| Review of: SMC Pentax-DA 35mm F2.8 Limited Macro by pathdoc on Thu May 11, 2017 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
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If there were one lens I wouldn't mind getting permanently stuck on my K-5, this would be it. I bought it for medical photography when I replaced my dead *istDL with a K-5, and it has served me exceedingly well in this capacity. Image quality is astounding.
It has an APSC equivalent field of view to a lens in the 50mm range, so in those terms it makes a very flexible "normal" on crop cameras, albeit somewhat slow for a lens in this category (the vast majority of 50mm non-macro Pentax lenses since the Super Takumar era are f/2 or faster). However, even for those not necessarily interested in true 1:1 reproduction, the amazingly close minimum focus distance of this lens is a boon. Quickshift focus and a fairly long throw over the near and macro range make manual adjustments a breeze. The lens does hunt occasionally, though not as badly as the 100/2.8 WR, and if you're shifting from very near to very far (or vice versa) on a subject with no clear edges, getting close with quickshift and then touching up with AF is advised.
One could argue that like the 100mm f/2.8 macro, this lens should really have been uprated to WR; and an appropriate time to do this might have been when the HD-coated version was produced.
Unfortunately, unlike some of the DA series prime lenses, this one turns out not to make the transition to full frame at all well. There is VERY noticeable corner vignetting on the K-1 which is worse on stopping down, and when the hood (which is inbuilt, and a very nice, deep profile) is extended, an overt Outer Black Circle is produced. This is a lens which is best left on crop mode, unless one has the time to find the acceptable edges when cropping manually. I have not yet updated my K-1 firmware to permit 1:1 crop, and I cannot say for certain whether this would eliminate the corner vignetting without the hood deployed.
I can certainly accept the designers' decision to concentrate on producing the desirable flat-field macro profile optimised to an APS-C sensor, especially with the wide field of view, but it's heartbreaking to see just how near it comes and yet how far it misses being a really fantastic wide-angle lens on the K-1 (to which the build quality is nicely matched). I'm sort of hoping they upgrade and redesign it for full-frame at some stage in the future, though it would probably mean growth in both the front and rear elements to maintain the proper flat-field projection over the full image circle.
It's not really designed for bokeh, but because of the very close minimum focal distance, it isn't hard to throw the background out of focus. On APS-C this is a wonderful piece of kit; anyone who needs both something wider than 50mm and macro or ultra close focus capability, and who can afford the premium over the DA35/2.4 "plastic fantastic", should consider it.
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| Review of: HD Pentax-DA 21mm F3.2 Limited by pathdoc on Mon March 28, 2016 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
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It's not as wide as the wide end of the kit lens and it's not that much faster enough to matter, but where this lens wins is on size. It is TINY, not that much bigger than the legendarily small DA40 Pancake, and that let me take all four non-macro limited primes around the world in an over-shoulder camera bag. And in the setting of a big city with architecture dating back into the 19th Century, it shines. Effortless wielding, fast focus, great image quality (it's nobody's flat-field copy-stand lens, but then it was never meant to be) - this lens has it all. Like its 15mm and 40mm brethren, this makes an art form of small-is-beautiful.
Only occasionally found lacking for architecture shots close to very tall buildings and in very narrow confines, which is where the DA15 took over, but this is probably the shortest Pentax prime I've handled which will render groups of people as individuals in the context of their surroundings rather than incorporating them into it. From this perspective, perhaps the ideal busy social function or party lens, due to its small size and unobtrusiveness (for adults and teenagers, anyway; for younger kids, you will want a superzoom).
There were times I wished it could be faster, but I suspect that's what tripods were meant for, and there were valid reasons why I wasn't carrying one of those. If the DA35/2.4 isn't doing it for you in terms of wide field of view, this is the go-to for those who love their primes and have the money.
Manual focus is pretty reasonable, I never had an AF problem, and overall I'm glad I bought it. The only thing it doesn't have that it could do with is WR. I have taken a point off here and there because no lens is perfect, but for the uses I had in mind for it, it never really let me down and I gave it an overall ten for that reason.
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| Review of: S-M-C/Super/Auto Takumar 35mm F3.5 by pathdoc on Mon January 11, 2016 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
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The e-bay bid was low with not long to go, so I put in a minimum bid and went to bed hoping for the best. When I woke up, it was mine. It's a pretty good normal for those who like putting Takumars on their Pentax DSLRs, and its small size in relation to its 28mm and 50mm stablemates is impressive - in Takumar terms, it's almost in pancake territory.
Performance is what you make of it. Mine is only a Super Takumar, so it doesn't have the most modern coatings, but what really surprised me is what happened when I stuck a bellows unit between the DSLR and this lens...
 IMG11333 by PD's Deadly Lens, on Flickr
And even when I didn't...
 IMG11305 by PD's Deadly Lens, on Flickr
Just look at those single beard hairs.
When the lighting is just right, this old lens performs with the best. If you're into Takumars, don't feel like you necessarily have to wait for the late-model SMC version to appear - the Supers are capable of every bit as good a performance. The only reason I personally would recommend holding out for the SMC version is if you have a Spotmatic F or ES-series body that can make use of the full-open metering feature.
