| Showing all 22 reviews by bdery | |
| Review of: HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW by bdery on Tue January 7, 2020 | Rating: 0 | View more reviews | |
Views: 102807
Reviews: 36
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As stated in the in-depth review, this lens heralds a new generation of high-performances, no compromises lenses.
Apart from some CA, there is literally nothing to complain about from an optical standpoint. Images have all the pop and clarity of the best that Pentax can offer, sharpness is stellar, AF is a step above everything else on K-mount. The comparison review with the Rokinon 50mm and DA*55mm show just how good this new 50 really is.
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| Review of: HD Pentax-DA 10-17mm F3.5-4.5 Fish-Eye ED by bdery on Tue January 7, 2020 | Rating: 0 | View more reviews | |
Views: 20673
Reviews: 5
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This lens is a worthy upgrade to the previous SMC version. As stated in the in-depth review, it corrects many of the flaws of the previous version, and adds the option to shoot circular images with a full frame camera.
Images created by this lens are rather unique. When used well, and deliberately, it can create images like no other. Optically it's not perfect, but still pretty darn good. Its small size and light weight make it easy to carry.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-DA* 55mm F1.4 SDM by bdery on Tue January 7, 2020 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 352223
Reviews: 72
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A nice surprise on FF. On APS-C this lens needs no introduction, but on FF it can act as a poor man's DFA*50. It's not quite as good, but not completely outclassed either. Plus it's lighter, smaller and cheaper.
AF is not impressive but, at least on the K-1 II, it's not as bad as the lens' reputation would lead me to believe. It's a decent performer, no less.
Optically this lens is worthy of the STAR status. I wish the body was metal (even though it would make the lens heavier).
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| Review of: HD Pentax-DA 35mm F2.8 Limited Macro by bdery on Tue January 7, 2020 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 149770
Reviews: 26
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A versatile jack-of-all-trades with few flaws and much of the Limited quality.
The DA35 Macro is compact enough to be carried around without taking too much space in a bag. Its focal length makes it a nice normal lens on APS-C, and its full macro capabilities means one can leave the house with only that lens and be able to face many situations.
Sharpness, while excellent, isn't quite up there with other macro lenses. Also, the 1:1 focus distance is very, very close to the front element.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-FA 20-35mm F4 AL by bdery on Tue January 7, 2020 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 191806
Reviews: 41
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I got this as a landscape-cityscape equivalent to the DA21 on full frame. It's a good lens, but a mixed bag.
It's capable of very good sharpness. Distortion is low. It creates superb starbursts when used properly (not as good as the DA21).
However, it suffers from some PF, and most of all it does not have the magical pop of the images created by other Limited lenses. I have a hard time warming up to it. No real flaws, but no magic either.
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| Review of: HD Pentax-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR by bdery on Tue April 21, 2015 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 294697
Reviews: 43
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I've been asked to post my opinion about my newly acquired HD 16-85mm. So here it is. You can click images to get to larger versions.
I am comparing the lens mainly to the DA 18-55 WR and the Sigma 17-70 f2.8-f4.5 (version 1). The 16-85 will replace the kit lens as my WR lens, and might replace the Sigma for many walkaround occasions. If it lives up to my expectations, that is.
The lens is larger than I thought. Mainly longer. It's surprisingly larger than the Sigma. However, it has the same weight.
  
It is, of course, much larger than the kit lens, but I decided to include pictures to give a sense of scale.
  
The finish matches the K-3 (and other bodies) perfectly. Really beautiful. It balances well also, because of the relative low weight. The zoom ring falls under the hand quite naturally. This is my first lens with the focus ring near the body. It's ok, not better than at the front, but I don't expect to use it a lot.
The zoom ring is smooth, and I am not worried by the lack of a lock : I'm sure it won't move. The focus ring is interesting, in the fact that it has soft stops. This means that when you reach the end of its throw, it keeps moving with more friction. It's nice, though the 60-25, which has the same system, has much more friction, so the transition is easier to see. There are no focus distance marks anywhere.
Quick note : the lens cap is a new design, with less rounded features than the usual.
