5 Great Pentax K2 Lenses
The Pentax K2 is a very good 35mm film single lens reflex (SLR) camera. This page is going to cover the 5 best lenses for the Pentax K2, and also a few of substitute options.
In a rush? This is the list of the 5 best lenses for the K2:
Affiliate Advertising Disclosure
Outside the Shot is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase. I also participate in affiliate advertising programs with KEH and Adorama. More can be found on the Affiliate Disclosure page.
- Kit Lens - SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7
- Wide Angle Lens - SMC Pentax-M 28mm f/2.8
- Portrait Lens - SMC Pentax 135mm f/2.5
- Zoom Lens - Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5
- Macro Lens - SMC Pentax 100mm f/4 Macro
The best Pentax K mount lenses are grouped by cost and type of photography. There are a number recommended options to select that have a wide range of prices well suited for the cost of the camera.
Standard Lenses
The following is a few 50mm focal lengths that you can use with the K2. At the time when the camera was being sold as new, there was generally an offer including a 50mm lens as kit for a discount.
The 50mm is called a standard lens because the angle of view is close to what the human eye sees.
SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7
- “Kit” lens for the K2.
- Fantastic value.
- Light, small, and compact.
- 49mm front filter threads.
See current price and more information on:
If it did not come with the camera, a good initial lens to get a hold of for the K2 is the SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7. The 50mm f1.7 is readily available used, is inexpensive, has very good image quality, lightweight, and compact . More images have been taken with this lens when compared to any other lens.
{You can also buy the 2nd version, the SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7|The second version, the SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, is also a good buy}.
SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.4
- Exceptional optics.
- Optical multi-coatings to improve output.
- Easy to find.
- Comparatively inexpensive.
See current price and more information on:
The SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.4 is almost a stop faster than the f/1.7, at the added burden of increased size and weight. Expect to pay more than you would for an f/1.7 or f/2 lens. The next version, the SMC Pentax-A, and prior version, SMC Pentax, are both compatible with the K2.
SMC Pentax 50mm f/1.2
See current price and more information on:
Similar to the other camera manufactures, Pentax released a very fast 50mm lens. The resulting SMC Pentax 50mm f/1.2 is a pricey, fast, and large hunk of glass.
The lens can be hard to come across since it will work on Pentax DSLRs so the desirability extends beyond usage with film cameras. If you want to get a copy you may need to check and have a look at what’s available for purchase through weeks or months.
Wide Angle Lenses
SMC Pentax-M 28mm f/2.8
- Great combination with a 50mm lens.
- Super Multi Coating (SMC) to improve output.
- Many copies are available.
- Relatively low-priced.
See current price and more information on:
The SMC Pentax-M 28mm f/2.8 isn’t the best option. The reality is, plenty of people do not even consider it a wide angle lens. Having said that, it is a whole lot less expensive when compared to any wider alternative.
There are plenty of wider Pentax focal lengths to pick from, but they’re either way less affordable or third-party options have obvious barrel distortion. Additionally, it is easy to see optical flaws like chromatic aberrations in third-party offerings.
More Alternatives
In terms of cost, the relationship is straightforward. As the field of view gets wider, the lens will be more expensive. Fast lenses will also be more expensive.
Be aware that vintage wide angle lenses don’t include corrections that modern wide angle lenses have. The issue you’re most likely to see with vintage wide angles is going to be visible barrel distortion.
- SMC Pentax-M 20mm f/4
- SMC Pentax-M 28mm f/2
- SMC Pentax 18mm f/3.5
- SMC Pentax 24mm f/2.8
Portrait & Telephoto Lenses
SMC Pentax 135mm f/2.5
- 85mm substitute.
- Excellent value.
- Relatively inexpensive.
- Widely available.
See current price and more information on:
The 85mm focal length wasn’t as commonly used as they are today compared to when the K2 was first introduced back in 1975. 100mm or 135mm focal lengths were more widely used because of their less expensive cost.
The price difference is very clear when you view what is available online.
Alternatives
There are plently of telephoto lenses to choose from. Focal lengths longer than 135mm and 85mm lenses will be expensive.
- SMC Pentax 85mm f/1.8
- SMC Pentax 85mm f/2.2 Soft
- SMC Pentax 105mm f/2.8
- SMC Pentax 120mm f/2.8
Zoom Lenses
Before the release of autofocus, in the 1980s, there were a few lenses made by third-party companies that performed better than what Pentax was offering.
Quite a few of the best performers were released with the Vivitar brand name. Any zoom with the Vivitar Series 1 branding is going to have the best optics you’ll see from an older zoom lens.
Sadly, getting one of these lenses in acceptable condition can be rather difficult. In addition to that, no older zoom offers outstanding performance. If you see a copy available for sale that is cheap enough, it might be worth purchasing.
Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5
See current price and more information on:
Alternatives
Here are a few more alternatives that you can look at if you want a zoom lens for your K2. None of them are going to be amazing, and you’d probably be better off buying a couple of primes.
- SMC Pentax 85-210mm f/3.5
- Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5
- SMC Pentax 45-125mm f/4
Pentax Macro Lenses
Macro lens options for the Pentax K2 have supply problems. The supply of Pentax K mount options is limited, which increases prices higher than you’ll pay for comparable Nikon F mount or Canon FD mount options.
SMC Pentax 100mm f/4 Macro
- Ideal focal length for 1x magnification.
- Widely available.
- Mediocre value.
See current price and more information on:
A small number of people online have encountered problems with balsam separation of the front doublet. This is troubling because even a tiny amount of separation will grow gradually and make it unusable. If you see any indicators of balsam separation, avoid that lens and keep looking.
Vivitar 55mm f/2.8 Macro
- The second best vintage macro lens I’ve used.
- An outstanding lens for close-up photography.
- Can achieve life-size magnification without needing an extension tube.
See current price and more information on:
My favorite vintange macro lens I’ve used, the 90mm Vivitar, was manufactured for a variety of camera mounts. However, it is tough to obtain a copy with a Pentax K mount.
The Vivitar 55mm is the best vintage standard focal length macro lens I have owned. Take into account that it does have a smaller working distance compared to the 90mm. It is excellent for table top and close-up photography, but a longer focal length will be better if you want to capture true macro images at 1x magnification.
Both Vivitar macros were manufactured by Komine and were sold under various different brand names. If you look for a copy also look under the Elicar, Panagor, Quantaray, Rokunar, and Spiratone brand names.
There is a Vivitar 90mm Macro Review and a [/vivitar-55mm-f-2-8-macro-lens-review](Vivitar 55mm Macro Review).
For shooting photos at life-sized magnification, focal lengths in the 90mm-105mm range will be the ideal option. You will have a big enough working distance to be able to use flash, while staying away from substantial weight and increased costs that longer focal lengths have.
More Alternatives
- SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/4 Macro
- Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 Macro Lens Review
- Vivitar 90mm f/2.8 Macro Lens Review
Used Pentax Lens Prices
Prices change all the time depending on interest and supply in manual focus glass. During the past few years, shooting film has gone up in popularity, which has caused prices to rise.
Further pricing pressure is produced by Pentax DSLR users collecting and buying lenses. Third party producers generally do not produce anything for the K-mount, unlike the Canon EF or Nikon F mounts.
Marketing circumstances are continuously changing, and sudden changes can lead to large price movements. However, the relative prices between choices should stay the same.
Checking several sites is a sensible way to get correct market information. If you’re fortunate enough to find a terrific deal, purchase it due to the fact that the best deals don’t last very long.
What Lens Mount Does the Pentax K2 Use?
The Pentax K2 uses the Pentax K lens mount.
Introduced in 1975, cameras currently being made are still using the Pentax K mount. It is a replacement for the M42 screw mount Which was used on cameras such as the Asahi Pentax Spotmatic. Over the years changes have been done to add autofocus, CPU contacts, metering information, and electronically controlled apertures.
As long as a lens has a physical aperture ring, it will be backward compatible with Pentax film cameras. Even so, it does not make sense to spend money on costly features that can not be able to be used by the camera. The exception would be if you already use a Pentax DSLR.
It is also possible to use the previous M42 mount lenses by using an adapter. The M42 mount Takumar lenses are the the best to use. Having said that, I wouldn’t recommend doing this as getting them without tight focus rings can be annoying.
Lens Cap Size
The standard filter ring thread and lens cap diameter used on most manual focus Pentax K mount lenses is 49mm. Lenses were sold with slip on caps, not the more commonly used center-pinch type today. Looking around at what’s available, you’ll discover only a few lenses sold with matching lens caps.
Take note that big front elements will need larger caps and filters.
The advantage of using a standardized filter thread size is that you only need to own only one set of filters.
Pentax-M vs Pentax-A
SMC Pentax and Pentax-M lenses are built with a stop-down coupler which allows the camera to have a linkage to the lens. The stop-down coupler allows the camera to know the aperture is set to so the light meter can meter accurately without being required to use stop-down metering.
The Pentax-A series introduced the capability for the aperture in the lens to be controlled by the camera. This means that cameras that support the Pentax-A changes have the ability to do shutter priority and aperture priority modes.
However, seeing as that capability isn’t compatible with the camera, it doesn’t make sense to spend money on capabilities the camera cannot use.
Related Posts
That’s it for advice regarding the best lenses for the K2. Here is additional info that will provide you with more info about the camera can be found listed below: