Originally posted by sataraid1 ...I really, really like this K10D body, but trying to figure out this convoluted lens lineup and avoid the "Pentax Tax" is putting me off the camera a lot.
Prices have been creeping up, but I can make a few suggestions of high value manual focus used lenses that are moderately priced:
Helios 44-2, 44M, 44M-x 58/2
Generally available for under $30. (I paid $10 for my 44M.) There are many variants, but all have similar optics. Don't be suckered by eBay claims of "rare" or "unique". KMZ made literally millions of these as the kit lens for Zenit SLRs. Most are M42 screw mount with the exception of the 44K-4 in K-mount.
House Brand 28mm and 135mm
Lenses branded Sears, Penny, Focal, etc. are often not bad and can be found for $25 or less.
Vivitar
Great performance and build at bargain prices and made by the best names in the business. Note that this recommendation applies to the metal-body manual focus lenses made through the late 1980s. Here is a Web resource that lists the manufacturers and serial number codes (
Vivitar Lens Manufactuers). Models from Komine, Kiron, and Tokina are considered more desirable.
Pentax Super/SMC Takumar
With very few exceptions, these M42 screw-mount lenses are worth owning. Prices are a little higher than Vivitar, but less than Carl Zeiss Jena. Avoid K-mount lenses labeled "Takumar Bayonet" unless they are bargain priced. They are not true Takumars.
Pentax-M
Great build and compact package. The M lenses are the value queens of the Pentax-branded lenses. Prices are about the same as the M42 Takumars. If you want a fast 50, the M 50/1.7 is hard to beat at its price point.
Tamron Adaptall
Well-built with capable optics. There are two versions of the required adapter with the basic K-mount being the more reasonably priced.
Be aware too, that the best deals on lenses are often found by purchasing cameras. It is not unusual to find a body bundled with a couple of other lenses.
As for the lens line-up being convoluted...I guess it might look that way. It helps if you are familiar with the evolution of the camera bodies. Here is a good resource:
Bojidar Dimitrov's Pentax K-Mount Page: Pentax Technology
The nice thing is that all will fit your camera with varying degrees of functionality. The lenses sort into three basic categories:
- M42 screw mount: Requires an adapter and manually stopping the lens down before exposure
- "Non-A" K-mount: Bayonet mount lenses without the "A" position on the aperture ring (Pentax-K and Pentax-M). Requires stop-down metering in M-mode.
- "A-contact" K-mount: Bayonet mount lenses with the "A" electrical contacts on the mount face (Pentax-A, F, FA, FAJ, DA, DFA). Fully compatible with all exposure modes on your K10D.
Steve