The twin-ring SMC Pentax-A Zoom 35-70mm 1:4, is the only 35-70mm Pentax lens with fixed aperture, produced for the Pentax Series-A and Series-P 35mm SLR film cameras. The lens has an aperture ring that can be operated manually, and also an 'A' setting which allows the lens aperture opening to be set automatically by Pentax cameras that are fitted with the KA (or its derivatives) lens mounts.
The solid, beautiful, and well-built lens was produced from 1984 to 1985, a 7-elements in 7 groups construction, has 6 aperture blades, a minimum focusing distance of 0.25 meters, and a 58mm filter ring size. The lens is not weather-sealed and weighs 330 grams, has a diameter size of 65mm, and is 80mm long.
Though divided between the accolades and the brickbats, the lens enjoys a Sharpness rating of 8.3, Aberrations at 7.9, Bokeh at 8.1, Handling at 8.5, and Value at 8.9, on PentaxForums.
I had the lens mounted to the 10MP CCD Pentax K-m (Pentax K2000 in the US), did a series of test images, and came away quite impressed with the results. The equally vintage Pentax K-m has a KAF2 lens mount, on it, the the lens is equivalent to a 50-105mm short tele on a 35mm full-frame camera, a good range for snapshots, portraiture, a walk-around lens, and street photography.
A Look Back
A couple of first shots here, the first one being an almost standard shot looking across the room to the ensemble on the dining table. Nice colors. The second is a flash shot of the clutter on the work table.
Walking the zoom with the lens zoom distance set at 35, 40, 50, 60, and 70mm.
Close-ups in the garden.
In the early morning light.
The Pentax K-m
The Pentax K-m K2000 in the US), introduced by Pentax in 2008, has a 10MP APS-C CCD sensor and comes with the Pentax KAF2 lens mount. a follow-up from the KF, KA, and KAF mounts, which was Pentax's development sequence for adding auto-focus features to its lenses. The camera, an entry-level compact, shares the same viewfinder and LCD screen with the 10MP CCD sensor K200D and the 14.6 CMOS sensor K20D but has a lighter body and no weather sealing.
Cameras that these lenses can be mounted on, in turn, are Pentax SLR and DSLR bodies fitted with the KA or derivates from the development of the KA and KAF lens mount, as in this case, a Pentax K-m (K2000 in the US). The lens mount is Pentax's development sequence for adding auto-focus features to its lenses. The first KA-mount, for example, allows the lens's aperture to be set by the body, which enables shutter priority and program auto exposure modes.
This no-frills move, if you are moving from film photography to digital, is truly an advantage as it eliminates the need for recurring costs of film for film photography and its associated services. If you are already on digital, it is time to enjoy the nostalgia of (film-like, as some say) low-noise high-quality images CCD sensors are acknowledged for.
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