Walking among the dead with SMC Pentax 24mm F2.8

[timo]

This is more of interest for the lens rather than the camera - I put it onto the front of my Olympus EMD 5iii - the 2X crop factor means it comes out as a useful standard lens (48mm equiv.) on M43. I really like it - even though there can be some CA (easily corrected in Lightroom), it's definitely a bit dreamy at f/2.8, and it softens away from the centre until you stop it down quite a lot (less of a problem with this degree of crop).

Anyway, here's a few shots from yesterday, taken in a Victorian cemetery half an hour's walk from home (Abney Park, Stoke Newington, for the information of Londoners).












Founder of the Salvation Army












This one and the following one were taken in the overgrown surroundings of Stoke Newington Old Church.







--
Tim

Timothy Auger's photos

A lifetime in book publishing, in London and Singapore. Compulsive globe-trotter and photographer. Cameras: Pentax DSLRs; Panasonic Lumix GX8; Olympus OMD5iii; Fujifilm X30 (x 2).

timauger.smugmug.com

 

[henricoo]

Nice shots! Old cemeteries are beautiful places to be for relaxation and inspiration. And when nature can go its way these become little paradises.

The K24/2.8 is a nice lens, also on FF. It performs better near bye than at infinity. This lens is a later K-lens but in fact an early M-lens when you look good at it. The real K-era 24 is the F3.5. I do not own that one but I guess it is even better than the F2.8. It was a sibling with the K28/3.5 that is a beautiful build and great performing lens even now in the digital era.

 

[alex_virt]

Excellent series!

 

[flektogon]

Those are really very nice pictures, timo!

 

[timo]

Thanks all. I appreciate your comments.

 

[Gary Martin]

Nice shots! Old cemeteries are beautiful places to be for relaxation and inspiration. And when nature can go its way these become little paradises.

The K24/2.8 is a nice lens, also on FF. It performs better near bye than at infinity. This lens is a later K-lens but in fact an early M-lens when you look good at it. The real K-era 24 is the F3.5. I do not own that one but I guess it is even better than the F2.8. It was a sibling with the K28/3.5 that is a beautiful build and great performing lens even now in the digital era.

The K24/3.5 is identical to the Takumar version, just with a K-mount. My copy is a mediocre performer, and can't touch the performance of my K28/3.5 which is (as you say) an outstanding lens.

 

[timo]

Nice shots! Old cemeteries are beautiful places to be for relaxation and inspiration. And when nature can go its way these become little paradises.

The K24/2.8 is a nice lens, also on FF. It performs better near bye than at infinity. This lens is a later K-lens but in fact an early M-lens when you look good at it. The real K-era 24 is the F3.5. I do not own that one but I guess it is even better than the F2.8. It was a sibling with the K28/3.5 that is a beautiful build and great performing lens even now in the digital era.

The K24/3.5 is identical to the Takumar version, just with a K-mount. My copy is a mediocre performer, and can't touch the performance of my K28/3.5 which is (as you say) an outstanding lens.

 

[Gary Martin]

Nice shots! Old cemeteries are beautiful places to be for relaxation and inspiration. And when nature can go its way these become little paradises.

The K24/2.8 is a nice lens, also on FF. It performs better near bye than at infinity. This lens is a later K-lens but in fact an early M-lens when you look good at it. The real K-era 24 is the F3.5. I do not own that one but I guess it is even better than the F2.8. It was a sibling with the K28/3.5 that is a beautiful build and great performing lens even now in the digital era.

The K24/3.5 is identical to the Takumar version, just with a K-mount. My copy is a mediocre performer, and can't touch the performance of my K28/3.5 which is (as you say) an outstanding lens.

That is probably true (I also have a K28/3.5: the M28/3.5 is also very good).

I have both and can confirm. Also the A28/2 and the FA28/2.8, both very good as well, although I think the K28/3.5 is the best of all. How the h@ll did I end up with so many 28's?!

 

[timo]

1. Gary Martin wrote:

Nice shots! Old cemeteries are beautiful places to be for relaxation and inspiration. And when nature can go its way these become little paradises.

The K24/2.8 is a nice lens, also on FF. It performs better near bye than at infinity. This lens is a later K-lens but in fact an early M-lens when you look good at it. The real K-era 24 is the F3.5. I do not own that one but I guess it is even better than the F2.8. It was a sibling with the K28/3.5 that is a beautiful build and great performing lens even now in the digital era.

The K24/3.5 is identical to the Takumar version, just with a K-mount. My copy is a mediocre performer, and can't touch the performance of my K28/3.5 which is (as you say) an outstanding lens.

That is probably true (I also have a K28/3.5: the M28/3.5 is also very good).

I have both and can confirm. Also the A28/2 and the FA28/2.8, both very good as well, although I think the K28/3.5 is the best of all. How the h@ll did I end up with so many 28's?!

 

[Paolinop]

Nice pics. It is believed that the f/3.5 version beats the f/2.8 one. I don't believe there is a huge difference though.

For use on a small sensor like the m4/3 I'd choose the early K versions of the 3.5/28mm and the 3.5/35mm. They both have great centre sharpness, especially close to infinity, and their main problem (field curvature) gets mostly cut out by the reduced size of the sensor.