Interesting Cheap Primes

I probably broke some rule about upgrading to a K20D in a hurry and not worrying about lenses
So at the moment I only have the Kit lens and my DA 50-200mm.


Basically Im just looking for some interesting and cheap lenses to play around with, until I decide to splash out again.

I just got outbid tonight by a few euro's on a 50mm A F2.0.
Which Ill probably look for another one, for me the F1.7 isnt worth the extra money.

Im also keeping my eye on a 28mm F2.8, and also the Helios-44M just cause it looks interesting. Though I do prefer my wider angles.

Ive found out about loads of lenses on the pentax.com forum, but since I dont have an account there(yet?) I thought I would ask here.


So if any of you have any recommendations for any lenses that you think are good deals and worth investigating that would be great!

Cheers,
Conal

135mm Sonnar. Good one will cost up to fifty quid. Usual way to get them cheapest is via your local FreeAds, usually as a job lot with an old Praktica etc where the whole kit goes for 20 quid. Stunning lens. Latest was the MC S version, sharp enough to cut yourself on and excellent contrast etc. Earlier 'zebra' as sharp but somehow has much more character. Even earlier ones with almost perfect round aperture are known as the "bokeh monster" for obvious reasons. Old Pentax 135s can be had for next to nothing too, and are a fabulous chunk of glass. I'm currently watching several Pentax-M versions on fleabay.

Get the Helios 44, ignore what anyone tells you about it, use it, you'll never get rid of it - I promise. Ditto the old Tak 55mm - lovely lens, IMHO.

The possible list is endless!

^^ I agree with Graham ^^

I recently acquired a 135mm Sonnar and it's a stunner - if I'd known it'd be this good I'd have bought one ages ago!

I also concur about the Helios 44 (various versions). I've had several run through my hands (I've two of them for sale on eBay right now with free cameras attached) and they've all been great performers. Very cheap too!

Unfortunately, you're unlikely to pick up a really cheap wide angle - the closest you'll come will probably be the Zenitar 16mm fish eye if you can find one. Not especially "fishy" on APS-C but more like a wide angle with pronounced barrel distortion.

If you're looking for something around the 24-28mm mark can I shamelessly point you towards two more of my eBay auctions that finish on Thursday night?

Vivitar 28mm f2.8

Sigma 24mm f2.8

They're both M42 mount and worked just fine in my tests...

Pentax-M 100mm F2.8. None on Fleabay-UK at the moment, but keep a look out. Nice little fast lens.

This one a zoom rather than a prime, but cheap and interesting if you want something faster than your 50-200 and don't mind lugging a few extra hundred grams sometimes: smc Pentax-A 70-210mm F4. Always loads of these on eBay.

Are these any good?

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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170299777447&ssPageNam...

Hefty... are either of those the M42 SMC mount? The last of the Pentax M42s had a slightly different mount to work with the ES type cameras. Do you know if any of the 135mm Sonnars have the later mount?

BF... My guess is the SMC-A 100mm will go for fairly serious money. A-series lenses always go for more than the M series and the 100mm is an unusual length.

Cheers, Kris.

Optically the same as the M version, which I know from experience is good. Will be bid up high because of the A setting.


Not as good optically as the SMC K 135mm f2.5 according to Yoshihiko Takinami on http://stans-photography.info/LongComments.html#50%20mm%20Lenses - but again the price will go high because of the auto focus & exposure.

Is that the extra 'lumps and bumps' and a slidey bit similar to K-mount? If so, no, the nearest the M42 Sonnar got to 'modern' was the electric version for PLC/LLC etc Prakticas, which had three electrical contacts.

No, both the Vivitar and the Sigma are just "auto" lenses with the sticky-out pin at the bottom to operate the iris. Fairly generic M42 design.

Cheers for those few, glad to hear nice things about the Helios 44
And the 135mm Sonnar looks great

So i take it from what ive read that i should get the genuine pentax m42 adapter? Anyone seen it for a good price anywhere?

SRS Microsystems, just short of twenty quid, postage free if you give them your username from here. Order it now, you'll have it in no time

I got a genuine Pentax adapter from SRS - not worth bothering with the cheap copies for the sake of less than 20 quid, especially if the cheaper ones either don't work properly or get stuck on the camera.

Ok, that sounds good

Just bought a cheap 50mm A 2.0 from ebay. Maybe not too 'interesting' but ill take it from there

I recommend finding a K-mount Vivitar 28mm f/2. There are several types but they are all nice stopped down one and really nice after that. Perfect for landscapes or street shots.

Many would recommend the Takumars, especially the SMC variety. Easy to use on the K20D. There is a 50mm f/1.4 and a 55mm f/1.8, both of which have great IQ. Wider there's the popular SMC Tak 28mm f/3.5. About $50 each.

Hope to see you on that "other" forum. Wondering if you picked up your camera in Ireland or over the magical Internet thingy?

You can get genuine ones (adaptors) on fleabay but I keep getting outbid at the last moment by 50p. I might have to admit defeat and just order one from SRS. I wonder if it has a 2 year warranty The 50mm is a nice lens, and those A/M series lenses look so tiny on the K10D

Hefty... was it the Sonnar you were after when you ended up with a trunk full of camera bits?

Thanks for the info on the mounts. The ES is a bit fiddly to use with non-SMC lenses. I think I might just have to get myself an older Spotmatic Oh, but which one to get : the SPII, SP-F, SP500, SP1000... so many choices!

My serviced ME-F should be back tomorrow from Harrow Technical so I'll have to give that a run through its paces.

Best wishes, Kris.