Home | Login | Register   REVIEW SHOP SHARE LEARN
  PhotographyReview.com          
  Camera reviews, digital camera reviews, and photography community
RSS Feed
REVIEWS:  Manufacturers:  Pentax:  35mm Primes:
SMCP Shift 28mm f/3.5

Sample Images
More Products from Pentax
Link to this page

Pentax SMCP Shift 28mm f/3.5


 
Sort by Latest Reviews >> |  Sort by Best Rating >> |  Sort by Worst Rating >> |  View All >>
Rating
Reviewed by: 

Victor Graf

( Expert)

Review Date
September 28, 2006

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Rate this review?

Review 1 of 1

Price Paid:  $800.00 from Adorama

Summary:
Very high quality traditional lens without aspherical elements, moderately fast at f/3.5, plenty of shift movement in all directions, unusually wide angle at 28mm, has the versatile Pentax K mount but without auto exposure contacts (can be used aperture-priority or metered manual). Fine rectilinear rendition with many correcting elements, and the superior SMC coating. Avoid extreme shifts combined with max aperture, which results in brightness edge falloff and poor resolution toward edges. Out of production, on the used market, but some new product occasionally emerges from a warehouse here and there. Built-in shade, three built-in filters. 77mm filters can be used in front if you're desperate, but will vignette the more extreme shifts.

Strengths:
28mm gives significantly wider field than almost all other shift lenses (usually 35mm) for 35mm cameras. SMC coating controls all but the most brilliant flare, good color rendition. Eleven increments of shifting and 12 axes provide excellent range and control of shift movements. Good resolution in all but extreme shifts. Fixed metal hood protects the large front element. Rugged metal construction.

Weaknesses:
Large, heavy, expensive. Limited filter possibilities. Quickly loses resolution at extreme shift, plus edge falloff there. Requires experimenting to get to know acceptable limits.

Similar Products Used:
Have used no other shift lenses.

Customer Service:
No warranty service needed. Regional authorized service center provided exceptional service after I dropped the lens on concrete. One built-in filter cracked, otherwise only exterior metal scrapes and dents. High praise for rugged build which protected the lens from butterfingers.



Would you like to Comment?
Join PhotographyReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Latest Pro Reviews:
2008 PMA Tradeshow Coverage
2008 PMA Tradeshow
Camera News:
Get Newsletter!
Enter e-mail address for PhotographyREVIEW
newsletter

 MtbREVIEW.com  RoadbikeREVIEW.com  OutdoorREVIEW.com
 PhotographyREVIEW.com  VideogameREVIEW.com  ComputingREVIEW.com
 AudioREVIEW.com  CarREVIEW.com  GolfREVIEW.com

Copyright ©1996-2008 All Rights Reserved.ConsumerREVIEW.com, a business unit of Invenda