Addit: Here, complete with a range of in- and out-of-focus areas for your inspection, is what it can do on the K-1.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-FA 28-90mm F3.5-5.6 by pathdoc on Mon August 17, 2015 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
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First, the negatives. This lens does not compare in quality to any of the other Pentax lenses I own, and even the Sigma 18-50mm kit lens I got with my *ist-DL feels a little better built. It rattles and the plastic feels almost toy-like, especially around the mount. When shifting focus over a wide range (infinity to near-macro) I can almost feel the lens trying to shake itself off the camera. If plastic-mount lenses have a bad name, it's because of examples like this - the DA 50mm f/1.8 feels almost like a Limited in comparison. Optically, a brick-wall photo at 28mm at close range shows noticeable barrel distortion and shooting near the sun produces prominent polygonal flare shapes.
HOWEVER, against this must be weighed the positives: the lens is more than tolerably sharp for casual photography, which given its status as a kit lens is possibly 90% of all that was expected or demanded from it. It feels feather-light in my hand and gives no balance problems on the K-5, while giving the user a very useful focal range. The AF might be trying to rip itself to pieces, but it's more than accurate enough to nail a seagull in flight. In bright light and/or at high ISO, I would have no problem shooting one-handed if I had to. Off the camera it's compact enough to fit in a large jacket pocket, and the light weight means it doesn't drag that side of the jacket down to an uncomfortable degree.
If we accept that the design purpose of this lens is casual photography by the amateur user, it performs its function admirably at an acceptable price, with no great weight or size penalty. I am perhaps biased as my only other AF zoom is the DA 18-250, which definitely offers weight and balance issues fully extended, but this one is so light that I was able to put it on a pocket-sized tabletop tripod and take exposures at 90mm, ISO 80, f/38 and ten seconds that are reasonably sharp in camera. While this isn't to be recommended as a regular thing, it indicates what's possible with a lightweight lens of this type. It might make a very good casual travel lens for that reason, though I would almost always back it up with a lightweight compact prime (DA 50/1.8 or DA 40/2.8 Limited).
Scoring handling was a problem - on weight and balance criteria, both on and off the camera, the light weight and compactness make it a dream - score eight or nine. On the other hand, the jarring as the AF goes from infinity to short is disconcerting.
Taken together, I have scored the lens very high for (secondhand) value despite many of the other indices being not quite there. I have recommended it for others on this basis. It may not always come with me, but it has a definite place in my collection.
ETA: I am uncertain as to whether the camera or the lens is to blame, but I have noticed a tendency to underexpose by a stop or so on my DSLR (K-5). Manual focus is not at all pleasant, and for this reason I haven't attempted to mount this lens on either of my film cameras.
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| Review of: S-M-C/Super Takumar 28mm F3.5 by pathdoc on Tue August 4, 2015 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
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Bought this lens secondhand near the start of a vacation and it ended up spending a lot longer on the camera than I first intended. The image quality and sharpness are IMO very good when I get the focus correct and supply adequate depth of field. Most failures of sharpness have been failures to focus.
Aperture is not as wide as an M42 lens of this focal length could be, but I think this is probably a deliberate decision made at the design phase. Nevertheless I have rated this as a "con" as it's the only Takumar lens in this focal length and there isn't an f/2.8 variant to give the user choice without going to third parties. Asahi Opt. CO probably realised this, as the deficit was rectified in the K series of lenses.
Build quality is excellent and focus is smooth. Unlike my SMC Tak 55mm f/2.0, this lens has the "classical Takumar" deeply grooved and knurled focus ring and it is a pleasure to use - experience so far is that the focus controls make fine adjustments around the focus point easy, and it doesn't "creep" away from its set point when the ring is released. In addition, the nature of the aperture system means that any "stickiness" or slowness of the blades is irrelevant on a DSLR as they're not racing to close at the moment of the shot (and on an M42 camera, one can always override the automatic stop-down if there's a problem).
One thing that potential buyers should be aware of is that with the lens screwed into the adapter all the way, the base of the lens does not cover the data contacts on a DSLR camera's mounting ring, whereas at least one other M42 lens I own does. Thus, one has to pay particular attention to not exposing the camera to moisture or other potential sources of damage. If you mostly shoot indoors or in mild environments this is probably not an issue, but this isn't a camera/lens combination to risk in inclement weather. If showers are forecast, bring a rain-proof camera bag or leave this lens at home.
Edited to add: I noticed a tendency to underexpose in AV mode (which I always use with the Takumars), specifically at wider apertures and in lower light. One is advised to select a half-stop of EV compensation under these conditions unless the underexposed appearance is specifically sought.
For what it is (M42 mount, requiring adapter, manual focus and manual aperture control), I recommend this lens.
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| Review of: SMC/Super-/Auto-Takumar 55mm F2 by pathdoc on Thu July 2, 2015 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
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This is the second M42 lens I have owned - the other is a non-Pentax short-tele prime. Mine is the SMC version.
