The SMC Pentax-DAL 1:3.5-5.6 18-55mm AL

This is the standard kit lens for any number of modern Pentax DSLR bodies. This lens is a fully automatic lens.  I've seen them on Ebay for $40 to $80 rather consistently.  With a zoom range of 18-55mm you'll be able to use this for most everyday shooting.

PROS:

+It's Cheap:  There are plenty.  And if one didn't come with your body, It would be easy to acquire.

+It's light:  This lens won't hurt your neck if you keep it on your camera all day long.

+Reasonably sharp: For a kit zoom lens, it's not bad.  I's sharper than some of my off-brand primes.

+Quick AF: While not astoundingly fast, this lens does auto-focus quickly.

CONS:

-Lots of barrel distortion at 18mm:  You'll find yourself straightening horizons from your vacation with this lens at 18mm.

-It's cold:  This lens is pretty cold.  Noticeably so.
-Loud AF:  So the next time your trying to be quite with your camera and you half press the shutter release, everyone will notice you.

MISCONCEPTIONS:

So there might actually be a couple of misconceptions about this lens so here goes!

1. It's a kit zoom, like those 80's one's:  This lens is SO much better than those 80's zooms in all respects.  

My Take:

It came with my camera, and if I'm just carrying one around to shoot my family or friends, this is the one I take.

The SMC Pentax-F 35-80 f4-5.6

This is one of the 80mm zoom lenses made by Pentax in the early plastic years.  It is an autofocus lens with aperature ring settings that include A.  It has a nearly all gray plastic outside construction.  You should be able to buy this lens for less than $10.  If you pay more than that, you're being robbed.

PROS:


+It's Cheap:  Pentax must've made a few million of these, and it shouldn't be hard to find.
+It's light:  This lens weighs in at a little more than a single packet of oatmeal.  Also a CON - see below
+It'll fit your DSLR:  That's correct.  It will fit it.

CONS:

-It's Cheap:  While the price point seams nice, sometimes you get what you pay for.  I'm embarassed on behalf of Pentax for ever selling this lens.  With it's less than substantial construction, loose tolerences, and altogether flimsy construction, it's a wonder to me that there are still working examples of this lens.
-Image Quality:  Leave your kit lens on your DSLR.  It is a drastically better lens.  If you don't believe me then set up a tripod, stop down and take a picture of anything at any range.  Your new kit lens will win every time.
-Not heavy enough to be a paperweight:  Unfortunately this lens can't even weigh down a couple papers as it might get carried away in a stiff breeze. 

MISCONCEPTIONS:

So there might actually be a couple of misconceptions about this lens so here goes!

1. It fills a void in focal range that distiguishes it: Well it does and doesn't.  It only reaches out a little past the range of the stock 18-55, but there are other cheapies that fit this void, and perform much better.

2.  If you stop down it sharpens up nicely:   No it doesn't, so don't try.  However, this lens might be useful for some trick photography (ie. vasoline on the lens, etc.)

3.  This lens will work better on an old film camera than a DSLR.  The focal distance inside the two are equal.  Don't bother putting this on your mom's old K1000.  You'll be wasting the incredible range of film behind this glass.


My Take:

If someone gives you this lens, you might as well keep it, or sell it to an unlucky beginner if you have no heart.  I'm sorry, but this lens is sad on the inside from the neglect that went into it's existence.

The SMC Pentax-M 1:2 50mm

Thursday, June 7, 2012

This is another one of the many fabulous fifties out on the used market waiting.  This lens is plentiful, cheap as could be, and really a beginner 50mm.  I've seen them ranging from $1 for a neglected lens and no higher than $50 for one that has never been out of the box.  This lens was my first 50mm prime and it did the job.  This is my list of pros and cons for this budget 50.  Again, I'm using this lens on an APS-C sensored DSLR.

Pentax 50mm f/2

PROS:

+It's reasonably fast:  This lens will work well in well lit interior situations.

+It's pretty sharp: Mine is pretty good from f/4 through f/16.   My copy is actually usable at f/2, far sharper than the kit lens even wide open.

+Bokeh: It has it and it is usably good - This lens will work for creating stunning bokeh in just the right situations.  Don't be afraid to get close to your subject and use pinpoint light sources.  If you have to back off too much you might end up disappointed.  There is a fine line between distance, f/2, and background with this lens, so you may have to move around a little it.  Think of this as a creativity spurring lens.

+It's small:  This lens is a little one.  While not a pancake, it's pretty handy when you have limited space.  It's about the same in weight as the kit 18-55.

+Warmth:  This is by far and away my warmest lens.  The colors work well for still life and living subjects.  It's not overbearing, but it is definitely not cold.

+Meters consistently:  This lens meters consistently on my camera, but is almost always about a stop on the high side, making most images I take with it around one stop underexposed.  This can be corrected by reviewing and resetting, or getting a long lens hood, at least as long as the lens body.  just something you get used to with a fully manual lens on a modern DSLR body.

+Price point:  This lens is for those poor folks out there.  Trust me, you can find one for less that you'd pay to rent a movie sometimes.

Focusing and aperture ring (f/2-22)

CONS:

-Not always easy to focus:  For me anyway.  This lens is a little dark at times for the depth of field when you are wide open.  I find the f/1.4 much easier to focus because of this.  If you have enough light to work with, this isn't even noticeable.
-Leaves you wanting:  You will want more of everything - speed, sharpness, etc., once you use this lens.  It will make you obsess over finding better lenses.

