| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: January, 2022 Location: London Posts: 123
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 19, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, good contrast, smooth bokeh, nice build | | Cons: | Slight fringing wide open (cleans up in post) | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: Fujifilm GFX50R
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I bought this lens to be used primarily for landscape photography, where I find that a mid-tele zoom is very versatile and useful to fine-tune the framing in camera.
I had read good reviews, and was hopeful, but honestly it has exceeded my expectations in terms of image quality.
It's worth the retail price new, but at the kind of prices for which it goes second-hand, it's a veritable steal!
A few sample shots:
- at 160mm, f/4.5
- at 160mm, f/16
- at 120mm, f/8
- at 135mm, f/5.6
- at 80mm, f/11
 | | | | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2021 Location: Pianezza (Torino -Italy) Posts: 23
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 23, 2021 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, solid | | Cons: | tripod ring is missing | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: PENTAX 645 D
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Excellent lens, with very useful focal lengths in many situations, from portrait to landscape.
The weight is commensurate with the solid structure and is not too heavy.
For use on a tripod, it would have been logical to equip it with a ring to better balance the camera and the lens.
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 | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: October, 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 6,294
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 11, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $240.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, useful focal range for landscape pictures. | | Cons: | Front-heavy. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: PENTAX 645Z
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 1/25 sec, f/11 and 80 mm FL
 1/125 sec, f/11 and 160 mm FL
 1/125 sec, f/11 and 160 mm FL
 1/400 sec, f/11 and 143 mm FL
This shingle roof replaces my "brick wall" for sharpness tests. This lens is very sharp when used on a tripod. | | | | | Junior Member Registered: August, 2019 Posts: 25
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 24, 2019 | Recommended
| Rating: N/A |
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645Z
645D
645D
645D
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 | | | | | | | Forum Member Registered: July, 2017 Posts: 51 | | Review Date: August 7, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $348.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Image quality, construction quality, cost | | Cons: | Boy, is it heavy :) | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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As a new medium format user, my previous frame of reference is my Nikon D3s, D3x, and D800e with top of the line Nikon lenses, and my Leica's.
On the 645z, I would give this lens a solid 9 for IQ, construction, and handling. It would be nice if MF could be performed as an AF override just turning the focus ring, but it's not a priority for me. While I have seen the MF switch criticized by others, I find it easier than the Nikon equivalent. YMMV.
Purchased from Japan as my second lens, in my personal view the cost/quality component just can't be beat. AF is reasonably fast, required no AF fine tuning on my body. My specific copy exhibits good center sharpness from f5.6. Due to the sort of images I make, I don't really have an opinion regarding edge sharpness.
| | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2015 Posts: 3
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 19, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $570.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Versatile, sharp, good build quality | | Cons: | Heavy, slow focus | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax 645Z
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I am using this lens on a 645Z and I like it a lot, though it needs special 'treatment'.
Using it wide open, results are too soft, even in the center.
Starting from f 5.6, images are becoming very good. I have linked a screenshot of a 100 percent crop, shot at 140 mm, ISO 640, f 5.6. Quality stays very good up to f 16.
I recommend using a tripod.
http://postimg.org/image/udkmq0g0j/ | | | | | Forum Member Registered: December, 2014 Location: San Francisco Posts: 59
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 3, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $438.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Handling, sharpness, focal range | | Cons: | Screw driven focus | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: 645Z
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This lens is almost perfect for my plans in studio. My only wish is that it was just a tad wider. I wanted to purchase a used zoom as my first for the 645Z before embarking on purchasing some of their new lenses to ascertain if the used market is worth the trouble. Much more efficient than spending 5k on my first lens.
I must have obtained a good copy since there was no need to micro adjust the lens. This was shot with a studio strobe through a parabolic umbrella. 1/125th f25, ISO 100 80mm. You can download the full res version here to peep to your heart's content.
| | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2010 Posts: 20
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 28, 2012 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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My appraisal is probably overly generous, but I like this lens a lot. I use it in combination with the 45-85 FA zoom lens, and Adapter 645 ( for 67II lenses). Like it's wide angle sibling, the 80-160mm short telephoto produces very sharp images, though I will usually chose faster film if I plan to work with this lens. A tripod is not out of the question either, because the lens is on the heavy side--over 2 pounds. In theory, lenses that are the same optical design and focal length will produce nearly identical prints and transparencies--but in practice they have an optical "personality". This zoom is quite affable! Distortion is minimal, and it has excellent color fidelity, definition, and bokeh. Both lenses mentioned here perform much better than expected, and I wouldn't hesitate to make 24" prints.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2010 Location: Hamburg Posts: 267
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 7, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $530.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Tack sharp, great portrait lens | | Cons: | none so far | |
This is an amazing lens on the 645D for portraits. Tack sharp even wide open.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2008 Location: Washington DC, USA Posts: 631
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 15, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $350.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Solid construction, nice and sharp. Very useable range. | | Cons: | It is a large, long lens. A tad slow. | |
This is a big, long lens. Not too heavy. It is really well constructed and very sharp. The end of the lens has a wheel that allows you to rotate your filter with the lens hood on - a very handy feature. It is a fantastic zoom range for portraits of groups and individuals.
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