SMC Pentax-M 24mm owners willing to share thoughts on the lens?

[antonroland]

Hello Folks

As per the subject line really…

I am about to pull the trigger on a really nice copy on the Bay. Next will be the 35/2 because the 28mm really doesn’t do it for me.

I am curious to know if there are any oddities about this lens.

Oh, and Mods, please excuse if this should rather have been in the talk equipment area…

 

[Nod]

Might be worth asking there as well as here - there are quite a few d*g*t*l users who use old manual lenses on their modern bodies and one or 2 might use the SMC Pentax-M 24mm.

 

[antonroland]

Might be worth asking there as well as here - there are quite a few d*g*t*l users who use old manual lenses on their modern bodies and one or 2 might use the SMC Pentax-M 24mm.

Cheers, Nod!

 

[Nod]

Might be worth doing a forum search for "legacy lenses" and similar as thread titles (or just looking back through a few pages.)

 

[ChrisR]

I have not used the M 24mm lens, though I do have the A 24/2.8. The Pentaxforums review site does not show a review for a M 24 lens, so it would be surprising if it existed. There is a "K" 24/2.8 lens, which gets a combined score of 8.4 (OK by my reckoning). The "K" lenses were the original set released with the K1000 etc; the M lenses were released with the ME, MX etc. It does have a SMC coating, which IIRC not all the K lenses did. It has a 52mm filter ring, compared to 49mm for the A lens. A lot of sellers don't know the difference and wrongly assume if it's not an A lens it's a M.

I have the A 24/2.8 on my MX at the moment (rated 8.7) and really love it!

The M 35/2 and the A 35/2 are bot excellent lenses; I like the A slightly more (rating 9.1 versus 8.7), but the M is probably cheaper as not quite so versatile on digi bodies...

 

[antonroland]

I have not used the M 24mm lens, though I do have the A 24/2.8. The Pentaxforums review site does not show a review for a M 24 lens, so it would be surprising if it existed. There is a "K" 24/2.8 lens, which gets a combined score of 8.4 (OK by my reckoning). The "K" lenses were the original set released with the K1000 etc; the M lenses were released with the ME, MX etc. It does have a SMC coating, which IIRC not all the K lenses did.

And so the learning continues…

Looking at my 50mm lenses all of them carry the SMC designation. One is Pentax-A, two are Pentax-M and one is simply Pentax with no descriptor letter.

The 24 I bought on eBay is also SMC Pentax with no letter so I am unclear as to what that means if it means anything at all…

It has a 52mm filter ring, compared to 49mm for the A lens. A Inlot of sellers don't know the difference and wrongly assume if it's not an A lens it's a M.

I have the A 24/2.8 on my MX at the moment (rated 8.7) and really love it!

The M 35/2 and the A 35/2 are bot excellent lenses; I like the A slightly more (rating 9.1 versus 8.7), but the M is probably cheaper as not quite so versatile on digi bodies...

Oh well, will see when it gets here…should be good enough any old way I’m sure. I don’t think any of these lenses were truly terrible so I am sure I will have lots of fun with it.

Will only buy filters once I have all the lenses I am planning to get but it looks like I am in for a complete set of 49mm and 52mm…and then, of course that 85/2 looks like it belongs in my collection too…and then probably the 50/4 macro and…

Does it ever stop!! LOL

 

[welshwizard645]

If it just says SMC with no M, A, F, FA, D-FA then it is a K.

optical formulas tended to stay the same across the generations but one of the best places to get Pentax lens advice would be on Pentax User. A lot of the older lenses are highly revered. Shame the 24mm in the image has what looks like a fungal bloon inside otherwise it looks mint.

 

[antonroland]

If it just says SMC with no M, A, F, FA, D-FA then it is a K.

Cheers!

optical formulas tended to stay the same across the generations but one of the best places to get Pentax lens advice would be on Pentax User.

I registered on there AGES ago, now waiting for their webmaster to let me back in…saw some stuff there and yes, amazing lot of info…

A lot of the older lenses are highly revered. Shame the 24mm in the image has what looks like a fungal bloon inside otherwise it looks mint.

Dang!! Saw that now!! Oh well, it CAN be cleaned, right? Must have glossed over it ASSUMING I thought I read NO fungus…

 

[ChrisR]

IIRC the A 24/2.8 has the lettering on the outside of the filter, pretty sure that's a K, so it'll be 52mm.

You can get loads of info in the User Reviews section of Pentaxforum all for free, without registering AFAIK.

And yes, you NEED the M 85/2! Or if you have the shoulders for it, the Samyang 85/1.4!

 

[antonroland]

IIRC the A 24/2.8 has the lettering on the outside of the filter, pretty sure that's a K, so it'll be 52mm.

Yep, 52 and lettering inside UV…

You can get loads of info in the User Reviews section of Pentaxforum all for free, without registering AFAIK.

And yes, you NEED the M 85/2!

Absolutely!!

Or if you have the shoulders for it, the Samyang 85/1.4!

Call me an uninformed heathen but I have never liked 3rd party lenses…and I’m sure some of them are very good…but no…

Cheers!

 

[welshwizard645]

FA*85/1.4 usually come up on PentaxUser. Strange you can't get registered, I'd say keep trying, people like LennyBloke have experience of most Pentax lenses.

 

[antonroland]

Talking to webmaster, they working on it…