Home > Consumer Reviews > Pentax SMC DA - Macro lens - 35 mm - f/2.8 Limited - Pentax K

This lens may well become one of the most legendary of the Limiteds manufactured by Pentax and perhaps even rival the output capabilities of the FA Limiteds.

This lens is superiorly contructed of metal and solidly built in such a small package. Image resolution is superb, with excellent contrast, edge to edge sharpness, brilliant colors and beautiful color saturation. AF on the K20D is quite fast considering the lens is a macro with a long barrel throw and accurately focuses without FF/BF.

This lens will find its versatily in close focusing as well as general 35mm FOV imaging (52.5mm on DSLR). The optical design makes for exceptional bokeh whether using it in macro mode or simply wide aperture general photography. The lens also makes a great copy lens for document copy of flat materials and printed matter.

The lens comes with a built in lens hood that works well and will be of benefit in contra lighting situations. 1:1 macro imaging utilizing the onboard camera flash is not possible (well the image is compromised) due to its low angle. Shadows will be caused by the lens when used this way. However, somewhere between 1:1 and 1:2 the lens works well with the onboard flash. Shoe mounted flashes or off camera flashes do not present any problems with illumination at 1:1 magnification.

I believe that time will show that this is one of the best lenses Pentax ever made. It is simply a pleasure to use and joy to see the output this is capable of.

I ordered this lens on the recommendation of two bloggers whose opinion I trust. One had borrowed one for a week and the other had purchased one for daily use. They both praised it's build quality and both it's sharpness and it's tonal quality.

I have had the lens for a month and it has become my main lens. In general use it is very sharp and the tonal range is even and lovely. When used on a tripod, with careful exposure control (this is on a Pentax K20D) it is the sharpest lens I have used...ever. I have some prime Canon L lenses and some good Nikon glass, all of which are great lenses, but this little wonder is just a touch better in my opinion. It is built as solidly as any digital lens I have ever used. If I didn't know who made it I would have guessed Leica by the feel of the focus and the knowledge that it's made mainly of metal.

This lens is compact, well-constructed with a handy built-in retractible lens hood, and takes beautiful photos indoors and out. Being close to a full frame "normal" lens makes it suitable for all types of shooting, from scenery to portraits, and the fact that it also does amazing macro is truly a bonus. Granted, the working distance for macro is very short, and to get true 1:1, the subject will be mere millimeters from the front of the lens, but since I have no desire to photograph live bugs, this isn't really an issue. Macros of flowers are just lovely! All in all, this lens deserves its "limited" designation.

Superb lens, very sharp and very versatile. Love it's sharpness. And the feeling when manual focusing is something I haven't experienced with any other lens (and I have plenty).
Very versatile: Since having the lens I spend much less time changing lenses and much more shooting photos.
Also very smart hood design - you can pull it out or leave it in. No way you can forget it at home.
Two points on the downside perhaps. Being a macro lens with no focus limiter (probably not enough room for it since the lens is quite small) it can take it's time to focus. Not a major problem though. Another thing is when using a filter (49mm thread) you have to pull the metal hood out a bit since the lens cap fits to the hood and not to the end of the lens itself. Also not very annoying, just thought I'd mention it.
A word about lens cap: it's beautiful, metal, retro looking.

Remember all those great old lenses you've held or used in the past, with metal barrels and mounts, with knurled metal focusing rings and a noticeable mass in the hand? This - and the rest of Pentax's Limited line - is a return to those feelings. It's heavy and dense and beautiful in fit and finish. The built-in lens shade is a close fit - mine won't extend with a polarizer fitted - but well made and attractive.

The short working distance means this lens isn't the best "bug lens" - if you want to shoot that kind of macro, you should probably go to the 100mm f2.8 Macro. But for stationary objects, flowers, and the like, this lens is without peer. It produces sharp, contrasty images from 1:1 to infinity. It's probably not *quite* as sharp as the FA 35mm f2, but it's close, and probably better in an edge-to-edge sense.

Images from this lens have a "pop" to them that's hard to explain until you lay them side by side with images from other lenses. All in all, an excellent choice for a walking-around lens on your Pentax DSLR.