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Author Topic: lenses for pentax  (Read 6322 times)

dkoons

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lenses for pentax
« on: November 15, 2010, 05:38:36 pm »

  With the new pentax K5 reviews looking interesting I started looking for reviews on lenses for it. Anyone have some leads on what are the better choices for landscapes? I have seen some pricing on expensive primes,but, not much in meaningful reviews. thank you Dan
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fredjeang

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2010, 06:08:35 pm »

  With the new pentax K5 reviews looking interesting I started looking for reviews on lenses for it. Anyone have some leads on what are the better choices for landscapes? I have seen some pricing on expensive primes,but, not much in meaningful reviews. thank you Dan

Dan, Do you like manual focusing?
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dkoons

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2010, 06:16:22 pm »

I have 2 manual focus 50mm, one a K mount and a 42mm screw mount. It depends on the focus screen on the body, I don't know what it has. I emailed pentax but haven't heard back. Is there something on the line of auto focus in the same class as canon L series?
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Johnny_Johnson

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2010, 06:17:24 pm »

Fairly extensive group of tests here.

Regards,
Johnny
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dkoons

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2010, 06:27:37 pm »

Thanks for the link.  I would like to read how they stack up to Nikon and Canon.   Dan
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fredjeang

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2010, 06:28:49 pm »

If you go for the manual focusing (I use my pentaxes only with manual primes so can't comment really on AF line), go for the Pentax A serie. No hassle, full auto, focus smooth and IQ outstanding.
I did some testings years ago and to have the same IQ in AF you need to put +10 times the E-bay prices, in short, you need the best and most expensive AF to match those primes.
If you shoot video, definatly choose manual lenses.

You'll have better performances in IQ than the Canons, clearly bertter but not so good AF. Can't comment on Nikkor.

Cheers.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2010, 06:31:28 pm by fredjeang »
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dkoons

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2010, 06:41:52 pm »

  thanks for the tip on the  A series. I will check them out.
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tetsuo77

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2010, 08:45:17 am »

Hye.
My take on K mount lenseses [as opposed to Pentax lenses].
Lenses to consider for landscape:
DA 15/4 Limited
DA 12/24 4 [rectilinear wide zoom]
DA 14 2.8 [which is truly good, and smaller than expected]
Cosina-Voightlander 20.
The Cosina Zeiss don´t really add anything to what Pentax has to offer [in fact, they do perform worse than the equivalent Pentax Primes, specially when compared to the Limited series].
The 16-45 4 is a very good lens, and now can be had for a laugh and some coins.


Were you going for stitching:
Sorry to say, but AVOID the A series but for some examples mainly regarding the 50 1.7, or some more exotic lenses regarding short tele with slower apertures. The Wide Angle 15/3.5 A lens is very, very expensive [very few of them manufactured].
A must is the 35 Macro Limited 2.8. Bit on the slow side, but spectacular performance from 2.8 on [my experience, not Photozone backed]. Unless speed needed, the 35 Macro is preferable to the 31 Limited, for its more neutral rendering [ie: lack of character].
FA 50 1.4 preferable to A 50 1.4. Pretty much the very same lens, though, but better coatings on the latter series.
FA 43 1.9: stellar performance and resolution, but almost as "femenine" as Leica R series: little bit on the unpredictable side. Unbeatable and almost obscene resolution from 2.4 on. [which means: you WILL see the defect on the lackering or car paint on THAT car which is always at the back of any frame].
FA645 55/2.8 [remember to put an original adapter to it].

Short Tele:
DA 70 2.4 over the FA 77 1.8.
FA 100 2.8 Macro "AKA The Tank" over DFA  100 Macro or DFA 100 WR Macro. Optically they are very similar [out of focus transition slightly better on the WR], but mechanically the FA is the best of them all: clutch and focus limiter, a must for tube creeping.
Vivitar Series 1 105 2.5 Macro [Komine made]

The 85 1.4 is a very good lens, but it is a fairly expensive lens in any of its iterations [M, A, FA].


Some stuff to remember:
Any system is as weatherproof as the combo you put on it:
No Pentax is truly Weather Resistant unless paired with sealed lenses.
Those lenses in the Pentax line:
The DA* Series [three zooms, and 4 primes].
The WR series [two zooms and a prime]
No other lens in the K mount is weather sealed unless clearly stated.

If you buy a Ricoh lens compatible with K mount, beware that you need to hack it due to the exceeding protrusion of the aperture controlling lever´s flap.
If you crave any modern Tokina ATX Pro lens on Sonicapus camp, remember that most of them are rebranded and simplyfied Pentax lenses [not all].

Pentax Lenses compatible with current bodies metering AND focusing confirmation:
M42 or Pentax Mount
Takumar
Super-Takumar
SMC Takumar
K series
M series
A series
A* series
F series
F* series
FA series
FA* series
FAJ series
DA series
DA*series
DFA series
645 series
67 series

More informatio for the mount:
http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/

Other lens brands you might want to check with K-mount on Ebay or garage sales:
Cosina
Chinon
Miranda
Vivitar [until 1985]
Russian Exotica [Zenith, Kiev]
Tokina
Angenieux [and this is one of the best optic-brands EVER, so if you come across one, just buy it, almost regardless of the mount].
« Last Edit: November 17, 2010, 08:53:31 am by tetsuo77 »
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dkoons

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2010, 05:17:36 pm »

thank you for your input. Pentax has a following, just not from the periodicals and books. I appreciate your help.  Dan
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fredjeang

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2010, 05:52:15 pm »

Tetsuo is right.

