50 MM Macro on a Reversing Ring

Actually it's not just sentiment. The Pentax 12-24mm is the same optically as the Tokina, which, according to reviews, is an outstanding design. However, add the SMC coating and the ergonomics of the Pentax design ethos and I feel that there is a justification for paying a premium price. The best I've found at the moment is just over £400, so a purchase is now looking imminent.

There are differences of opinion regarding the 18-55mm. I would summarise the lens as slightly soft wide open but of excellent quality stopped down. We have two of them, and they both deliver excellent results.

The other two lenses mentioned are of the lower price brackets, but I have no experience of either of them.

I suspect I'll probably end up with the Pentax one as well, but I'm looking forward to reading some reviews.

Mine seems reasonable at the longer end when stopped down to F8 or F11, but not great otherwise. Fine for point and shoot type stuff (except for being slooow) though.

The were two of the FA powerzoom lenses and I really wouldn't recommend going out of your way to try them. IMHO the FA 28-200 (a Tamron in disguise) was better than the 28-80 powerzoom at all focal lengths, and better than the 100-300 powerzoomwhere they overlapped. The build quality of them seemed poor as well - although neither ever broke.

Kim,

You mentioned that macro with an f4 200mm prime is worthwhile. I've found one here in Canada (Super Multi) which will fit my SP F. I hope to get it for the equivalent of about 30 pounds.

Now, (though I've tried a search to no avail) I seem to remember that there was a feeeling here that this lens was no great shakes - or am I wrong as usual?

Thank's again!

I think that lens is regarded as good. Not as good as some, perhaps, but definitely not bad.

For £30.00, I'd certainly buy it, assuming the condition is good.

G

George,

Thanks,

The bidding has begun. (I didn't make a New Year's Resolution - though I should have!)

YeeHaa!

Hi,
The M42 SMC lens is the same as the early K mount one and generally regarded as a better lens than the later M one. A couple of comments from Stan's:

Glastonbury, John - Sep 97. . . I have and use both K mount and Screw mount versions of this lens, and although I prefer to use the K mount version because it has a built-in lens hood and is lighter, both are optically and mechanically very good even at full aperture. Generally, all SMC Pentax fixed lenses are optically excellent I've found, . . .
I find this slightly odd as only the M version had the built in hood.

They [the K and the M version described below] are indeed different lenses (different optical designs), and not really contemporaneous either, since the M version replaced the K in the Pentax lineup in the late 70's. Personally, I think they are both good lenses, although I think that the K version has slightly higher contrast. On the other hand, the built-in hood on the M version is a nice touch (although somewhat shorter than ideal, of course). The compact M version is also a little smaller and a little lighter than the "chunky" K version, and makes a good "traveling lens". The K lens is much less common and may be slightly better optically, however, so I would suggest that, if you were to decide to keep just one of the two, you should keep the K 200/4.

I have used all 3 and found that the M42 and the K to be better lenses and have been very happy with the results.

Kim

Thank's Kim,

You've sure whet my appitite.

I lost the dang thing to a sniper while I was out to supper.

But there'll be another along any minute - eternal optimist.

Heck, there'll be a BETTER and CHEAPER one along as soon as I log on - optimistic optimist.

Now that we don't have to compete with ol' self controlled George, it's a veritable feeding frenzy out there!

Talk to you soon!

In regards to the 12-24, the Pentax SMC is far superior to any other coating out there. I took a photo straight into the sun with the 12-24 Pentax, and there was NO flare. Not even a hint of flare.

That's pretty impressive.

Any chance you could write a review with some example pictures?