I tested the Pentax 645 zoom lens anew, but this time stabilized with a lens support in front - so it wouldn't wobble so much. I am glad that i bought it several weeks ago - because it really goes help. And works well both in the horizontal as well in the vertical position.

Setting manual focus is quite a challenge, because the margins are very small - in a zone where the lens is sharp. I wouldn't really want to do that without a tripod, given how the viewfinder image wobbles around when you enable enlargement. That's like trying to focus with a 3000 mm lens...

Wobbly.

The lens impresses.

Not like a Fujifilm GF lens, but a very good vintage lens which still works awesome in terms of optical performance. What else can I wish for - for 210 which has AF and OIS - but hey - this is a bargain lens for 210 €

Which is just crazy when you think about it (I say that a lot lately). These lenses are well performing, albeit made for film on mediumformat cameras like Pentax 645N and 645 NII. Yet also to be used on the digital versions with AF; the Pentax 645D and Pentax 645z.

And if you want truly crisp finestdetails, you just ad a tiny notch of AI sharpening. It works wonders in ways, as if you are using a modern lens. I mean, why not... With an adapter it works of course on other digital cameras, like in this example with a Fujifilm GFX 50s II camera. Yes, it works, and i love it.

It does however remind me of my Mamiya Sekor Z lens setup *LOL*

Big, bold and bulky.

But hey, if i go out, i use an air dampened shopping wagon. In there, everything fits. And it can take up to 50 kilo - so there are not real restriction, if you go about in the city or in the outer suburbs and near landscapes of Stockholm.

Close min focus distance

I was a bit surprized how close the lens focus on its longest focal length of 300 mm... it must been something like 1.4 meter or so. Not exactly what I had expected (thinking it was a lot longer, like 3 or 3.5 meter). Let' me check at the Pentax forum, what the exact minimum focus distance actually is.

2 meter min focus distance

Oh, it is 200 cm / 2 meter. I thought it was closer, because it felt closer. Maybe that is because the lens itself is long, so it looks like you are closer to the subject than you actually are.

Lens diameter is 67mm Ø - which is adequate given that it is only a ƒ5.6 lens.

Sharpness stopped down

Of course with tripod, lens support, 2s delay and electronic shutter - the lens stunns. Your biggest enemy with details afar, is that the atmosphere is unsettled and at times results into severe disturbances - resulting into very blurry images. Before sunset today, it was a bit better than it was during the day.

Below:

First image shows the overall 50 MP photo. the last three images, show 100% screen-sized enlargements from the frame.