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All the "M" Well almost (before the hammer falls)

Clarky
Posted 10/04/2008 - 19:25 Link
hefty1 wrote:
George Lazarette wrote:
I don't think this battery business is really relevant. It's not like a DSLR, which consumes lots of big, heavy, hungry, batteries. You put a battery in the Super A and it will last for a year, maybe three. And a spare is smaller and lighter than a 2p piece, so it's not a problem to carry a lifetime's supply.

Your point is a valid one George, however, I probably should have mentioned that I "collect" battery free cameras and was after something that could take my Pentax glass whilst simultaneously adding to my 60-odd mechanical bodies.

I don't have any Pentax stuff at the moment (except the K10D, my Auto 110 set and a compact 90 Zoom) and I like taking them apart, cleaning them up and putting them together again (jigsaw style) as much as I like taking photos with them. I can't seem to go to a car boot sale these days without buying an Olympus Trip (currently own 7), Rollei B35 (2) or even a Kodak Brownie (3). Most of them I end up selling or giving away once they're working & looking like new again; others (like my Rollei TLR and my Leica IIIf) I can't imagine ever letting go of.

So while I'm sure the Super A is a better body it just doesn't tickle my fancy in the same way the MX does...

I have a friend, well lets say someone i know in my camera club and he has a bunch of old screw mount Ms and A lenses as well as bodies (not sure what they are though).

Well he is doing the opposite to you guys and selling his DA lenses as he is in a bit of a financial bind at the moment.
He reasons it will be easier to replace his digital stuff when he gets back on his feet and will just revert back to film with all his beloved older lenses, which he swears he will never sell. Sound reasoning i guess.

He has some nice DA and EX Sigma lenses also, so i might pick up a bargain or 2.
Camera:|K-7|
Pentax Lenses:|DA12-24/f4 ED AL|DA35Ltd Macro|FA31Ltd|FA77Ltd|FA50/1.4|F70-210|FA20-35 f4/AL|A*200/f4 Macro ED|A50/1.7|A50 Macro f2.8|1.7xAF adapter|
Voigtlander|125/f2.5SL Macro APO Lanthar|
Sigma Lenses:|EX DG 100-300 f4|2X & 1.4X TC|
Flashes:|AF540FGZx2|RingFlash AF160FC|
JohnMcD
Posted 25/04/2008 - 22:38 Link
Well I've been offered about £1000 for the lot though I have to pay shipping to Hong Kong myself. What do you guys think ? Does that sound reasonable ?
Daniel Bridge
Posted 25/04/2008 - 23:20 Link
From the pic, I see 23 lenses and 4 bodies, so that's an average of about £37 each, without taking into consideration the postage. Think you'll have to find out how much that would cost you, have a look at some ebay prices to see what you might get for them on there, and weigh it up then.

Just had a look through completed listings here, and it looks as though M lenses go from about £10 upwards, so have a look and see how many you have that would sell for the lower amounts, £1000 may well be a good price. Don't forget it's only the items with the amount in green that have sold.

Dan
K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...
iceblinker
Posted 25/04/2008 - 23:25 Link
£1000 - even if it was just for the lenses - would be an average of £43 for each lens. I would have thought you could make more by selling them individually. Insured shipping to HK for all that lot must cost a fortune as well.

It may be a few hours work, but I would research the value of each lens. eBay would be a good start: Advanced Search, Completed Items.
~Pete
hefty1
Posted 25/04/2008 - 23:41 Link
I think £1000 sounds like a reasonable price, if you do it though I'm sure it goes without saying that you must get paid up-front.

If it were me I think I'd be loathe to sell them at any price, but you can console yourself that the 77 seems to be as good as everyone says it is, I'm a recent owner myself.
Joining the Q
George Lazarette
Posted 26/04/2008 - 08:23 Link
Think of the saving in time and hassle by selling once rather than doing thirty different transactions.

Disposing of this collection is the right thing to do, from a financial point of view. With some exceptions, these lenses are readily available, and support for them on Pentax cameras is not what it was. They're not going to go up in value.