This lens is compact, protruding no further from the face of the camera than does a 50mm f/2 Pentax A, while giving me an extra 5mm of focal length. Manual focusing is relatively easy on the K5, although I would of course prefer a split prism, and the focus action is very smooth. Image quality appears quite decent on initial inspection. Background blurring wide open is satisfactory for my purposes.
There are a few downsides to this lens. The first is that my copy tends to underexpose at wider apertures (aperture priority mode selected), a pattern that appears to correct itself as the camera is stopped down. I have deducted points for handling for this reason, though I'm aware it's a problem that isn't restricted to this particular design.
The second thing to be aware of is that the base of the lens does NOT cover the contacts on the camera's K mount, and one needs to take extra care in this regard if the weather looks like becoming inclement.
The third is that the push-on lens cap is NOT a very tight fit, and might easily become dislodged (potential buyers with K1000s and similar cameras whose meters are "always on", take note!).
Nevertheless, I would still rate this a decent old lens and recommend it.
Diameter is approximately 57mm, rising to just under 60mm where the A/M clutch switch protrudes. Length is 38mm from camera face to forward extremity at shortest extension, no filters or lens caps, and 43mm from base of mount to forward extremity (as above), not including aperture-reading tab or stop-down pin.
(Review edited 16 Sep 2015; example photo taken with the lens added 8 Jan 2016)
 IMG11411 by PD's Deadly Lens, on Flickr
ETA:
I have since acquired a Super Takumar version of this lens (from an earlier run that does not support open-aperture metering). It does this when you open it nearly all the way up (I closed it one stop to keep the entire fruit in focus)...
 IMX22529 by PD's Deadly Lens, on Flickr
...and although it may well be more flare-sensitive than its SMC successor, I think the rendering possibly has a bit more class (a very subjective opinion, I agree). Not being a late SMC variant, it also has that all-metal classic Super Takumar look and feel.
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-FA 28mm F2.8 AL by pathdoc on Thu June 18, 2015 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
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Reviews: 31
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I bought this lens because I wanted a wide-field-of view AF lens in this focal length to be able to take pictures of dogs and small children in a hurry - my eyes aren't good enough to do it without a split-prism screen.
The demands I place on the lens aren't harsh or exacting and I'm not a pixel-peeper, so if you are, perhaps look to another review. I'm more than happy with this lens.
Image quality: I see no specific flaws on full-screen monitor viewing, which is good enough for me.
Focus: AF is fast, with a minimum focusing distance of just under 1 foot/30cm, although it feels a few cm closer. Not a macro by any means, but you can certainly get close. Manual focus is reasonable; I could focus well enough on a particular close object that a narrow aperture would get me acceptable results. Beyond a couple of metres, you are very quickly into hyperfocal distance at any aperture.
Bokeh: At close distances and wide apertures, out-of-plane images are smeared into diffuse zones of colour. Good enough for me.
General notes: It's a film-era lens with an aperture ring, so it's full-frame ready and unlike the D-FA 100mm macro it's completely backwards compatible. It's also relatively inexpensive. My copy seems "bright" in low light, as if it occasionally needs -0.5 EV to bring it in line with what my eyes are seeing, but I consider this an advantage.
I had been considering buying the 21mm or 15mm DA limited, but after a short period owning a 28mm manual lens I realised that this was as wide as I needed to go for my purposes. IMO Ricoh should seriously consider re-establishing the production line for this lens.
I can recommend it to anyone looking for a second-hand wide angle prime for casual hobby or family photography. Undoubtedly the current crop of DA Limiteds are better, but I don't think the extra cost can be justified unless you're doing professional/commercial work or take your amateur photography much more seriously than I do (entering competitions, etc).
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| Review of: SMC Pentax-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR by pathdoc on Thu March 12, 2015 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
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I originally bought this lens for medical/scientific work before discovering (to my regret) that I'd over-egged the pudding in terms of focal length and a broader perspective was required (enter its 35mm "little brother", eventually). However, that didn't stop me from being impressed with the image quality, although the tendency of this lens to rack back and forth through its focus range took some getting used to.
Fast forward a few years, and with the advent of the 35mm macro (also a Pentax) it's become somewhat redundant; a solution in search of a problem, as it were. However, I've dug it out of mothballs and it will be earning its keep as a short-medium telephoto (100mm, or 150mm film FOV equivalent). I do have a Pentax 18-250mm, but that's already well down on light gathering capability by the time it's zoomed to 100mm and the fixed f2.8 aperture of the 100mm WR should serve it well.
This would also do well as a portrait lens, but because of the autofocus issues it's probably best for relatively stationary subjects. Those wanting to photograph lively subjects such as pets or children, who are changing poses constantly, are probably better served by something else.
I'm an amateur/enthusiast and I don't do huge blow-ups or pixel peep, so my number ratings should be taken with a grain of salt. With the benefit of hindsight I would have bought a much shorter focal-length macro lens, but that is no reflection on the excellence of the product. It just turned out to be ill-suited to the task I was asking it to perform, which is my responsibility entirely.
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