In use the lens is just great. 16mm makes a visible difference, even when compared to 17mm. It feels like I've stepped into UWA territory for the first time. The 85mm range is also a bonus over what I own. All in all the range feels extremely useful and well chosen (Pentax is not alone in choosing this range of course). Here is an example of the same scene at 16 and 85mm to give a sense of scale.
 
AF is a wonder. It's even more silent than the SDM motor of the 60-250. It's faster by all accounts. It seems accurate, at least I've had no misses so far. It is also leagues ahead of any screw-drive lens when using live view or video. The Sigma is no slouch but the 16-85 is even more responsive.
I have mainly tested the lens outside, in good light. That's where I expect to use it. And it performs above my expectations there. Colours are saturated and accurate, sharpness is better than excellent, there are no CA and PF to speak of. I see some distortion at 16mm, as expected, but it's not bad at all.
Here are many samples pictures. I invite you to click the images to get to larger versions. In particular, look at the texture on my son's hat. And if you see haze in the outdoors images, it's because the waterfall is throwing mist around ;)
 
f8
f5.6
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-M 120mm F2.8 by bdery on Fri October 19, 2012 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 81486
Reviews: 12
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This lens has a slightly oddball, but very comfortable focal length. 120mm is very well suited as a short tele, more so than 135mm in my opinion.
What impressed me the most about this lens is the very compact size it offers for a f2,8 lens. Wider but no longer than the M150 f3,5. Build quality is excellent, like all M lenses. The focus ring is smooth and has a long throw. The Aperture ring clicks well at all positions, without jamming anywhere.
IQ is great, surprisingly low aberrations and good sharpness. The lens is bright enough that manual focus is reasonable easy. However, the images lack the punch of some more recent lenses. They should react well to post-processing, but out of the box, they are more subdued, less saturated than what current Pentax lenses produce.
All in all, this is a great lens without any serious flaw.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-A* 300mm F4 by bdery on Fri October 19, 2012 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 116653
Reviews: 18
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This is a fine example of the Star series of lenses. The images it produces are excellent, sharp, with rich colours and beautiful contrast. Chromatic aberrations are very well controlled even at wide apertures. Sharpness does increase slightly when stopping down, but it's very good even at f4.
The build quality is fine, as fine as you'd expect for a lens in this class. It feels just as sturdy as the mose reliable MF lenses Pentax ever manufacture. The large front element is somewhat ackward to handle, but the lens still feels well-balanced on a DSLR body (it has a weigth-lifting dumple feeling...)
The only draw-back (for me) was the absence of AF. It's not a flaw of the lens but it meant no one in my household except me would use it, so I ended up selling it to a happy pentaxian.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.4 by bdery on Wed October 17, 2012 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 531018
Reviews: 160
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I have used this lens after also using a M50 f2, A50 f1,4, F50 f1,7 and FA50 f2,8 macro. I feel that I now have enough experience with all the variations of Pentax's 50mm to make an educated evaluation.
Build
Nicely build, light and small. It doesn't hold a candle to the FA 50 macro's all-metal body and substantial weigth, but there is nothing wrong with the f1,4's build in itself. The window over the focusing distance is an elegant touch that I've always liked about the Fa line. The focus ring feels cheap but is reliable and easy to find. The aperture ring is flimsy, like all the aperture rings I've ever used on AF bodies, but it's no real issue.
Sharpness
That lens can be extremely sharp. It cannot quite reach the sharpness of the FA50 macro, but it's close. It also compares well to the f50 f1,7. The main difference between these two lenses is that the f1,4 needs a hood to reach the sharpness of the f1,7 (whose front element is farther recessed). Contrast is great but not as fantastic as that of the DA21, which gives an impression of higher sharpness.
Wide open, images loose sharpness visibly. this is partially caused by the shallow DOF, partially by loss of contrast when not using a hood, partially by the lens design itself. The f1,7 is sharper below f2,5, after which they even out.
Colours
Colours are good, typical Pentax, Accurate, but maybe lacking some punch. Images react well to post-processing, however.
Aberrations
Nothing to mention, the lens has no optical flaws to speak of.
Bokeh
Extremely pleasing, not quite to the level of a macro lens but smooth all the same.
