| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: September, 2014 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,601 | | Review Date: July 22, 2019 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 5
Handling: 9
Value: 8
Camera Used: Pentax K-5; Pentax ME Super; Pentax K200D
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I am not a camera expert. I am a weekend duffer.
I received this as a gift upon graduating from law school in 1983, along with a Pentax ME Super. It has served me well, for years, and I continue to use it occasionally, even today. Mine was sold as a KMart Focal 28mm f/2.8 Auto. It has all the same markings in the same colors as shown above.
I have used this lens with a Pentax ME Super, Pentax K200D, and a Pentax K5. I will post the results of some of my digital photos.
Bokeh is a bit weak. In all other respects it is a pretty good lens. It can be tack sharp, especially at close range for family portraits which is what this lens excels at, but your subject will not jump out of the background because while this lens will blur the background it will not entirely blur it from recognition. But that makes its focus more forgiving on your subject as well. Some of these photos required post-processing adjustments, but I do that, all the time for almost any photo I post. I won't decide on its merits for you. You decide:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/48342947581/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/48343090637/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/48342948271/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/48343091162/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/48343091497/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/48343127982/in/datetaken-public/ (I over exposed)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/43307043724/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/37372678254/in/datetaken-public/ (one of my favorites with this lens; colors are vibrant; it is tack sharp; and the girls are pretty)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/16484049027/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82428620@N00/16472341338/in/datetaken-public/ | | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: January, 2019 Location: Beautiful British Columbia Posts: 85 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Posts: 18,076 | | Review Date: January 4, 2013 | Not Recommended | Price: $3.00
| Rating: 5 |
| Pros: | Decent, solid build ... | | Cons: | Soft ... | |
Bonjour,
Could not stop myself from snapping up this thrift shop acquisition, and despite the give away price, I overpaid for this lens ... soft and still soft when seriously stopped down. Mine is a M42 mount with auto switch and MC, etc. I had some hopes, but unfortunately it's just an inferior caliber lens ... oh well, no great loss here. J
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: September, 2011 Posts: 1,558 | | Review Date: January 3, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Well Built Smooth Focus, Pretty Sharp | | Cons: | Plastic parts are white painted Black | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 5
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 7
Value: 9
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The sharpness is pretty good when comparing it against my Takumar-A I tested them against each other at f2.8 . This lens seems to have larger elements and is indeed slightly faster than my takumar when set up on a tripod. There is some Chromatic aberations mostly noticeable outside the DOF. The lens is pretty well built and nice and big which I like. The focus is smooth but in the opposite direction of most of my lenses. The aperture ring is only from f2.8-16. You can get them cheap so buy one..if you don't like it sell it and try again.
here are some comparison samples sample s taken with my K-X taken from the sam tripod under identical room light conditions.
sample magnicon 28mm f2.8
sample takumar-a 28mm f2.8 | | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: July, 2011 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 276 | | Review Date: November 1, 2011 | Not Recommended | Price: $20.00
| Rating: 2 |
| Pros: | cheap, seems well built | | Cons: | softer than my down pillow, even stopped down | | Sharpness: 2
Aberrations: 5
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 5
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Disclaimer - I'm reviewing this lens re-branded as Kitstar - the images i've found of the makinon 28mm f2.8 match my lens identically. Markings, number colors, locations, rubber ring, etc., it's the same lens.
This lens is so soft, even stopped down some, that I almost think it was taken apart and put back together wrong. Or I would, if the other review hadn't confirmed everything I feel about this. The only reason I still have it is I refuse to give it away for free, and nobody else will buy it for $1 + shipping.
It generally feels well built, though the aperture wring is a little too easy to turn - the focus ring is firm but easy to turn, and smooth. It's mostly metal.
I shouldn't mark it as a good value, but i'm still giving it a 5 because it's so cheap. If you're so desperate for a 28mm with f2.8 that *anything* will do (though really, anything else will do better), then this can be found for dirt cheap. It's still dirt, but it's cheap dirt.
Long and short of it, don't waste your time or money. I wish I had gotten a different 28mm, especially since i'm not allowing myself to get another one until after I get rid of this one. Maybe I can throw it on some concrete and claim I accidentally dropped it, so my significant other can grant me this one reprieve from my lens buying moratorium.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: June, 2010 Posts: 47 | | Review Date: June 29, 2010 | Not Recommended | Price: $20.00
| Rating: 1 |
| Pros: | Decent Build | | Cons: | Soft at all apertures, bad C.A. | |
I did a four lens comparison of 28mm prime lenses. Pentax-M 28mm 2.8, Sears 28mm 2.8, Super Albinar 28mm 2.8, and this one. I mainly based my comparison on the fairly objective aspects of sharpness and C.A., as these are the two most important things to me in a lens, and is not as subjective on aspects like whether or not I liked the bokeh. Long story short, they placed in the order I have them above, the Makinon being last. The Super Albinar was pretty bad but not as bad as this one. It is too bad because this lens was in the best cosmetic shape… looked brand new! Very soft focus and large amounts of C.A..
I should add that I tested these on a K10d so results may differ on a 35mm camera. | | |
