Yep, I've seen the mad prices on the 30mm. I think the last properly listed one went for about as much as a DA 21mm Ltd!

They are very definitely targetted by collectors now. I just buy them when I see them for sane money as I like the build quality and they're probably the best lenses available for my K and M series bodies. I have the 28/3.5 and 55/1.8 in addition to the three seen above.

Yep, they're not renowned for subtlety

I even bothered to get an ERC for mine to keep the rain off, after having to use all manner of creative tricks to avoid it getting soaked on a wet Sunday in Cardiff Bay a while ago.

Somebody got a bargain there alright! I hope they enjoy using it, the K2 is a great camera and those are fine lenses too. The family collection already includes a chrome K2 but I wouldn't mind a black one.

I think that 50 is an M as it has the M-type lens cap, the K series caps have a crinkle finish and don't have Asahi Pentax picked out in chrome. My three lenses above have the original K caps.

Hmm, see, that isn't helping my 50/1.4 temptation. I don't have the f1.2 and I do have a KX which could do with an original kit lens to complete it...

Am I being unrealistic in expecting to ever find one for less than £100?

I only buy K series primes now, which keeps LBA under control and means I'm making a decent investment. Due to their comparative rarity good condition examples will hold their value, providing you paid sensible money for them. Plus you get superbly made lenses to enjoy using!

As I understand it the males are black from fairly early on. I know we had a male about the same size bouncing around last month, I got the impression he was being trained to take over the family seat from his dad (who would normally see off any other males)!

An amazingly tame species. He actually came bouncing over to see what was going on if you went into the garden! I just hope he's ok as I haven't seen our Blackbird family for a few weeks now.

Keep your eyes open, they made an M 120/2.8 too but both seem pretty rare. I think I've only seen one other K 120mm since buying mine, I didn't see the final bid but it started at the price I paid. It's slightly larger than the common or garden M 135mm f3.5 but fits in the hand nicely. It takes 52mm filters and a dedicated lens hood (also fits the 135/3.5 and I think the 150mm) was available, although I don't have that.

The M 100/2.8 is a good alternative by all accounts, similar focal length and speed and slightly easier to find.

I think there's a link...

As I recently acquired examples of the 135mm and 200mm I thought a group portrait was in order:

[IMG]http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x21/Kingofthemountains/IMGP5300.jpg[/IMG]

From L to R, the 120/2.8, 135/3.5 and 200/4. The 120mm is an especially handy thing as due to the focal length you can use 1/125 without worrying too much about shake, and with the relatively fast max aperture you can keep shutter speeds up even when the light isn't playing.

Now to resist the urge to spend £100 on a K 50mm f1.4. It'd be perfect with my KX but I think that's a daft amount of money to pay for an old lens. None of the three here cost more than £65 and the 120mm is much, much rarer than a 50mm!

I did see one on ebay a few days ago but as it only had about 30mins left I didn't PM you (thinking it was probably too late). Glad to hear you've found one anyway!

The T2 front seems to fit the MX as well as the ME-width by the way - it arrived this morning and seems to be sized for both. Handy if you want to keep the rain off something like the 135mm f3.5.

My scruffy MX is no longer scruffy thanks to the donation of a top and baseplate from my spare parts body (after deciding that it wasn't worth having it fixed). It has a bit of rubbing around the strap lugs but is in much better condition than it was before.

That number always makes me think of blue Subarus with gold wheels...