Why Do I Even Buy Expensive Lenses? Pentax-M 28mm f2.8 Review - Cheap Lens with Great Results

[@snappiness]

And with that, I retire as a stop motion film maker. 🙇‍♂️

[@albino7367]

Haha you can only get better if you try again ;)

[@KobieMC]

We all have to start somewhere man!

[@SokolHazizi]

I actually enjoyed it.

[@Hey_Beau]

I liked it a lot, it adds a little extra magic!

[@snappiness]

@@KobieMC haha, that's true! I just like to switch things up and try something new every now and then.

[@SummersSnaps]

"I'm slowing learning that great images often have little to do with the most technically impressive gear." No truer word spoken. Amen.

[@joyceweaver6949]

I have most of the M and A lenses. Would never sell them. Great timeless quality.

[@MaxTSanches]

It's great that these old lenses still work on the modern Pentax bodies. :)

[@snappiness]

Yeah, it's a whole lot of fun. Makes for some cheap lenses with great quality :)

[@douglasstemke2444]

That was always Pentax's philosophy. Thanks to adapters, that philosophy spreads beyond the Pentax world.

[@vincentvk3538]

Even better - you can buy some nice and cheap analog SLRs to go with ;)

[@paulanderson24]

I have the f3.5 version of the 28mm and love it’s build quality and handling. On an APSC body is a great natural looking lens.

[@snappiness]

I forgot to bring that up, but it is a nice focal length for APSC. Something like a 42mm equivalent, which as you said is very natural to use. Nice stuff. I've heard that 3.5 version is fantastic.

[@paulanderson24]

@@snappiness it is very nice indeed. Definitely an outdoor lens (especially as I live in Northern Ireland - not known for bright days). Got it for the k10d body I picked up after your review. A cheap, weather sealed body appealed to me. Considering a versatile zoom for it to be my hill walking kit.

[@jameseichinger7262]

@@paulanderson24 I cannot figure out whether to get the f3.5 or the f2.8 of the 28mm Pentax-M. It's shaping up to be more of a "Which do I get first?" question. Thoughts?

[@tylerfields2368]

​@@jameseichinger7262waiting for this reply too

[@jondonahue7163]

Excellent! I have the old 50mm M 1.4, also a treat. Forces you to be a photographer, instead of a snapshooter. Sometimes the past has more to offer than the present!

[@christophergrundy5307]

First of all, the stop motion at the beginning of this video is a really nice touch. Your photos are great too. I rewatched this video before picking up a copy of this lens today for the K3iii Monochrome whilst I wait for the Limited 20-40 to arrive. Being able to use the vintage primed is a true benefit as I tend to prefer primes, I enjoy manual focus and these can also keep me going until I can add the pair of Limited primes I’d like in the future. I love the compact form of this lens and the build quality is great. The focal length is ideal for APSC giving roughly a 42mm field of view, which is in the range I tend to use frequently. I look forward to getting out and shooting with this lens.

[@Michael-fw5ef]

Honestly, these are the best photos I have seen you take. I think the lens is phenomenal. The out of foucs areas are perfect and the color reproduction is excellent. Not too much contrast, but just enough to make it very pleasing to the eye.

[@louontube]

Fun animation at 0:07. Thank you for sharing.

[@isaacstech3629]

Great review! I love the shot of the ants holding a piece of a leaf, it's so cute :)

[@j.c.103]

i'm using 28mm lenses since 1990 on film cameras and i can recommend this Pentax SMC-M 28mmf2.8 lens highly. It is small like a pancake lens, with a Pentax ME or ME super it is a real pocketable combination ! Not bigger than a rangefinder camera ! The image quality on film is excellent, even at f2.8 and f4.0 ! There are two versions of these SMC-M 28mm lenses and both are wonderful !

[@Raevenswood]

The M lenses are killer and were very high quality for the time especially with the multi-coatings. I have the 28mm 2.8 and enjoy it very much with my Pentax MX. The M 50mm 1.7 is another great lens that you can get for cheap. I have the 1.7 and the 1.4 versions and I prefer the 1.7 for it's smaller size and sharpness.

