I'm in the process of getting a Pentax ZXM and with it I have been offered a Sakar lens. I have never heard of this brand and I'm just getting back into photography. Any feedback negative or positve would be appreciated. Thanks

Randy

-- Randy Morehouse (mhouse@ilhawaii.net), June 22, 2000

Answers

I had one once for a Canon FD mount in 28mm I think...I recall that it was ok, but I think it was given to me. Are you going to buy the lens, like through a store, along with the camera, as in a "kit" or are you buying it from a friend or used and the seller is just including it at no extra cost? I would strongly suggest that you stick with Pentax lenses on this purchase if you have a choice. I just wouldn't trust the Sakar...unless you can check it out before buying, and it would have to be very low cost. My 2 cents.

-- Todd Frederick (fredrick@hotcity.com), June 23, 2000.

Randy, I find time and again I go back to the best lens I have in my inventory and that is a Zeiss Planar. All things being equal, and if you have to watch your expenses a bit, I would recommend you spend your money on the best lens you can and then buy whatever camera body you can afford to go with it, rather than the other way around.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), June 23, 2000.

I don't meen to be flippant BUT if you are going to use a Sakar lens or any other so called aftermarket lens why spend the money on a Pentax why not a Sakar body? I am a firm believer in using the camera manufacturers lenses exclusively. This has meant to me that I waited sometimes for years before I bought that second lens. I purchased my Nikon F2 in 1974 with a 35mm f2.8 lens and a standard prism finder (no meter). 26 years later I have 2 finders (I bought the DP1 finder a year later), 3 focusing screens (types A,R & P)and 5 lenses, (24mm 2.8, 35mm f2.8, 43 - 86 mm f3.5, 55mm f3.5 micro & 135mm f3.5), Nikon filters (L1A, L1BC,XO & B12)and even a EL-Nikkor 50mm f2.8 enlarging lens.OK perhaps I'm obsessive but all of my photos are made through Nikon optics start to finish. At any rate my point is don't rush a purchase, commit to a system and buy the best you can within that system while resisting the temptation to go quick and cheap. Good Luck! R

-- Robert Orofino (rorofino@iopener.net), June 23, 2000.

I don't believe Sakar makes SLR's.

Before accepting the Sakar lens, see if you can borrow it for a test run. Shoot a clear blue sky. If it's a zoom, zoom all the way out, take a few shots at different exposures, then zoom back & do it again. Then photograph a brick wall, again at both extremes of the zoom's range. Use slide film if possible.

Check the slides for vignetting (slight darkening around the edges, would be visible in the sky shots) and distortion (if the lines of bricks are curved, you've got distortion). Use a projector, enlarger/ grain focuser or strong magnifying loupe to check overall sharpness.

The reason I suggest this process is that some lesser-known after- market lens brands are more prone to vignetting, distortion and other optical abberations than lenses made by better-known independent brands and lenses made by the camera's manufacturer.

-- Mason Resnick (bwworld@mindspring.com), June 24, 2000.

I think testing one lens presents a number of difficulties. Unless you have a good lens you can use as a standard for comparison, it might be difficult to evaluate lens performance. For example, some of my lenses, when the negatives are examined 'in a vacuum' look as though they are perfectly fine. It is only when I compare the 11x14 prints made with the Zeiss lens against the prints made with another of my lenses, that I see the difference. So, I do think lens testing is valuable, but unless you have the experience and something to compare your photo to, it might not mean much.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), June 25, 2000.

Chris, I agree with you up to a point. I think that even without a benchmark lens to test against, trying out a lens before you buy it is a good idea when possible. Even without another lens to compair against, you can establish your personal tolerance for defects. Some people can live with a little vignetting if the price is right, for instance. Others can't. Of course a comparison is better,but if that's not available, this exercise can still be valuable.

The procedure I laid out is one organized way to efficiently put a lens through its paces, and is better than just shooting haphazardly. If you have limited time it can come in handy.

BTW this is a somewhat simplified version of how we field-tested lenses at Modern Photography. (We also shot USAF lens test targets with the camera mounted on a rock-steady tripod, ran all kinds of optical tests etc...)

-- Mason Resnick (bwworld@mindspring.com), June 25, 2000.

If I remember correctly, Sakar is a Korean made lens. Typically, Korean lenses provide for a higher markup to the seller than a Japanese lens of similar design (which is probably why it was being offered to you with the camera). While I am not aware of the technical capabilities of this specific lens, I would personally opt for the Pentax lens given a similar or slightly higher price. The Japanese have more experience in lens design and manufacturing at this point.

-- Larry Rudy (ljrgcr@cetlink.net), June 25, 2000.

Your memory is correct: Sakar is a Korean-manufactured brand. And in my extensive experience it seems like retailers liked to sell this brand becuase it was more profitable for them.

-- Mason Resnick (bwworld@mindspring.com), June 26, 2000.