| Author: | | Forum Member Registered: December, 2012 Posts: 75
14 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 17, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $250.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | unassailable in every way | | Cons: | possibly the 52mm filter/cap size | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-o1
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First off--I want to thank the other reviewers on here. Especially the reviewer that compared this lens ot the 31mm f/1.9 ltd.. This was great for pointing me in the right direction.
As for the lens itself, lets take a look:
Sharpness: The lens has a signature sharpness to it that is unlike anything else I have seen. It is not an ugly, gritty sharpness, but a lower contrast painterly sharpness that renders details with a very cinematic feel. The detail is all there, but it distinguishes itself against the 50mm f/1.7 SMC-M as a more of a 'poet' than a 'philosopher.' I have not done any technical tests of the two side-by-side, but they are comparable in their beauty and IQ. These must be my two favorite lenses.
Aberrations: They are present. More pronounced CLA in backl-lit scenes, but more than acceptably mild in comparison to the 40mm XS f/2.8, possibly even handled better than the 50/1.7. If reasonable care is taken when composing, they are simply not much of an issue.
Bokeh: I gave a 9 on account of the low-blade count. It pulls off some pretty creamy margarine, if not true-to-life butter. I mainly use for street photography at at least f/8, so Bokeh has not been a criteria for me that is a dealbreaker. The few shots I have taken wider 5.6 - 2.8 range all show very cinematic qualities in my opinion.
Fidelity: The color rendition is true to life. Not quite as punchy as the 50/1.7 M, but in terms of rendering out the palette it does so with astonishing reliability. Not once have I seen a color that 'floated on top' of the image or was even slightly off. Others have called the lens "subtle" and that is probably a good word for it. The colors, right out of the camera, look natural, un-compensated-for, and frankly, quite beautiful. Provides a perfect DNG with plenty of lateral headroom in post.
Contrast: The contrast with this lens, I am still coming to grips with. The lens has been called 'less contrasty' than the 31mm f/1.9 Ltd., and while this may be true (I have not used the 31mm), it seems to me that more often than not, my negatives are coming out without much need for contrast adjustments. On the other hand, when I do make adjustments to darken the image (I am using Picasa, so I may revise once I can get some quality software), it seems to clip to black in the shadows quicker than one would anticipate. However, I have found that the highlights are where i have more headroom. As I said above, it definitely has its own signature. Today I wanted to test just B&W jpgs out of the camera and I have to say that nearly none of them needed any adjustments in post.
Field of view: On an APS-C digital camera, this becomes a 45mm lens. The crop-factor, rather than looking odd (like some cropped 28mm's can look), seems to enhance 3D characteristics of this lens. I find that the 45mm is nearly perfect for everything. Landscape, street, even portraits look quite good. When using focus-peaking on the K-o1, you can see the plane-of-focus move forward to backward. The plane of focus seems almost as if it may be partly to blame for the 3D quality of the lens. Unlike any other lens I have seen or used. As far as composing with this lens...perfect for composing with the entire frame when you are in a crowd of people. Allows you to capture ancillary details to your main subject for interesting juxtapositions. Seems to have the ability to focus very close-up as well. Using hyper-focals are pretty reliable. I am still learning the various regions (for instance, if I want a person, head-to-toe in sharp focus filling the entire height of the frame at f/8, I know to set focus at the first "3" in the 3.3 meter marking) for different f-stops, but so-far it preforms as it should if opening up. One last thing on field of view. My kit currently consists of: M-50/1.7; XS-40/2,8; K-30/2.8, a Tair 11-A 135/2.8 and a Pheonix 19-35. In terms of usefulness, fun, the most bang-for-the-buck in terms of being creative -- the resultant 45mm on APS-C cannot be beat. I also have a M-28mm f/2.8 which is only 2 mm off from this lens, but somehow it seems more distant. Again, another user commented on the difference 1mm made between this lens and the 31 f/1.9. I have to say, there may indeed be something to this. I cant exactly put my finger on it.
Handling: Handles like the best of Pentax's best manual focus lenses. Well damped focus ring. The aperture ring is solid. Same great build quality as the other lenses in the K/M/A legacy.
