Summary: This is fine value for its money, even if you paid for it.
I did some tests, and this lens has low light fall-off at 28mm (compared to my 28mm f3.5 prime) and it is "sharp enough" at 50mm (compared to my 50mm f1.7 prime: the difference is certainly not dramatic).
I have made beautiful pictures with this lens, but I'm less happy with the results indoor: backgrounds tend to be dark because of <=f5.6 at 80mm.
Strengths: Good overall value
Fully compatible with my MZ-5n
Weaknesses: f5.6 at 80mm limits its usability in low-light conditions.
Similar Products Used: 28mm f3.5
50mm f1.7
135mm f3.5
Summary: This is an excellent lens with far better optical quality than anyone could expect from a consumer zoom. The Pentax 28-80 has given me enlargements (8x10) that rival those produced by my Nikon F/2.8 zoom lenses. I'm not sure why other people are so hard on this lens. Grab a roll of Fuji Reala, a tripod, and the results will blow you away.
Strengths: - Metal lens mount
- Light weight
- VERY sharp images
- 52mm filter size
Weaknesses: - None for a lens of this price
Similar Products Used: Pentax AF 80-320
Customer Service: Never had a problem with any Pentax gear
Summary: Although i purchased this lens with the ZX-5n, i''m not sure i would trade it for anything else. I work at a camera store (national chain)and have seen even the cheapest of camera/lens kit take unbelievable pictures. If you want to talk sharpness of a lens, this isn''t the best(i can''t think of anything "sharp" under $500) but what good would an $8,000
dollar Canon IS lens be if you used dollar store film? It really comes down to the person behind the lens.......and the biggest factor for them is being comfortable with their set-up. For me, this lens fits the job. It''s like, easy to zoom, and easy for the 5n to focus. I''ve always wanted to throw it on a PZ-1p or MZ-S just to watch it fly. It could be a little faster, but not for this price range. I personally believe Pentax lenses "ain''t what they used to be" but then again, the Nikkor G kit lens that comes with the N80 is just ridiculous. As far as i''m concerned, coming from the camera shop point of view, as well as someone who works part-time for the City of Raleigh Park System(my boss is 100%Nikon),I believe this is the best 28-80(or anything close)kit lens on the market. If you want to make a print the size of Mount Rushmore, go do yourself a favor and buy a medium format camera.
Strengths: Light,fast auto-focus,light on the wallet,not a huge filter size,looks good on silver body,zooms easy and holds for me.
Weaknesses: Front element spins(no IF), only a problem when i''m using a CP filter. Not best for using in MF but then again, i just miss the split focus screen in my ZX-M.
Similar Products Used: 35-80 manual kit lens(with zx-m), 80-320 Pentax, Nikkor 35-80 and 80-200(on a nikon n70)Tamron 24-135, Sigma 17-35, Tamron 28-300 etc.....(last 3 on Nikon F100 and F5 bodies). Lot''s of Pentax manual
Summary: Avoid it!!!! Buy the body of the camera, don''t wast your money on this lense. Find something else like the Pentax 28-70mm sigma 28-135mm or Tamron 24-135mm. Yes, it will be more expensive, but you won''t be regret aftet.
I''m writing about the silver version which is made in Vietnam. This one came with the MZ7 or MZ30 (XZ7 & XZ30 in US?). It appears to be a great value: metal bayonet, constructed much more solid than those equivalent lenses from Nikon, Canon or Minolta (I mean those standard packages), but it''s not! This lense turns your beautiful camera into a point-and-shoot. It only feels good on either MZ7 or MZ30, because of its weight color, size and buit quality. The optics suck big time. At the beginning, I thought it was my MZ7 that is not good enough. Untill I bought another lense, the pentax 80-320mm, I used both on the same role, and I couldn''t believe my eyes. The difference is huge, color, contrast, sharpness, you name it. I will never use it again, unless I need an example of bad optical quality.
Strengths: Metal bayonet
Weaknesses: Color saturation, sharpness, distortion! Everything that is required to produce quality pictures.
Similar Products Used: Pentax 80-320mm, Nikon 28-80, canon28-90, etc.
Rating Reviewed by: Mark Mason(Unregistered User)
(Intermediate)
Review Date August 25, 2001
Overall Rating 4 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Visitors rate this review 5.00 of 5,
1 votes
Review 5 of 12
Price Paid:
$150.00
from Local Store
Summary: An excellent all-round lens. I used it on a three month hiking trip in California, and turned out some excellent, fully-publishable shots. If you want optical quality better than this, you will have to go to prime lenses, or one of the two fixed-stop Pentax zooms. (Which I do when I want superbly clear or low-light shots.) Yes, it's plastic, and that's why it's light, and that's why I have a Pentax in the first place. I've had it for years, and have brought it with me to places I never would have brought some tank of a Nikkor. I am buying other prime lenses, but I am going to keep this one as an all-rounder. A better travel lens optically than anything with a bigger focal spread. As far as the plastic construction goes, DON'T DROP IT, AND IT WON'T BREAK. No kidding - this works.
Strengths: An excellent lens for the price. I don't agree with other reviewers about the optics - though they are not perfect, they are better than most - certainly better than other zooms - and what about that price? Also, it's an extremely light lens for the focal spread, and advantage in outdoor photography. As far as the controls? They're there, and they do the job, which is all I've ever asked.
Weaknesses: It's slow, but is it not a zoom? Buy faster film. It's plastic, but I've never found that to be a problem, even though I'm quite hard on my equipment. I think some people consider their cameras to be tougher than they are meant to be. Those People, this is a precision instrument. If you drop it, it will fall, and it will probably break, just like other photo equipment. Don't drop it. Cause and effect.
Sample Images
More Products from Pentax
Link to this page
4 of 5
5 of 5
2 of 5
3 of 5
