Read through the eBay listing and all sorts of "red” flags pop up. Either this seller is clueless or up to something fishy.
Works fine. I just took photos in front of the US Capitol building in Washington with it at point blank range.
This is genuine Pentax, not vivitar, etc. This lens cost over $400 in the mid-1980's when I bought it from one of those merchants who advertised in the back of Modern Photography.
On Aug-12-10 at 09:11:43 PDT, seller added the following information:
I received a message with a request to end this auction and accept a substantial buy-it-now bid. I cannot do that, since there are already regular bids (albeit much lower). I did tell the requestor that if he/she formally bid the buy-it-now offer, I would end the auction sometime tonight, but since there are presently 28 watchers for this item, I made no guarantee that one of them wouldn't outbid his/her B-I-N offer/bid. This info is added to this listing as an FYI to all watchers that this auction may end tonight with a high bid(s). To be fair to the B-I-N bidder, I will not divulge his/her bid.
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On Aug-13-10 at 13:19:09 PDT, seller added the following information:
I am adding the following correspondence from someone who looked at my listing, and appears to know more about lenses than I do. This is an FYI and I cannot take responsibility for the validity of any or all of the message. I am adding it merely to throw it out there and readers can make their own decisions regarding the content:
Dear john5029,
The front element being curved just means that it is aspherical, not fisheye. Pentax never made a fisheye in the 15mm focal length. That lens has a 111 degree field of view and a fisheye has 180 degrees. So that lens is indeed the A 15mm Rectilinear model, a very nice lens that should more than double your current bid. Good luck.
- johnblaze911
How could you buy an expensive specialty super wide angle lens back in mid 1980’s, use it for 25 years and think it’s a fisheye? Also the price the seller indicated they paid for it new is less than 40% of the list price. The K15/3.5 listed for $932.50 in 1978, the A version in the mid 80’s would have been well over $1k.
Buyer beware, the lens has probably been castrated to fit a Nikon, notice there are no pictures of the rear k-mount.
Phil.