CLeW

The SMC Pentax 67 120mm f/3.5 Soft is a manual-focus telephoto prime introduced in 1982 and produced until 1989 for the Pentax 6×7 medium format system. Designed specifically as a soft-focus portrait lens, it was released in two variants—the original smc Pentax-6×7 Soft 120mm f/3.5 and the later smc Pentax 67 Soft 120mm f/3.5—both sharing the same optical formula of 4 elements in 3 groups. The lens features an 8-blade manual diaphragm, an aperture range from f/3.5 to f/22, and a minimum focusing distance of 75 cm. It accepts 77 mm screw-in filters, weighs 520 g, and measures 89 x 63.5 mm, making it relatively compact for the 6×7 system. The lens mount is the Pentax 6×7 inner bayonet, and it was designed without automatic aperture control, requiring stop-down metering. Optically, the lens is unique in its rendering, producing a sharp “core” image overlaid with a soft glow caused by under-corrected spherical aberration. The degree of softness is controlled by aperture: wide open at f/3.5 the effect is strongest, gradually diminishing until it disappears around f/11, where the lens behaves like a conventional sharp telephoto. This makes it versatile, functioning both as a creative soft-focus tool and as a standard 120mm lens when stopped down. Bokeh is smooth and pleasing, with highlights bleeding softly into shadows, creating a dreamy atmosphere ideal for portraiture and artistic work. However, focusing can be challenging in low light due to the manual diaphragm and the soft rendering at wider apertures.

Came in two variants with similar specs:
SMC Pentax-6×7 120mm f/3.5 SOFT in 1982; SMC Pentax 67 120mm f/3.5 SOFT in 1989

Country of Origin:
Release Date: 1982
Launch Price:
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