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Pentax Lens Review Database » Film Era Pentax K-Mount Lenses » K Prime Lenses
SMC Pentax 28mm F3.5 Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax 28mm F3.5

Sharpness 
 9.4
Aberrations 
 9.1
Bokeh 
 8.3
Handling 
 9.5
Value 
 9.7
Reviews Views Date of last review
63 293,070 Fri January 12, 2024
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $100.72 9.37
SMC Pentax 28mm F3.5

SMC Pentax 28mm F3.5
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SMC Pentax 28mm F3.5
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Description:
The SMC Pentax 28mm F3.5 is the slower of the two K-series 28mm wide-angle lenses.



SMC Pentax 28mm F3.5
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
Full-frame / 35mm film
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
Yes (no A setting)
Diaphragm
Automatic, 5 blades
Optics
8 elements, 7 groups
Mount Variant
K
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F3.5
Min. Aperture
F22
Focusing
Manual
Min. Focus
30 cm
Max. Magnification
0.13x
Filter Size
52 mm
Internal Focus
No
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 55 ° / 46 °
Full frame: 75 ° / 65 °
Hood
PH-S52 (24mm)
Case
Dedicated hard case
Lens Cap
Plastic clip-on
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Diam x Length
63 x 47 mm
Weight
261 g
Production Years
1976 to 1977
Engraved Name
smc PENTAX 1:3.5/28
Product Code
22541
Reviews
User reviews
Features:
Manual FocusAperture RingFull-Frame SupportDiscontinued
Price History:



Add Review of SMC Pentax 28mm F3.5
Author:
Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 16-30 of 63
New Member

Registered: March, 2010
Location: Brittany, France
Posts: 4

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: May 16, 2015 Recommended | Price: $50.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp, great colours, beautifully made
Cons: None
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K30 and nex6   

My best manual lens!
A joy to use on my K30 or my NEX6 with a Kipon adapter.
The colors are beautifully vivid and it handles like a dream...I love it!

   
Forum Member

Registered: April, 2014
Posts: 61
Review Date: May 1, 2014 Recommended | Price: $100.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: sharpness, colours, contrast, build quality, size
Cons: none
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: sony a7r   

This is a truly outstanding wide angle lens when used with the 36 MP sony a7r. The sharpness edge to edge is superb and the colours are deep and vibrant.
The build quality is excellent. This is the lens that I use most and which I would consider essential for landscape photography. As hyperfocal distance is important for control of depth of field, manual focus and the depth of field scale on the lens are, in my opinion, a benefit rather than a hindrance.
   
New Member

Registered: July, 2011
Posts: 23
Review Date: January 16, 2014 Recommended | Price: $90.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp, it is SMC pentax !
Cons:
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Sony A7   

Photos taken with Sony A7









https://imageshack.com/i/1n3gkwj

https://imageshack.com/i/gh90s0j

https://imageshack.com/i/09z1owj
   
New Member

Registered: April, 2013
Posts: 1

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: December 26, 2013 Recommended | Price: $100.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharpness, Focus handling, Color rendition, Low distortion
Cons: Extremely hard to find, a bit large...
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Ricoh GXR A12 Mount   

I purchased this lens last week and have been spending a fair amount of time with it. I had been looking for this lens here in Japan where I currently live to no avail. Tried high and low but no one had it until last week when I spotted one in almost New condition in a favorite shop of mine! Bought it as fast as I could take out my credit card.

I am using this lens on my GXR A12 Mount (APS-C size sensor) and spent the entire weekend shooting with it on a trip to a nearby island. I'm very impressed with how smooth the focusing is and how brilliantly this lens renders colors in general... very eye-catching. In terms of sharpness it's right up there with my Voigtlander lenses and that's saying something...

I haven't noticed any distortion or CA in the images I've taken so far but will keep and eye out for them. If you are going to use this lens with a digital camera, just make sure your camera has a reliable manual focus mechanism/indicator otherwise you may not get as sharp a result as you hope to. My GXR A12 Mount has not low pass filter and has a fantastic focus peaking function that nails the focus every time. I hear Fuji also has a very nice focusing mechanism.

Here are a few shots from last weekend:







I think you get the idea.

I am going to be shooting more with this lens and feel lucky to have found such a clean copy. Wholeheartedly recommend this lens to anyone considering buying it. Just go for it!

Note: The sharpness of the images posted are somewhat affected by the automatic resizing done to reduce the size for this review!
   
