Andrew Kochanowski writes: "The smallest Pentax you can currently get for the Pentax 35mm Macro is the KP. It makes a beautiful match, as it does with the 21mm, the 31mm, the 40mm pancake, and the 43mm pancake, or the 20–40mm zoom. All metal, all small, good. I'm quite excited about the new APS-C K-3 Mark III coming, though it's delayed. It's going to be a mini-K1, with the big selling point supposed to be an OVF that is the size of, or nearly the size of, a full-frame OVF. I still prefer an OVF to an EVF if given the choice.
"But back to the lenses, I think they each have a lovely character, and Pentax really do know how to design software to make the files look more like film out of the box. Most of the older designs are screwdrive, which is fine by me—less weight in the lens and smaller size. For the price of one of the Leica lenses you can buy the entire system. Thanks for reminding people this little gem still exists."
Nico Maijer writes: "The latest version of the lens is called: HD Pentax-DA 1:2.8 35mm Macro Limited. That means it has Pentax’s latest HD coatings. More on that here.
"There are 4(!) Flickr groups dedicated to the lens; large to small:
https://www.flickr.com/groups/pentaxda35macro/pool/
https://www.flickr.com/groups/pentax35mm_macrolimited/pool/
https://www.flickr.com/groups/pentax3528macro/pool/
https://www.flickr.com/groups/2904260@N20/pool/
"The new lens has a metallic-red rim (instead of metallic-green) and is available in black and silver finish."
Finally, here's Mike and Carl's 2008 review of the lens. Our review was published on various sites.
The KP and the upcoming K-3 III look interesting. I'm sorry that Pentax has been so adamant in refusing to offer a native 35mm-e or 40mm-e lens for its APS-C cameras, or I'd give the KP a try. It's the reason I departed Pentax a decade ago. For me, a native 35mm or a 40mm (or the equivalent for whatever format) is my "normal," and it's the lens that's most crucial for any camera for me. But that's just me; YMMV.
Carl still uses Pentax I believe—I'll ask him.
Mike
(Thanks to Andrew and Nico)
Gear o' The Week:
If I could shoot with any 50mm focal-length-equivalent lens, it would not be unobtanium: it would be the relatively modest, relatively slow, relatively older HD Pentax 35mm ƒ/2.8 DA Macro Limited on APS-C. I don't know how it measures and couldn't care less. If you care first and foremost about pictures, especially prints, this is one beautiful lens. Luverly. As a normal too. This link is a portal to Amazon, through which most anything you purchase will be credited to TOP. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
B&H Photo also has the Magic Macro, naturally.
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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:
Soeren Engelbrecht: "It still baffles me that these 'APS-C wide prime' lenses are sorely missing from the lineups of Nikon, Canon, and Pentax (I think the only one is a 24mm from Canon). Even in a recent Nikon interview on DPReview, they said that they expected Z50 customers (their only APS-C body yet in the Z system) to buy the full-frame primes. They really must want to force enthusiast users to go full-frame...or switch to Fuji, Olympus, or Panasonic for smaller bodies/lenses...."
I'm confused by your comment...the DA series is native to APSC, so that makes the 35 you're speaking about the native "normal", doesn't it? And although it's not native to APSC, the 31 Limited, a very fine lens, would give you a 46.5 FL....
Or are you talking about FF equivalents of 35 and 40-ish FL's in APSC, so a 23 and a 27?
Posted by: Tex Andrews | Wednesday, 10 March 2021 at 10:26 AM
Gee, Mike, I don't think I could tell 40mm from 35mm if you handed me a camera and didn't let me see the lens, But if you truly are so finely calibrated to 40mm, here's a modest suggestion- get a DA 20-40 Limited lens and tape the zoom ring down at 40mm divided by 1.5. You'll get the perspective you want every time, until you take off the tape.
Posted by: John McMillin | Wednesday, 10 March 2021 at 12:57 PM
Mike,
The "three amigos" are also being updated to HD (High Definition) and SP (Super Protect) coatings, in case you decide to upgrade to the latest K1. The new versions also have round apertures.
The Japanese website's English section has much more detail than the U.S. website (and has better product photos, if you ask me):
http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/limited_lens/fa_limited/
They're scheduled to go on sale around the end of April 2021. (Crossing my fingers.)
