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Lens Design - Different lens purposes

johnriley
Posted 19/03/2002 - 21:57 Link
The range of Pentax lenses has always been a particularly good one - clean, sharp and cost effective.
I would be interested to know which lenses in particular have been found to be especially good.
I would rate the following particularly highly:
15mm f3.5 Very sharp and good drawing for its focal length
20mm f4 M Superb and compact, slight barrel distortion but it only adds to the effect
40mm f2.8 M Very compact and probably better than the 50mm lenses
100mm f4 Macro M Outstanding macro lens
100mm F2.8 M Compact, sharp and excellent contrast
24-35mm f3.5 M Outstanding wide zoom

Disappointments have been:
50mm f1.4 M High contrast at expense of fine detail
85mm f2 M Not crisp enough at full aperture
120mm f2.8 M Poor open performance (deliberate?)

Disappointments have been rae, but it would be nice if the literature descibed the design purpose of a lens. For example, I would not but a short telephoto with poor open aperture performance, but it could be designed that way intended as a portrait lens. Where is this sort of information?
Best regards, John
derek_w
Posted 23/04/2002 - 14:07 Link
John

I suspect that a subscription to the Asahi Optical Historical Club may be your only route. Short of interrogating a Japanese lens designer!

Derek

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