I'm sure lots of us would love to own this lens, but it is serious money and times are hard. If you're not in a rush just keep bumping it to the top, someone will weaken eventually!

K.

I have a KX too but the fact you have to have the wind-on lever sticking in your eye in order to activate the light meter drives me nuts. I believe that you can have it modified to remove that "feature" but it isn't trivial.

Having used many (but by no means all) Pentax film cameras my favourite is the LX, followed by the MX, the KX and the ME Super (presuming we are sticking to K mount cameras).

My problem (and I emphasise that it is my problem!) with cameras like the SFXn is that they are just a bit too much like using a dSLR. I shoot film partly because I like using older cameras. Using an all singing all dancing whizz bang auto everything film camera, to me, is like having the worst aspects of using a dSLR mixed in with the expense and inconvenience of film. I guess I'm not unique in this in that later all-singing film cameras generally sell for less than older manual cameras.

Anyway, back to the original posting. I still recommend the MX, although I agree the ME Super is lovely (my first ever SLR!) and they are as cheap as chips. I've never used any of the P series camera so I cannot comment there.

Best wishes, Kris.

MX.

K.

The lens pictured is a 24mm lens not a 28mm one. You might get more interest in a 24mm...

K.

I was tempted to be facetious and write the K1000/8 with its own tripod...

It really depends what body I am attaching it to! For 35mm/k-mount I always liked the 28/50/135 combo and would go with the K28/3.5, K50/1.2 and the K135/2.5. The M85/2 is lovely as well, and the M100/2.8 is a dream. I'd quite like to try the K200/2.5 which has a great rep, the K200/4 isn't anything to write home about sadly, the M200/4 seems better.

For M42 I'd go with the S-M-C Takumar 28mm f/3.5, the S-M-C Takumar 50mm f/1.4 and the second version S-M-C Takumar 135mm f/2.5. I prefer the SMC Taks as they work with the open aperture metering of my ES and ESII.

For digital, well the 12-24mm, and the 50-135mm I guess. I only have the 18-55mm "kit" lens so I have no idea which of the various standard lens offerings I would go with. The DA* 16-50mm appears to have far too much barrel distortion for my needs.

Sadly, I cannot afford it, but I'm certainly thinking hard about the Samyang 24mm tilt-shift lens. Anyone used one, or seen a review yet?

K.

I use film not because it is cheap, or because it is better, but simply because I enjoy it, partly because I enjoy using older cameras. Somehow the K20D seems soulless. An excellent workhorse, but never as much fun as an SV or the LX, or my Agfa Isolette II or my FED2, let alone the Horizont or the Lubitel 2. When I first got my K10D (hope it is still going well Andrew!) it revitalized my interest in photography but somehow along the way I was seduced by older film gear. I took the K20D out in the snow the other day with my DA* 50-135mm lens on it. Not a single sharp photo! I'm looking forward to getting the images taken on the Agfa Isolette II back from the lab.

I know film isn't for everyone,but that isn't the point. I enjoy it, and that is all that matters.

I keep looking at a Speed Graphic 5x4 in the local camera shop window... oh, how tempting!

K.

My SMC Tak 28mm f/3.5 probably although the Jupiter-9 85mm f/2 is pretty nice too. I have a Super-Tak 35mm f/2 but I have got to de-yellow it.

K.

Does it come with its tripod collar?

Thanks, Kris.

I use old glass for all the reasons mentioned above but also because I use old cameras too! You can fit a M42 lens to a K-mount camera but you cannot fit a k-mount lens to an M42 mount camera.

Obviously, as everyone has said, there is a lot of variability, but there are some gems: the SMC Tak 50mm f/1.4, the K28/3.5 and K135/2.5, the M100/2.8 and M85/2... I have a big liking for the K series lenses and have about a dozen of them. I regret having to pass on the mint condition K1000/8 recently but sometimes reality takes precedence over photography.

Best wishes, Kris.