[@snappiness]

Yes, I have the M 50mm f1.7 now and couldn't agree more. I made a video about it a few months back too. Between these two I think you can cover a lot of photography and a nice price and fantastic quality.

[@jimzielinski946]

I still have mostly m42 screw mount lenses along with pentax A and a few modern pentax lenses. I appreciate your efforts in revealing the value of the M series. The modern lenses are nice for my Pentax DSLRs, but, less is truly more. There is less to fail on older mechanical lenses. I've had the auto focus fail on one of my out of warranty modern lenses. I'm glad Pentax has put in the effort to allow compatibility with their old glass on their DSLRs.

[@snappiness]

I agree! So many good lenses to be had that make some great images.

[@Paddy3443]

Another great video :) I have the f3.5 in my collection and I've been pleased with the results. I've always noticed that the f2.8 is more popular on forums with some singing it's praises... Now I can see why!

[@snappiness]

And I've heard the 3.5 version is very nice! I will have to give it a go someday. Thanks.

[@timryan894]

I repair and re-sell a lot of old gear. So hard to nail down one particular lens I love, but I will agree with you on the MD series lenses. There are some great old lenses out there that are not technically “perfect” but as you have said, unless the only thing you photograph is test charts, who cares. A “great” photo is 98% subject, light & composition and about 2% hardware. Love the channel!

[@baptistepayendessinphoto]

To answer your ending question : my favorite cheap K lense is either the 28mm f3.5 M or the 135mm f3.5 M. Both are great on APSC and Full frame, and both are great on film and digital.

[@snappiness]

That's probably my favorite thing about these lenses is the ability to swap back and forth to film easily. No fiddly aperture problems to deal with.

[@powerforward1955]

My favorite cheap lens (for my Pentax) is an old J.C. Penney 28mm, 2.8 lens. Like yours, it has that metal build quality and delivers photos with “character” (I.e., they don’t look like today’s sterilized photos); however, it does not have macro. This lens helped me discover that 28mm is the lens size I prefer for general photography. If I find a decent one like yours, not over-priced, I will grab it. Also, it’s great to see your channel growing. I encourage you to maintain your unique style/flavor. It makes a huge difference. Be well.

[@snappiness]

Thank you!

[@worldadventuretravel]

Your narration is great. It's like listening to Tales of Lake Woebegone on the old Prairie Home Companion.

[@barcooter8248]

Currently have used Sony A7 £350 with Sigma 24mm super wide £25, Konica 40mm £40 pancake and Kaleinar 100mm tele £100 all via adaptors £40, total cost £555. Also have Helios 44M-7, Zeiss Jena Flek and a Tessar another £100 total. Got a M42 focussing helicoid for macro. The key to paying the least is buying lenses which need servicing and cleaning!

[@GODSPEEDseven]

Loved that intro! Reminded me of those playdough stop animation television shows. I still use the Pentax-M 50mm F2 that came as a kit lens on the Pentax ME Super. I practiced and discovered photography in my teens with that camera, that my dad bought back when it was new.. and handed down to me in the late 90's early 2000's. Dont have that camera anymore, unfortunately... (ebay will rectify that at some point). But, the lens still takes pretty sharp pics when stopped down and chromatic abs are easily corrected.

[@TheTalax]

Thank you for this video! As a new photographer trying to learn the craft after working in film as a grip/dolly grip for 8 years, I have wondered much about this. I have a an older Pentax digi camera my dad got, and with the kit lenses. It takes wonderful photos in broad light and I have gotten some neat photos with the zooms, I always felt like I wanted something more artsy than the normal kit lens. My dad used Pentax when he was younger and then they did not really have zoom lenses like now, so I am sure these type of photos with your 20mm are what he remembered so fondly, that and the magic of real film. Now I got a Fujifilm XT30 ii for work, and I am learning about lens adapters and all these neat options for retro lenses.. I am so excited to find some Pentax lens adapters and combine the timeless beautiful build quality of the past with the new technology and retro feel of the XT30. Thanks for your vid, I really enjoyed it.

[@snappiness]

Adapting vintage lenses is great fun and can give lovely results. So many lovely lenses out there. Have a great time! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

[@philhasacamera]

i love this lens, bought one after watching this video and never looked back.

