| Review of: SMC Pentax Reflex 1000mm F11 by SCGushue on Fri June 12, 2009 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 46578
Reviews: 6
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I have had this lens for a number of years. I have found it light enough (for a super tele) to use with a monopod, and for an occasioanl handheld shot. It works best on a gimbal platform or a pro level ballhead.
The colors are quite good and fairly well saturated. Contrast is good to excellent but can use some enhancement in PP. The control of chromatic aberrations is excellent and I have never encountered PF even in extreme light range changes.
The lens is beautifully built, delivers an excellent image and these images can be razor sharp. It close focuses and is much easier to move about in the field with than the other Pentax super teles. OOF areas do not always show donut holes though some bokeh effects my show OOF objects, such as grasses and twigs, with a diffuse birefringence linearly, not something that bothers me too much if the image is balanced otherwise.
Whether the lens was worth the $4+K it initially cost is debatable. But in lieu of the rapidly escalating cost of quality glass these days, anyone getting this for anywhere near a $K or so will find themselves with a very, very good lens. Make sure you get a good copy. A little dust inside means nothing to final image quality.
Stephen | |
| Review of: SMC Pentax-A 645 120mm F4 Macro by SCGushue on Wed February 11, 2009 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 102789
Reviews: 19
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When used on the 645, 645N or 645NII the lens delivers everything image-wise. The construction is solid and the lens is clearly designed for professional use as it delivers razor sharp images with outstanding contrast.
Occasionally, I will mount this onto one of Pentax's DSLR's via the Pentax adapter. The output image wise is fine, and the contrast is classically Pentax.
The lens feels comfortable in the hands (but then again I like big macro lenses like Sigma's 180/3.5 EX DG macro) and since I believe macro should only be done manually, the lens delivers everything you could want. The only potential drawback to utilizing the lens on a DSLR or 35mm is that there is no open aperture metering... thus... if you need to stop down, the view finder gets darker too. In critical focusing situations this can become problematic, though with practice, an obstacle that can be overcome.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-M 20mm F4 by SCGushue on Thu June 5, 2008 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 172610
Reviews: 32
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This SMC Pentax M 20mm/4 lens has no trouble bridging the transition from film to digital. It responds on a DSLR sensor with excellent output. Resolution is very good to excellent, better on the DSLR as the corners tend to remain sharp whereas with film they can go a little soft with some vignetting visable through at least 5.6 on film. Those problems have not reared their heads on the K10D.
Color is just ever so slightly cool of neutral with intense and outstanding color saturation and exceptional contrast.
The coatings on this lens are "classic Pentax". Personally, I'm not sure color and contrast can get any better on any lens.
The lens is quite small, around the size of a DA40 LTD.
I use it in manual mode due to the fact that there is no A setting for this lens.
They are farily expensive even used but the output on a DSLR is wonderful.
Distortions are well controlled on the sensor and well within normal limits on film. A nice lens if you can get one.
I rate this lens this high due to the fact that it delivers the output needed. I do not ever shoot wide open, so some may find the open ap a wee bit soft. But at 5.6, 8, and 11 the lens is absolutely stellar.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax 45-125mm F4 by scg on Mon February 12, 2007 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 75266
Reviews: 16
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This report is on the SMCP K mount version of this lens and not the screwmount.
This lens languished nearly forgotten in my studio for nearly 20 years. What a mistake! I had always favored the SMC A 70-210/4 Macro as my zoom of choice for film. It was sharp, had great bokeh and a fantastic range. Unfortunately, I found it DOA one morning while going on an assignment and decided to see what might fill the bill. Tucked away I found the SMC K 45~125/4. It is quite an unassuming looking lens as zooms go.
I mounted it to a Pentax DL last summer and was really astonished at the color rendition and the ability to handle contra light without any abuse from CA or PF. The contrast is outstanding, and flare is well controlled. I found sharpness to be within acceptable margins across the digital image and even at the longer end the image did not suffer from a loss of contrast or saturation.
The lens is pretty rare and worth getting if you can use a lens = to roughly 70~190 on the small sensor and can't afford something more. You need to work it manually but the reults should be worth th effort. It functions quite well wide open and only gets better as you add a stop or two.
Overall I would really give this lens a rating of about 8.5 or more but you can't do that :( so I had to come down a little bit on the above scale.
Looks and zoom style 7 (it takes high end images but is technologically outdated by contmporary technology
Build 9
Contrast 9
Color rendition 10
Sharpness 8.5 +
Image quality 8.5-9
Bokeh 9
Very nice lens,
Stephen
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| Review of: SMC Pentax 35mm F3.5 by scg on Sun February 11, 2007 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 208397
Reviews: 41
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This lens works well wide open and only improves over the next few f-stops. It is, statistically, one of the highest resolution lenses that Pentax has ever made. It functions well even with digital cameras and does not leave you wanting.
The images quality is nothing short of outstanding and the tones are beautifully rendered just slightly warm of neutral with excellent bokeh (for a 3.5lens) distribution in the OOF areas.
Flare is nicely controlled and focusing is smooth and well controlled. Pincushing and barrel dostortions are very well controlled as well. The lens is a pleasure to use and the results are simply about as good as you can get at this focal length from any lens manufacturer.:D
Sample image shown in link below.
http://www.pbase.com/scgushue/image/66965687 | |