Conclusion
This is a very desireable lens. It doesn't really fall sort anywhere, delivering great results in most situations. It doesn't feel really better than a f1,7 lens, but still gives you about half a stop more light when you really need it. The fact that it delivers its best results when coupled to a hood means it actually is not as compact as it seems. Because of this, my personal preference goes to the f1,7, but in itself this lens is excellent.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL by bdery on Sat July 9, 2011 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 163036
Reviews: 31
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I'm pleasantly surprised by this lens. And that's saying a lot, considering that I also own the DA21 Limited...
Build quality
The lens is ok... no more. It's well made but doesn't feel that way, sadly. Nothing will fall apart, nothing is loose, everything works as expected but it lacks the feeling of tight tolerances every DA lens I've seen has, and it lacks the rock-hard feel of the manual focus era lenses.
The focus ring is small (the lens doesn't allow for a larger ring) but decently damped. The throw is very short. The aperture ring feels as weird as do all the F or FA rings I've seen. Anyway, there is no reason to use it at any setting except A...The central body is plastic, not as cheap as I feared (but worse, far worse than the metal on my FA 50 macro). The focus distance window is very classy and enhances the general look of the lens.
It's a very light lens, surprisingly so (thanks to the plastic). It's a few dozens grams heavier than the DA21. It's almost twice as thick but that's not saying much, given the size of the 21. The lens looks very good mounted on the K20D, more so than an F lens, say.
AF
AF is surprising : very fast and accurate. I find it very reliable. It seems a tad slower than the DA21 but is seems to spend less time double-checking its position, so all in all it's almost a draw. Impressive. The short focus ring throw helps with this. the closest focus distance is 0.3m, not bad but sometimes when taking advantage of the f2,8 aperture, you find yourself wishing for closer focus capabilities.
IQ
Image quality is pretty darn good. Colours are rich and well saturated, contrasts are deep but not overdone like with the 18-55 WR. The DA21 has more punch, that little something that is rightly associated with the Limited label. But in itself, the FA28 is excellent, surprising and pleasing.
Bokeh is smooth, smoother than the DA21 (but lacking the 3D effect many like). Nothing special here, it's not creamy like the FA50 macro, but it's not distracting either. Anyway a wide lens is not meant to be used in difficult bokeh conditions (for me at least).
Sharpness is not quite up there with the DA21, but it's more than good enough. It's quite good even at f2,8, though it definitely improves at f4 and beyond. To my informal testing it seems better in the center than in the corners, but the differences are not very important.
CA and distortion are not objectionable in the test shots I have taken. They are not absent but not bothersome at all.
The focal length is very comfortable on an APS-C sensor, I like it a lot.
Final word
This lens has surprised me. I did not expect it to perform this close to the DA21. It's not quite on the same level, but they are not in different leagues. The rich colours, in particular, are typical Pentax but I did not expect them to be so pleasing.
I will probably end up selling the lens considering I own the DA21 and like it more, but by itself, that lens is a keeper. The build quality could be better, but that's really the only downside of this lens. A well-deserved reputation!
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-A 28mm F2.8 by bdery on Fri October 22, 2010 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 318747
Reviews: 63
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I got this lens a bit by chance, after getting the DA21 LTD (to which it obviously gets compared).
The build quality is great, with a better feel than the A50 f1,4. Metal barrel, smooth focus (short throw, like most wide primes). Good weigth and size, too, though the DA21 got me spoiled. It's also larger than the Takumar bayonet 28 mm, and a bit heavier.
Image quality is very good, with sharp, even results across the frame. Even wide open it's usable, even though it improves when stopped down (obviously). It's bright enough that manual focus is easy.
The limitation of this lens is that, when I compare it with my DA21, it lacks punch when comparing images straight out of the camera. The DA21 has much more saturated and contrasty outputs, but then again it's one of the main perks of that lens, so that's not a fair comparison. The A28's results are very neutral and should react well to post-processing. Taken by itself the images are not lacking, but when compared the difference shows.
Comparing with the Tak bayonet 28 mm, I'd say both have similar colour renderings, but the A28 is better wide open.
In short it's a good lens, very well made. It just lacks the magic feeling of the limiteds.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-DA 21mm F3.2 Limited by bdery on Fri May 7, 2010 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 383716
Reviews: 96
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I believe each lens should be considered with its intended use in mind. A portrait photographer has no need for an ultra-wide lens.
