<bragging> Finally, I found a mint M 35/2 to use!
GREAT feel to the lens. I would have liked the K or FA for their supposedly better sharpness more, but at the price, I couldn't resist the M. For a completely mint specimen, one of my best bargains. </bragging> Enough bragging. I tested it before buying extensively, and found, that: center sharpness up to 2/3 frame is very good even wide open, great when stopping down. Edges are unsharp until about 5.6, improving at f/4. But overall sharpness is very good to great at all apertures. Bear in mind I tested it at equivalent of 15x enlargement, where every lens fault shows. At "normal" enlargements of 8x10"/18x24cm, images are sharp at every aperture including full bore (only slightly less than stopped down). The manual focus feel is great great great ;) As my only other original pentax is F1.4/50, it's a joy to focus the M lens. It has that "buttery" feel to it - from old Takumar pentax brochure: "the focusing helicoid has a smoothest feel to it - it is like hot knife cutting trough butter". I bought it with the *rare* K/M rear cap (twist-in, without A lip, made in japan), should I sell the cap to get all three limiteds ;) ? Also with the ingenious rectangular metal screw-in hood for Takumar 3.5/35 and 2/35, this hood has an ingenious system - you screw it normally on, then the main screw is tight but you can still rotate the hood to position the rectangle with respect to film long side. Although the hood is too much shallow for this lens, I think it would be better suited for a 28mm lens. The rectangular plastic hood for 1.4/50 and 1.7/50 works perfectly with the M35/2 even with filter on it, and I believe provides even better flare protection. That's all :) Good light, Frantisek Vlcek - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
