[gilsouthwood]

You've been around

Roland Synth? hmmm…

Sometimes we need better questions, not just answers.

Ever read any of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books? Couldn't help thinking of that

The only really exotic place I've been to is southern spain, where you get enough light for 1/4000 plus shutter speeds, plenty of amazing scenery (wide angles) and plenty of vultures (bring a telephoto, tripod, and a lot of luck/skill). Great for a sunset over mountains shot too…


Nearly took my camera to norway in february, decided against it because of -20 nights, and -10 days. I didn't want to test my K-r's weather proofing.

Just as a general comment on LBA… am I the only one who actually would prefer a lens without AF, or any real value? I don't know what it is, but I really find something desirable about 30 year old, cheap glass…

[RioRico]

Just as a general comment on LBA… am I the only one who actually would prefer a lens without AF, or any real value? I don't know what it is, but I really find something desirable about 30 year old, cheap glass…

No, you're not the only one. I really really like old cheap glass. I shot for 40 years before I went AF, and I used cheap glass Back In The Day also. 30-year-old glass isn't really old (except zooms). I regularly use glass over 50 years old. At least one lens I can date to about 1938, an Exakta-mount Kilfitt Makro Kilar E 40/3.5, which I've read was the very first SLR macro lens. Made in Lichtenstein, heh. Only cost me US$36 last year. Tack-sharp!

All our Takumars date back a bit, and demand rises. No, you're not the only one. Canoneers want our Taks too. And they maim them!

[Julie]

How about you open up a Pentax lens rental business?
You could earn some money off of us to use toward those limited lenses.

[kenafein]

The NEX is a real joy. Those LTMs are so pricey I can't see it spiking your LBA too much. I do have a 35/1.7 c-mount on the way, but so many of them require drastic cropping. I am enjoying my MF lenses so much more on the NEX than I ever did with my katzeye. It really seems like the perfect tool for your collection.

[RioRico]

The NEX is a real joy. Those LTMs are so pricey I can't see it spiking your LBA too much. I do have a 35/1.7 c-mount on the way, but so many of them require drastic cropping. I am enjoying my MF lenses so much more on the NEX than I ever did with my katzeye. It really seems like the perfect tool for your collection.

Oh thanks, just what I need to encourage my profligacy. Yow. And the LTMs I've had (and sold), even those from Leitz, were pretty cheap. I could just see myself overflowing with Jupiters and Steinheils and Industars, and even Elmars and Hektors.

And those C-mount guys around 10/1.2 that had me drooling before I forced myself to stop looking at tham. And then of course I'd start grabbing old glass from Konica and Minolta and Fujica, and A110 and Oly Pen-F -- and aren't there Canon FD and EOS to NEX adapters? I'd be doomed, DOOMED...

What a way to go!

[/me needs to research values of stuff intended for auction soonest]
[but of non-camera stuff, most proceeds must go into the travel fund]
[so even selling the hyperactive grandson won't pay for a NEX+lenses]
[/me must consider a career in identity theft or politics or televangelism]

[kenafein]

Oh thanks, just what I need to encourage my profligacy. Yow. And the LTMs I've had (and sold), even those from Leitz, were pretty cheap. I could just see myself overflowing with Jupiters and Steinheils and Industars, and even Elmars and Hektors.

And those C-mount guys around 10/1.2 that had me drooling before I forced myself to stop looking at tham. And then of course I'd start grabbing old glass from Konica and Minolta and Fujica, and A110 and Oly Pen-F -- and aren't there Canon FD and EOS to NEX adapters? I'd be doomed, DOOMED...

What a way to go!

[/me needs to research values of stuff intended for auction soonest]
[but of non-camera stuff, most proceeds must go into the travel fund]
[so even selling the hyperactive grandson won't pay for a NEX+lenses]
[/me must consider a career in identity theft or politics or televangelism]

A Jupiter 9 I was watching, in LTM, just went for $305. I was flabbergasted.

I have my sights set on a Konica AR 40/1.8. I've seen C mounts for 12/1.6, but after the cropping I wonder what you really get. Still that speed in a wide angle is amazing. You could do crazy stuff with the perspective and Bokeh. Maybe you should make me a list of what to get so I can buy them before you see them.

[wolfiegirl]

Sounds like a big call Rico! Good luck with the Parting of the Precious.

Having said that, I have over 30 lenses and on my Italy trip I found I basically used (and was fine with) 3 lenses despite bringing 4 lenses on 2 cameras on my trip. The only lens I really missed was my 23a 60-300 as I spotted lots of interesting birds that I couldn't reach on my 200mm. And I don't know about you, but I certainly didn't expect to go birding when going to Italy. Isn't it all about the wide angle landscapes and the tele shots of snappily dressed peeps? I probably could've brought a teleconverter to do the job, but somehow I forgot about that when I was packing.

