Sears Sears 135mm f2.8 Heritage

Overview

The Sears Auto Multicoated 135mm f/2.8 is a rebadged telephoto prime sold under the Sears house brand during the era when large American retailers commissioned lenses from established Japanese and Korean optical firms. According to the Pentax Forums lens database, Sears marketed a number of forms of this lens, most probably manufactured by Samyang, with strong similarities to other 135/2.8 lenses of the period (the Tokina 135/2.8 is noted as looking particularly similar). One community source on allphotolenses.com suggests that a particular version may actually be a Tomioka variant that paired with the Auto Sears 55mm f/1.4, sharing the same build construction. This uncertainty over the true maker is characteristic of the badge-engineered lenses of the 1970s and 80s. No established nickname exists for this lens in the reviews surveyed. Its cult following, such as it is, rests almost entirely on value: it is an extremely inexpensive, all-metal, sharp telephoto that punches far above its price. Reviewers repeatedly praise the value (average user value rating of 9.5) and note that it delivers pleasing, creamy bokeh and good color for portraiture and subject isolation, making it a bargain sleeper for film shooters and adapters alike.

Verdict: The Sears Auto Multicoated 135mm f/2.8 is a bargain telephoto sleeper: a well-built, all-metal manual prime that delivers surprisingly sharp results and consistently creamy bokeh for a fraction of the cost of name-brand equivalents. It is ideal for portrait and subject-isolation shooters on a budget who don't mind manual focus and a touch of chromatic aberration wide open. For film photographers and mirrorless adapters seeking maximum character-per-dollar, it is an easy recommendation — just inspect carefully for fungus before buying.

Optical Character

Bokeh

Consistently praised as nice, creamy, smooth and pleasing, well suited to subject isolation.

Color

Pleasant, somewhat subdued rendering with a cinematic, slightly desaturated look.

Sharpness wide open

Described as very sharp, even wide open and handheld, for both landscapes and portraits.

Community Insights

What people love

Exceptional value — frequently bought for very little (one user paid around $10, average price cited near $30), with an average value rating of 9.5
Creamy, smooth, pleasing bokeh well suited to portraits and subject isolation
Genuinely sharp, even wide open and handheld, for landscapes and portraits
All-metal construction with a non-rotating bezel and built-in slide-out metal hood that gives a satisfying feel
Pleasant color rendering, with some describing a cinematic, slightly desaturated look

What people dislike

Chromatic aberration is visible wide open at f/2.8
Manual focus only with no A setting on the aperture ring (aperture cannot be set from camera)
Susceptibility to fungus with age, as reported by one long-term owner whose copy was ruined

Pro Tips

Stop down slightly from f/2.8 to reduce the chromatic aberration seen wide open while retaining smooth bokeh
Lean into its smooth rendering for portraits and subject isolation where the creamy bokeh shines
Use the built-in slide-out metal hood to help control flare and protect the front element
On modern mirrorless bodies, adapt via the Pentax K mount to exploit its wide-open sharpness with focus aids

Sources (1)

Web-grounded synthesissecondary

The Sears Auto Multicoated 135mm f/2.8 is a rebadged telephoto prime sold under the Sears house brand during the era when large American retailers commissioned lenses from established Japanese and Korean optical firms. According to the Pentax Forums lens database, Sears marketed a number of forms of this lens, most probably manufactured by Samyang, with strong similarities to other 135/2.8 lenses of the period (the Tokina 135/2.8 is noted as looking particularly similar). One community source on allphotolenses.com suggests that a particular version may actually be a Tomioka variant that paired with the Auto Sears 55mm f/1.4, sharing the same build construction. This uncertainty over the true maker is characteristic of the badge-engineered lenses of the 1970s and 80s. No established nickname exists for this lens in the reviews surveyed. Its cult following, such as it is, rests almost entirely on value: it is an extremely inexpensive, all-metal, sharp telephoto that punches far above its price. Reviewers repeatedly praise the value (average user value rating of 9.5) and note that it delivers pleasing, creamy bokeh and good color for portraiture and subject isolation, making it a bargain sleeper for film shooters and adapters alike.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/sears-135mm-f2-8-auto-multicoated.htmlhttps://www.reddit.com/r/AskPhotography/comments/plzjsu/sears_135mm_f28_my_20_vintage_lens_its_not_unsharp/https://thepixelconnection.com/products/auto-sears-135mm-f2-8-lens-for-pentax-k-usedhttps://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/1677326https://allphotolenses.com/lenses/item/c_4669.html