Value: I am not sure how to grade this one. I paid $250, shipped on eBay. That is enough of a sting on my budget to make me place my expectations fairly high. As in -- it had better be the 'one.' That said -- this thing is a goddamned heirloom, is what it is. Its quality can't really be quantified in terms of 'value.' I would personally put this up against any other lens costing much more. There are people asking double what I paid. It is worth every cent of $500 - $600. I just happened to be extremely lucky. Bidding was up-to-the-last minute, literally. I had even lost an auction on another copy of this lens the night prior. Apparently this lens is pretty rare, but make no mistake about it -- the higher prices it commands on the used market are every bit a reflection not of its rarity, but of its quality.
Overall: Well...lets just say, it may never come off my camera. Kills LBA dead. Kills return of the son of LBA double dead, decapitated, cremated with ashed scattered on the ocean floor. One reviewer called this the "poor man's 31mm f/1.9." I think perhaps I would revise that to say that the 31mm f/1.9 is the rich man's k30/2.8. At the very least, although the comparisons between the two are inevitable due to the closeness of the focal lengths, I think the 30mm/2.8 lens is in its own class in terms of what it does, the kind of pictures it takes, etc.. I can honestly say that I have a totally different disposition toward this piece of my equipment than any other piece. It is a real game changer.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2011 Posts: 9
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 20, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Blown away by it | | Cons: | None at all if you are happy using manual. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5
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Just got this lens off of eBay for 120 UKP. My 1st impressions on my first day using it is that it just blows away all my other lenses, (and I have a lot of lovely glass from the 50's up to the present day). I didn't quite believe the reviews but saw one up for bidding so went for it anyway and won. When it arrived I took some rather pointless shots of sandwiches, some toy cars and a pile of DVDs and what not, just to see how it handled before I used it properly, and on review each and every picture is stunning. Even when I zoom in, the quality holds in a cinematic way. Not often I am lost for words. Crisp, sharp, lovely colour rendition, nice natural depth of field and contrast. Wtf? Why didn't I have this lens when I was at college in the 80s, I would be a major name by now :-D Buy one if you see one!! Hopefully this shot of lupins in my garden shows the 3D quality of this lens.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,090
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 18, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $285.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very sharp and well built. | | Cons: | Obscure focal length, price. | | Camera Used: K Series film bodies (K1000, KM, KX, K2, K2DMD)
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The K30/2.8 is the one and only 30mm lens that Pentax has made. Pentax released the K30/2.8 in late 1975, shortly after the first wave of K series lenses and it remained in production until 1984.
Pentax marketed the 30mm focal length as “The perfect solution for those trying to choose between the 35 and 28mm focal lengths, as it lies between the two, making an excellent compromise.” In reality I don’t think the world really needed a new FL and 30mm is so close to 28mm in angle of view that this was a questionable marketing decision. The 28mm & 35mm FLs were very popular on a film camera and a “K28/2.8” would have fit nicely between the K28/2 and the K28/3.5.
Regardless of the 30mm FL obscurity, the K30/2.8 is a great lens. It’s sharper than the well regarded K28/3.5 and fast enough for most shooting conditions. The only lens in a similar FL that is better is the legendary K28/2.
The K30/2.8 shares the same 52mm filter thread lens hood as the other K series 28-35mm lenses. (K28/2, K28/3.5, K35/2 & K35/3.5) This square hood pops up from time to time on eBay. The K30/2.8 is around the same size and weight as a K series standard lens, with the same excellent build.
I highly recommend this lens and if you can get a good copy at a reasonable price it is a decent alternative to the K28/2. Prices of this lens are all over the map and I have seen multiple copies on eBay stores for over $500USD and one over $700USD!!
Overall I rate the K30/2.8 a 9.5.
Sample shots taken with the K30/2.8. Photos are medium resolution scans from original slides.
Camera: KM Film: Fuji Velvia 50 ISO: 50
Camera: K2DMD Film: Fuji Sensia 100 ISO: 100
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2012 Posts: 107
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 8, 2016 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Size, Sharpness, Usefulness | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax LX
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Whenever I travel, I tend to carry with me a film SLR along with my Pentax digital gear. To make it fun and fresh, I might sometimes look for a new lens to carry along with me too. A 30mm came up in our local buy & sell a few months ago, and after looking at what is said here, I decided to get one.
