It depends how you define 'relatively cheap'. The Pentax-F 50mm f1.7 is an autofocus lens with similar (maybe the same) optical formula as the A or M lenses. There is one on ebay currently for £150:

link

but I don't know if that is a typical price or whether they are generally cheaper than that (someone here will know)... worth a browse on ebay or in online shops' second hand sections....

Hope that helps

Very cool (literally). I have often seen something similar on my car and thought about trying to photograph. I was out proper early on my bike this morning and got something not-too-dissimilar on my glasses!

Cheers

Thank you very much everyone. Taking these really reminded me what an absolute joy the DA35 Macro is. It is my favourite lens this week, and suspect it will stay on the camera for a little while...

Cheers again

Hello all. I thought I would post a handful of pics I have taken this autumn. They're not exactly going to set the world alight but I rather liked the colours and textures. These were all taken with the DA35 Macro on my K5:

Dewy oak leaf



Spot of green



Brown Lustre



Spangles



A touch of frost



Top of the stump



Near the end



Hope you like these; they were all taken in Richmond Park (where I seem to take most of my pics). Any C&C welcome. As ever there are a few more on my flickr stream. I don't recall a time when I have taken so many pictures of the ground!

Cheers

You could look at 7dayshop who have lots of multipacks of films:

link

or check out amazon

Cheers

I have been taking a very large number of pictures of people recently and I find it really depends on how far away you are from the subject. If you are doing studio portraits, maybe this is less of a consideration. I find I get my favourite results with the FA50, although I also use the DA35 (non macro) when I want a slightly wider angle; and when a bit further away, the DA70, which I find is really good wide open at f2.4. I have also just recently got hold of a Sigma 85mm f1.4, which I'll be trying out this weekend. If I had to go with just one though, it would probably be the FA50. I echo that the 50-135 has stellar quality too, although it's a bigger lump than the primes (although the 85mm gives it a run for it's money!)

Cheers

You should be able to use the lens fine on your DSLR although you'll need to have told the camera to 'enable' the use of the aperture ring on the lens as this is not possible to do via the camera's e-dial, and you'll need to meter using the green button I think (the M lenses don't communicate with the camera body like the later lenses hence the F-- flashing in the display)

There is a small article from the Pentax website here, which ought to help I hope...

link

Cheers

Not to worry - Pentax helpfully publish their product manuals online. Here is the link you need I think...

link

Cheers

OMG - that is great. Agree with Carl it is addictive viewing. Thanks for the link

I seem to recall somewhere that there was a rumour that this lens would eventually come out in Pentax mount although I don't think it has yet. I guess B&H have that as a placeholder with the important words 'not available yet'...