Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 
Log in or register to remove ads.

Pentax Lens Review Database » Film Era Pentax K-Mount Lenses » FA Prime Lenses
SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL

Sharpness 
 9.1
Aberrations 
 8.7
Bokeh 
 8.3
Autofocus 
 9.3
Handling 
 8.7
Value 
 9.5
Reviews Views Date of last review
31 162,437 Sat August 21, 2021
spacer
Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
94% of reviewers $172.75 8.84
SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL

SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL
supersize
SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL
supersize

Description:
The smc PENTAX-FA 1:2.8 28mm autofocus lens succeeded its F-series counterpart and incorporated a new optical design featuring an AL element.



SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
Full-frame / 35mm film
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
Yes (A setting)
Diaphragm
Automatic, 6 blades
Optics
5 elements, 5 groups
Mount Variant
KAF
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F2.8
Min. Aperture
F22
Focusing
AF (screwdrive)
Quick-shift
No
Min. Focus
30 cm
Max. Magnification
0.13x
Filter Size
49 mm
Internal Focus
No
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 55 ° / 46 °
Full frame: 75 ° / 65 °
Hood
PH-SB49
Case
S70-70
Lens Cap
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Diam x Length
65 x 40.5 mm (2.6 x 1.6 in.)
Weight
185 g (6.5 oz.)
Production Years
1991 to 2004
Engraved Name
smc PENTAX-FA 1:2.8 28mm AL
Product Code
22527
Reviews
User reviews
Notes
One aspherical element
Features:
Screwdrive AutofocusAperture RingAutomatic ApertureFull-Frame SupportDiscontinued
Sample Photos: View Sample Photos
Price History:



Add Review of SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL
Author:
Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-15 of 31
New Member

Registered: September, 2020
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 3

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: August 21, 2021 Recommended | Price: $150.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Size, colour rendition, flexibility, sharpness
Cons: Not really a true 28mm, slight barrel distortion, poor focussing scale
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 9    Value: 9    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: Pentax MZ5n/MX   

Note that all my reviews refer to lens use with film, NOT digital.

I was a bit sceptical about this 28mm from Pentax as I'd had a poor experience with the A28mm 2.8 (a lens that is so pedestrian it was beyond belief - and I'd had two copies) plus also the M28 2.8 whose corners were absolutely awful.

I was pleasantly surprised by this unassuming FA lens. It - like the FA50 1.4 that I had - seemed to be well made for an modern AF lens with quality tactile plastic.

But the real surprise was in the beautifully rendered colours I got from the perfectly well exposing matrix meter of the MZ5n I had. I even got the same results from an MX I had as well (using Velvia 50 and Kodak VS100 slide film).

Putting aside the obvious slight barrel distortion, the lens was also very sharp too, my favourite apertures being f8 to f11. But even at f2.8 to f5.6, the centre was well rendered and this, and its relative close focussing capability meant I could use the lens for shots of children, groups and also very useable with the onboard flash of the MZ5n etc.

Off axis composition would show up the barrel distortion - but as said, the colours and sharpness more than made up for this.

It had the popular 49mm filter thread too. The focussing scale though on the FA range was not very good and hyperfocal focussing was hard if like me you tended to do landscapes.

I sold the lens well before Pentax started to get into digital - but I still feel that it was perfectly good and with the post processing capability of digital, its distortion could become non-existent. I sold it because I got 20-35mm zoom. What a lens that was!

Highly recommended although I hear that the previous 28mm 2.8 F is a formidable lens too.
   
Forum Member

Registered: October, 2018
Posts: 60

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: August 13, 2021 Recommended | Price: $70.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Image quality, lightweight, compact
Cons: Noisy autofocus
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 9    Value: 9    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: KP   

Fantastic prime lens, surprising there isn't a more up to date equivalent. I have used both the A and M 28mm 2.8 lenses, and I find this autofocus version surpasses both in terms of sharpness and overall image quality. It's the 28mm plastic fantastic.

Update: I have since used this lens on a K1,where it performs just as well.
   