So what is the intended purpose of the DA 21? For me, its purpose is to work as a portable, handheld task force with the F50 f1,7. Those two lenses allow me to leave home for night shoots without a tripod, and without anything except the camera and a small coat pocket.
Seen in this optic (no pun intended) the DA 21 is perfect. f3.2 is more than enough for handholding shots at 21 mm with SR and ISO 800. AF is extremely fast and reliable. Flare is minimal even without the hood. The size is amazing, hard to believe until you actually hold the lens in your hand. Optical qualities are what I would have expected from a limited. I have not used a test chart but in real life, I see no obvious differences in sharpness between f3.2 and smaller apertures.
Close focusing is a nice addition : it’s not a macro but allows for nice close-ups. Which brings me to another unique feature : bokeh. This lens is far from the smooth, perfectly creamy bokeh of the FA 50 macro (or similar lenses) but its busier bokeh actually contributes in a large part to creating what many have called the “3D effect” this lens produces. The pictures below are the best examples:
 
The effect is hard to describe, but quite visible to me. And it is a great perk of this lens.
The build quality is nothing less than what I expected. Light but rugged, gorgeous to behold, smooth focus (though my used copy is tighter at short focus distances. I’ll have to investigate that). I like the hood design but tend not to use it much. For starters, it’s not really needed. It also hides the beautiful red LIMITED lettering on the front, and adds something like 25% to the length of the lens… I confess that part of me does not want to use the hood just so I can show off… I might bet to use it in time.
People complaining that it gets less sharp at smaller apertures than f8 : why did you ever purchase this lens? It is meant to be used at wide apertures. There is no need for a limited prime to shoot at f16! And with a wide lens, DOF increases extremely fast anyway.
There is nothing wrong with this lens. Again, that statement is true for the purpose I have in mind. So it’s a clear 10 for me.
EDIT : I had the lens serviced because of the tight focus ring (at a local Quebec city shop). The lens came back today, some bearings were misaligned apparently (it looks like the lens got a hit from the pervious owner, apparently). The AF speed, now that the lens has been fixed, is nothing short of blazing! Fast, extremely reliable, and did I mention fast?
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL WR by bdery on Thu December 31, 2009 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 335489
Reviews: 97
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I got this lens in order to have a really weather resistant kit (WR lens +K20D). My main lens will remain the Sigma 17-70, a better lens in most respects.
The WR kit really is a cutie, small, light and well made. I expected a much cheaper feel. The body seems built with tight tolerances (expected for a WR lens), the action of the zoom and focus rings are well damped and responsive. This is my first DA lens and I am impressed at its quality. The lens hood is also nice, and the filter window a real bonus (makes me want to cut out a window on my Sigma's hood).
AF is quite fast in good light. It's still perfectly acceptable in low light, but the slow apertures take their toll. Quick shift focus works as expected, but I doubt I'll use it much since AF seems quite reliable.
IQ is better than what I would have expected from a kit lens. I have not thoroughly tested the lens, but the test shots I took were satisfying. It does vignette at 18 mm when wide open, but sharpness, colors and saturations are very good, better than what I would have expected for a kit lens. There's nothing "cheap" about those images. Contrast is a bit too pronounced for my taste, with less subtle gradations in the dark areas.
The only thing I would like to have differently is the smallest lens extension, which is achieved at around 35 mm. I would prefer the lens to be at its smallest when the zoom is at an extreme position, but since there is no zoom creep, it's really a minor issue.
To me, considering that I intend to use this lens in difficult outdoors conditions (hiking, for instance), it actually makes more sense than the 16-50: it's smaller, lighter, and less expensive. So this lens is the perfect WR walkaround solution for me.
Adding the WR kit lens to my arsenal makes so much sense, I'm glad I did!
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro by bdery on Tue August 11, 2009 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 190638
Reviews: 45
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Loving it, loving it!
Build
This lens is all-metal, rugged, well balanced, and extremely nice to use. The focus ring is thin, but has something like a 270 degrees throw, making MF a breeze. The focus throw also scales with distance: a half turn moves the focus distance by a few meters at the "far" end, but by a few milimeters at the short end, making it perfect for fine-tuning macro focus.