-Only semi-versatile:  you'll find after a while that this lens is only so capable.  You will run into lots of lower light situations where it just doesn't quite get it done. 

MISCONCEPTIONS:

I think there are some common misconceptions about this lens.

1. It's a junk kit lens: Sorry, but it is not.  This is a great starting 50 for those on a budget.  I recommend finding it and honing your skills with it before upgrading to a faster lens.  You will make better use of lighting, subject, and develop a better understanding of you own and your equipment's capabilities with this lens if you are a beginner.  You also won't be afraid to take this lens places that you won't want to take pricier glass.

2. It's not sharp at f/2: I challenge you to find any zoom lens as sharp as this prime for the $$.$$.  You won't because there isn't one as cheap.  There are sharper alternatives in prime land, but you'll pay a little more for them.

3.  It's poorly constructed.  Mine sure isn't.  There is plenty of metal and glass inside this baby.  It's a tough lens.  The front glass is well protected (it's fairly recessed), so you won't likely scratch it or fingerprint it up in your day to day fun.  It's also tough.  I have abused mine and it still acts like the first day I got it.

My Take:

If you just bought your first Pentax DSLR and want to expand your lens collection on a budget, this lens is for you.  It will surprise you with it's vibrance, accuracy, and color rendition.  Plus, if you fumble it on the pavement somewhere, it probably won't break, and short of dropping it in a lake, it should give you a good service life.

The SMC Pentax-M 1:1.4 50mm

Pentax 50mm f/1.4

This is one of the many fabulous fifties out on the used market waiting to be gobbled up for around $100 (as of  June 2012) if it's in excellent condition.  I've seen them ranging from $60 for a junker with oily blades and dents to $199 for minty fresh versions straight out of the box.  I have to tell you,  this lens is a wonder, has a beautifully smooth bokeh wide open, and mine is as sharp as a tack.  Let me give you my list of pros and cons for this little 50.  Mind you, I'm using this lens on an APS-C sensored DSLR.

Focus and aperture ring (f1.4-22)

PROS:


+It's Fast.  Yes it is.  It is a full stop faster than the Pentax M 50 f/2, a lens I'll review later, and only a half step slower than the f/1.2
+It's sharp:  Mine is pretty good from f/1.2 through f/2.8, and just silly sharp from there to f/16. At f/22 I think you can see how diffusion properties impair this lens
+Bokeh:  I has it and it is awesome - at F/1.4 only.  In VERY specific situations, other apertures have a strange little pinwheel effect from the blade ends.  See the odd blade end shape below at f/2.

Pinwheel aperture at f/2

+Great Indoors:  You can shoot in all but the darkest interior situations.
+Wamth:  This is a warm lens, everything I shoot has just little bit warmer tonal curve than the norm.
+Focus Throw:  The length of throw required during focusing is a plus, especially at small apertures.

CONS:

 -Metering is inconsistent:  This takes a bit more in the way of explaining.  All that awesome glass catches a lot of light, sometimes it bounces around a little too much in and tells your camera that there is more light available than is really there, and images will sometimes be underexposed (depending on overall and directional lighting)  if you rely on the camera's metering.  There are really only a couple of fixes, 1. check your images on the fly and adjust, or 2. get or fabricate a hod that limits the area of front glass exposed to only what you need for an APS-C sensor.  Remember - your only shooting through the center of the glass on a standard APC-S DSLR.

MISCONCEPTIONS:

So I'm sure that if you've gotten here, then you've probably read all about this lens elsewhere.  I think there are some common misconceptions about this lens.

1.  It's so heavy:  This lens is a little heavier than the kit 18-55mm that comes with most Pentax DSLRs these days.  Definitely not enough to ruin your day shooting.  If you want a plastic 50, buy a brand new lens.

2.  It's not sharp at f/1.2:  I challenge you to find any zoom lens as sharp as this prime for the price.  You won't, and if you just stop down a little tiny bit, it'll rock your socks.

3.  This lens is so hard to focus at f/1.2.  I actually think the f/2 manual version of the 50 is substantially harder to focus, due to less apparent light making it up to the viewfinder.  Yes there will be a finer depth of field at low aperture numbers, but the brightness more than makes up for it in my opinion.  Further, if you still have issues, I'd check your diopter settings - that might fix a lot more than you planned on.

SHARPNESS:

I've placed a few test images at 10 x magnification at a full marked f-stop range (I skipped unmarked intermediates).  If I had a few more megapixels handy I think you would notice that this lens sharpens nicely by f/2.8, peaks between f/4 and f/8 or maybe f/11, and falls off from f/16 to f/22.  Please note that these were shot on a tripod with a delay and a trigger, so camera shake wasn't at play here.  I find that the lens is about as good wide open as it is stopped down.  This may not be the most scientific way to measure sharpness, but I think our eyes are trained to pick out the differences we see in imagery.

f/1.4  -  10X magnification

f/2  -  10X magnification

f/2.8  -  10X magnification

f/4  -  10X magnification

f/5.6  -  10X magnification

f/8  -  10X magnification

f/11  -  10X magnification

f/16  -  10X magnification

f/22  -  10X magnification

My Take:

I love this lens.  It's a keeper.  If you find one cheap that hasn't been run over or grown some fungus, GET IT!  Once you're used to it, you'll certainly appreciate it's quality of construction, optics, and fun level!