Originally posted by aaron.hollows Is there a longer cheap manual prime that anyone recommends (preferably 85mm or longer) that I have any hope of finding?
Zillions of cheap 28's, 50-55's, and 135's abound. PK or M42 lenses in the 85-105mm range *aren't* cheap. Usually. I work real hard on eBay to get lucky, so I've bought a Nikkor 85/2 for US$9, Vivitar 90/2.8 macro for US$3, Meyer Trioplan 100/2.8 for US$27, and Asahi (Pentax) Super Takumar 105/2.8 for US$17, all fine lenses. The Meyer and Takumar often go for 2x-3x those prices; the Nikkor and Vivitar are usually much more.
If you don't mind tinkering, here's a real sleeper: Enna Tele-Sandmar 100/4.5 for Argus C3 mount. I took a one buck PK body cap and dremeled a hole in it, then contact-cemented the lens into that hole. That lens cost US$7, about half the current price.
Another way to get into that range inexpensively is with cheap sharp enlarger lenses (EL's) plus bellows and tubes. EL's longer than 80mm can reach infinity focus on most bellows and so can be use for non-macro shooting, as well as macros. I recently got an M42 bellows with a quality German 105/4.5 lens for US$40 together. Many EL's in the 90-105-120 range can be had for under US$20 each, sometimes four for a dime. EL's are edge-to-edge SHARP, and IMHO the best bargains around.
Beyond that, cheapest-and-easiest, are any of the multitudes of 135's. Some branded as Vivitar, Sears, Focal, Soligor, Rokinor, Hanimar/Hanimex, Porst, Lentar, may go for within the US$10-30 range. NOTE: All prices I mention are eBay, shipped.