[@fosterb300]

It rarely leaves my K1000! I love the soft corners it can give wide open too.

[@snappiness]

I haven't shot it on film yet, but I will keep it in the mix there. Small enough to just have in the bag handy when I need a wider angle.

[@classic.cameras]

Great review James. Just watching this video again as I just found this lens for $15 bucks at a thrift store. The 50mm f1.8 M version is one of my favorites as well so stoked to try this lens out.

[@snappiness]

Great find!

[@markielinhart]

I have one of these lovelies, for forty years it was glued to my Pentax MG. Now I have a Lumix GH3 and I’m still using the lens with an adapter and of course with the crop. I’m thinking seriously about getting a focal reducer to bring the crop back to .71. I’m using AP mode but lately wondering about Manual mode. Any thoughts fellow travellers?✌️🌻

[@Roger_and_the_Goose]

I have a Pentax Super-Takumar 135mm f/3.5 lens off my dad's Spotmatic (some 45-50 years old) which I'm using on my Nikon D810. The colour rendition is simply wonderful with a creamy feel and in certain fields out perform my Nikkor lenses.

[@certs743]

Great video and some very cool pictures you got there. I have one of these amazing little lenses and I love using it. I have gotten some great results both with my K5 IIs and my film cameras.

[@brianmccutcheon3205]

Well they might be $20 where you are but in Australia prices range from $111.00 to $200 . That's on ebay of course. Love your channel by the way. Well done, always look forward to the next video.

[@gregwill500]

after switching to fujifilm system (from olympus) i started with the fuji 35mm f2 prime, and the fuji 18-135 super zoom...but for some reason i just could not connect to that superzoom (even though many reviews praised it). So i sold it and bought a bunch of vintage primes instead. (i've kept the 35mm f2 and its now my only auto focus lens in my collection). As my 28mm focal length lens i have the vivitar 2.8 close focus, which i think is similar to this one - and is super close focusing (almost macro).

[@Pifferfish]

I've been hooked on astro with the A 28mm 2.8, the results have been great!

[@antonine.rodrigue8769]

I own a Canon T5i (700D) that I bought in 2014 as a college student with little money. My girlfriend own a Pentax K1 II and although I am a little bit jealous of her gear, I still prefer the simplicity and lower quality of my 8 years old budget APS-C DSLR. None of my lenses costed me more than 400$. I'd say from a quality stand point, I lose on every aspect, but I still fall in love with the aesthetic of almost vintage looking pictures that comes out of this 28mm f2.8 lens!

[@RobotNick64]

Nice summary. I use this lens with an adapter ring on my Nikon D3100 in manual mode

[@Jonathan-hu3lk]

I have this lens and an old Pentax k30. I think you’ve inspired me to go out with it this weekend

[@snappiness]

Great! Have some fun!

[@RCBladeKing]

Love this lens! I just picked up a 120 2.8 today. Should be a fun lens. Seems really well built!

[@SandpiperBookCafe]

My favorite vintage lens is Minolta 58mm 1.4. I use it on Canon EOS R and Fujifilm XT2. Pictures look awesome!

[@snappiness]

Woah - I just looked that up - looks really nice! Sounds like a great lens to use on mirrorless.

[@mikemcgrath5188]

pentax-m 28/2.8 is LENDGENARY! apparently everyone had one. now everyone should get one. i got one.

[@christopherward5065]

I have lost sight of this lens. It was my first purchase and I loved it. It was my first experience of a wide angle lens. I physically lost it when I went to Australia and replaced it with an SMC-m f3.5 which addresses image making from a different, more perfected style. The dreaminess of the f2.8 is missed. I forgot that magic is the raison d’être of the SMC-m f2.8. It is a pixie-dust lens with plenty of 3D pop and saturated colours. I lost that when I got hung up on the reviews that disregard the many aesthetic powers it brings into play.

[@lessthanperfect444]

I only have 1 modern auto focus lens and its the old sony 18-55 kit lens that i use for video, all my others are all vintage manual lenses, one being the Pentax-A 50mm f2 which is easily my favorite lens

[@deandrouillard]

These are great! I just bought an A7iii but also have an old Pentax with a few lenses including this one. I'm gonna get that adapter and give it a shot. Thanks for the vid.

