Pentaxian Registered: April, 2013 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 578
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 24, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Nice colors, contrast, and sharpness | | Cons: | Rotating front element | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: K-1
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Extremely good value on FF. Very sharp and nice looking colors. I only owned this lens for a short time, but it suited me well. Most all of what I would use it for (water/waterfall photography) required the use of a circular polarizer and that meant that the rotating front element did not suit me well. Other than that, this lens is definitely worth every cent. There is a bit of distortion when shot on the wide end, but it never bothered me much. I've replaced this with the D-FA 28-105 as well as the Rokinon 20mm 1.8. Here's some of my favorite photos taken with this lens:
 Lower Kildoo Falls 0522 by James Baron, on Flickr
 Grindstone Run 0598 by James Baron, on Flickr
 Grindstone Run 578 by James Baron, on Flickr
 Icy Alpha Falls by James Baron, on Flickr
 Swirling Slippery Rock Creek by James Baron, on Flickr
 Log Below Grindstone Falls by James Baron, on Flickr
 Grindstone Falls 0570 by James Baron, on Flickr
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New Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 14 | | Review Date: August 29, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $130.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | very sharp lens with enormous contrast | | Cons: | some CA's | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 8
Camera Used: fujifim S-2
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because of it's high contrast and very fine sharpness 8 points, nevertheless.
some visible CA's must be eliminated by PHSh, unfortunately.
Sharpness and contrast are marvellous. very nice color rendition.
like it very much.
my high recommendation
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Pentaxian Registered: March, 2010 Location: Chiang Mai, Bologna, Amsterdam Posts: 1,198
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 12, 2014 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Good IQ, fast AF, build quality, price | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pz -1, K200D
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I haven't used this lens that much with digital bodies, so my observations are mainly based on the use with 35mm bodies. When I used it with my K200D I was really satisfied by the image quality and color rendition, but it overlapped the kit zoom, and was bulkier, so it didn't find much use. With a full frame camera the usefulness, and the value, of this lens would be multiplied by 4, at least. While I am writing this short review I have the lens with me, on a trip abroad, and I hope I will use it enough, with my new K-5 II, to allow to update the review, in the near future, with more meaningful informations.
What I can anticipate is that it's definitely better than the kit zoom, if bulk, weight and WR are of no concern. Image quality, at the same aperture, is clearly better, in my opinion, and vignetting and distortion are well controlled cause only the central area of the coverage circle is used. I'll see if the sensor of the K-5 II shows limits that weren't evident before.
The speed advantage over cheap standard zooms is a definite plus, especially if you like to photograph in low light (modern sensors are awesome at high ISO) and want a clear view of the scene in the viewfinder. Unfortunately zoom range is more limited, hence this lens can't be considered an all-purpose.
On 35mm, I remember it was an awesome wide-angle zoom, one of the best choices available, a lens which allowed to have a full set of WA primes in one objective. I still own the best wide primes made by Pentax, and I always loved extreme WA lenses; I remember going out with 3 wides in my bag! When I bought the Tokina, second hand, it was such a refreshing experience: a quick AF lens, perfect for interior work, which could be left fitted to one body, and with an IQ comparable with the primes it replaced!
Not that AF is such an important feature in a WA zoom, but it can help shooting a bit quicker.
Manual focus is perfectly usable though (and quick too, if you don't have to realign the hood). The second version, optically identical, but with different barrel build, should provide an even better handling. The very good comparative review by Zivelot says it all (go to the bottom of the page), I just wanted to add that the petal shaped hood, that came with the lens, rotates when focusing. With digital, I'm almost sure that you won't see any vignetting, even with the hood completely misaligned.
AF is fast and accurate, no hunting.
Build quality is very good, for an AF lens. IMHO, even better than original Pentax ones made in the same period.
All in all, a great AF zoom.
Unfortunately, now it's not as useful as it used to be. With an APS-C sensor, it's still a good all-round zoom for low light. The range is limited, but it's not as weighty/bulky as an f/2.8 one... and the quality vs price ratio is amazing. If you can find one... There aren't many around.
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Senior Member Registered: October, 2008 Location: Great Plain, Hungary Posts: 204
1 user found this helpful
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