Looks like I'm the only person here that has one, which I use for indoor event photography.

I love the rendering of this lens, which is more old-style Pentax It's very sharp right across the frame at f2.8 and the bokeh is superb (reminding me of 60's or 70's lenses). It doesn't sharpen up hugely as you stop down and I think that peak sharpness is less (but more uniform) than say the DA300. There is some purple-fringing wide-open, but I haven't noticed anything too intrusive.

The DOF at f2.8 is very narrow and I would say that my K20D struggles to focus it accurately wide-open in low light or on quickly moving subjects. On the other hand, manual focus is very easy effective.

Size-wise it's the same length as the DA50-135 (smaller with the hoods attached), but it is quite a lot heavier.

However compared to the DA60-250, it is a lot smaller and lighter and much more easily hand-holdable. In terms of IQ, I don't know how the two compare as I've only tried a pre-production 60-250, which was rather poor.

R

I'll be going to the lunchtime concerts in Finsbury Circus.

Martin Taylor is coming again this year, so should be good. Particularly as the sound of building works shouldn't be drowning out the music, unlike the past couple of years...

Unfortunately Crossrail will be putting an end to Finsbury Circus shortly, so I guess we should make the most of the only proper green space in the Square Mile while it lasts

R

The 30/2.8 is not an M series lens

R

Indeed, although I would imagine adapter cost will come down once there are more m4/3 cameras available.

The real killer to your plan though is the 2x cropfactor of the 4/3 system.
This means that pretty much all Pentax lenses will be telephotos (eg 24mm -> 48mm etc)

R

Maybe not, there are various people producing adapters directly to m4/3 (eg eBay), so you would only need one adapter

R

The m4/3 mount is 6mm narrower than regular 4/3 plus has half the back-focus distance, hence the two aren't directly compatible without an additional 4/3 -> m4/3 adapter

R

The prices currently being asked are amazing considering that Robert White were selling the 125/2.5 for around £450
when it was in production (and unfashionable)

I bought mine second-hand from a forum member for half that, which seems like a good deal now!
On the other hand, I sold my A*85 for about half the current going rate

R

I'd be a bit wary, as the description is a little dubious:

"Comes with the optional lens hood (costs about an extra $100 dollars)"

In reality, the 125/2.5 was the only VSL lens that came with the hood included and it wasn't available separately (what an anorak eh :blush.

There are also no pictures

R

I know what you mean. Ironically I bought an FM2n as an "upgrade" to my MX years ago (1/4000 top speed, 1/250 flash sync, better made, titanium shutter yada yada yada).

However, the MX kept finding it's way back into my camera bag, whilst the "superior" FM2 stayed on the shelf.

There's something definitely "right" about the MX design that I subconsciously preferred.

I still use the MX and in fact I bought another one. The FM2 is still on the shelf

R

Quality Control is notoriously variable, but the ones I mentioned tend to be better made the the usual Russian fare, which as you say is rather poor

If I compare my J-9 with my K85/1.8 there's not a huge difference, although the Pentax lens is definitely a bit better both in image quality and build. The J-9 also seems somewhat superior to the M85/2 I used to have years ago...

R