is one man's trash another man's treasure?

mustangjoey · 01-16-2011, 06:06 PM

Ok, a little background here. I just bought my first dslr (pentax kx) about 2 weeks ago. So tonight I go to my girlfriends moms house. I show her the new camera and take some photos of the family. Well turns out her grandpa used to take pictures, weddings, etc. She tells me his camera was the "best one of its time". So I take it with a grain of salt because we all have our opinions on this.

Anyways, she grabs his old camera bag and says I can take it all if I want because the camera stopped working and it was no good anymore. Well turns out the old camera was a pentax k1000! So the lenses fit right up to my kx. The two lenses they had were a vivtar 24mm f2.8 and a smc pentax-m 200mm. So, I don't know a whole lot about these older lenses. Just wondering what you guys think of these. Am I wasting my time taking them? Or are they a quality lens? They're in good shape, and all I have right now is the kit lens that came with my kx. Any help is appreciated guys. Thanks

Coeurdechene · 01-16-2011, 06:31 PM

You are not wasting your time taking them..just make sure they don't have any fungus on the optical elements..put a light through them and look for sort of web like specs..
You'll enjoy the primes..they make you see and compose things differently than the kit zoom.
(look in the lens database for info on the lenses..i'm sure they are both there)
The 24 is faster than your kit one and got a Field Of View equivalent to a 36mm..it's wide you'll have fun with it, and will probably, with the high ISO capacity of the kx, take some nice low ligh shots

normhead · 01-16-2011, 06:33 PM

If I were you, I'd be learning to manual focus and manual exposure with a passion right now, especially the m-200.

mustangjoey · 01-16-2011, 06:42 PM

Cool guys. I took them out and cleaned them up a bit. Gonna see how good I can learn to focus. Lol

clockwork247 · 01-16-2011, 06:54 PM

Originally posted by mustangjoey

Ok, a little background here. I just bought my first dslr (pentax kx) about 2 weeks ago. So tonight I go to my girlfriends moms house. I show her the new camera and take some photos of the family. Well turns out her grandpa used to take pictures, weddings, etc. She tells me his camera was the "best one of its time". So I take it with a grain of salt because we all have our opinions on this.

Anyways, she grabs his old camera bag and says I can take it all if I want because the camera stopped working and it was no good anymore. Well turns out the old camera was a pentax k1000! So the lenses fit right up to my kx. The two lenses they had were a vivtar 24mm f2.8 and a smc pentax-m 200mm. So, I don't know a whole lot about these older lenses. Just wondering what you guys think of these. Am I wasting my time taking them? Or are they a quality lens? They're in good shape, and all I have right now is the kit lens that came with my kx. Any help is appreciated guys. Thanks

she just gave you 100 bucks, go buy her some coffee lol, the 200 is just ok IMO, that focal length on a crop sensor i don't see alot of situation where you would need one (if you need to get something like that for something then you probably already got 1), the 24mm is nice... any prime is always nice.

Ira · 01-16-2011, 06:58 PM

My 24 Vivitar is fantastic, but I never use that FL.

pinholecam · 01-16-2011, 07:05 PM

You certainly will not be wasting time.

I have the Cosina branded 24/2.8 which is the same lens as the Vivitar you have. Its a nice lens that focuses close with a very good FOV (equivalent on APS-C to ~35mm on film) and sharp, esp when stopped down to f4.

mustangjoey · 01-16-2011, 07:11 PM

These manual lenses are awesome! Glad I took them. I will have to go buy her a coffee. Or some wine she would probably prefer. Even the 200mm will be of some use to me. All I have is the 18-55 kit lens, so at least that has a bit more reach for me. Now I get some kind of challenge in my photography (manual focus).

Mike Cash · 01-17-2011, 03:22 AM

I am pleased at your good fortune and wish you much joy and happiness with your new acquisitions.

But I can't understand why every time somebody gets lenses handed to them free-for-nothing like this they ask if the lenses are worth using instead of just taking pictures with them and seeing for themselves. Sharing the joy of getting them, I understand. Asking if they're worth using, I don't.

ihasa · 01-17-2011, 04:03 AM

Congrats - she just gave you 2 really nice lenses! 24mm is a great walkaround length for a prime, and the M-200 will be great for longer shots. I disagree that 200mm isn't a good focal length on APSC, I use my zoom at 200mm most of the time, and it's not as good as the M 200!

philippe · 01-17-2011, 06:55 AM

Don't forget the K1000, it's worth looking at it and even have CLA'd it, it's a fine camera!

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 01-17-2011, 08:33 AM

Originally posted by mustangjoey

Ok, a little background here. I just bought my first dslr (pentax kx) about 2 weeks ago. So tonight I go to my girlfriends moms house. I show her the new camera and take some photos of the family. Well turns out her grandpa used to take pictures, weddings, etc. She tells me his camera was the "best one of its time". So I take it with a grain of salt because we all have our opinions on this.

