As flat as they come: SMC Pentax-M F2.8 40mm

Cost: 0$ (average market price $96.81)

There is much to like about this lens... brilliant colors, extremely small, beautifully made. And the fact that my wife got this lens from a friend long time ago. It's still a very much wanted lens, due to it's very small size, explaining the slightly higher cost. It actually was the smallest lens in Pantax portfolio, until they made an even smaller one in 2006 (but without an aperture ring).

As all Pentax lenses of this era, it has smooth focussing and a nice "click" feel of the aperture. Regardless of the size, it comes with the same features and quality of all other Pentax-M lenses. And the small size and 40mm focal length, makes this an ideal street lens. The adapter is actually larger then the lens!. My Sony Full Frame almost looks like a little bridge camera with it.

As mentioned before, colors are amazing. There is some vignetting in the corners, but nothing that can't be corrected in post. It's also not the sharpest lens, but still above average.

This lens has a prime spot in my Pentax collection, but for sure will be used on a regular base. It's just that nice to go out an shoot with. Recommended if you can find one...

To combat partial reflection, Pentax developed chemical coatings for the lens surfaces with minimum light loss. SMC is "a remarkable seven-layer lens coating process that cuts the reflection ratio down to just 0.2% per lens surface. The result is a dramatic improvement in both color fidelity and brightness and the elimination of flare and ghost images."

SMC was patented and first applied in 1971, when Pentax was still making screw mount equipment. The multi-coated lens lines changed from Takumar and Super-Takumar to Super-Multi-Coated Takumar and later on to SMC Takumar. SMC Pentax was used for the newly introduced K-mount lenses. Pentax's SMC is still today considered as one of the best lens coatings on the market.

Lens Specification:

Focal Length: 40mm
Maximum Aperture: F2.8
Minimum Aperture: F22
Image Format: 35mm
Lens Mount: PK
Optics: 5 elements, 4 groups
Blades: 5
Focussing: Manual
Minimum Focus: 60cm
Filter Size: 49mm
Weight: 110g
Length: 18mm
Production: 1976 to 1984
Serial Number: 7314496
Made in: Japan

More information on Pentax

Samples:

1/60 sec - ISO2000 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO1600 - Handheld

1/640 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO640 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO125 - Handheld

1/3200 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/250 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO250 - Handheld

1/6400 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO125 - Handheld

Sources:

Wikipedia - Pentax

Pentax Forums

flickr.com

Back to the Roots (1): SMC Pentax-A F4 35-70mm

Cost: 28$ (average market price $44.92)

Back to my roots for 2 reasons... First, we are looking at another Pentax lens, the core or the roots of my collection, and secondly as I was shooting in my birthplace, Turnhout, in Belgium (except the first sample picture).

This lens if the only Pentax 35-70mm zoom lens with a fixed aperture of F4 across the whole zoom range. It also has the reputation to be the best one of that era. And it shows... nice colors and sharp across all apertures. And no signs of any color aberration. Pretty decent image quality for a zoom lens of this era.

The look of the lens is nice. It's not all metal, but it does feel solid and shows good quality. Zoom is butter smooth, and the aperture ring has a nice "click".

I truly like this zoom range, now that I made the step to Full Frame. From a nice wide angle to just beyond the human angle of view. On APSC, this would almost be a 50mm lens, so missing the wide angle features. In short, nice lens to take with you on a walkabout, but on a known place or as a tourist.

This is a keeper and will have a good spot in my collection, and will even be used now and then.

To combat partial reflection, Pentax developed chemical coatings for the lens surfaces with minimum light loss. SMC is "a remarkable seven-layer lens coating process that cuts the reflection ratio down to just 0.2% per lens surface. The result is a dramatic improvement in both color fidelity and brightness and the elimination of flare and ghost images."
SMC was patented and first applied in 1971, when Pentax was still making screw mount equipment. The multi-coated lens lines changed from Takumar and Super-Takumar to Super-Multi-Coated Takumar and later on to SMC Takumar. SMC Pentax was used for the newly introduced K-mount lenses. Pentax's SMC is still today considered as one of the best lens coatings on the market.

Lens Specification:

Focal Length: 35-70mm
Maximum Aperture: F4
Minimum Aperture: F22
Image Format: 35mm
Lens Mount: PK
Optics: 7 elements, 7 groups
Blades: 6
Focussing: Manual
Minimum Focus: 25cm
Filter Size: 58mm
Weight: 330g
Length: 80mm
Production: 1984 to 1985
Serial Number: 5590739
Made in: Japan

More information on Pentax

Samples:

1/60 sec - ISO125 - Handheld

1/125 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/80 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/200 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO1250 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO640 - Handheld

1/40 sec - ISO6400 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO1250 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO160 - Handheld

1/80 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/60 sec - ISO160 - Handheld

1/160 sec - ISO160 - Handheld

Sources:

Wikipedia - Pentax

Pentax Forums
https://www.flickr.com/

Yashica Lens DSB Zoom 70-210mm F4

Cost: $29.99 (average market price $17)

I have been playing lately with some really nice Yashica lenses, so I really wanted to like this lens, but I was not impressed. And the dreary weather was for sure not helping... For sure overpaid for this one, although it seems to be fairly rare so might have some value for collectors (like myself).

Ok, with close to a kilo, this is a heavy lens, so you would expect some quality. And construction is actually very nice. Build-in hood, smooth focus and zoom rings, And a nice back mat finish. Only on looks, it could score well...

But lenses are made to take pictures with, and that's where it falls short. With the single layer coating, colors look flat, with little contrast. Sharpness is lacking... so it probably fits well in zoom lenses of that era, explaining the recommendation in those times was that you need prime lenses to get good quality.

So, I will probably keep the lens as part of a collection, but unlikely you will find it again in front of my camera.

Yashica DSB lenses are single coated, ML lenses are multi coated (ML stands for Multi-Layer) and were later renamed as MC for Multi Coated. Contrary to the quality jump from DSB to ML, there is no distinguishable quality difference between ML and MC lenses.

Lens Specification:

Focal Length: 70-210mm
Maximum Aperture: F4.0
Minimum Aperture: F22
Image Format: 35mm
Lens Mount: C/Y
Optics: 14 elements in 10 groups
Blades: 6
Focussing: Manual
Minimum Focus: 250cm
Filter Size: 58mm
Weight: 690g
Length: 650-750mm
Production: 1979 - ?
Serial Number: A7212364
Made in: Japan

More information on: Yashica

Samples

1/250 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/200 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/5000 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

1/125 sec - ISO100 - Handheld

Sources:
All Photo Lenses
cdegroot.com
flikr.com