I'm hoping to process some of the rolls I shot with this lens today or tomorrow, so I'll save my observations on performance until I've seen what it can do.
The first thing I thought when I saw the Pentax SMC-67 75mm f2.8 was that the barrel was made out of plastic. It isn't -- it is quite certainly metal -- but it is painted a much more matte black than my 67 (from '98, not a 67II) and the 105 that I have (which are decidedly glossy). I imagine that this finish matches the 67II. It doesn't look out of place mounted on my 67, but I did immediately notice it as different. The lens is nearly identical in size and weight to my 105mm f2.4. According to the specs in the manual, it is 6mm shorter and 30g lighter. It has A-series style markings (the curvier font, with the lettering on the diagonal front of the focussing ring rather than inset around the lens). The filter size is 67mm, which made me really happy since I have a number of 67mm filters already for the 105. The lens itself extends to the very edge of the barrel. I shot with a couple of different filters, so we'll see if they vignette at all. The lens handles beautifully. It feels every bit as good as the 105. The included hood is plastic, but finished in exactly the same matte black paint as the lens. It has a useful little pop-off door so one can access a polarizer with the hood on. The minimum focus distance (a smidge over two feet) is really quite freeing after having lived with the 105 for so long. 7 elements, five groups. 9 aperture blades. So far I am very pleased with everything about this lens. Please, ask questions if you want to know anything about it. -Aaron - 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 .
