Author: | | New Member Registered: September, 2018 Location: Brooklyn NYC Posts: 15 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: September 27, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $24.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Sharp, light, perfect for hikes | Cons: | loud AF | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-S2
| | Picked mine up to use on Ricoh KR-30sp, but it too new for that.
Ended up using it for a road trip and absolutely loved it.
Paired to K-S2 it was light enough to walk around all day with it in my hand, (I don't like neck straps). Images came out just as you expect them to, good color, sharpness, even some decent bokeh.
The only thing that surprised me is how loud AF is, scared a few insects trying to take closeup shots. Here are few shots.
ƒ/5.6 1/50 80mm ISO100
ƒ/8 1/160 80mm ISO100
ƒ/5.6 1/100 60mm ISO800
ƒ/13 1/200 53mm ISO100 | | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2015 Posts: 2 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: February 4, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | light weight, overall sharp, nice color, nice bokeh, produces very pleasing images | Cons: | focus ring action too light, lens/filter rotates with focus | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: sony a5000 with adapter
| | Very enjoyable lens. It had been sitting in a closet for the past 13 years, but brought it back into service a few months ago after buying e-mount adapter for my Sony cameras. I actually like this lens better with the APS-C format for 2 reasons. The crop factor focal range (52-120mm) works really well for my shooting, and the softness around the edges I recalled from some of my previous 35mm film shots seems to have been cropped out. Still slightly soft wide open, but very useable.
Everything is manual or aperture priority with these cameras, but that is part of the fun of the lens for me. Focus peaking and magnification features make it super easy to focus.
Overall very sharp images and surprisingly nice bokeh. Only criticisms; aperture ring could have more positive feel, focus ring could be damped better, and lens/filter rotate when focusing, which makes using polarizing filter more difficult.
sample shots: | | | | Forum Member Registered: September, 2013 Posts: 62 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: December 26, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $14.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | light weight, compact, sharp and CHIP zoom, fast AF | Cons: | may be plastic construction, but for this price... | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-30
| | on the crop it is like 50-120, my usual FL.
light (plastic) construction
VERY fast AF, just kick-n-catch.
very sharp, even for some fixed-FL lens.
highly recommended if lens longer than "kit" needed. it is more better, sharper, than DA 18-55
yes, it is "slow", F5.6, but 14 USD!!!
using 35 mm round lens hood...
I love it and using even owned DA40 and DA70 lim lens.
| | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Posts: 3,348 2 users found this helpful | Review Date: November 4, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $16.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Lightweight, handling, AF, and IQ | Cons: | f/4, plastic construction, and rotating front element | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 4
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-30
| | I bought this lens for around $16, not including S&H, off of eBay. Like many F and FA lenses, this design will have a hard time fitting in with an APS sensor camera due to the focal range. However, if you can make it fit then you will be rewarded with great IQ, excellent operational performance, and practical portability. I will cover this lens with a section of PROS, NEUTRAL, and CONS. Pros
First and foremost, IQ and color rendering of this lens is excellent! Stop the lens down from f/8 onward and you will rewarded with near edge-to-edge sharpness that rivals lenses costing much more. CA is down to a minimum. I did not not notice any strange distortions. Colors are bright and vivid as some of the samples in other reviews show.
Autofocus performance is great. I have not seen the lens hunt unless you try focusing on a clear blue sky. The lens and camera can lock on to a subject very quickly.
The lens is relatively small and lightweight which makes it easy to carry around. The zoom ring has a short throw too. It's a comfortable lens to use.
There is an aperture ring for those who like that mechanical control. Neutral
The lens/body mating surface is made of plastic. I know many people prefer metal surfaces. This is a neutral to me since I know that plastics can be engineered to be as tough (or tougher) than metal.
It's a slow lens with a maximum aperture of f/4. This isn't a bokeh monster and it shouldn't be expected to be one. Cons
The biggest strike against this lens is its focal range. Back when film reigned supreme I would think a 35-80mm zoom range was practical. On todays APS sensor cameras 35mm is not wide enough and 80 is not tele enough. It's hard to figure out what the application would be today. Weddings? Street photography? Birthday parties? In todays day and age of super zooms this lens falls short. Conclusion
At $16 I consider this lens to be good cheap entertainment. IQ and AF performance are excellent although the plastic construction and limited focal range may be a big turn off. If you can find an application for this lens or are ready to challenge yourself then this lens will work wonderfully!