No regrets with it. I had just acquired a 28mm 3.5 not too long prior and was about to bring it with me on a trip to Iceland. So there was some hesitation about getting something with just a 2mm difference in FL. Nonetheless, I decided to go ahead anyway given its rarity. I chose the 30mm for my Iceland trip primarily because it was more compact than the 28mm and saved space in my bag.
In terms of usability, it turned out to be a handy FL for me as I was taking mostly landscape shots with the occasional environmental portraits.
I was impressed with this lens on film for its sharpness and contrast. It stood out there. Here's a pic from the trip.
Shot with a Pentax LX and on Ektar 100 film
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2010 Posts: 753
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 26, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $320.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | colour reproduction, sharpness, compact | | Cons: | slower than FA35, stop down metering | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
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This minireview is based on my subjective feelings from reallife photos taken with lens, rather than "scientific" comparison and shooting resolution charts so please take it with the reserve. I was comparing the shots to excellent FA35 which i also own. Both lenses are compact, small and similar in size, FA35 must yield a bit to K30 in terms of solid build. On DSLR I prefer slightly wider field of view provided by K30 lens more. In terms of resolution FA35 has the edge in wide open shooting and apertures < f4.0, but resolutionwise i find K30 only marginally lesser. At higher apertures >f4, i cannot see the difference. FA35 also wins being a stop faster, but yields to K30 in terms of contrast. In my opinion K30 is slightly less contrasty and that leads to rendering more subtle tones, giving the more natural look. Colour rendering of both lenses is really excelent, I actually value K30 over FA43 in terms of colour reproduction. I haven't done many bokeh shots yet as I prefer to use the lens for street photography so I'll skip commenting on bokeh. Shooting against the sun was surprisingly good even with the older smc coating. Focusing ring runs smoothly and with split screen its a joy to use.
The lens has only two marginal cons.
1. being old K series you need to work out stop down metering - my copy slightly overexposes on my k20d, so -0.3 EV is usually set as compensation.
2. being wide open at f2.8 is a bit slow. However if they made it f2.0 i guess FA31 limited will have a serious contender to cope with. I would be really interested in irect comparison between the two lenses.
Conclusion : great lens which holds its own against FA35 and even FA43limited. If you find solid one for good price, get it.
Edit: Finally i acquired Pentax FA31 Ltd, so I could do rough comparison: First of all i was quite surprised what difference the 1mm makes - so it might be possible that either 30mm or 31mm is not precisely actual focal lenght. Resolutionwise - FA31 has the edge in wider apertures : K30 is fairly softer at f2.8, marginally softer at f4. From f5.6 I can't see any difference. Big surprise for me was that K30 handles CA a little bit better. Stopped down at f5.6 neither lens has shown any problem with CA. FA31 seems to be little more contrasty. All-in-all, if you don't need one stop advantage, AF and you can live with stopdown metering, then K30 is worthy of consideration. At f2.8 it will be much softer than FA31, but stopping down brings the both lenses to moreless same level. On top of it you can find K30 for one third of the price of the Limited.
Edit II: Let me just say, that after selling my first copy of K30 and selling FA31 in favour of FA43, I came back to buying another copy of K30/2.8....it is that good.....and a very nice kit with DA15 and FA43
| | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2020 Posts: 13
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 30, 2020 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Really nice rendering. Beautiful colors, smooth focusing and good build | | Cons: | No | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 5
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: SONY A7R2
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The Pentax K 2.8/30
...My opinion from experience.
This is not the sharpest lens -compared to my very sharp Zeiss lenses. But I have no troubles using it for architectural photos. The bokeh is really nothing to write home about - If I have to prioritize bokeh I use an other lens. But even if corner sharpness and bokeh sometimes is very important -it is the whole expression and balance of the pictures the lens produce, the way the lens "draws" the picture and the ability to reproduce the subtle gray and color shades that counts. And not to forget the depth also called the 3D rendering. This is what I find most important, and the K 2.8/30 has a lot of these qualities.
The 30mm focal length- just between the very versatile 25 and 35mm is just perfect, and the 45mm EQ focal length on 1.5 crop/ S35 mode is a better "normal" focal length than 50mm.