[@misterhysterisk]

Beautiful video, i have this very lens, and i love it. I also have an old Olympus Zukio 50mm f1.8 that is also very special for me. I been using these with my old 600d for years, but now im waiting for an used 90d that i bought, cant wait to see how these lenses perform with abit never tech, especialy in low light.

[@dbkfrogkaty1]

I'm with you on these modest priced M series lenses. I have several. I also have an A series version of the 28mm f2.8 lens. I bit of plastic in it but also a strong build and those fine Pentax optics.

[@snappiness]

Very nice. I have another M lens I am playing with right now. It's a strange one, but fantastic image quality. Will surprise people with a vid someday :)

[@ikonographics]

I just got this lens and I’m in love...I also let out a squeal when I took the first shot. It seems to have that effect on people!

[@snappiness]

Such a great lens for cheap :)

[@bansheep1]

More of these kinds of gear please..

[@entropytango5348]

One of my favourite 'Astro" lenses. I have the K,M and A versions. Works at fast apertures but I usually stopper down to F4. Works well with 120 x 30 sec frames. Nice video

[@snappiness]

I haven't tried it for astro yet, that's a fun idea :)

[@Therealgdoesgshit]

Jesus those photos are amazing ! What I’m actually looking for ! Are they straight out of camera? Also in which camera you put it on and do you need an adapter ? I’m considering a new Pentax dlsr to use it with vintage lenses but I don’t have any info ! Thanks in advance

[@Usiris23]

I’ve owned this lens for about a year now, shot numerous rolls on my MX and finally have made up my mind that it’s just not working for me. I mean don’t get me wrong, for the price and built quality it’s a great lens. But I tend to be disappointed when I get my scans back and they are lacking a lot of sharpness, compared to the scans I get back taken with the M 50mm f/1.7. I’m gonna bite the bullet and buy some quality glass like the FA 31mm f/1.8 limited. I enjoyed the little review though 🤙🏽

[@grammatron1]

My favourite cheapo lens is another pentax, its the pentax-a 35-70 F4, I've picked up a couple of them and they are just amazing to use, smooth buttery focus, a zoom ring rather than a push pull and a rich colour rendition that has good contrast. I paid less than £20 each and they are always in my bag whenever the camera comes out with me. The zoom range isnt the widest but it works for just about everything that I have tried to get pictures of, from portraits, to architecture and landscapes.

[@snappiness]

I've wanted to try one for a while, thanks for the review!

[@kristiangunderson]

For a long time this was my favourite lens on my K10D, even though I also owned the excellent for its time DA 16-45 f4. An aftermarket split prism focus screen made it a great combination, reminiscent of using an old 35mm SLR. And it's firmly on my do not sell list, along with the camera.

[@snappiness]

I do want to try an after market focusing screen one of these days for that exact reason.

[@CampanelliCMP]

Great video. Sure, it doesn't have to be expensive hobby. I have both M28/2.8 and rare M28/2.0 and you can justify both prices (25$ and 250$). Yes, expectations must be different:) The first one is just a honest lens that help you work creatively. The second is amazing bokeh killer that will help you grow and evolve and push you to experiment. There are so many ways:)

[@snappiness]

Oh man, how that 28/2 has taunted me on eBay, haha. It does look like a spectacular lens. My 50/1.2 was my last vintage lens splurge for a while. That 28mm could very well be the next one. Well said.

[@CampanelliCMP]

@@snappiness check my istagram. There is a picture of a candle in frony if the christmas light bokeh. It was made with M28/2.0. Na Instagram: tk_cmp.

[@AI3Dorinte]

Love the music in your videos.

[@joergmueller2411]

all M lenses are so beautiful and extremly good built. i love every single one.