Anyways, she grabs his old camera bag and says I can take it all if I want because the camera stopped working and it was no good anymore. Well turns out the old camera was a pentax k1000! So the lenses fit right up to my kx. The two lenses they had were a vivtar 24mm f2.8 and a smc pentax-m 200mm. So, I don't know a whole lot about these older lenses. Just wondering what you guys think of these. Am I wasting my time taking them? Or are they a quality lens? They're in good shape, and all I have right now is the kit lens that came with my kx. Any help is appreciated guys. Thanks

There are some different versions of Vivitar 24mm's, but I think they are all decent. Wide enough to still be a wide angle on the APS-C camera and faster than your kit zoom. The SMC Pentax-M 200mm is a very good lens that will give you some reach. Check out the lens review section on the forum. Sure there wasn't a 50mm sitting on the camera?

Probably you should get rid of them as soon as possible, or else you will catch LBA...

Paleo Pete · 01-17-2011, 09:02 AM

One of the things on my wish list is to have my K1000 cleaned, lubed and new seals. It went belly up around 15 years ago and I really miss it. Great camera. ditto for the KX I had that was my first 35mm. Both were excellent, I got loads of nice shots with them. Some are still hanging on releatives' walls in frames. One of the best shots I ever got period, was one of my brother lit by only a kerosene lamp, it's in frames on a half dozen family members' walls right now.

Have that camera fixed, if you have any interest in film at all, it's an excellent one to shoot with, I loved mine and still really miss it. The MEs and Me Supers were nice, but I'd trade all 5 of them for one working K1000...

As for the lenses, I'd be out taking pictures with that 200 in a minute. A prime 200 is another thing on my wish list...along with a prime 300, 400...and up...

Can you tell I'm jealous?

GeneV · 01-17-2011, 09:12 AM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

There are some different versions of Vivitar 24mm's, but I think they are all decent. Wide enough to still be a wide angle on the APS-C camera and faster than your kit zoom. The SMC Pentax-M 200mm is a very good lens that will give you some reach. Check out the lens review section on the forum. Sure there wasn't a 50mm sitting on the camera?

It does seem unlikely to have that combination of body and lens without a 50 somewhere in the vicinity.

mustangjoey · 01-17-2011, 10:28 AM

Yeah, unfortunately they threw the camera body and 50mm lens out years ago. There was an empty 50mm box with all of the other stuff. That would have been nice to have too. I don't understand why they would throw it out, but who knows.

01-16-2011, 06:06 PM	#1
mustangjoey Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Rockford, IL Photos: Albums Posts: 73	is one man's trash another man's treasure? Ok, a little background here. I just bought my first dslr (pentax kx) about 2 weeks ago. So tonight I go to my girlfriends moms house. I show her the new camera and take some photos of the family. Well turns out her grandpa used to take pictures, weddings, etc. She tells me his camera was the "best one of its time". So I take it with a grain of salt because we all have our opinions on this. Anyways, she grabs his old camera bag and says I can take it all if I want because the camera stopped working and it was no good anymore. Well turns out the old camera was a pentax k1000! So the lenses fit right up to my kx. The two lenses they had were a vivtar 24mm f2.8 and a smc pentax-m 200mm. So, I don't know a whole lot about these older lenses. Just wondering what you guys think of these. Am I wasting my time taking them? Or are they a quality lens? They're in good shape, and all I have right now is the kit lens that came with my kx. Any help is appreciated guys. Thanks

01-17-2011, 06:55 AM	#11
philippe Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Flanders Fields Posts: 463	Don't forget the K1000, it's worth looking at it and even have CLA'd it, it's a fine camera! Last edited by philippe; 01-17-2011 at 10:07 AM.

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01-16-2011, 06:31 PM	#2
Coeurdechene Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: madrid Photos: Albums Posts: 833	You are not wasting your time taking them..just make sure they don't have any fungus on the optical elements..put a light through them and look for sort of web like specs.. You'll enjoy the primes..they make you see and compose things differently than the kit zoom. (look in the lens database for info on the lenses..i'm sure they are both there) The 24 is faster than your kit one and got a Field Of View equivalent to a 36mm..it's wide you'll have fun with it, and will probably, with the high ISO capacity of the kx, take some nice low ligh shots

01-16-2011, 06:33 PM	#3
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,450	If I were you, I'd be learning to manual focus and manual exposure with a passion right now, especially the m-200.

01-16-2011, 06:42 PM	#4
mustangjoey Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Rockford, IL Photos: Albums Posts: 73 Original Poster	Cool guys. I took them out and cleaned them up a bit. Gonna see how good I can learn to focus. Lol

01-16-2011, 06:54 PM	#5
clockwork247 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 360	Originally posted by mustangjoey Ok, a little background here. I just bought my first dslr (pentax kx) about 2 weeks ago. So tonight I go to my girlfriends moms house. I show her the new camera and take some photos of the family. Well turns out her grandpa used to take pictures, weddings, etc. She tells me his camera was the "best one of its time". So I take it with a grain of salt because we all have our opinions on this. Anyways, she grabs his old camera bag and says I can take it all if I want because the camera stopped working and it was no good anymore. Well turns out the old camera was a pentax k1000! So the lenses fit right up to my kx. The two lenses they had were a vivtar 24mm f2.8 and a smc pentax-m 200mm. So, I don't know a whole lot about these older lenses. Just wondering what you guys think of these. Am I wasting my time taking them? Or are they a quality lens? They're in good shape, and all I have right now is the kit lens that came with my kx. Any help is appreciated guys. Thanks she just gave you 100 bucks, go buy her some coffee lol, the 200 is just ok IMO, that focal length on a crop sensor i don't see alot of situation where you would need one (if you need to get something like that for something then you probably already got 1), the 24mm is nice... any prime is always nice.