I have added two fresh picture shot with my 2.8/30mm lens. I hope they will tell more than my words
A picture of a little wooden viewing bridge just after the rain had stopped - 30 August 2020
f:5.6 1/50 ISO100 - SONY A7R2
And here is the bridge tower on Long Bridge in Copenhagen - 30 August 2020
f:5.6 1/200 ISO100 - SONY A7R2
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2019 Posts: 21
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 23, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $206.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, great focal length, good colours | | Cons: | Nothing really | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax MV
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I love this lens. Thanks to this forum for putting me onto it! I'm getting into wide angle portraits and you really need something sharp if you're going 35mm. Have a look at this picture and you'll see how good it is. Shot on Kodak Ektar 100 with my MV and flash AF 200S. Actually slightly over exposed because I misread the flash settings and had the aperture too open. Have corrected for it in Lightroom but if I had exposed correctly there would have been even more detail.
I've also attached a 1:1 crop.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2013 Location: Naples Posts: 10
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 21, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Colors, contarst, field of view, 3d pop up, color to color transition, sharpness, k built | | Cons: | Some ca in high contrast border until f4, Price/performance ratio. | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 6
Handling: 8
Value: 7
Camera Used: k5 Lx Mx
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I found this little lens in a penny market, in a great condition, attached on an perfect woring MX... and I got both for 30€ with a bit of small talk. A lucky shot, once in a while. Otherwise I'd have never hbought that lens for more than 50/70 euros. There are so many 28mm and 35mm around that price.
It's a good lens, ok, and it can produce pictures near or in pair to many limited for colours and for its typical effect of the early K series, but I totally disagree with all the hype and the overstimating rating it has here in PentaxForums and all around. It's a very uncommon piece, and only this reason can make the price rise up so much, as for the K 28mm 3.5 and so on.
It has yhe typical "K" rendition, with some of the "zeiss like" colours and tones of the limited pentax primes, plus the early SMC K series personality and a bit of the typical warm japan rendition. Nothing so uncommon. I found the same on all the best or mid level pentax K prime (24 2.8, 28 3.5, 50 1.4, 55 1.8, 85, 105, 250...ecc. ecc.) and on some FA limited (31, 49, 77). But, as many pentax K, M and A lenses, it lacks of sharpness on the edge until f 5.6, as a zoom and not as a prime, and, to be a 30mm, it has a bit too much colour aberration. It's a film wideangle, so the bokhe effect is not the best. There are so many better modern primes on APSC now around 35mm so that it is a mess to spend more than 50€ in this 30mml ens with so many compromises. SMC is great on K series, gives a Zeiss like but warmer pictures and that's why I rate this lens 7 even if CA, bokeh, sharpness and manual controls are such a limit of this lens. As the most of pentax optics, build quality is very high, but you have to use it with an adeguate hood, for APSC, or you will get soft border even at f8. The global rendition, for a non sharp-needy hobbist, anyways, is good, with a great cinematic effect and a real limited like taste, and I love it, but nowdays it can't fill the gap with other vintage primes and modern zooms, and it's impossibke to justify such a high price, if not for a collection purpouse or the use of 30mm angle on film/k1 in a manual style of photography, 60-70€ is enought.
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2021 Posts: 16
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 26, 2021 | Not Recommended
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | Sharp at f8 right across, except very tip corners | | Cons: | Never sharpens up at the border, even on APS-C | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 6
Handling: 6
Value: 6
Camera Used: K1 K3
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I have had this lens since 1976 (on a K2). I used on my K3 until recently acquiring an FA 35 f2 (and a K1), which I now use instead.
I always start by checking the lens focuses correctly at infinity. When I first checked the 30 2.8 on my K3 I found it was not able to focus on infinity at the end stop. I had the same issue with my M 50 1.4. Adjusting the focus end stop is straightforward on M lenses (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Mw31I5d88) and now the infinity focus end stop is set correctly.
My review is based on taking the same landscape with buildings detail and winter trees in the distance in the corners of the frame, on an APS-C K3 from f2.8 to f11 focused at infinity. Observations were made in Photoshop at 100%.
On the K3, the 30 2.8 is sharp in the centre at F4 but softens from half-way towards the border. The sharp area increases incrementally with stopping down, being best at f8 just before diffraction sets in, but it never sharpens at the borders, 10% at the border remaining soft at f8; this is obviously worse on the K1. I don't understand how this scores an average 9.4 sharpness; I give it 6.