[@snappiness]

Agreed! I have another one I am playing with right now and decided to make a video on. Possibly the strangest M lens (in my opinion). But absolutely beautiful :)

[@joergmueller2411]

@@snappiness Please make another video, its worth it. your videos are stunning. :)

[@douglasstemke2444]

I think I had three back in my film days, the 135mm f3.5, the 40mm f2.8 and the 20mm f4. Ultimately they all went. The 135mm didn't focus closely enough for my nature photography, the 40mm really was too small and when I moved to digital I picked up the DFA 40, and the 20mm f4 was replaced by a 20mm f2.8 A. I can't say I really miss any of them. I've been picking up a lot of M42 Takumars which I like better for all their flaws.

[@snappiness]

@@douglasstemke2444 No doubt the Takumars are something very special as well. There has not been one I have not enjoyed. Plus, I think the look and feel the best out of all the vintage lens designs I have tried :)

[@rosswaugh1254]

I have a nice set of Pentax K series lenses K24/3.5, K28/3.5 and K35/3.5. They are a little bigger and heavier than the M series lenses, but very solid and well made. They are always fun to use on either my Pentax digital or film cameras, and give nice rendering and results. Inexpensive old lenses that are able to be used without adaptors are one of the attractions of using the Pentax system.

[@snappiness]

That's a really nice trio. I had not even heard of the 35/3.5. Very cool.

[@brianmccutcheon3205]

The pic with the ants took my breath, and the best news is I own one.....Halleluiah, halleluiah, halleluiah........

[@leehaze1]

One of your best videos. Really enjoyed!

[@snappiness]

Thanks Lee! Always appreciate you coming by.

[@oncameramastery]

Pentax M 50mm f1.7 hasn't left my side in over 15years, even when I transitioned to video! Absolutly love the M series!

[@snappiness]

I have the M 50mm 1.7 as well. Another great lens for cheap these days. :)

[@johnwest7228]

I own this lens- bought it way back when to use with my K1000 and later my ME SE - used it a lot indoors to help get the whole family in the photo, I'll have to pull it out and take it for a spin

[@snappiness]

It's a good focal length for that, and relatively fast for that indoor lighting. What do you shoot with nowadays?

[@johnwest7228]

@@snappiness I still shoot a bit of film but am behind in developing it ( will get around to it someday) I have a few digital cameras, Pentax K3, K20D and a *istDL ( inspired by you and the 6 mp club) and a few Canon cameras, 5D, 5D M2, 80D, 40D and an original Rebel - I have a thing for vintage cameras and lenses, like to see what I can do with them

[@snappiness]

@@johnwest7228 I just picked up a 40d for hardly anything. Still coming in the mail. I'm excited to play with it. What's your favorite affordable lenses for canon?

[@johnwest7228]

@@snappiness I love the 40D- I have a lot of m42 lenses adapted to canon mount- the Helios 44 and the Super-Takumar f 1.4 can create magic - I sometimes add a close focus ring for a little macro fun

[@snappiness]

@@johnwest7228 cool, I didn't realize they could be adapted! Thought the flange distance wasn't too far. I'll definitely try that.

[@MaybeTiberius]

as someone who allways shot with vintage lenses there is something really interesting about it: you allways see people with expensive gear and everyone silently agrees that photography is super expensive. but once you realize, that you can take awesome photos with old lenses for pennies and all you really miss out on is autofocus pretty much, its like a revelation. when you realize photography can actually be super cheap and you look at someones elses photos with their expensive gear and then you look at your photos with that 10$ vintage bargain and you re like: ''honestly my photo is actually better'' because its the photographer that takes the picture and not the gear, its almost as if you re an alien living on a foreign world from now on... where you know stuff that others dont and it feels awesome and hillarious. yeah people... go on, spend your 800$ on that new lens so you can take a snapshot of random trees in your garden or to show how sharp your coffee mug looks like. meanwhile others pick up a lens for 20$ and take amazing photographs with it you could put up on a gallery

[@FarhanaAbol16]

Hi what's the best adapter of this lens for fuji xt3 ?

[@0action847]

I just picked up a Pentax MX kit with a 28mm f2.8 and 85mm f2 for $70 , It even came with 8 rolls of expired film. Now I'm eagerly awaiting on my Sony adapter to try them out.

[@TheJourneyAhead]

I just realized that I own that lens for several years, never ever really used it and totally forgot about it. I will change that!

