, a flash is usually required. The images are surprisingly sharp for a zoom lens like this. Color rendition and contrast are quite pleasant and would not get washed out like some of single-coating lenses. Note that, for the Canon/Nikon users, the adapter ring with AF confirmation could not fit onto the lens mount, due to the conflict with the additional electrical contact for the power zoom. To fit the lens in the Canon/Nikon cameras, you need to make compromise to use the adapter without the AF confirmation. If you could not live without AF confirmation, an alternative choice would be the non-PZ but IF (Internal Focus) version, which is lighter and usually made in China or assembled in Vietnam. The non-PZ version has a larger front element (62mm in filter size). The IF feature is nice, but the users have found it far less sharp and less contrast than the PZ version.
 | | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: January, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, New York Posts: 1,064 | | Review Date: December 9, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $115.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great intense , color like from a film camera | | Cons: | has some CA fixable on Photoshop. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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I always wanted a 28-105 Pentax but they stopped making them.
Recently I thought about finding one of the older models but did not
want the Tamron built model.
Tried shooting flash indoors but lens not as suitable as my 16-45, so I'll use the 28-105 outdoors.
My first pictures taken outdoors were delightfully good, with really intense color similar to the filmy color I used to get from my Canon 28-105 USM lens.
I was able to shoot skylines with my new lens with better sharpness than my
other lenses and loved the results. The model I bought is the powerzoom model. Powerzoom doesn't work with modern cameras but I'm fine with manual zooming. It was originally made for film cameras. It is generally considered a better lens than the non-powerzoom models floating around.
There is sometimes CA to deal with but Photoshop easily handles it.
All in all I think I have a real bargain in this sweet little baby. (I shouldn't say baby because it is rather heavy, l lb., but fits nicely in my camera bag.)
I like the weight because it helps keep my K100D camera steady. Seems very
well made and the copy I got is excellent. I did have to buy a lens hood and
lens cap which cost me about an additional $15. The seller did not have those
with the camera as sold to me. I recommend this lens and I intend to have fun with it and know I'll come up with some really great shots. P.S. since this review I had several awards for photography with the lens. And at that time I hadn't taken more than 100 shots.
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2010 Location: Rayong Province Posts: 1 | | Review Date: March 23, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $110.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Excellent Color,Sharp,Cheap | | Cons: | heavy,few noise | |
Lens optical quality is good for this price, a walk-around lens. I alway use its when i go to travel. I think,This is a Fantastic lens. It's now out of production, but if you can get one don't hesitate. | | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2008 Location: Italy Posts: 9
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 1, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, good colour & contrast, inexpensive, very good range | | Cons: | a bit slow, some fringing, maybe a bit soft @ 105, big and heavy, front element rotates, comes with no hood | |
I bought this lens here on the marketplace. The lens is bigger and heavier than I'd like, and I don't like the fact that the front element rotates while focusing, but apart from that it's very very sharp and it's definitely a very worthy upgrade from the kit lens. It's slowly becoming my main walkaround lens when I just want to go around taking random photos. @105 it becomes a little soft and it's a bit prone to fringing, at shorter focal distances it's ok. Recommended if you want a good walkaround lens, don't want to spend much and don't mind the extra bulk and weight
EDIT (29/06/2010):
I'm revising the original review a few months after the first one since I now believe it was a little too enthusiastic (before it was a 9, now I think a 7 would be more appropriate). Don't get me wrong: the lens IS nice, but after a while I realized that the size and bulk outweigh its optical qualities, and I simply rarely choose it to mount on the camera when I go out to take some pictures (in fact I'm more and more leaning towards primes). It all boils down to personal shooting styles and preferences though: if'you're looking for a good do-it-all zoom, it's a very good choice.
| | | | | | | | | | Review Date: December 8, 2009 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very sharp and contrasty lens | | Cons: | Kind of slow but but great in good light | |
I bought this lens when I got my PZ way back when and it has been a great lens, and one of my favorites as a walk around lens. I have some 16x20" prints from this lens that are extremely sharp even close up using Kodachrome Slide film.
I have used the newer version of this lens and found it to be far less sharp and with less contrast than the PowerZoom version. I always used the PowerZoom on my PZ, along with some other features no longer available on the newer DSLR's and never had any problems with it.
Great lens, my daughter just got one used and loves it on her K10D too!
Tom
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: July, 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Posts: 260 | | Review Date: September 26, 2009 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Built Quality, PowerZoom, Nice Range | | Cons: | Slow, | |
I got this zoom with my Pentaz MZ-5. It's been around for years and has taken a lot of abuse. Once it drop (with camera and tripod) because of the wind, lens firts into concrete. The lens just had a minor scratch, the plastic barrel broke and the filter ring was also damaged and broken (I cannot use filters anymore), but the lens kept working and I still use it today with my K20D.
Optical quality is good for this price, a grat walk-around lens with nice size and weight. It's a little dark when looking on the viewfinder but I still can get very good results when printing large sizes.
PowerZoom function still surprises my Canikon friends.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: January, 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 514 | | Review Date: June 20, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Good sharpness, nearly ideal for court action, cheap, rugged | | Cons: | Heavy, | |
This is my walk around lens and seems ideal for the task. Mid range it is nearly as sharp as some primes. From what I've been reading this is one of the best efforts from Pentax in this focal range. In some situations, the colors seem to be a bit washed, but that may be the tough lighting I get into...
I'm going to pick up a PZ film camera just so I can explore the potential of the features it offers. Great stuff!
| | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2006 Location: Dallas, TX, USA Posts: 21
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 8, 2007 | Recommended | Price: $125.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Ideal film SLR walkaround. Great value for money | | Cons: | loses wideness (28 becomes 42) on DSLR, | |
I bought this as the "kit lens" for my Z1 in Singapore when they both first came out. I was probably one of thefew users of the power-zoom aspects of this lens and I missed it when I switched to the *istD. (It's back with the K10D.)
This polycarbonate body lens has taken litterally thousands of pictures and only gave me one minor problem (one of the aspects of powerzoom that the K10D does not support) that Pentax fixed quickly under warrantee.
If you avoid both extremes of the zoom range, it has quite good optical qualities. Balances very nicely on the K10D and anti-shake makes it even better.
Larry in Dallas
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