Hi kcsun. Early M42 lenses didn't have an automatic aperture so they had to be "preset". You took the reading with a lightmeter, set your shutter speed, and then the aperture on one ring, focused, then closed the aperture with the second ring and took the photo.

With modern dSLRs this can be quite useful. Leave the preset ring wide open and put the camera on Av mode. Focus the lens, and then close the aperture ring until either (a) the shutter speed is as slow as you can cope with (traditionally about 1/125th with a 135mm lens although with shake reduction you can get away with 1/60th easily enough) or (b) when the DoF is how you want it.

In some ways preset lenses are easier to use on a dSLR than later K and M series lenses. Don't forget, the camera will have no way of knowing the f-stop and so the display will read something like F--

Enjoy the lens. K.

Sounds like an interesting read. One of my favourite photography "how to" books is "Architectural Photography" from the 1930s. Fascinating stuff and wonderfully sniffy about the new miniature format, i.e., 35mm.

K.

I try not to leave lenses either in their original leather cases or in leather everready cases for very long. Assuming a dry warm not too humid storage place (i.e., something like my study) keeping lenses out on a shelf is the best/easiest way to keep them. Obviously in other parts of the world some form of dry storage may be needed.

K.

Someone got a bargain....!

Until you factor in VAT, import duty, Parcel Force random charges and postage...

I was planning to buy sooner rather than later but think I'll follow hefty on this one. Meanwhile I have my FED2 to keep me happy, and I have a Jupiter-12 35mm lens on the way to go with it.

K.

My lady love is flying in from the US today and so I am hardly feeling blue.

K.

Yes, it is a lovely little zoom, one of the best of the plethora of standard zooms in the F/FA series and generally as cheap as chips. I am very pleased with mine.

K.

No, I don't have a K28, I have a S-M-C Takumar 28mm f/3.5, and a A28/2.8. I recently sold an M28/2.8. I have the Vivitar close focus 28mm too somewhere... Too many lenses, too little time.

K.