[rx2man]

Just ordered a K5 and while I know its a good camera and deserves good optics the wife factor is kicking in. I needed a lense so I can test out the camera when I get it and will have to get better lenses later. I realise this is a older manual lense. It was $15 incl shipping off ebay. Advertised as new, but more likely just looks new but has the box etc. Is it only "worth" $15 or is it worth more? thanks for all the help in the forums.

[RioRico]

That's about what it's worth. I have a slightly faster AF version that cost me US$11 shipped about a year ago. It's likely Tamron, no world-beater but a decent lens when stopped down a little. Enjoy!

[rx2man]

Thank you for the reply. I actually looked to try to find out if the lens was a "deal". I dont really understand all the camera nomenclature and its a bit confusing. I am now spending more time before pulling the trigger. I will be picking up a Sigma 24mm 2.8 super wide II for $25 and a 50mm 1.4 Asahi Pentax for $25. I will be getting the 18-55 kit lense soon while I figure out how to work the camera. I am wondering is there a difference in value on the Sigma?, it show appx $100 but I see a manual and auto version being discussed in the same lens discussion.

[RioRico]

I dont really understand all the camera nomenclature and its a bit confusing. I am now spending more time before pulling the trigger.

There's lots of nomenclature and lots of technology to learn, alas. The secret to buying good lenses at reasonable prices is: research. Find out as much as you can about any candidate lens; find out if what's being offered is really what it is; find out what it's worth to others, and what it's worth to YOU.

I will be picking up a Sigma 24mm 2.8 super wide II for $25 and a 50mm 1.4 Asahi Pentax for $25. I will be getting the 18-55 kit lense soon while I figure out how to work the camera. I am wondering is there a difference in value on the Sigma?, it show appx $100 but I see a manual and auto version being discussed in the same lens discussion.

Those are VERY good prices on the 24/2.8 and 50/1.4! That Sigma is probably the manual version; Sigma made MF and AF versions with the same optics. Do you know whether the 50/1.4 is a Takumar (M42 screwmount, needs an M42-PK adapter) or K-mount version? Either way, those are great deals! Those, and the DA18-55, are very good learning tools, and the 24/2.8 and 50/1.4 will produce fine results. Have fun!

[rx2man]

Its a screw mount so will need the Pentax adapttor for tt, pretty excited picking 1 up tomorrow

[RioRico]

Its a screw mount so will need the Pentax adapttor for tt, pretty excited picking 1 up tomorrow

The Takumar 50/1.4 really is one of the great lenses, a joy to use and a producer of great images. I keep two M42-PK adapters with it: a cheap clone that stays on the lens much of the time, and a safe cheap wide-flange no-infinity-focus adapter for portraits and other shoots where infinity doesn't matter. Also a short M42 macro tube for when I want to shoot closer.

Depending on your shooting style and vision quality, you might want to learn about Catch-In-Focus (CIF). I put a bit of metal tape on the Takumar's base to safely short-out the contacts on my K20D mount so I can use CIF. With the wide-flange adapter, I scrape off some paint on the adapter for the same purpose. Don't put metal tape on the adapter; it will jam on the camera. CIF forces the shutter to fire when the centered subject is in focus, so I get many clear shots with it.

Have fun with your new lenses!

[rx2man]

Picked up the screw mount Super-Takumar 1:1.4/50, looks really nice for a old lense, couple specs of dust inside I hope does not affect it, seller said it did not. That was $25, has a Hoya filter on it.

For another $40 through a different seller got 2 50mm SMC Pentax M 1:2, both are perfect. A Sears 1:2.8 135 mm lens with Vivitar 2x tele converter, all K mounts. A Nikon filter polar filter, Quantaray filter, another Hoya, a Vivitar, Hoya Skylight 1B, a Tiffin +2 and Tiffin +4, a leather filter case, a lens case and a camera backpack with various padded compartments made by Lowepro. I think this will keep me busy for a while. I will pick up the Sigma 24 2.8 and next week get the kit lense. Thanks so much for the help. I am not really sure what you were talking about re: shorting the terminals, but have the DSLR guide for dummies coming and hopefully will get me going good. thanks again for the help.

[RioRico]

Picked up the screw mount Super-Takumar 1:1.4/50, looks really nice for a old lense, couple specs of dust inside I hope does not affect it, seller said it did not. That was $25, has a Hoya filter on it.

For another $40 through a different seller got 2 50mm SMC Pentax M 1:2, both are perfect. A Sears 1:2.8 135 mm lens with Vivitar 2x tele converter, all K mounts. A Nikon filter polar filter, Quantaray filter, another Hoya, a Vivitar, Hoya Skylight 1B, a Tiffin +2 and Tiffin +4, a leather filter case, a lens case and a camera backpack with various padded compartments made by Lowepro. I think this will keep me busy for a while.

The SuperTak 50/1.4 is a VERY good deal! The other kit is OK, especially if you can use the backpack. I've had a couple purchases where the bag was worth the total price so all the lenses and filters etc were essentially free.