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2022 Location: Gosford, NSW Posts: 8 | Review Date: January 2, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $55.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | featherweight, decent image quality | Cons: | construction feels a little flimsy, no weather resistance | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K70
| | Just picked up one of these Brand New In Box (yes, sitting un-touched in some storage for at least 17 years). Over the last couple of days I have been doing my own comparisons with 2 other small zooms, namely the F35-70mm and the DA18-50mm. I am no expert but I have to say that this one stacks up quite well in terms of image quality. This FA35-80mm has the plastic mount, like the DA18-50mm, but no weather resistance. The F35-70mm is slightly heavier, with its metal mount. Focusing on the FA35-80mm is swift and accurate, and I find the noise is not too bad, certainly less than the clunk from the camera's mirror. Like the F35-70mm, but unlike the DA18-50mm, the FA35-80mm gives you all 3 rings: focus, zoom and aperture. They don't feel particularly robust, and I think handling with care will be required, but maybe no more care than with the DA18-50mm which I think is also flimsy. Macro on the FA35-80mm is just a further turning of the focus ring, whereas the F35-70mm has the macro feature as part of the zoom ring. I am quite impressed with the macro ( or really , I suppose, just close focus) image quality from the FA35-80mm, like wow.
The purpose of doing my comparison was to work out which of these I would choose if I only had limited space/weight available and could take only 1 small zoom lens. The FA35-80mm wins for me, except in rainy weather, in which case the DA18-50mm would get the nod. The F35-70mm is also a fine lens but will have to bide its time until the FA35-80mm fails.
| | | | New Member Registered: March, 2016 Posts: 3 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: March 25, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $36.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Sharp even wide open, very fast AF, IQ better than 18-55, its light | Cons: | Not f 4 permanent, "macro" 1:5 only at 80mm, prone to flare and cyan color | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax KS-1
| | I've won this lens on ebay for 25 GBP, in excellent condition. I search for this lens for its cheapness and IQ, mainly because i did'nt want to buy a 18-55. I think that 35mm it's enough wide for landscapes, but I usually shoot 3-5 pictures that i merge in Lightroom or Hugin. The zoom range makes it perfect as a factotum, as i said i use it for landscapes, portraits (from 50 to 80mm), close up etc.
It's very light and small, so you can take it everywhere. Obviously is not a macro, the magnification only at 80mm is 1:5.
I recommend a lens hood, because unlike most SMC lenses, its prone to flare in backlight.
Vote 9, also based on the price
| | | | New Member Registered: May, 2015 Location: Bahía Blanca. Argentina Posts: 8 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: August 9, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | very good autofocus and sharpness. | Cons: | construccion fragil | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: k5
| | very good autofocus and sharpness
| | | | New Member Registered: July, 2013 Posts: 2 | Review Date: August 12, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Great Color, Fast AF, Sharpness, Light Weight, Cheaper prize | Cons: | Soft at wide aperture | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 5
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-x
| | I read the reviews here and searched for a good piece of this lens.
Lucky! I got a good one for around $50 in a very good condition.
It produces great and pleasant to eyes color and the AF is lightning fast!
But, I maintained f= 6 to 8 for all the shots to get decent and sharp images.
If you try to use this at wide apertures, you will get some soft images (if you intend to take
soft images, this should be perfect for you).
I tried with my K-x and very much happy with the results . I have yet to try with my K5IIs
which I primarily use with other premium class lenses.
This light weight lens is much better than the 18-55 kit lens. If the focal length range is suitable for your style of shooting, don`t miss this lens.
A nice walk-around lens and sitting on my K-x always for street snaps! | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2013 Posts: 6 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: May 3, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Sharp, light weight, good handling | Cons: | none so far | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax K5
| | I wanted something in between my DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 WR and my Sigma 100-300mm DL f/4-5.6. Found this in eBay for 45 usd and after checking the review, I ordered it from the seller (A nice guy from Greece. He even threw in a lens leather case for the price!)
I know this lens received some good reviews but I was simply amazed by the results. Check out the snapshots I took this afternoon. Converted from RAW to JPEG straight without any PP.
Definitely recommend this lens..!! | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2011 Location: Greenhithe, Kent UK Posts: 63 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: February 23, 2012 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Sharp, fast focussing, lightweight | Cons: | not experienced plastic mounts before so not sure of durability | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K5
| | I managed to get one of these on ebay recently for £15 +£5 postage. It arrived yesterday so I put it on the camera and tried it out today whilst walking the dogs. WOW! for the money I paid, I am well pleased with it's sharpness and ease of use. I found it focussed quickly on the subjects. I even tried doing some comparison shots with my DA 50-200 at same focal length equivalents and found it sharper. I don't mind keeping this on the camera for general use when out walking as it is light and for what I paid I won't mind if it takes a few knocks when slung over my shoulder. I haven't experienced using plastic mounts before so I don't know how durable the are.