Colour and contrast are good and there is no obvious aberration or CA.
In conclusion this is disappointing and not ideal for landscape, which is what I acquired it for. The FA 35 f2 has significantly better performance on full frame as well as APS-C and is fully automatic, and is what I now use.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2017 Posts: 2,032
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 17, 2019 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Build quality, overall optical performance | | Cons: | a bit soft wide open, cost | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 7
Camera Used: K3
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I had wanted one of these lenses for a long time for a number of reasons -
1. I like K build quality
2. I love K colour rendition
3. 27 - 30mm is my preferred focal length for general photography on APSc.
4. Previous reviews here had me slavoring for one!
5. I have a number of K mount film cameras so it serves as 2 lenses in 1.
One came up from a good dealer I have used several times before at what I consider a reasonable price (£250) for a very good copy , optically, mechanically and cosmetically. I think this is about right considering what I have to say below concerning its' IQ and reputation. Now to my review.
I find myself agreeing a great deal with what Paseo has said in an earlier review. Frankly I find the lens over rated. Although I do think his monetary valuation is rather parsimonious.
Yes it is very sharp from f4, but wide open no so much. Yes it controls aberrations very well. However the colour rendition is much colder than my other K lenses, and I usually have to tweak images to get a less cold look.
My copy also often gets the exposure wrong on my K3, tending towards a great deal of over exposure. I do not understand why. I think the biggest problem with this lens is not that it is not excellent - it is -but there are better options out there - particularly the F 28mm f2.8, which is cheaper, produces warmer colours and is as sharp as the K30. It also provides full automation for those that prefer it (although for myself I am not that bothered by this advantage), or one of the Sigma 30mm lenses. I do not have a K 28mm f3.5, maybe one will come my way at some point, but that lens is again cheaper than the K 30mm , and also has a similar reputation.
Can I recommend this lens, Well yes, but only with certain caveats, it is after all an excellently performing lens:-
Do not pay too much
Do not expect too much
Update:-
I have been shooting the 30mm on my KP recently and the above mentioned exposure issue and coolness of the images has not been in evidence on that camera. So perhaps they are a reflection of the K3 rather than of the lens itself.
Update 2:-
A K 28mm f3.5 came my way, and I have to say on the whole I prefer it over the 30mm, but only by a smidgin. And this is purely subjective The cheaper price of the K 28mm f3.5 would make me recommend it over the K 30mm, but the 28mm is even rarer so you may be out of luck trying to source one. In terms of value for money I would order the lenses as follows:-
1. K 28mm f3.5
2. F 28mm f2.8
3. K 30mm f2.8
All of them are excellent though, and I can see why one may prefer one model over another. I happily use them all!
Finally an image from the K 30mm:-
 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: March, 2010 Posts: 72
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 21, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Outstanding IQ, lightweight, solid | | Cons: | | |
The K30/2.8 is a thrill of a lens, that seduces both by its sharp, three-dimensional, tonally subtle image quality, and by its solid but elegant and lightweight build.
Superficially, the focal length of K30/2.8 might just seem to lie somewhere in-between 28mm and 35mm, but in actual practice, it is so close to 28mm that it is better to think of K30/2.8 as belonging to the family of 28mm's. This also means that, on a cropped sensor, you can think of it as a 'wide normal', with an equivalent focal length of 45mm, as against a 'narrow normal' like 35mm, equivalent to a traditional 50mm/55mm lens.
So, what criteria could play a role in opting for the K30/2.8 as against other 28mm's? Staying within the K series, I have compared K30/2.8 to K28/3.5. (Images of the comparison are in the "k-Club" thread.) The center sharpness of both lenses is of the same outstanding quality, but the K28/3.5 has more overall sharpness across the frame; conversely, the K30/2.8 has smoother out-of-focus blur. The differences are subtle, but it means that, functionally speaking, the K28/3.5 might be better for landscape photography, while the K30/2.8 is better for the closer range, where you may want to render objects with 3D effect. In addition, the K30 is lighter than the K28 (215gr versus 260gr). It is also smaller: the K30 has about the size of an A50/1.4.
In short, if you have the opportunity to acquire both K28/3.5 and K30/2.8, you may profit from the slight functional differences between them, but if you have to choose between them, I would recommend K30/2.8.