The focus clamp threw me off a bit at first, I thought it was supposed to lock the focus. In fact its only role is to add friction for MF, nothing more. It's actually nice.
It would have been nice to have AF override like DA lenses but what do you want? The distance window is nice and the whitish background makes the numbers easy to read.
AF
AF is not fast. It's a macro lens with an enormous throw, that's to be expected. It's quite reliable, however. It usually just goes to the expected point, slowly but surely. It can hunt, but usually this happens when:
1-I get too close to a subject (it CAN happen)
2-I forget to use a tripod, get really close, and move a little while the lens tries to focus
If you do not do either, you'll never have AF problems. The motor is noisy, but not too much.
EDIT : I need to mention that, for non-macro work, the lens focuses extremely fast, nearly as fast as any F or FA I've used. Focus is accurate, too. The AF speed is proportionnal to the throw movement needed, which kinda makes sense. For instance, at portrait distance it's really fast, about as fast as my F 50 f1,7. And so sharp it hurts.
IQ
What's there to say? Sharpest Pentax ever? I have not tested them all, but I have no trouble believing it. Colours are gorgeous, even on cloudy days the colours seem to pop and come alive! Bokeh is so smooth, it's hard to believe it. It's just the best you can expect, all around.
The lens is usable at all apertures, and seems equally sharp. However close focusing at f2,8 will give you a paper-thin DOF, remember that!
I'm so glad I got this lens!
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-M 150mm F3.5 by bdery on Wed July 1, 2009 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 89267
Reviews: 18
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This lens is a cutie! Much smaller than I would have expected, smaller than my 135 mm f2,8... It's extremely well built, like every M lens. The focusing ring is butter-smooth, and has an enormous throw. It has a built-in hood which is very useful in many situations (go figure why the previous owner used a rubber hood with it...)
The aperture ring is, again, as nice as other M lenses, positive locks and smooth operation.
The lens is sharp wide open, with only minimal improvements visible as you close down the aperture. Contrast is also surprisingly nice. Bokeh more than ok but this is not a macro lens.
Some people complain about the focal length, but I personally find it very confortable. There's almost no difference between 135 and 150 mm, really.
I got it because it was so cheap, and might not end up using it a lot. Then again, using MF lenses from time to time is a good thing...
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-FA 100-300mm F4.7-5.8 by bdery on Wed July 1, 2009 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 242783
Reviews: 55
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Just got this lens. I ran it through my usual bookshelf test shots, plus real life photos, and I am impressed!
The good:
-It is very sharp! Surprisingly so, even wide open. It leaves nothing to be desired at both ends of the zoom. My comparison point is the Vivitar series 1 70-210 and it compares well to that legendary lens.
-Focusing is decently fast and generally very accurate.
-No visible CA in the tests I ran. That is a very big improvement over the Vivitar (and many other zooms)
-It's quite light. About a third of the weight of my Vivitar series 1 70-210. Plastic helps a lot for this...
-The manual focus ring has a 180 degrees throw, so MF when needed is easy. Nice for an AF lens.
-The aperture ring feels nice enough for a plastic lens (although mine will stay on the A position at all times).
-Nicely built, no creaking, wobbling, zoom creep.
-Usable wide open across the frame. It probably improves when closing the aperture down, but images are good at all apertures.
The bad:
-It feels a little TOO light, probably just because I'm not used to it and my other tele zoom weights two pounds.
-The front element rotates while focusing.
-Plastic feels weird. There's something to be said for sturdy M lenses.
-The plastic mount looks perfect even though my copy is used, but I'd always rather have a metal mount.
-The focus gears are LOUD...
One thing which is not a flaw but something to be aware of is that hand-holding a 300 mm lens is NOT an easy task. My previous experience, with the Vivitar, was limited at 210 mm with a lens weigthing a kilogram. this one is under 400 grams, and has more reach. SR is definitely recommended, and even then it pays to look at your shutter speed when light gets low.
Here's an example of what to expect:
All in all, I'm very, very happy with this lens. A nice addition to my bag, will probably completely replace the Vivitar series 1 70-210 I used before.
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| Review of: Pentax-A 28-80mm F3.5-4.5 by bdery on Wed June 10, 2009 | Rating: 7 | View more reviews | |
Views: 79411
Reviews: 15
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As commented above, the picture does not show the SMC-A, but the Pentax-A (which is the lens I own).