Junior Member

Registered: March, 2016
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 41

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: January 18, 2020 Recommended | Price: $62.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Quieter AF than expected
Cons: Discontinued
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: K-30   

I bought this as a normal lens for an APS-C body that could still find use with my K-1000 film body (or a K-1 should I ever pull that trigger). I already had the current DA 35mm plastic fantastic lens, but the AF in the 35 is atrociously loud. This old FA 28 is quieter in the sense that the ‘thud’ of the focus reaching its limits is less pronounced and the rotating mechanism itself sounds a little bit more subdued. I can’t say between the two if I like the IQ of one over the other, but the quieter operation and slightly wider field of view are two pluses. I suspect if this lens were still in production it would outsell the DA 35mm as a best choice for a normal perspective on a crop sensor even at a higher price point. Only thing I would change is the narrow focus ring.
   
Loyal Site Supporter

Registered: October, 2018
Location: Quebec City, Quebec
Posts: 6,493

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: March 5, 2019 Recommended | Price: $240.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp and brilliant WA lens on the K1, short normal on the K3
Cons: None.
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 7    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    New or Used: New    Camera Used: Pentax K3, K1   







Optimum aperture range : f/5.6 to f/11.







   
Loyal Site Supporter

Registered: December, 2009
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posts: 2,437

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: December 30, 2018 Recommended | Price: $192.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Sharp enough for K-1, great colours, small, great value
Cons: FA plastic guild, bokeh just Ok
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 8    Handling: 8    Value: 10    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: K-1   

Good sharpness even across FF frame - although I would not go as far as to call it tack sharp.
Really like the colours from this one and being so small and light it is a lens you can always have in your bag (makes up for the typical FA plastic build in my books). Bokeh is Ok (although not on same level of a fast 50 of course) - in some shots can look quite cool if you get close enough to your subject.

Overall I'm calling it an 8 but in terms of value its a 10.
Definitely recommended - for APS-C or the K-1.

Samples:
* f8: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwi_jono/37702062921
* f8: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwi_jono/37620368856
* f2.8: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwi_jono/37420378041
   
New Member

Registered: September, 2014
Posts: 1

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: March 1, 2017 Recommended | Price: $210.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp, small, easy to use
Cons: ?
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 8    Value: 9    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: K30   

Very good lens.
   
Junior Member

Registered: January, 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 32
Review Date: June 21, 2016 Recommended | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: I.Q. at f2.8, light, cheap
Cons: Never exceptional, focus ring
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 8    Value: 10    New or Used: New    Camera Used: Pentax K10D, Kx   

Inexpensive light lens.
What I really like is the very good I.Q. (all parameters) at full aperture.
But it barely improves at smaller apertures.
The focusing ring is inadequate: badly placed, too thin, rubbery and lose
Also, the hood is 'screw-in', I prefer a baionet or telescopic.
All in all, this is a very pleasant lens: it can be used without restriction at full aperture.
It is markedly superior to the older 28mm 2.8 A and M.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: March, 2015
Posts: 6,381
Review Date: June 18, 2015 Recommended | Price: $200.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: More than adequately sharp; fast; good AF response; (see review)
Cons: Discontinued!
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: K-5   

I bought this lens because I wanted a wide-field-of view AF lens in this focal length to be able to take pictures of dogs and small children in a hurry - my eyes aren't good enough to do it without a split-prism screen.

The demands I place on the lens aren't harsh or exacting and I'm not a pixel-peeper, so if you are, perhaps look to another review. I'm more than happy with this lens.

Image quality: I see no specific flaws on full-screen monitor viewing, which is good enough for me.

Focus: AF is fast, with a minimum focusing distance of just under 1 foot/30cm, although it feels a few cm closer. Not a macro by any means, but you can certainly get close. Manual focus is reasonable; I could focus well enough on a particular close object that a narrow aperture would get me acceptable results. Beyond a couple of metres, you are very quickly into hyperfocal distance at any aperture.

Bokeh: At close distances and wide apertures, out-of-plane images are smeared into diffuse zones of colour. Good enough for me.

General notes: It's a film-era lens with an aperture ring, so it's full-frame ready and unlike the D-FA 100mm macro it's completely backwards compatible. It's also relatively inexpensive. My copy seems "bright" in low light, as if it occasionally needs -0.5 EV to bring it in line with what my eyes are seeing, but I consider this an advantage.

