New Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 14
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 23, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | very sharp at 105 mm - macro qualities !!! | | Cons: | in the edges few CA's wide open at 35 mm | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 8
Camera Used: k-x k-s1 k200d
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++ sharpness at tele range very good 9 points
O sharpness at wide angle in the corners 7 points
(Pentax SMC-A 3.5-4.5/35-105 is at wide angle much more better )
++ good colours
++ high contrast
O some ghost reflexes ainst the sun
++ with macro ring at 105 mm extremely sharp
a good performer at a low price | |
Pentaxian Registered: May, 2010 Location: now 1 hour north of PDX Posts: 3,897
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 10, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $25.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | fairly compact, 55mm filter size, 1:4 closeup@105mm | | Cons: | not sharp at max aperture, zoom creep, min focus 5½' | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: K200d
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This is a pretty solid 8 in performance, but for $25 that's impressive!  This lens' serial number begins with 77 which indicates Kobori manufacture; I've owned several Vivitar '77 lenses and really like the build quality.
I like its size more than the similar 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 (also Kobori) with its 72mm filters; this one takes 55mm which I already own. I gave that lens an 8 also, this one would rank higher but hardly a full 9.
Stopping at f/16 is no issue with aps-c sensors, but 36×24 users might wish for f/22. Both zoom and focus ranges are very short throws on this lens; 105mm is about an inch away from 35mm, and minfocus excluding macro is less than an inch. Aperture blades appear to be slightly rounded but in any case bokeh is quite smooth from what I've seen so far. A slight amount of flare is evident on strong interior lighting; maybe some day the sun will come out so I can use that.. 
I like it!
p.s. my copy had the flange that won't allow it to mount to digital cameras --- but the flange had separate screws on the outside that made removal a snap!  Much better than needing to remove the mount to access the flange, I've done that before 
Edit/update - this is impressively sharp and bright enough to make focusing easy. Very usable wide open. Definitely a flare machine when light hits the glass, but that can be a creative option.. unless it takes over the entire image. My rating is a high 8 after these tests, it's a 9 if you like creative flare
Two shots at 105mm f/4
flare sample - no PP
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