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Pentax Lens Review Database » Film Era Pentax K-Mount Lenses » FA Zoom Lenses
SMC-Pentax FA 28-105mm F4-5.6 Review RSS Feed

SMC-Pentax FA 28-105mm F4-5.6

Sharpness 
 8.4
Aberrations 
 7.8
Bokeh 
 7.1
Autofocus 
 8.4
Handling 
 8.1
Value 
 9.0
Reviews Views Date of last review
23 167,253 Sat February 19, 2022
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $83.13 8.26
SMC-Pentax FA 28-105mm F4-5.6

SMC-Pentax FA 28-105mm F4-5.6
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SMC-Pentax FA 28-105mm F4-5.6
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Description:

The FA 28-105mm is a handy lens that features a large zoom range and the Power Zoom function. However, the extent of support for Power Zoom depends on the camera body. Check the camera specifications in our database to see if your camera supports power zoom.


SMC Pentax-FA 28-105mm F4-5.6
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
Full-frame / 35mm film
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
Yes (A setting)
Diaphragm
Automatic, 9 blades
Optics
13 elements, 11 groups
Mount Variant
KAF2
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F4-5.6
Min. Aperture
F22-32
Focusing
AF (screwdrive)
Quick-shift
No
Min. Focus
43 cm
Max. Magnification
0.33x
Filter Size
58 mm
Internal Focus
No
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 55-16 ° / 46-13 °
Full frame: 75-23 ° / 65-19 °
Hood
RH-RC58
Case
S80-120
Lens Cap
Plastic clip-on
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Power Zoom
Diam x Length
72 x 96 mm (2.8 x 3.8 in.)
Weight
515 g (18.1 oz.)
Production Years
1992 to 1999
Engraved Name
smc PENTAX-FA 1:4-5.6 28-105
Product Code
27667
Reviews
User reviews
Features:
Screwdrive AutofocusPowered ZoomingAperture RingAutomatic ApertureFull-Frame SupportDiscontinued
Sample Photos: View Sample Photos
Price History:



Add Review of SMC-Pentax FA 28-105mm F4-5.6
Author:
Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 16-23 of 23
New Member

Registered: January, 2012
Posts: 1

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: November 18, 2012 Recommended | Price: $215.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Sharpness, low price, constructive.
Cons: Hard, soft on the long end of the open aperture.
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 7    Autofocus: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 8    Camera Used: K-x   

Good and not expensive lens with a wide range.
Good replacement whale primarily because of the greater range of focal lengths, the field kit is superior, but not much, at least in comparison to my instance. Constructs in very good. Only one drawback - heavy.
Sample photos
https://picasaweb.google.com/113830004396908134834/SMCPentaxFA28105mmF456PZ?...eat=directlink
   
Junior Member

Registered: February, 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 43
Review Date: February 19, 2011 Recommended | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Sharpness, build, contrast, quick focus, durability
Cons: slow aperture, focus ring rotates in AF, CA at full zoom sometimes

I got lucky when I bought a lightly used K10D. This is the lens the guy threw in with it. I got it + the lens for less than the K10D body alone cost at the time

This lens is excellent for daytime photography and edge to edge sharpness for high resolution prints. Indoor events would require something else or a flash. The power zoom works but I frankly I find it useless so I leave it turned off.

Having been spoiled by Canon L glass, this lens matches in IQ aside the CA and slight softness at the 105mm focal length.
   
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!
   
Site Supporter

Registered: December, 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 497

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: January 25, 2017 Recommended | Price: $60.00 | Rating: 7 

 
Pros: Decent optical quality, tightly made
Cons: Heavy
Sharpness: 7    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 8    Handling: 7    Value: 8    Camera Used: K5IIs   

There does not seem to have any recent review of this lens. I think I may as well add my comments here, especially now when FF is in market and this lens can be had much cheaper than, say, a few years ago.

First, let me explain my "sharpness" grade: Optically perfect = 10; Professional zooms usually are not as good as the best primes and therefore they = 9; Zooms with good optics but not as good as professional zooms = 8. This lens in my opinion is 7.5, for it is quite good on APS-C, but not as good as my FA28-70/4 and SMC F28-80/3.5-4.5. The center sharpness is comparable, but corners are a bit weaker. My FA28-70/4 and SMC F28-80/3.5-4.5 are almost as good as my DA16-85/3.5-5.6 in their common zoom range so they are really quite good.

Aberration as an old lens is not as good as modern lenses, but acceptable. Build quality is very nice. The drawback is that it is quite heavy and slow (F4 to F5.6).

Powerzoom is a useful feature, if your DSLR model supports it!
   
Forum Member

Registered: August, 2011
Location: Slovenia
Posts: 73

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: February 21, 2014 Recommended | Price: $100.00 | Rating: 7 

 
Pros: Sharp to 90mm, good colours, fast AF
Cons: Heavy, bulky, soft wide open, CA
Sharpness: 7    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 6    Autofocus: 7    Handling: 6    Value: 7    Camera Used: K-7   

This lens offers a good walkaround range on APS-C with pretty good image quality in terms of colour saturation and sharpness (stopped down), but it has some drawbacks:

- it's big a heavy for such a slow lens
- soft above 90mm even stopped down
- cyan colour fringes visible in high contrast scenes
- rotating front element makes filter use difficult

All-in-all a very decent lens when used within it's limitations.
   
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.
   
New Member

Registered: March, 2014
Posts: 2
Review Date: April 1, 2014 Recommended | Price: $40.00 | Rating: 4 

 
Pros: sharp, range, colour
Cons: slow
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 6    Autofocus: 7    Handling: 7    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-7   

Its a slow lens but for 40$ its ok.

Good colours and sharp. Thats all good for a walkaround lens.

Its big but not problem to me. I like bigger lenses.
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