01-16-2011, 06:58 PM	#6
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	My 24 Vivitar is fantastic, but I never use that FL.

01-16-2011, 07:05 PM	#7
pinholecam Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: North Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,706	You certainly will not be wasting time. I have the Cosina branded 24/2.8 which is the same lens as the Vivitar you have. Its a nice lens that focuses close with a very good FOV (equivalent on APS-C to ~35mm on film) and sharp, esp when stopped down to f4.

01-16-2011, 07:11 PM	#8
mustangjoey Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Rockford, IL Photos: Albums Posts: 73 Original Poster	These manual lenses are awesome! Glad I took them. I will have to go buy her a coffee. Or some wine she would probably prefer. Even the 200mm will be of some use to me. All I have is the 18-55 kit lens, so at least that has a bit more reach for me. Now I get some kind of challenge in my photography (manual focus).

01-17-2011, 03:22 AM	#9
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	I am pleased at your good fortune and wish you much joy and happiness with your new acquisitions. But I can't understand why every time somebody gets lenses handed to them free-for-nothing like this they ask if the lenses are worth using instead of just taking pictures with them and seeing for themselves. Sharing the joy of getting them, I understand. Asking if they're worth using, I don't.

01-17-2011, 04:03 AM	#10
ihasa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: West Midlands Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,066	Congrats - she just gave you 2 really nice lenses! 24mm is a great walkaround length for a prime, and the M-200 will be great for longer shots. I disagree that 200mm isn't a good focal length on APSC, I use my zoom at 200mm most of the time, and it's not as good as the M 200!

01-17-2011, 08:33 AM	#12
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374	Originally posted by mustangjoey Ok, a little background here. I just bought my first dslr (pentax kx) about 2 weeks ago. So tonight I go to my girlfriends moms house. I show her the new camera and take some photos of the family. Well turns out her grandpa used to take pictures, weddings, etc. She tells me his camera was the "best one of its time". So I take it with a grain of salt because we all have our opinions on this. Anyways, she grabs his old camera bag and says I can take it all if I want because the camera stopped working and it was no good anymore. Well turns out the old camera was a pentax k1000! So the lenses fit right up to my kx. The two lenses they had were a vivtar 24mm f2.8 and a smc pentax-m 200mm. So, I don't know a whole lot about these older lenses. Just wondering what you guys think of these. Am I wasting my time taking them? Or are they a quality lens? They're in good shape, and all I have right now is the kit lens that came with my kx. Any help is appreciated guys. Thanks There are some different versions of Vivitar 24mm's, but I think they are all decent. Wide enough to still be a wide angle on the APS-C camera and faster than your kit zoom. The SMC Pentax-M 200mm is a very good lens that will give you some reach. Check out the lens review section on the forum. Sure there wasn't a 50mm sitting on the camera? Probably you should get rid of them as soon as possible, or else you will catch LBA...

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01-17-2011, 09:02 AM	#13
Paleo Pete Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,880	One of the things on my wish list is to have my K1000 cleaned, lubed and new seals. It went belly up around 15 years ago and I really miss it. Great camera. ditto for the KX I had that was my first 35mm. Both were excellent, I got loads of nice shots with them. Some are still hanging on releatives' walls in frames. One of the best shots I ever got period, was one of my brother lit by only a kerosene lamp, it's in frames on a half dozen family members' walls right now. Have that camera fixed, if you have any interest in film at all, it's an excellent one to shoot with, I loved mine and still really miss it. The MEs and Me Supers were nice, but I'd trade all 5 of them for one working K1000... As for the lenses, I'd be out taking pictures with that 200 in a minute. A prime 200 is another thing on my wish list...along with a prime 300, 400...and up... Can you tell I'm jealous?

01-17-2011, 09:12 AM	#14
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden There are some different versions of Vivitar 24mm's, but I think they are all decent. Wide enough to still be a wide angle on the APS-C camera and faster than your kit zoom. The SMC Pentax-M 200mm is a very good lens that will give you some reach. Check out the lens review section on the forum. Sure there wasn't a 50mm sitting on the camera? It does seem unlikely to have that combination of body and lens without a 50 somewhere in the vicinity.

01-17-2011, 10:28 AM	#15
mustangjoey Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Rockford, IL Photos: Albums Posts: 73 Original Poster	Yeah, unfortunately they threw the camera body and 50mm lens out years ago. There was an empty 50mm box with all of the other stuff. That would have been nice to have too. I don't understand why they would throw it out, but who knows.