Pentaxian

Registered: July, 2012
Posts: 928

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: April 13, 2013 Recommended | Price: $125.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Vivid images and distinctive colors
Cons: None
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K20D   

After many years of trying to find the perfect “walk-around” prime lens, I purchased and fell in love with the K28 f3.5. It’s a lens I’d rate ahead of my other 24mm to 40mm lenses, partly because of the focal length, but mostly because of performance. The K28mm is bigger than some lenses at these focal lengths, but it’s not overly large or heavy, and it’s got a satisfyingly solid feel from a golden Pentax era.

The K28mm is sharp at all stops and distances, but its great strength is that it reproduces vivid and distinctive colors. One way to describe its performance is to look at post-production processing versus the M28f2.8 (to take a popular alternative). If you under or over expose images with the K28mm, you can often adjust the image quite a lot without losing resolution. Too many images from my M28mm seem to quickly “fall apart” into fuzziness during heavy post production.

I actually use it for product shots as well as wider/infinity shots; although one needs to be careful of the bokeh which is not as subtle as some 50mm’s.

This 2012 digital holiday snap I hope demonstrates the “filmy/technicolor” feel the lens can produce, described in other reviews. On the original file, it’s extremely impressive how far one can zoom in on the calamari while retaining sharpness - if pixel peeping (or calamari) is your thing. For landscape shots I trust it more than my 35mm limited.

Another thumbs up for a great and highly recommended lens.

   
New Member

Registered: October, 2012
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 2
Review Date: March 9, 2013 Recommended | Price: $60.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Optical Quality, Build Quality
Cons: none
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-5   

Incredible glass, a resolution king! Simply one of the greats!


[URL="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=478774498836578&set=a.399106836803345.81116.373614172685945&type=1&theater"]
   
New Member

Registered: March, 2012
Posts: 22
Review Date: February 10, 2013 Recommended | Price: $167.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Colours, sharpness, crispness, precision, rendition
Cons: none
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Pentax K-5   


I got one in a mint state a real beauty! Pity that this lens has become rarity, it would be good if Pentax could recycle it in future for Pentax FF.
I consider myself fortunate to have this lens and Zeiss Distagon 28mm f2.8 as well, so I can tell you this(Pentax) lens is really a pro league lens and among best 28mm legacy lenses ever. Mechanically superb, even better than Contax Zeiss lenses and I can compare it only with Schneider-Kreuznach lens that I have, which is made to last forever. I love manual focus lenses so I got Katzeye split prism with Optibrite and Pentax magnifier eyecup O-ME53 so It's much easer to focus and I have back that great feeling a had with the analogue camera.
I love colours, precision, crispness, contrast and sharpness that I get from this lens. So I can highly recommend this lens, on APS-C sensors is very usable for almost everything. I'm using it a lot for panorama's stitch, very, very little distortions. In the end, I compare it with a great samurai warrior, looks like one and it's precise and efficient like one
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66317109@N06/sets/72157630175507434/
   
Site Supporter

Registered: November, 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,223
Review Date: June 5, 2011 Recommended | Price: $126.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Perfect IQ, sharp, sharp, sharp, and fast, a powerful lens
Cons: None so far. It is so easy to focus that AF is not missed

I got this lens after reading the reviews here and after realizing that my Pentax M 28mm f3.5 was not the same as the Pentax 28mm f3.5 (Although it is almost there!). Yes, this lens is everything they wrote here, a wonderful IQ and sharp lens. I will be posting photos taken with it later.

Here are some of the photos taken with this gem:


Berry by Palenquero, on Flickr



Bark by Palenquero, on Flickr


Playground by Palenquero, on Flickr


Bridge by Palenquero, on Flickr


Fountain in HDR by Palenquero, on Flickr


Bushes by Palenquero, on Flickr


Flower set by Palenquero, on Flickr


Fuente by Palenquero, on Flickr
   
Site Supporter

Registered: April, 2010
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 813
Review Date: May 18, 2011 Recommended | Price: $110.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Very sharp, no CA, very high resolving power, easy to focus
Cons: None
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10   

IMO one of the finest lenses Pentax EVER made.
A joy to use.
Easy to focus, objects just spring into focus.
Sharp from corner to corner at F3.5.
Beautiful contrasty images, very natural colours, and good flare resistance, but I still recommend using a lens hood outdoors in bright sunlight.

I have too many lenses, but this would be last on my list to sell.
Perfect for street shots.

Cheers from Jack.
   