[@danvander-ark1309]

Love this type of videos!!!

[@terrywbreedlove]

I am about to pick upon old Pentax 35mm 2.8 for $110. Going to shoot it on my old P3n that I bought new way back in 1993. Small Light and sharp perfect street combination.

[@borderlands6606]

Fast wide angle lenses have been around for a long time, but the video era and vlogging especially, gave them fresh impetus. Being old fashioned, I choose wide lenses on their ability to get as much in focus as possible. My 28mm AIS Nikon has f3.5 maximum aperture, and works beautifully. I just pre-focus, point and shoot.

[@snappiness]

I think I’ve come across that Nikon lens in my infrared journey as one of the high performers for that kind of photography too. I do really like the 28mm focal length. It’s grown on me.

[@neilpiper9889]

I have the Ricoh version of this lens. Excellent results.

[@andrewlossing2349]

I got one of the same M version 28mm lenses recently, can't say I care that much for the results yet, but it's early. Highlights seem a little smeary with mine, even stopped down. Might be good for B&W though.

[@snappiness]

I haven't noticed smeary highlights per say, though they so have a unique look that looks better for close up shots than for away, in my opinion. But mine doesn't ever get very sharp stopped down even, especially for those infinity focus shots. It was good enough for landscape, as I hope my examples show, but I thought it was better for close ups. Have fun playing with it! If it never jives with you than just move on. No sense keeping a lens you don't enjoy using is what I say. :) Thanks for commenting.

[@andrewlossing2349]

@@snappiness I think I was looking for something like my 40mm-effective Panasonic 20mm M4/3 lens, but maybe that's the wrong way to look at these old film primes. The more I use a DSLR the more I'm tempted towards zooms, which I haven't owned or used in years. But DSLRs are larger and more intentional cameras, so bigger lenses seem a better fit for them.

[@ohjajohh]

I just bought this lens, now it's waiting for it to arrive :)

[@ChumFumbler]

I have both this and the SMC 30mm f2.8 and this 28mm outperforms it.

[@Noealz]

This is one of the ones I kept after I sold so many this past summer

[@snappiness]

That's interesting. I remember you doing that purge.

[@slammermx]

One of my favorite lenses is the HELIOS 44 it's also not perfect but it has a look to the photos I take.

[@snappiness]

I enjoy my helios as well. Nice look :)

[@KhunAdam]

Lovely results! Have you tried the FA 24 with the APSC K5ii?

[@snappiness]

I have not, but I did try it out on my APSC K10D. I did like the focal length equivalent (about 36mm). But I mostly used it on my K-1.

[@xmeda]

I once bought M42 50/3.5 Industar for 100CZK which is about $5 and Helios 44M4 for 165CZK which is about $8.5 :D And also Pentax 28-80/3.5-4.5 with SF7 body together for about 300CZK which is about $15... sometimes people sell things without knowing anything about them. Yeah and also M42 Zenit E camera with another version of Helios lens for about 300CZK too.. But since mirrorless cameras with adaptors came, it is harder and harder to find such deals as much more people are now interested in those old manual lenses.. while around 2008-2010 prices of manuals were muuuuuuuuuuuch lower.

[@snappiness]

Yes, I have noticed that too. Wish I could have predicted the trend and stocked up before hand :D Sometimes the vintage ones can be more expensive than newer lenses of the same class.

[@matiasbertone938]

I just rescued a set of 3 pentax lenses (this one among them) from my grandmothers house, im impressed with the quality, i hope i can get some nice pictures with it soon

[@snappiness]

Cool! A little bit of family history in there then :)

[@markschneider1396]

I'm finding the f3.5 going for even more and it weighs more. Kind of odd.I find most Pentax lenses really nice, even the old m42 55mm f2.0 take great pictures. Another bargain if you can find it is the Kiron lenses made in this era are really nice, I have the Minolta MD mount 28mm f2.0 and it's very nice.

[@robbbertonestips]

I was about to sell this, but I guess I'll regret my choice after watching this video. Thanks mate.

