It has been almost 10 years since I first used this lens, which was limited to a simple test on the newly released Pentax K1 camera body at a launch event. That initial contact ignited a fondness for the 77 that has continued through to the present day. A couple of months ago I realised that a decade had passed and I was no closer to seriously using one, due to owning Pentax’s HD DA 70mm Limited and DFA* 85mm lenses. Before this, I used a very unreliable Leica Summicron 75mm APO lens with my SL2-s.
I was taking stock of my camera inventory recently and came to notice that all except one of my camera bodies are long discontinued - the exception being my Pentax K1 mkii. While this is still available new, there is speculation that it has been out of production for some time, and that old stock is simply being used up.
During my years as a photographer I have been fortunate enough to own and use many lenses from across different brands. By this I do not mean that I have had them for a few weeks simply for review purposes. Without exception I use all of my equipment for its intended purpose over long periods of time (although I have occasionally found myself with a closet queen or two).
What is there left to write about the Pentax K1mkii? It is a camera that was released in April 2018 that was an upgrade to the original K1 which debuted two years previous. The internet provides an enormous resource of information pertaining to both products, so writing this article may seem moot. In the fast moving world of camera development, the K1mkii is ancient and from a technical perspective some would argue that the DSLR is a relic from bygone times, ergo it is obsolete.
I am rapidly approaching the three year mark in my project to scan our vast film archive. Admittedly I am taking my time and working on it only when I feel like it, so progress is a little slower than anticipated. This approach probably has a lot to do with why I am less than 50% of the way through the task along with the fact that it has been an enormous learning curve.
When Leica announced a silver version of the SL2 camera body in July 2023 I immediately sat up and took notice. I have always had a weakness for silver bodies which can be traced back to my first days of camera ownership. Initially there were three sticking points that reluctantly made me pass it by; 1) I had taken delivery of a SL2-s a few weeks prior to the announcement. 2) The cost was very high - much higher than the SL2-s. 3) At that time I was not keen on the higher (47) megapixel count.
Not being one to waste any time once my 2025 camera gear budget was available, I started scouring the sales for one of the smallest short telephoto lenses in existence. I had become intrigued by this 70mm lens some months ago after reading much positive information from many sources. SRS Microsystems in Watford had a deal on the lens that I could not pass up, so barely a day into the new year I was playing with my new toy.