Posted by: Dave | Wednesday, 10 March 2021 at 03:05 PM
I bought this lens based on your and Weese's recommendation. Lovely lens indeed. But the screw-drive AF grates.
Posted by: Al C. | Wednesday, 10 March 2021 at 03:30 PM
You should try the Pentax 21 mm. By all numerical measures it is clearly sub-standard, and zooming in to pixel peep (at any aperture) is guaranteed to disappoint. But it takes lovely photos.
[I agree with what you say Struan. However I've tried many lenses just outside my "home" range and I end up just not getting along with them quite as well. Various 28mms, even the Pentax 31mm, and various 45s, even the 43mm. I'm just "typed" on 35s and 40s and happy within that range, not *quite* as happy outside of it. Although of course it doesn't make that much difference...it's not really a big deal. But if I don't have the lens I want I do feel the lack eventually. With APS-C I'm very happy with 23s and 24s. Of course I also shoot with zooms, but eventually I always want to return to home. --Mike]
Posted by: Struan | Wednesday, 10 March 2021 at 04:38 PM
"I'm sorry that Pentax has been so adamant in refusing to offer a native 35mm-e or 40mm-e lens for its APS-C cameras, or I'd give the KP a try."
You're missing out on the DA 21 Limited, and the FA 31 Limited, which are mighty close...
[I used them both, and both are excellent lenses. --Mike]
Posted by: Dave | Wednesday, 10 March 2021 at 08:27 PM
28mm puts you at 42mm on APS-C, Mike. There are a couple of Pentax FA 28mm f/2.8 primes that can be had at friendly prices. I have a Sigma 28mm f/1.8 that you could have if you really want to pick up a KP. But it's not that small.
It seems to me the entire DA Limited collection was made for the KP - even though the lenses came first. 20-40mm zoom, and the 15, 21, 35, 40 and 70mm primes.
Posted by: Steve Biro | Wednesday, 10 March 2021 at 09:50 PM
Samy's Camera, is a three store SoCal sales/rental chain. They are a Pentax dealer, but no DSLR cameras in stock, special order only. It's sorta hard to get me excited about any Pentax product—no matter how great the IQ.
Waaay back when Benjamin Karanek was a Pentaxian, I took a long hard look at the Pentax system—but I stuck with Canon. Kanarek now shoots with Fuji cameras, both MFD and crop. He has done a Vogue shoot with an XT3. If you are not familiar with Kanarek's work, you should be— he's a very smart shooter.
BTW the FOV of a 4x5 with a 150mm lens is equal to 43mm FF—do the math.
Posted by: c.d.embreyy | Thursday, 11 March 2021 at 12:51 AM
I've long thought Pentax should make a 26 or 27mm pancake, like the old 40mm f/2.8 they brought out for the 35mm ME and MX cameras but for APS-C. They did make a 24mm f/2; it's not compact, but it's not huge either. I've considered it as a viable 35mm (well, 36mm) equivalent optic.
Meanwhile, few makers produce reasonably sized 18mm lenses for APS-C, and I'd be pleased if Pentax made one. It would sit nicely between their 21 f/3.2 and 15mm f/4 primes, but would need to be a stop or so faster than either of those. (I don't want much, do I?)
Posted by: Roger Bradbury | Thursday, 11 March 2021 at 05:36 AM
Mike, I understand. The eye/mind seems to get set with it's expectations.
When I bought my first APS-C camera, I thought of all my film era lenses that I could now use with digital. Nope, it didn't work that way. The world no longer looked the same in cropped format. I swallowed my pride and learned to live with digital era zooms. I still sulk occasionally.
Strangely, my stick shift brain happily embraced automatic transmissions.
Posted by: Grant | Thursday, 11 March 2021 at 06:36 AM
I understand entirely. The lack of modern 75 mm lenses has saved me from full-format GAS more times than I care to think about. All those 85s are just too long. For getting a job done, I use what there is, but for personal work I want something that just feels right.
I know that as a Pentax user I should gush about the 77, but I can't live with the fringing. When I win millions on the lottery, Leica will get half.
Posted by: Struan | Thursday, 11 March 2021 at 07:14 AM