[@gdjaybee742]

I got lucky with a Sigma 24mm 1.8 wide/macro lens (very rare - most Sigma high end Pentax mount lenses are rare) , which becomes a beautiful standard 35mm on my K3 and other Pentax crop bodies. The fact that I can get close to a subject and is a wide lens opens up a lot of creative opportunities. Its not perfect as it has a lot of your normal prime lens issues such as chromatic aberrations etc, all of which can be fixed in post, but its features out weigh those imperfections.

[@robertdrass9504]

I have a Tamron 28mm f/2.8 BBAR Multi C which I mounted via adapter to my Pentax K5. Got it for $26, used. Nice bokeh, moderately sharp, a joy to use. But naturally, you would want a Pentax lens on Pentax camera. So am getting a used Pentax-M SMC 28mm f/2.8 from eBay for $44.

[@snappiness]

Cool, enjoy it! I found it to be really nice!

[@popatudor4812]

Really great video! Yes, photography can be done with cheap equipment, it's the user that must be enhanced first... :)

[@snappiness]

Thanks! :)

[@christopherwelch5568]

I'd love to know where you got this lens for $20 because I've spent about 2 years looking for one that wasn't $125+. I finally found one on ebay where a seller accepted a $60 offer on one. Unfortunately, the film community has convinced the world the K1000 is their top 5 choice for a film camera which has made anything associated with it expensive. I've had a first gen version of it since before digital thankfully because now prices are ridiculous.

[@albinocavewoman]

I got that lens for $1.50 at thrift store. It's pretty good.

[@snappiness]

Nice find!!

[@dontipton4570]

I inherited an older pentax film body and several lenses. Not interested in shooting film but would like to play with the glass. Should I grab an adapter and use with my mft body (em1 m3) or pick up and older Pentax digital body?

[@anthonyptak8650]

Pentax lens images look great!

[@bansheep1]

Hi, are these pictures taken on aps-c? Or the k1? Love your vids

[@snappiness]

Thanks. Almost all of these were on the K-1. I'd have to go back through to tell you which ones were my K10D/K3. Some of these are from several months ago and I put them in a folder for the lens, but forgot which camera :)

[@jacobsanchez9949]

I hear lots of good about the 28mm 2.8, but have you had a chance to try the early K 28mm 3.5? I have found mulitple deals on that lens (picked on up yesterday mint in case for 40 bucks, tho the going price on ebay is about 120 ish) It no doubt doesn't have the same bokeh as the 2.8 model, but oh my goodness the pixie dust is strong with this one. Really a great walkaround lens on crop or full frame and the colors and IQ are just so pleasing. I assume you've seen reviews on the pentaxforum.

[@snappiness]

I have not yet used one, but it is on my radar :) good to know!

[@uni-byte]

I got mine for $5 at a Sally-Ann.

[@GODSPEEDseven]

I know this is an "older" video... But, who am I kidding, we Pentax users look at lenses 30 years old right. 😂 Recently picked up a Pentax-A 28mm f2.8. I was amazed at the iq and I absolutely love it. Already have a couple photos with it I want to get printed in large format.

[@sdhute]

Another amazing video!!!! I'm going to check one out. I imagine it's apsc. It's quite a bit more expensive when looking on ebay.

[@snappiness]

Yes, if you want a deal you need to sit on it for a month or so and wait for it to pop up. But they do pop up quite regularly for very cheap.

[@televisionadntv9742]

Genial estos objetivos. Tengo el PENTAX SMC 24mm🎉f2.8 y me encanta

[@mdiz4564]

A great review. Try the overlooked 50mm f2. It’s better than the f1.4 version. A lot less fringing and cheaper too!😁

[@snappiness]

I have a beat up copy that I used in my $20 camera video! The filter ring is bent, it's just some weird fungus in it maybe, but still performs well! I bet a pristine version would be even better ;)

[@lioneldm5130]

If you find the smc f 28mm, you should have the same optic with autofocus. The smc fa 28mm has another formula.

[@snappiness]

Yes, I’ve seen that F one for sale and it looks lovely. Just a tad bit pricey. I’m sure it’s worth it, but just not yet ;) I have the F 100mm macro and that has made me want to try the rest of the F primes. Very nice lens.