I had been considering buying the 21mm or 15mm DA limited, but after a short period owning a 28mm manual lens I realised that this was as wide as I needed to go for my purposes. IMO Ricoh should seriously consider re-establishing the production line for this lens.

I can recommend it to anyone looking for a second-hand wide angle prime for casual hobby or family photography. Undoubtedly the current crop of DA Limiteds are better, but I don't think the extra cost can be justified unless you're doing professional/commercial work or take your amateur photography much more seriously than I do (entering competitions, etc).
   
New Member

Registered: March, 2014
Posts: 1
Review Date: May 17, 2015 Recommended | Price: $120.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp at 2.8, compact size, light weight
Cons: little plastic
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: K5IIS, MZ-S, SuperA   

Sharp at 2.8, easy to use in low light condition, no auto focus error in low light condition, compact size and light weight
   
New Member

Registered: April, 2014
Posts: 1
Review Date: April 22, 2014 Recommended | Price: $125.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp at 2.8, compact size, light weight
Cons: problems with lenshood, problematic manual focusing for people with big hand
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 7    Value: 10    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: K-500   

Very good lens, very sharp in wide aperture, its is also light and compact.
   
New Member

Registered: January, 2012
Posts: 15
Review Date: September 22, 2013 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp at 2.8, compact size, light weight
Cons: None
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 9    New or Used: New   

Sharp at 2.8, easy to use in low light condition, auto focus error in low light condition, compact size and light weight
   
New Member

Registered: October, 2011
Posts: 5
Review Date: February 21, 2013 Recommended | Price: $60.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp at F/2.8, Great focal length for APS-C, looks good on DSLR bodies
Cons: Build quaity average, plastic casing, AF could be quieter, manual focus ring is tiny.
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 8    Value: 9    New or Used: New    Camera Used: Pentax K-r   

A downright beast of a lens. Sharp at 2.8, sharper still at F/4, scary pin sharp at F/5.6. Focal length on APS-C is perfect (42mm), colour rendition is spot on.

Manual focusing is an afterthought here, and the build does feel cheap. But these are quibbles on a lens that really does the job. Highly recommended!

N.B. Worth considering for K-r users shooting under low tungsten light, as even wide open this lens finds focus well.
   
New Member

Registered: August, 2012
Posts: 6

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: February 17, 2013 Recommended | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Great color, contrast and sharpness. Light and compact.
Cons: Plastic body.
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: K-01   

Performance-wise this is a great lens. Produces very contrasty image and typical Pentax color. For its size and weight and equivalent focal length, it serves perfectly as the walk-around lens for my K-01.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: January, 2010
Location: Mumbai, India
Posts: 399
Review Date: June 27, 2012 Recommended | Price: $190.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Weight, IQ,FOV
Cons: None
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 9    Value: 9    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: K-x   

Fast, snappy AF on my K-x. Makes a good walkaround or group lens.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: July, 2010
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,501
Review Date: January 13, 2012 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: sharper wide open than my Tamron17-50-f2.8... Great focal length on DSLR
Cons: Hunts in LowLight -
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 7    Autofocus: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 10    New or Used: Used   

I've not had the FA28 long but I'm a little in love with it...

I'd been watching this one on a 'Buy it Now' for a few weeks - It was put up a couple of times and each time the seller reduced the price slightly...
I bid on another copy and missed out... Thought "what the hell!" and pulled the trigger on it...
Lens is used but PRISTINE.... So I was instantly impressed...

The focal length on my K-x is almost perfect... I tend to crop quite a lot but I'm finding it really easy to frame shots with this lens in a way that I don'tneed to crop at all

It's considerably sharper at f2.8 than my tamron-17-50 is; and at the moment I can't see it coming off my K-x for a while...

The AF is pretty quick but does hunt a little in lowlight... Gets there though...

The colour that it produces is nothing more than stunning!

I'm definitely getting a 'thing' for standard FA primes and tempted to sell all my DA/F/A/M and 3rd party lenses to help fund FA20-f2.8; FA35-f2; FA100 macro 2.8

I'm in love with my FA28
Add Review of SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:34 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top