I am not really sure what you were talking about re: shorting the terminals, but have the DSLR guide for dummies coming and hopefully will get me going good.

If you look at the dSLR lens mount, and at an A-type or AF lens, you will see a set of contacts in one quadrant. These transmit aperture information and control between camera and lens. To use CIF (catch-in-focus aka trap-focus) the bottom-most pin on the camera mount, what we call the 6-o'clock position, needs to be electrically shorted out. This is completely safe.

A manual lens or adapter that is shiny metal will safely short all the pins. A lens or adapter with a painted base won't short the necessary pin. Thus the need for paint-scraping or metal tape. CIF can make many manual lenses more usable. DSLRS FOR DUMMIES might not mention catch-in-focus or trap-focus. Who's the dummy then?

[rx2man]

A manual lens or adapter that is shiny metal will safely short all the pins. A lens or adapter with a painted base won't short the necessary pin. Thus the need for paint-scraping or metal tape. CIF can make many manual lenses more usable. DSLRS FOR DUMMIES might not mention catch-in-focus or trap-focus. Who's the dummy then?

I was going to get the Pentax made adaptor, read not to buy a aftermarket version, its all metal, so I will be good to go then. Thank you for explaining. Will be interesting to see how much is in the book as these forums are quite informative. Again thank you for taking the time to help a NOOB.

[RioRico]

I was going to get the Pentax made adaptor, read not to buy a aftermarket version, its all metal, so I will be good to go then.

Well, not really. None of the narrow-flange M42-PK adapters will cover the pins. It doesn't matter if they're Official Pentax or 3rd-party -- they just aren't wide enough. The adapters I spoke of would be the safe cheap wide-flange NIF (no-infinity-focus) adapters, or those on macro tube sets, or on bellows, or the 'universal' T-mount (or T2 or TX) or Adaptall type, or mount-reversal adapters. I stick a bit of metal tape on the base of my M42 lenses before adding a narrow-flange adapter.
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Now, my M42-PK adapter spiel: Everyone with just a very few screwmount lenses should own *ONE* Official Pentax adapter, the shiny-metal narrow-flange sort that costs so much. Mount it in the camera, (un)screw lenses in it. Safe and tedious.

Those of us with many screwmount lenses own many cheap clone (3rd-party) adapters that look like the Official Pentax but have the notorious screw-and-clip. REMOVE THE SCREW AND CLIP OR YOU WILL GO APESH!T! Then use a rear lens-cap to wrench the adapter onto the lens. I've had some adapters on for so long that I've almost forgotten the lens isn't Pentax-native. Haven't lost one yet!

There's a third type of adapter, the cheap safe wide-flange NIF sort. These are useful with some long tele lenses that focus past infinity anyway, and with lenses meant for closeup or macro use, or for portrait use where infinity doesn't matter.
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For your first screwmount lens, get an Official Pentax adapter. For subsequent lenses, think about the other sorts. They are immensely useful; I have dozens. And you're certainly welcome for the help. That's what I'm here for.

[rx2man]

Got it on the CIF, will get the pentax adaptor. Picked up the sigma 24mm superwide II for $25, and it looks new, its not but has been taken care of. I also grabbed the Sigma 28-70 UC Zoom multi coated, 3.5-4.5. It was $35, is auto focus, looks like a cheaper lens then the superwide. Will the 28-70 be a good alternative to the kit lens? or is the 18-55 kit lens a lot better? Thanks again for answering my questions.

[RioRico]

Got it on the CIF, will get the pentax adaptor. Picked up the sigma 24mm superwide II for $25, and it looks new, its not but has been taken care of. I also grabbed the Sigma 28-70 UC Zoom multi coated, 3.5-4.5. It was $35, is auto focus, looks like a cheaper lens then the superwide. Will the 28-70 be a good alternative to the kit lens? or is the 18-55 kit lens a lot better? Thanks again for answering my questions.

Good deal on the Superwide! (Which on APS-C is only moderately wide, but why quibble?) The Sig zoom is not as good as the DA18-55. It's a replacement for that era's full-frame kit lenses, which weren't Pentax's best, to say the least. The 18-55 is much better. The review here says the Sig zoom is manual focus. But there's a place for old cheap 'normal' zooms; I have a couple. Is it a good alternative to the DA18-55? Well, not really IMHO, but it puts you in a different realm, makes you look at the world differently. With a 28-70 you either stand back further than with an 18-55, or you push in closer and ignore more of the surroundings.

With any new-to-you lens, try shooting with ONLY that lens for a week or three. Get to know its strengths and weaknesses. Learn to see as it sees. And see where it takes you. Cheers!

[rx2man]

I will wait then on the kit lens. This Sigma 28-70 is auto he had it on his Kr, and showed the AF working. He was going back to film. I dont really get that, but the guy last night said the same thing, running around with a Pentax 1000 or something. Thanks for the help