It is a really nice lens, well made like all A lenses (this is the first A zoom I ever used). It feels rugged, reliable, but less so than SMC-A primes (more moving parts). Aperture ring works very well but I never use it... The lens is at its minimum length at an intermediate zoom position, a bit surprinsing at first. The "macro" mode (more accurately "close focusing mode" ) is reached by zooming at 70 mm and turning the zoom ring further, and it has a positive feel to it.
IQ seems good, though not as great as my best lenses (primes, most of them). What impresses me is that I do not see a drop in IQ as I open the aperture, performances in general seem very even at all apertures. Pixel peepers would probably differ in opinion, but in real life that's my experience.
Metering with the K20D is very accurate, at all apertures. The focusing ring is decently damped, but not quite as nicely as on an M lens. Much better than modern AF lenses of course.
The copy I own still looks new, which is a testament to the previous owner as well as to Pentax manufacturing. Despite the lens not being labeled SMC I have not observed significant flare or haze issues. But then the same can be said about my Takumar Bayonets... Sometimes I think we put too much faith on the SMC label. This lens IS coated, by the way.
A nice lens to own, it doesn't see much action because my Sigma 17-70 is my usual walkaround lens.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-F 50mm F1.7 by bdery on Sun April 26, 2009 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 360820
Reviews: 99
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My experience with Pentax 50 mm primes goes from the SMC-M f2 to the SMC-A f1,4 and now the SMC-F f1,7. I purchased the F because AF is a very nice thing to have, and comments about the f1,7 were generally very good. I had a good opportunity to upgrade from the A, so I took it.
This lens is not very good, it's amazing! The image quality, regarding colours, contrast, etc, is on par with the best lenses I've used. I ran some benchmark tests to compare the A f1,4 and the F f1,7. The F is sharper at f1,7 as the A at f1,8 (its closest similar setting). From f2 onward, both lenses behave exactly the same to my eyes, but metering seems slightly better on the F.
The focus is noisy but extremely fast, and very accurate. Mounted on a tripod, I was unable to get better results by manually focusing my K20D than what the AF delivered. Even when using Live View and the magnifier, the AF system was on the mark each time, and much faster than me...
The lens lacks the "tank" feeling of M lenses (and, to some extend, A lenses) but it's very nicely built nonetheles. My particular copy looks brand new, without a scratch or mark even after many years of use. The dark gray colour looks pretty nice on my K20D (I dig the 80s "modern" look, I guess). The aperture ring is not very nice to use (though the lens will remain on the A position at all times). The focus ring is thin, but well damped, much better than more recent AF lenses. Its throw is shorter than the A f1,4, but that makes sense since the AF is so reliable.
Since I was never confortable using my A f1,4 at its widest aperture, I have lost nothing by switching to the f1,7. This lens is a welcome addition to my kit, and one that will serve me many years.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-A 50mm F1.4 by bdery on Tue September 2, 2008 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 297400
Reviews: 58
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I got this lens at a flea market. I did not put in the price I paid, because it would completely unbalance the average. I got the lens, plus a Super program camera, a flash, and filters, for 10$, from someone who didn't know the value of his gear. I also don't know what the lens went through, but it seems to have been well cared for.
The A-50 f1,4 is a fantastic lens. Some people complain about the build quality, but I don't understand why. This lens is superbly built, solid, the aperture ring is easy to operate (but being an A lens, I don't think I'll use the aperture ring at all, I much prefer the flexibility of auto exposure). The focus ring has an enourmous throw, making manual focus as easy as it goes. The focus ring on my lens is smooth, well damped but easy to twist (identical feel than the focus ring of the SMC-M 50 f2).
I ran the lens through a simple bookshelf test to see what I could expect from it. At f1,4, it looks distinctly softer, but this is caused in part by the too narrow DOF. It's VERY hard to focus at f1,4 without a split screen, and even then the risk of moving is high. From f2,5 onward (and up to f22) there are no visible diferences except if you pixel peep, maybe (and I will not do that). Exposure is very reliable (something not always true with my SMC-M lenses).
