K135mm f/2.5

As some of you will know, in an attempt to get away from the 2021 blues I have been doing the "Single in ...." challenge on the US fora. Basically, one tries to take and post one image a day for a month using the same lens. This month I have been using one of the first K-series primes I purchased, the K135mm f/2.5. This one was purchased around about 2009 or so. When I was moving house last December I found a receipt for the 135mm lens I purchased in 1986 which was stolen (along with my M28/2.8, M50/1.7 and MX) on the Paris Metro in about 1999. In those days I didn't have the internet to scour and feed my LBA and I didn't remember that my original lens was also a K135/2.5. The post below is my monthly round-up which I have copied here for anyone who is interested. This month (June) I am going to use one of my latest acquisitions, the K20/4.

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May is often a busy month for me as I have to do a lot of grading. I used to have a trip to the US in the middle but the event was cancelled because of covid in 2020 and hasn't been reinstated. As a result I had a lot of "safeties" including one or two terrible ones which I'll gloss quickly over. The main issue I have with the K135/2.5 is that it is not very close focusing. As a result, my extension tubes got a lot of use this month, often just the thin 13mm one which is enough to bring focusing down to about 1m or so. I have no idea why, but I seemed to have more problems focussing the 135mm using the viewfinder than I did with the K120 earlier in the year. Whenever I could (basically when I could use a tripod), I used live view to refine the focus. Only once did I knock the dial when turning the camera on and accidentally set the focal length to 1135mm. I'm getting better at checking. I also think that the contrast etc. would be improved with a lens hood. I have an original appropriate plastic clip-on hood but one of the clips is not quite right and it tends to fall off, so it didn't get used much. Before I moved house I used to use a metal screw-in Takumar hood which was much better but I couldn't find which box those ended-up in!

All in all, it is a nice lens and I'm happy to have it and use it. It is nice and sharp when you nail the focus and quite bright. I suspect, however, that the K120mm might see a little more use on the basis of the two SIC months with these two lenses, Here are a few unmarkable images.



May 28: rose par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity



May 02: Cougar par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity



May 12: Knebworth churchyard par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity



May 24: walking by par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity



May 07: Hampton Gay par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity



May 06: SV par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity



May 09: odd one out par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity

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Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
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A varied and interesting selection Kris - "walking by" is a rather touching reminder of bad times and "rose" has such quality and beauty. Using a short extension tube on telephoto lenses is a great way to enhance the scope of the lens, I often use one on my A*85 - and am always pleased with the results

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LennyBloke

The rose is wonderful, it's an all rounder lens!

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Gareth
Welsh Photographer

My outfit: K1 gripped - K3ii - two Z-1P - Pentax D FA 24-70mm - Sigma 70-200mm OS HSM - Pentax modified DA* 60-250mm f4 - Irix 15mm Firefly - Pentax FA 35mm - FA 50mm - Sigma EX 20mm - FA 28-70mm f4 - Tamron SP 90mm macro - Pentax AF 540 FGZ II

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