New Member Registered: October, 2008 Location: Paris Posts: 1 | | Review Date: December 1, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | fast, very good sharpness and good bokeh | | Cons: | none | |
On K10D it front focuses (maximum sharpness just before green focus led shines) as many great aperture lenses. Knowing that, the sharpness is amazing at f:2 and beyond
great in low light conditions and distorsion free
Price is given for a lens in perfect conditions
| |
Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,093
9 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 29, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $650.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Speed, sharpness, lens design and quality. | | Cons: | Perfection comes at a price. | | Camera Used: K Series film bodies (K1000, KM, KX, K2, K2DMD)
| |
The K28/2 came out of a joint early 1970’s collaboration with Carl Zeiss of Germany. This collaboration also produced the ultra wide K15/3.5 lens. Pentax finally released their version of the 28/2 in 1976, a year after the initial K series releases. The K28/2 features a floating element design that was a first for Pentax, the only MF Pentax lens to feature it. (A prototype M35/1.4 also had a floating element design) The K28/2 was only in production for part of six years (1976-81) and then the floating element optical design was scrapped. The totally different M28/2 then A28/2 lenses replaced it. Two variants of the K series lens exist, the “SMC PENTAX 1:2/28” (1976-77) and the “smc PENTAX 1:2 28mm” (1977-81).
The K28/2s lens design and the fast f2 ended up creating a heavy expensive lens for its time. The K28/2 was the size of a medium telephoto lens and cost almost $200.00 more than the K50/1.2 & K24/2.8 when it was new. (January 1978 prices were $287.50 for the K50/1.2 & K24/2.8 and $471.00 for the K28/2) This would also explain its current rarity, as not many of these lenses would have been sold at that high price.
The 28mm focal length on a film camera, is my favorite for a wide angle lens. I have owned the K28/3.5 since it came out in 1975 and loved its sharpness. Its only knock is that it’s on the slow side. I had been searching for a faster wide angle that was equally sharp. I have the K35/2 and it’s fast but not as sharp as the K28/3.5, the K30/2.8 & K24/2.8 are sharp, but one stop slower than the K35/2.
The K28/2 fits the bill perfectly; it’s fast and is perfect for night/indoor shooting. I mostly shoot 100ASA slide film, so one stop does make a difference, especially at night. In the floating element lens design, some of the lens elements actually move when you focus for close-ups. This design creates much sharper images and eliminates aberrations. At close focus range the K28/2 can create a 3D image I have only found with one other lens, the K50/1.2. This is one sharp lens when used for close-ups, amazing!!
The K28/2 has a 52mm filter diameter and shares a common plastic clip-on lens hood with the other K series 28 to 35mm wide angle lenses. It’s also built very well and has a nice “meaty” feel to it.
The K28/2 is one of those rare unique Pentax lenses that have a collector’s aura about them. This is unfortunate as most people will never know how good it really is. How good is it? The best K series wide angle by far and probably the best MF Pentax wide angle lens ever made.
Sample shots taken with the K28/2. Photos are medium resolution scans from original slides.
Camera: K2 Film: Fuji Velvia 100 ISO: 100
Camera: K2DMD Film: Efke 50 processed in DR5 Chrome ISO: 50
 | |
Veteran Member Registered: January, 2009 Location: somewhere around Posts: 615 | | Review Date: June 22, 2009 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharp, good color rendering | | Cons: | none I can think of | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
| |
One of my best lens. Focusing is a pleasure. Great construction. I think I've got a bargain, with original caps and all and it makes me an even prouder owner to know it's a rare beast!
Edit: I had to come back since I recently acquired the FA 31 Ltd. I did a quick test with a test chart , side by side and... the 28/2 came out better for my eyes, at least in the f2 area.
Don't know the current price range, but let's just say I can buy a couple of lenses with the profit I'd make selling. Not that I would consider ever selling it.  | |
Pentaxian Registered: August, 2007 Location: Apiary, Oregon Posts: 1,181
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 30, 2007 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Fast sharp general purpose wide angle | | Cons: | mine was stolen, fairly large even in its day for a 28 | |
This is a pretty rare lens, and the review is from memory
as after living with and loving this lens for 20 years, someone else decided they needed it worse than I did.
I acquired mine new in about 1976 and mated it alternatively to a Pentax K2 and an ME. At the time the 35mm wide angle was fashionable, but I liked the 28 much better. The F2 speed was exceptional for the time. IT was was longer and heavier than a 'normal' lens but I used it for that and didn't even own a 35mm wide angle. I regarded it as having excellent optical quality.
If I still had it around I would be wanting to use it but would be frustrated at its lack of an 'A' position which is so pleasing to the KAF mount camera bodies of the present times.
At 423g its weight was about double that of other wide angles and its length at 69mm was nearly twice as long, and unusual for the day it had a floating element. It was however a lens that I took everywhere and used all the time. I didn't much care when the bedraggled ME that it was mounted on at the moment disappeared from my car, but I still bemoan the loss of this masterpiece.
| |
