Hi All, you might have seen a picture of my "M" lens collection I posted in the equipment thread. Just bought an FA77 that hasn't arrived yet and I need to pay for it. In fact when it gets here I expect to have to pay lots of duty on it as it's coming from Canada. Anyway I need to pay off the old credit card now so here goes.

I'll start with the zooms as it's easier to let them go and this first one is the one in the worst condition and I never liked it much anyway.

M series 40-80mm F2.8-F4.0 macro zoom. Well it says macro but it's nowhere near as close as say the 18-55 kit lens.

Condition is cosmetically pretty decent probably very good (maybe just about ) and the lens all works ok. There ia a BIG BUT however. There is fungus on the inside. In the middle. Strangely there's a lot less than there used to be ? This is the only lens I have that had any so I kept it separate. I did however leave it on the windowsill for a week in the summer and there was a lot of fungus but it's mostly gone apart from a patch in the middle ? Weird.

Anyway because of that and the fact that it's heavy I'm trying for £15 and that includes UK postage. Could be used like I did to complete a collection etc. Don't mind if nobody has it I understand the reservations.

If anybody is interested email [email protected]

I'll bung it on ebay Sunday if nobody wants it.

Paypal or cheque or PO or cash or anything really.

Sorry about the focusing in these pictures I was using the kit lens and it was a bit dark, must find the old 50 macro.

What zoom do you want to see next 24-35, 70-150 or 80-200 ?

Side



Front



Back



At 40mm



At 80mm




Hi sold ALL of my "M" series cameras and lenses now so thanks.

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.

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 ?

Dear Peter, if I could keep what I want I'd keep the 20, 28 F2, 50 1.4, 85 F2 and 100mm F2.8 but the 20, 28 F2 and 85mm F2 are the most expensive apart from the 120mm which is rare so if I kept them I wouldn't make any money.

I have 2 options keep the 28 F2, 50mm F1.4 and 85mm F2 and sell the rest

or

keep the 28mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4 and 100mm f2.8 as a core set.

Not sure what to do I just need to keep enough to keep the MX going I've had the 85mm for 20 years and the MX if I don't get the money I need for the 28mm F2 I could just keep it, it's got a bash on the filter ring that makes it very hard to get a filter on although it's optically almost mint.

I'll start posting them on the for sale soon but it might take some time to photograph them. I might start with the zooms.

Dear Hefty, the one thing that might sway me towards the MX would be the viewfinder. While it is a bit darker as long as you have a decent F2 type lens on it you will be fine so the FA77, FA31 and FA43 will make it bright enough. In this case I'd go for the MX as you can see the apertures in the viewfinder and the shutter speed dial is MUCH easier to use than the buttons.

I'd get both as you can pick them up very cheap now and decide which you like.

Never having had any of the Programme series of cameras ( like Super A etc) just the "M" series the MX is the only mechanical one so if you want mechanical then that's the only one.

Having said that though the rest of the "M" series can all be used with dead batteries at their flash sync speed of 125 which is pretty usefull. In light of this I'd get either the MX or ME Super.

The ME Super is about the same size and has a much brighter viewfinder making it easier to focus. I don't like the buttons used to change shutter speed though so for manual use the MX still rocks.

The MX has more options like motor drive, bulk back and interchangeable screens but they are all hard to find, expensive and probably not needed these days. The MX is the only one where you can see the apertures in the viewfinder.

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.

Like I said I have no experience of the "A" series which should have the benefits of the ME Super combined with Programme mode and maybe TTL flash support ? (not sure about that). The only down side of those is that as Jack Simpson pointed out to me once you can't see the details in the viewfinder if it's dark as there are no LEDs.

The LX combines the advantages of the MX and ME Super, best of both world if you can afford one. The only thing you miss with the LX are slow shutter speeds if the batteries die. I didn't like it though, the viewfinder seems darker than the ME Super. The LX often suffers from the "sticky mirror" problem so I'd consider it much less reliable than the MX. My MX was bought 2nd hand in 1983/84 I think and I've had no problems with it. I did have it serviced about 4 years ago but that was just to have the light seals done and the foam around the mirror was perishing. I had a new screen put in too as the old one was very dirty with perished foam.


Anyway that's all just opinion so ME Super for convenience, MX otherwise and LX if you can afford it.

I thought I'd better take a photo of the remains of my "M" collection before it goes under the hammer. I once had all the bodies too in both silver and black but as you can see I've whittled it all down to only 4 bodies including my original MX bought about 25 years ago.

I've just ordered the 77mm F1.8 so I need to break up this collection to help pay for it and a new film body. I don't really want to it makes me hurt but apart from the 20mm I don't use most of it.

All the primes from 20mm to 200mm are there. The only things missing are the 300, 400 and 2000mm primes and a couple of zooms. The primes are 20mm F4, 28mm F3.5, 28mm F2.8m 28mm F2, 35mm F2.8, 35mm F2, 40mm F2.8, 50mm F1.4, 50mm F1.7, 50mm F2, 50mm F4 Macro, 85mm F2, 100mm F2.8, 100mm F4 macro, 120mm F2.8, 135mm F3.5, 150mm F3.5 and 200mm F4. The zooms are the 24-35, 28-50, 70-150 and 80-200. The bodies are ME, ME Super, MX & MV.

I'll probably sell most of them soon so watch out. I'm looking to get the 77mm, and old body MZ5/MZ3/MZS maybe an FA20 and the FA 80-320 so I need to raise some cash.

The last lens I bought was the 120mm which has taken years to find a mint one.




I wont tell you which is which I'll leave that up to you to sort out

Sorry but original buyer Richard got in touch, there is a problem with my personal messages, sorry to disappoint.

Dan, I think that my PM thing on this forum isn't working. Did you get my emails about the MZ5 etc ?

Do you fancy coming round on Monday or if the weathers nice ( not wet ) on Saturday doing the Hanning fields or there abouts. I've only been there once and that was because I got lost on my bicycle but I think I know where it all is now. Just email me [email protected] cheers John McD.

No I didn't try that trick but Dan says he has the same kind so I expect it will work. I can't try it right now as I've left them at work. If I don't hear anything by Saturday them they will be up for grabs again but I'll wait a wee bit in case he's just gone away for a day or two.