A serie is unconsistent, you have the great and some "conflictive" lenses. As I focus manually, the M and A series are much better for my style, simply because the focussing ring is short, extremely precise.
As I use my Pentax for filming motion, those manual old primes are far superior to other series in terms of usability, and built construction is top on the M serie. I don't like very much the later series for their plastic feel, (can't deal with that) but optically the coating is slightly better and if you are not experienced knowing the old lenses limitations you go safer in the newest generations.
Don't forget that the 50mm M and A are considered some of the best 35mm lenses ever made with some Leicas and Zeiss. But not all the A serie is as good. In fact, there are pearls in each serie and bads too.

Very important the point made by Tetsuo with the Ricoh. You'd have to remove one of the little metal contact. I did remove it once and it's easy but don't forget. If it happened to you, the lense would just stay sticked in the mount.
The solution is to switch between af/mf 2 or 3 times and a inner pusher will end to eject it...but not very reassuring. Avoid anyway Ricoh lenses.

Good point also about the sealed lenses. Pentax makes waterproof cameras, but their range of waterproof lenses is dramatically limited. A pitty in the machinery.

Otherwise, this is a very good brand and I much prefer the photographic output of my Pentaxes than the Canons.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2010, 06:02:06 pm by fredjeang »
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dkoons

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2010, 06:31:28 pm »

  Which lenses are you the happiest with?
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fredjeang

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2010, 06:34:44 pm »

My personal favorite is the M 50mm 1.4
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dkoons

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2010, 06:38:40 pm »

Do you have the 16-45mm F4 or something similar
?
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tetsuo77

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #13 on: November 18, 2010, 04:07:21 am »

Hye Dan.
Don´t know if you are asking the "frenchie" or me.  ;)
My prefered lenses are [in no particular order]:

SMC DA 14 2.8
SMC SuperTakumar 50 1.4, second series [non radiactive glass]
SMC FA 50 1.4: for its size and usability

SMC FA 43 1.9 Limited: weak point: flare and casting on a single situation: 6000K fluorescent tubes on underground tunnels create flare and fringing issues [no joking]. For the rest of the time, it is very much flare resistant.
SMC DA 70 2.4 Limited

Cosina Voightländer 90 3.5 APO Lanthar SL1
SMC 645 A 35/2.8

Helios 85 1.4, or Jupiter 11 85: They are just fun. And in case someone wants to steal them, you can use them as a sledge weapon.

SMC Pentax FA 80-320 4/5.6: This is a very funny zoom. It is cheap as hell [at least it has a metal mount], so nineties it will put a Renault Espace to shame, supposedly cheaply made, but more than it makes up for the optical resolution. Other FA Zooms are very good buys, as they are lowly regarded [mainly for being tacky] but are quite good performers.
Edit: if you go for zooms of the FA series, go for the silver version. Tackier, and more unnatural, but hey, better built and, most importantly, so butt-ugly no one will ever dare to steal them.

All in all, I find the most satisfactory manual focusing experience with the K and FA limited series.

Remember that Pentax was the first of the "solo" brands to introduce specifically designed coatings to reduce sensor light bouncing, quite an important factor for ghosting.

[sorry for the listing, but] A quick search on the interwebs found this:
http://www.tiendapentaxeros.com/
You can find the 16-45 for 190 euros, for a lens which started at around 500 euros.

The advantage of the 16-45 is its reliability, and THAT continuous 4 aperture. Don´t expect "überesults", but it is a very good step up from the standard kit.
It is a good combo with the 12-24.

Edit: Jeeeeez! Where´s my brain today!. Another advantage of Pentax is the often overlooked "all in one" design thinking, mostly shown in the Limited lenses: they are designed so you can carry the hood all the way through, and forget about it. Hence the retractable hoods of the 70 and 77, the domes of the 40, screw barrel hood which forces you to have it in in order to put the cap to the lens]. So, yes, Pentax does provide very nice hoods with the lenses [but for the FA 50 1.4, which is hoodless.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2010, 04:36:21 am by tetsuo77 »
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fredjeang

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #14 on: November 18, 2010, 03:47:15 pm »

Do you have the 16-45mm F4 or something similar
?
No I don't.

Tetsuo seems to be a Pentax expert indeed and you should follow his advices. Trustable and very complete usefull posts from Tetsuo.

Yes, the SuperTakumar 50 1.4 is a great peice of lens!

Good luck
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dkoons

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Re: lenses for pentax
« Reply #15 on: November 18, 2010, 05:43:01 pm »

  my thanks to both of you. I may need to rent one, the nearest city is 225 mi and they may not have what I am searching for ;)
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