[@simoninsists8264]

Top video! Super helpful as I just bought a Pentax ME Super and wanted to get both pancake lenses; 28 and 40 for the ME Super. But also, for my Leica CL APSC (which from what you’ve said in the video about expenses.. damn do I understand that). Anyways, you’ve earned a sub from me.

[@snappiness]

Awesome, enjoy that combo!

[@ryszardtarnowski8213]

The SMC M28/2.8 is a great lens and the only "M", which I kept for my ME-Super. I've been shooting with that set this morning :-))) And when considering the APS-C digital area, my bet is DA35/2.4. Even old *ist DS shines with that one attached.

[@snappiness]

The DA 35 2.4 seems like a really solid buy. Very affordable, and from what I've seen, very capable. I'll need to try one out someday I suppose :)

[@ryszardtarnowski8213]

@@snappiness it's called "plastic-fantastic" or "unLimited" for a reason, trust me ;-)

[@ultramarine3774]

Hey great video. Are nae want to splurge on the lens....Lens is a but more costly here I'm the UK around 60 to 70 quid! Great video. Could your do something on your family documentary photogrpahy like settings. I use pentax but find AF an issue for my kids. Ok I don't use a K1 or 43mm but still...thanks.

[@snappiness]

That would be an interesting video. AF really struggles, especially in lower light (indoors). I use some other brands too and it's amazing how much better they are at this, even old models, haha. But the Pentax gets along fine enough. The mode I find works best for me is single point, with selectable points on. AF-S (AF-C can be hopeless at times). Then the technique is really the key and it just takes a lot of practice. I use back button focus and am constantly focusing on the eye and recomposing if needed, waiting for the shot I want of the little one. I'll pre-focus, wait, if they move out of the focus plane, focus again and wait. This works for most shots except the most action ones (running toward me), and in this case it's up in the air if I'll even get it. In that case I have a much better hit rate with manual focus because I can just track their movements like I have practiced with video. I don't if any of that is helpful. As I was writing it I realized how many little tricks I use. Maybe I will make a video :)

[@ultramarine3774]

@@snappiness thanks for response. Back button focus is a good tip. I struggle to get focus point on the eye ball the time but moving from k30 to k70 has helped a bit (more focus points). Recently in lockdown have been doing lots on manual shots using the plastic fantastic prime lenses 35/50 das as af struggles in indoor light. I think need more practice. A video on these techniques for af s back button, manual focus and your general composition / lighting for documentary family shots would be amazing. The images in your videos of your kids look so on point I want to learn how to do that! I have never used another brand apart from Pentax but I believe in using what you have and making the most of it....

[@JT-gd7he]

Back in the early 90's I shot a Pentax ME super with a Ricoh 50mm lens. My professor at UT was surprised I wasn't shooting with Leica. My question is how could a college student afford a Leica?

[@kenmiller9844]

My favorite lens for astrophotography.

[@snappiness]

I'll have to try that out with this lens!

[@MichaelAddlesee]

I would recommend trying a Kiron 28mm f/2, if you can find one. I have a P/K mount version which I've adapted to M4/3 and got great results with the BMPCC4K.

[@snappiness]

I've seen those floating around, thanks for the heads up!

[@theslimbin]

I always prefer vintage lenses they add so much when doing non commercial work. That’s why I love the Nikon dslrs as they give loads of modern features and give auto focus with lots of Nikon glass that is old enough to have that old look But I got to have that Sony mirrorless to use a lot of the more exotic lens which aren’t compatible

[@georgesealy4706]

I have the M- 35mm, and it is great.

[@JoshuAhillyarD89]

I love the build quality of my takumar lenses, but hate the idea of the thorium. Do you know if they used thorium in this lens?

[@snappiness]

I am pretty sure no. I've never heard of any yellowing on these lenses and if you look at the lens databases for thorium lenses the M series isn't on there so I think it outdates that method.

[@1kwords]

Lovely video. You got a new subscriber.

[@snappiness]

Thanks for stopping by :)

[@anthonyptak8650]

I love my Pentax/ Honeywell lens (radioactive)

[@j.c.103]

This 28mm SMC-M lens isn't radioactive !!!