I have uploaded an album - see my album on Testing the lens. | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2011 Location: Murfreesboro Tennessee Posts: 3,458 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: January 16, 2012 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | light weight sharp | Cons: | slow | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 4
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
| | I won this lens for a $2.34 on ebay I didn't expect much. I was totally blown away with the sharpness and speed of AF on both my DL and ZX-7. It has become my walk around lens
| | | | Inactive Account Registered: November, 2008 Location: Trabzon/Turkey Posts: 1,010 2 users found this helpful | Review Date: August 3, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Sharp, Lightweight, 1:4 macro | Cons: | Plastic body, so what? I't's almost free. | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
| | I can't believe above reviews, probably only explanation is IQ differs from lens to lens, I am giving this lens a well deserved 9 not a 10 just because legendary lenses for instance Voigtlander 125mm Apo-Lanthar Macro's IQ. I am posting three samples, direct from K200D's jpeg engine, just resized nothing else, EXIF's are intact ,so don't believe anyone, just you decide by yourself. | | | | Pentaxian Registered: June, 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Posts: 40,451 3 users found this helpful | Review Date: June 18, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Lightwieght, great IQ | Cons: | Feels like cheap plastic. | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 5
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
| | Today I decided to look a bit further at this little used lens. I have some images from around the garden All taken at ƒ8 (wide open) and 85mm (112 with the 1.4 attached.) if a lens has weaknesses in the centre, you can always expose them by attaching a TC and enlarging them a little. I own a tamron 90 and Sigma 70, and this lens isn't going to replace either of those, and they are both excellent with the TC.
My overall opinion wold be... you could do worse.
While I didn't get the number of keepers I would have expected, I got some nice stuff.
1.1 pixel peeper
I moved in for a more macro type of image.
The one knock on it is the bokeh, and it is a little choppy, not made any better by the TC. But with the TC and 112 mm, the widest aperture is ƒ8, so how smooth could you ask for?
This is definitely a lens that doesn't get enough respect. I know i my house we have a tamron 90 macro, and a Sigma 70 macro, this lens will never get used for this type of shot. But if you're new to photography, don't want to spend a lot of money and you want a lens rated almost 9 out of 10 in the forum reviews to give you some nice sharp images in good light, I can't see how this lens would be a miss.
I usually say the difference between a cheaper kit lens or a level above is that you can't use a TC on a kit lens or even a step above like a 55-300 or 18-135. You need a DA*. This lens is sharp enough to perform admirably with the 1.4 TC. That's saying something for 50 bucks.
More FA 35-80 images here. Without the TC. http://s1132.photobucket.com/user/Norm_Head/library/Pentax_forum/Machinery?sort=3&page=1
I'm adding this link to the review. You'll note 28% preferred it's rendering as a reduced image, over every other 35mm lens tested including the DA 35. Pixel peeping 7% preferred it.If you are reducing the size of the image there's a pretty good chance this might be your favourite lens. Perhaps not based on resolution, but based on rendering. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/302815-35mm-find-prime-2.html | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2010 Location: Manteca, CA Posts: 1,653 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: January 18, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $15.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Lightweight, Great IQ, Super fast AF, Low CA | Cons: | Plastic, Focus ring drifts when manual focusing | | I was very pleasantly surprised. For such a cheap lens the AF is lightning fast and it does not hunt. IQ is better than the 18-55 by far. Bokeh isnt to bad either. A very good choice for a walk around lens and contrary to what some of the other reviewers have stated its a very usable focal length on APS-C or 35mm. If you find one its a great value.
| | | | Pentaxian Registered: May, 2013 Location: Hertfordshire, England Posts: 845 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: September 3, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $15.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | Sharpness; quick and accurate focus; light weight. | Cons: | No wideangle on DSLR | Sharpness: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 7
Value: 10
Camera Used: K100D
| | Got this one in a pawn (correct spelling) shop for £10, to use on a K100D body from eBay as a backup camera. For that price, it is a great find. It is effectively a standard to short tele lens on a DSLR, so not for wide shots At anything from room brightness (electric light) upwards, the autofocus snaps it into focus quickly and accurately - much better than I can, using it manually. The auto aperture works well, enabling the camera to produce consistently exposed, reasonably sharp images with quite realistic colours. Minimal processing is required (just a tweak of contrast, brightness, and sharpness) to produce pleasing images. This one must be a good copy of the lens, as it seems to be quite acceptable quality across the frame.
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