Review Date: January 14, 2011 Recommended | Price: $120.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Fast (and bright finder image), sharp, good flare resistance, build quality
Cons: none

For me this lens is a real 10 !!!!!!!! Focus snap´s in so easy and even portraits in dimmed envirenment are almost all perfect sharp.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: February, 2010
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 6,155

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: December 10, 2010 Recommended | Price: $122.50 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Build quality, sharpness, color rendition
Cons: None that are reasonable
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 10   

Purchased this lens to fill the gap between my DA 12-24 and an A 35-105 in my landscape kit. Generally I prefer zooms for landscape work, but this lens has worked so well for me that I find myself using it far more than I ever expected. It is sharper than my A 35-105 at all focal lengths and sharper than my DA 12-24 is at 24mm (though not sharper than that lens at 12-16mm). Stopped down to f8 (where most of my photos are taken with it), it has excellent corner to corner sharpness. Color rendition is quite a bit different from either the A 35-105 or the DA 12-24 (or any other DA lens that I'm familiar with). It produces rich purples, magentas, and greens on my K200D: it's almost like an old technicolor look, which is very striking, and sometimes preferred. (Of course, the color can be changed in post through WB adjustments if one shoots raw.)

Bokeh on this lens is surprisingly good for an f3.5 wide angle lens. Of course, for those looking to isolate a subject with narrow DOF, an f2 28 would work better. This lens is best used for landscape photography, where it shines. It's capable of producing images with great clarity and pop. With it's excellent, almost 3-D rendering characteristics, it could be seen as a kind of poor man's FA 31.





   
Veteran Member

Registered: May, 2009
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 6,513
Review Date: November 29, 2009 Recommended | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: sharp, metal build, contrast, bokeh, resolution
Cons: f3.5

was about to purchase a Vivitar 28/2.8 MC CF lens when this version showed up at my door. gave it a spin and the previous reviews are spot on accurate. glad I did the wait. the lens is incredibly sharp and contrasty but gives you enough OOF blur and smooth bokeh for portraiture use. for it's size on an APS-C sensor, this lens is perfect as a walk-around lens. it's flexible as a wide lens as well. for sure this lens rule the 28mm department. if I were to say, this lens and the K30/2.8 equalizes the FA31 in their set constant aperture. wish the K28mm was atleast f2.8. though.

btw, this is one of the rarest and hard to find K version. I'm sure you'll find lots of the M version and latter and also their more faster counterparts, but this one is the best of them all.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: November, 2016
Location: Prague
Posts: 123
Review Date: January 12, 2024 Recommended | Price: $120.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharpness, colors, build
Cons: None
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Pentax MX, K-70   

I have originally bought this lens for my Pentax MX, because I needed a wider lens than my 55mm. I did some B/W shots and was very happy with it. However one day I decided to mount it to my digital K-70 and what a surprise that was!

This lens is superbly sharp, especially at f8 - whole photo is sharp, from the center to the corners, I was really surprised. The colors are also great. I do not mind that the lens is of course manual only, the quality of picture worth it.

I also did a MTF test, and this lens is the sharpest one in my collection! It is built like a tank and it is almost a miracle that almost 50 years old lens is that good.

Highly recommended!


   
New Member

Registered: July, 2022
Posts: 2

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: February 17, 2023 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Special lens but not the magic level.
Cons: I cant think of much its an old lens.
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 10   

I find it difficoult to rate less then 9. Its has some traits that is just fantastic. Used right it can outperform many many lenses on some areas. Colour... Contrast...

Yeah its manual and old but its so nice to have...

How could they even make something like this back in the time?

Get it of you can but be prepared to use time on it.

Time is the only negative i can think of. But thats how it is with manual lenses.

Its probably "50 %" better then my old M 28mm f2.8...
   
Pentaxian

Registered: May, 2015
Posts: 3,304
Review Date: August 2, 2022 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Image quality, size, handling
Cons: not really, a bit slow perhaps
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Pentax K-1   

One of the few vintage lenses that really is good enough to compete with contemporary glass.

It's slow but performs very well for "pan focus" shooting. The size is perfect for the K-1, small but large enough for a comfortably wide focus ring. It has very nice colours if a bit gaudy at times. Sky colour in particular stand out. Besides having great resolution across the frame stopped down it is remarkably free of chromatic aberrations. This is somewhat unusual with Pentax lenses and gives an immediate clarity to the images.

Edit: I upgraded the bokeh rating from 5 to 7 because despite being relatively slow (f3.5) the out of focus areas look very, very nice indeed.
Add Review of SMC Pentax 28mm F3.5



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