Pentax A-Zoom 35-80 mm and 80-200 mm

explody pup · May 4, 2004

I'm thinking about getting these lenses for my K1000. They're both manual zoom/manual focus so they'd be fine in the respect for my camera. Both around $100-200. I'm just looking for any opinions on these lenses, good or bad. It would be nice to have some all-purpose lenses since all I'm working with right now is a 50mm lens, but if I'm going to be sacrificing quality then I might rethink this purchase and save up for something better.

As a side note, I might be picking up a Pentax IST D within the next year, depending on how well the job-hunt pans out. It would be great to have lenses that work with this and with my current camera (either as a backup or for b/w film). Would the lenses I mentioned work well with this, or would I need something specifically engineered for digital use?

Thanks!

Info on the lenses in question: http://www.pentaxusa.com/products/l...ensemodel=A-ZOOM (Manual Zoom / Manual Focus)

EDIT: Corrected the link.

tr0gd0o0r · May 4, 2004

I have an smc-A 28-80mm pentax. I don't know how close that relates to the lens you're talking about, but it came w/ my zx-30 so it may be a lever below or about the same. Its a good piece of glass. Nothing spectacular tho. Not super clear or anything like that, no exceptional f-stop either. Not a bad lens to have tho if you want an all-purpose.

Also on a side note. The istD already has a firmware upgrade that always you to use pretty much any lens with it. If it doesn't have the connect ot communicate the f-stop to the camera, you can set it to shoot w/ out it. The only draw back is the only way to meter is engage the DOF preview. Just a heads up and something to consider.

explody pup · May 4, 2004

tr0gd0o0r said:
I have an smc-A 28-80mm pentax. I don't know how close that relates to the lens you're talking about, but it came w/ my zx-30 so it may be a lever below or about the same. Its a good piece of glass. Nothing spectacular tho. Not super clear or anything like that, no exceptional f-stop either. Not a bad lens to have tho if you want an all-purpose.

That's kind of what I am expecting. I still have a lot of learning to do and I figure these would be good. No point in shelling out the big bucks for a high-end lens if I can't take full advantage of it. Did you use the lens you mentioned with the ZX-30 on the photos you've been posting in the Gallery?

tr0gd0o0r said:
Also on a side note. The istD already has a firmware upgrade that always you to use pretty much any lens with it. If it doesn't have the connect ot communicate the f-stop to the camera, you can set it to shoot w/ out it. The only draw back is the only way to meter is engage the DOF preview. Just a heads up and something to consider.

I'm not sure I'm following you. Are you talking about the tab on the mount of the lens that moves up and down when you change the f-stop? Don't most lenses have that? :?:

Thank you for the response, tr0gd0o0r.

tr0gd0o0r · May 4, 2004

That's kind of what I am expecting. I still have a lot of learning to do and I figure these would be good. No point in shelling out the big bucks for a high-end lens if I can't take full advantage of it. Did you use the lens you mentioned with the ZX-30 on the photos you've been posting in the Gallery?

I can't really say for sure about using the lens or what photos have it or not. Any picture I posted before decem-ber 25th, 2003. Is with the zx-30 and either the 28-80 lens, or the 100-300 mm version of the same lens. Any photos since then are with my istD and more than likely with the 28-80 lens, but no garuntees. I can snap some pics and post them if you want me to.

I'm not sure I'm following you. Are you talking about the tab on the mount of the lens that moves up and down when you change the f-stop? Don't most lenses have that?

I'm talking about the little circular connection point that are on the lens. Some older lenses (probably the 50mm you have if it came w/ the k-1000) don't have these. The connection point tell the camera what the f-stop is set at. Newer cameras that have digital displays need this information. The istD is capable of metering without that information so you can use older lenses with it. Did that make sense?

tr0gd0o0r · May 4, 2004

explody pup · May 6, 2004

Thanks, tr0gd0o0r. Those last 3 were especially helpful since I rely on a lot of DOF in most of my photos. Which is one thing I've been thinking about lately, after reading that the quality of the DOF on a zoom lens isn't as good as that on a fixed lens. Though I unfortunately don't have the experience yet to know how this will translate to film. Either way, I'd still have my 50mm with me whenever I would need it.

I think I'll probably end up getting these lenses. Thanks again.