Link below takes you to photos of the Tamron and the DA21....

link

Cheers,

Jon

Having issues linking photos into this thread but this link should take you to some quick shots of the Tamron mirror lens and the DA21 also up for sale. Cheers, Jon

link

Sure thing. Tamron 500mm on it's way up in next few minutes.

J

Lens sold. Thanks for looking. Jon

As it says in the topic. My last lens for sale - it's a great lens but a focal length that I've ended up not using terribly much. This one is boxed with caps, hood and pouch. It is not quite mint, and has some very minor cosmetic signs of light use - but not as much as the ex demo one that SRS offered me once! Optically as new though.

A new one of these costs £375 from SRS. This one is up for £240 including Special Delivery within the UK.

I will take some and post a link over the next couple of hours. Cheers, Jon

Second of three lenses that I'm putting up for sale. This is a superb lens that is not that easy to find, and it's in great condition. It's the highly rated 58mm filter version (not the Takumar) and a joy to use. Trouble is that now I have the 50-135 it doesn't get out as much as it should.

The lens is in great shape and shows only light signs of use. I can see one tiny piece of dust in it but it's never affected any of my photographs. Comes complete with UV filter that's been on since I bought it (sorry, Jessops own brand but it does the job). Also rear cap and clip on front cap (not the Pentax original). I also tracked down a Pentax original clip on lens hood for it - not that easy to find.

Price - £60 incl Special Delivery within the UK.

Great lens that's lots of fun, but I'm continuing a clearout and reduction down to much smaller amount of kit that I use regularly - and I rarely need this focal length when out and about in London!

This lens is highly regarded as one of the best mirror lenses out there, and comes complete with all of their advantages (small and lightweight) and disadvantages (not terribly contrasty, bokeh can be a matter of taste (often tastes of doughnuts if you don't learn how to avoid them).

Used with patience and with files shot RAW the results can be great. Look up my Botswana threads on Depressing Review from around February for some examples of what this particular lens has done for me.

My example is in very good condition optically (is that the word for the mirror?!) but cosmetically it shows signs of having lived a little... When I got it from MXV a few years back they described it as Exc +, and it's still as good as when I got it - which means some paint worn here and there and a scratch or two on the barrel. It sort of gives it some charm (bit like an appealing mutt) but be reassured the lens markings are all fine and intact, the focussing works smoothly, and the IQ is as it should be. It may have some scratches but there are no dents or dings, so the wear and tear is more a sign of age and regular use, not a sign of neglect.

The lens comes complete with original hood, original rear cap and a clip on front cap (not the Tamron original). No case though

In addition, I will include a Tamron PKM adapter. Be warned that this adapter, which works perfectly with the mirror lens, is not recommended for use with other Tamron lenses - I have had some issues with it not stopping down cleanly with variable aperture lenses, but given the mirror only has one aperture the issue is entirely irrelevant.

Now in an age when you can buy the 60-250 for around a grand, and that only reaches half the length of this Tamron, surely £60 incl Special Delivery in the UK has got to be a pretty good deal?

Happy to answer more questions if you have any. Otherwise this link may help:

http://www.adaptall-2.com/lenses/55BB.html

I would be willing to bet the prices will start to come back down soon enough. It happened in Canada and it'll have to happen here when sales halt.

Was thinking about this after responding yesterday, and for SA you might want to consider getting a decent long zoom with the intention from the outset of selling it when you return!

The Sigma Bigma is an obvious choice and you'll have no problem finding someone to take it off your hands if you don't want to keep it. If you went down this route, I'd buy new or at least secondhand with a warrantee - people more likely to buy off you for decent money if there's some guarantee left.

PS - I recently picked up secondhand Tamron 18-250 from LCE in London for £229. It's in fine condition and quite a lot better IQ than it ought to be! I've also seen a brand new one for PK last week in Jessops Birmingham branch - £299, which is a pretty good price if you're quick.