It's highly recommended in any case ... Given its rarity, it's a bit of a hidden treasure in the Pentax range - but a treasure it is, definitely.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: May, 2015 Posts: 82
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 2, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Absolutely great images! Sharpness, Boke, it's all great! | | Cons: | Odd focal length to get used to. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-50
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I've only done some light testing of the lens, but I'm already finding it to be one of my favorites. I am not entirely good, nor familiar with prime lenses, as this is one of only two I own. The sharpness was stunning for me. I can't get even close with my other lenses. The fact that I found this at a thrift store for only $10 means I probably got the absolute bargain of the century, on what can be one of the best prime lenses out there.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: July, 2013 Location: Ancona - Marche - Italy Posts: 6 | | Review Date: July 19, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $425.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Perfect for my works. Beautiful color rendering and geometrically correct | | Cons: | Rare and expensive | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-1
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Excellent optics and easy to use even in difficult situations, such as poorly lit environments or with strong backlit light sources. I use this lens mainly for full-length portraits and fashion work.
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2020 Posts: 131 | | Review Date: August 20, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $220.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | good build, looks; sharp for a 30mm f/2.8 lens; little field curvature | | Cons: | chromatic aberration; too pricey; lack of a good dedicated Pentax metal hood | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 7
Camera Used: K10D, K-3 II, K-1 II
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I prefer to manual-focus, coming out of three decades in 35-mm film, medium-format film, and large-format glass plates before I got into digital, and I like the build of the older K-mount lenses. I was looking for a few fast prime lenses between my D-FA 24-mm f/2 and my FA 50-mm f/1.4 lenses, and I chose this as I was looking for something small and light for landscapes when I'm traveling, as well as to do some astrophotography, so autofocus isn't important for me there. I have numerous zooms that cover the range 12-300 mm, but there's appeal to smaller prime lenses like this that are not too expensive.
Having done some shooting with this 30-mm f/2.8 lens with resolution test charts, some building photos, and some garden photos, I'm happy with the resolution from f/2.8 onwards. It can be frustrating in bright sunlight because my K10D doesn't tell me the exposure levels with this lens, and I find that its auto-shooting feature (green setting) is fine in low light but poor in bright sunlight, even with 0.5-stop exposure bracketing. So this lens will be more for low-light photography for me, moving forward, and not for use in sunlight unfortunately. The sharpness is really excellent, limited only by the pixel size in my 24-megapixel K-3 II camera. But the chromatic aberration is a problem when you look closely at images (if you just do landscapes and don't look too closely, you won't have much problem with CA). But this color fringing is a known problem with these older lenses. What is excellent is the field curvature: for a 30-mm lens, curvature is only slight and hardly noticeable unless you look closely on an APS-C image; I've not yet used this on a FF camera. The aperture ring on my copy moves well and has the 360-degree ring so that you can turn the ring from the side or the bottom of the lens easily. The focusing ring is also solid and turns about 120 degrees from infinity to closest focus.
I looked at the reviews of the 28mm, 30mm, and 35mm lenses before selecting this one (I also have the FA 35mm f/2 lens to also add to this range for me, with the option for more automated photography). I rated value as "7" because I paid $220 (incl. shipping costs, from Japan, off eBay, plus the state tax levied by eBay) and there's noticeable color fringing where you have a sharp boundary (like a branch or flower and background), but the lens is in superb condition -- all parts moving perfectly and the glass pristine. It's just that, given my comments above, its value to me is nowhere near a 9 or a 10. Mine is the earlier SMC variant of this lens; I wonder if there were any optical improvements to the later smc variant? I've noticed that other reviewers of this lens here have not commented much (or at all) on CA in this lens; I wonder if the smc variant has better coatings to reduce the CA?
photo showing the lens on my camera with round, metal, non-Pentax (wide-angle Sensei Pro) lens hood:
 | | | | | Junior Member Registered: March, 2016 Posts: 41 | | Review Date: March 19, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Form function & colour rendition | | Cons: | | |
Between buying and selling many camera systems I found two of these rare
Pentax lenses, I sold both years ago but wish I'd kept one !
The SMC 30mm K 2.8 is said to render deep blues in a very special way,
I'm on the lookout for another one.
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