There is some evidence of PF at f1,4 on very contrasted scenes (like tree leaves on a sky background) but it's not noticeable when you stop down, even f2 helps a lot for this. And even then, it will only be apparent when you zoom in at 100%.
I also own the SMC-M f2, so I have some grounds for comparison. The sharpness looks similar except at wide apertures (again, MF is probably the problem here). The colour cast seems better on the SMC-A, the SMC-M has a yellowish cast, not apparent in itself, but it shows when comparing both. The built quality is comparable, but I think I prefer the larger focus ring of the SMC-A. I obviously prefer the auto-exposure, though. And the one stop I gain.
A wonderful lens, worthy of its reputation.
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| Review of: Takumar 135mm F2.8 Bayonet by bdery on Mon July 7, 2008 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 63309
Reviews: 8
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135 mm with f2,8 is a very exciting combo. Sadly this lens is no macro lens, and cannot focus really close. When wide open, it is decently sharp, but not great. It becomes quite sharp at f4, and remains that way at least up to f11. At f16 it becomes visibly softer.
Images look good. I think the contrast is what bothers me most, but it's not BAD, just not fantastic. The problem is that I can compare it with a Vivitar 70-210 f3,5 and it cannot really hold its ground against it. But then the Vivitar was selling for 700$ CND thirty years ago, so it's not a fair comparison at all.
Build quality is surprisingly good. After 20+ years, the focus ring is smooh, the body is clean, the aperture ring is fluid. There is a built-in hood that works very well. Some people claim that this lens is not coated; that is false. It is coated, just not SMC.
Manual focus is efficient, the focus ring has a long throw and feels well damped.
I'm glad to have this lens, and will probably use it more in the future, if only to experiment and see what I can do with it. At the end of the day, having a 135 mm f2,8 lens is always a good thing. And this lens is certainly not the doorstop some people claim it is.
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Edit : I used this lens at a wedding a few days ago, between f4,5 and f5,6 (where it's supposed to be very bad according to some), and it can shine as a portrait lens! I'm revising my evaluation from a 7 to an 8. Here's what it can do:
 
Creamy bokeh, beautiful contrast, sharp enough. I can't ask for more...
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| Review of: Takumar 28mm F2.8 Bayonet by bdery on Mon July 7, 2008 | Rating: 7 | View more reviews | |
Views: 54019
Reviews: 10
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I got this lens as part of an heirloom. I have not used it a lot except to test it, and my Sigma 17-70 covers the 28 mm focal length almost as well, but there's something about shooting with a prime...
Wide open, my homemade test shows it to be decently sharp. Close it one stop and it becomes very sharp, surprinsingly so for a "cheap" Takumar bayonet. The corners (even with an APS sensor) are not as sharp as the center. Contrast seems ok but not great, distorsion is not noticeable even when shooting a bookshelf.
The build quality is very good, and the lens has survived 20+ years looking almost new. However, the aperture ring is very hard to operate, and can hardly be turned if the lens is not mounted on a camera. The focus ring has a very short throw (45 degrees) but since it reaches "infinity" so fast, that's not a big issue. Still, focusing in low light can be hard since the focus area is so narrow. A split screen would help.
One nice thing about this lens is that it can be fitted with my Raynox 6600 wide angle converter, and the image quality remains decent (quite good in the center, passable in the corners). That gives me a usable 18,5 mm f2,8. Now THAT is nice! Stopping it down to about f8 makes the combination very sharp across the whole range.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-M 50mm F2 by bdery on Mon July 7, 2008 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 367696
Reviews: 101
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I've got this lens as a family heirloom of sorts. I'm impressed at the small size, great build quality. The focus ring is still smooth after 20+ years, same for the aperture ring. The coating on the front element shows some small circles that look like water was sprayed on the lens, but won't come off. These circles have never affected my picures in any way, even though I looked for them.
The lens makes a nice portrait lens with an APs sensor.
I use this lens mainly in low light when I need the F2 aperture. Would I be happier with a faster lens, like an f1,4? Yes, but I got this one for a song.Would I like auto focus? Yes, but the focus ring has a great throw, and the camera will tell me when I achieve focus. Would I like auto-exposure? I somewhat got that with the green button.
I always bring it with me, since it's so small, but I do not use it a lot. Still, even after four weeks with my camera, it has already saved the day more than once.
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