But you'll miss them.

In your shoes, I would buy the most desirable of the manual-era lenses, the 50mm 1.2, and keep it as a link with the past. Even they seem to be selling for under 150 pounds these days.

G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
Mongoose
Posted 28/04/2008 - 13:26 Link
JohnMcD wrote:
All the other "M" series have more limited features so I'd avoid them. The MEF looks a mess and the focus assist isn't up to much so I wouldn't bother with that, I had a lovely mint one and only got about £20 when I sold it.

I argue that as a users camera this makes the ME-F the very best of the M series, unless you want the manualness of the MX.

OK the AF system only works with one lens which is about as common as rocking horse droppings, and even rarer if you want one that works, but the AF assist is pretty good with fast lenses and you can always turn it off.

You get all the features of the ME Super, plus AF assist and because no one has heard of an MEF they go for about half the price of the Super.

Ideal. I love mine to bits and will never part with it.
you don't have to be mad to post here



but it does help
George Lazarette
Posted 28/04/2008 - 14:00 Link
Mongoose wrote:
I argue that as a users camera this makes the ME-F the very best of the M series, unless you want the manualness of the MX.

With the greatest respect, Mongoose, I agree completely. If there was any chance that I might want to shoot film again, I would buy one.

In fact, I might anyway. Was it not the world's first AF SLR?

G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
JohnMcD
Posted 28/04/2008 - 22:55 Link
George I wouldn't spend the money on the batteries, it takes about 20 as far as I can remember. The MEF looks like a bit of 1980s Japanese bling Hi-Fi, too many buttons and sliders.

The MX is the only really decent "M" camera. I wouldn't be saying that if any of the others had a shutter speed dial.
SPB
Posted 25/10/2008 - 12:47 Link
Super collection of "M" lenses
Peter Elgar
Posted 26/10/2008 - 10:21 Link
When I got my bayonet Pentaxes from David S. Leung in about 1986 I ordered the Me Super,a MX and the `120mm f2.8 SMC Pentax-M lens with no trouble - I didn't know it was'rare'. My ex-wife took it when she went off in 1993 as I had bought the 80-200mm SMC f4.5 Pentax-M lens,together with a MX I had bought her from Comet(cheap-£65!).I used the 120mm for lots of portraits but found it disappointing soft at f2.8,not really useable for critical work.( I bought it on the strength of a write-up by Ron Spillman).
been a member of Pentax Club since the Ron Spillman era! Got COMPUTERISED at last - DIGITISED? Taken the PLUNGE - BUT FILM STILL RULES !!!
johnriley
Posted 26/10/2008 - 10:25 Link
The SMC Pentax-M 120mm f2.8 is indeed soft wide open, which they claimed was to make it suitable for portraiture at wide apertures. I never liked the lens, much preferring the SMC Pentax-M 100mm f2.8.
Best regards, John
BODYHEAT
Posted 15/06/2009 - 22:58 Link
Nice to hear the 120mm 2.8 is rare. I bought mine in 1981 because it was a perfect focal length for headshots (as opposed to portraits which include shoulders) and it is mint too. I have just bought a K20D so I hope to have fun with my old lenses with it.
FILM - Pentax: LX, K2 - 24/2.8, 40/2.8, 50/1.4, 120/2.8, 80-200/4.5, 28-105mm 2.8 macro, AF 280T

DIGITAL - Nikon : D300 - 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR DX
hefty1
Posted 15/06/2009 - 23:22 Link
I love playing with old lenses on a new camera, but don't be suprised if your old zooms look a bit tired compared to the new ones. Old prime lenses on the other hand tend to be great performers
Joining the Q
shim
Posted 16/06/2009 - 08:52 Link
Awesome collection, I've a few of them but also some A series
lenses. Still got 2 or 3 MX's and an MEF and a couple of Super A's

I'd hang onto the 80-200mm zoom. I've still not seen anything sharper
beyond 20m away.

EDIT: Just noticed the original date of this post

shim
Edited by shim: 16/06/2009 - 09:01

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