So honestly, like some I probably could whittle my collection down to 10 or so. But if I did that... where would the fun go? *snarf*

I am also in the process of culling my collection and have now whittled it down to 2 1/2 kits (one m42, one AF, one manual/tamron). And even then I wonder if I'll end up using everything that I own. My last cull last month produced two bags of camera bodies (I mean honestly, I'm never going to film, no matter what I tell myself) and a box of lenses.

Now to get off my butt and convert the unloved into cashies....

[hoanpham]

wolfiegirl,
After a while, I saw your posts increased from 1000 to 2400++
I wish my lens collection could increase as fast !

[interested_observer]

Rico - here is a request....

Most folks neither have the knowledge, background nor the library (note, I said the library and not a collection), that you have amassed. Adding to the lens database, particularly the third party lenses that you have, and especially the ones that you have sold, would be a tremendous gift to the Forum here. Even, just starting with an inventory of what you have (a note of why you are keeping it) and possibly a list of what you have sold (and why), would really help a lot of folks.

The road trip sounds like a great adventure!!!

[Lowell Goudge]

interested_observer

I have a similar issue, although not as bad as riorico, as I only have 50 lenses. What I have been trying to do, with some success, is to do reviews or post in the image library, where possible, lenses that do not exist yet. It is hard, to go back and review even my 50 lenses, or to even update reviews as I learn more about the lenses because the more you use them the more you learn, and your opinions change over time.

[interested_observer]

Hi Lowell, I know what you mean. I have a couple that do not exist yet, that I have been intending to add them to the database. I know that its a time consuming task. Its just that Rico does appear to have quite a few lenses that are not in the database at all. Add to that, that he specializes in lenses that have excellent qualities, and the prices are relatively low, that is just exactly what a lot of folks are looking for here.

I just counted mine - 15, and there are several that I am really no longer using. For me, that is really too many, and I need to reduce to what I need and can use. I can't imagine 50, let alone 250 - especially in an operating library as opposed to a collection.

Most folks only have the run of the mill glass, however there are folks like you and Rico that do have some "off the reservation" k mount glass that is kicking around out there, but is not really known. It is those lenses where the database posting is really valuable. Then, you add in the knowledge of the glass, the ability to clearly explain the lenses pros and cons, coupled with a comparison and contrast of the lenses to other similar lenses in the focal length. The ability to search through the database, the database as a whole along with the individual entries really becomes very valuable.

There are a lot of lenses out there bouncing around that when they become available from time to time, that are just passed by because information is not know, not available, nor a lot is known about them. Because folks do not know anything about them, they linger, get lost, tossed - thrown away as worthless, and played with as toys. That winds up as a loss to everyone.....

[Lowell Goudge]

Hi Lowell, I know what you mean. I have a couple that do not exist yet, that I have been intending to add them to the database. I know that its a time consuming task. Its just that Rico does appear to have quite a few lenses that are not in the database at all. Add to that, that he specializes in lenses that have excellent qualities, and the prices are relatively low, that is just exactly what a lot of folks are looking for here.

not to offend RioRico but it seems he almost goes out of his way to find some really.......different... stuff

I just counted mine - 15, and there are several that I am really no longer using. For me, that is really too many, and I need to reduce to what I need and can use. I can't imagine 50, let alone 250 - especially in an operating library as opposed to a collection.

it was real easy for me, considering I started with film 30 years ago, and have never sold or traded stuff but just bought more / newer stuff. WHen I went digital, I had 2 zooms, an FA 28-105 4-5.6 (power zoom) and a series 1 70-210/3.5, plus 24/2.5, 50/1.4 and 50/2, 100mm Macro, 300/4 , 400/5.6 and 1000/11 spotting scope. so in the years BD i had 9 lenses. (plus the 1.7x AF TC) When I went digital, I finally decided to get an AF tele zzoom so I got the sigma APO 70-200/2.8 and I took the 17-35 kit lens with the DSLR. I have added obviously quite a lot since the beginning of 2004, but now I am essentually stopped as I don't really want or need any more. Where I started was in shooting MF primes out of my own enjoyment. and in doing a lot of low light work, so I started carefully picking up some additional primes, and at the time prices were quite low. as I built my prime kit, i had trouble getting a fast 35, amd my criteria has always been buy fast glass for primes. So I ultimately found an SMC tak 35/2 and verntured into M42 land. after a couple of $10 finds, I decided that i should do two things, round out my K mount primes, which I did with the addition of samyang 8, 14 and 85mm lenses all of which are great, and then get M42 lenses, where as much as possible, I would avoid SMC Taks, because they were too similar to K mount lenses, especially pentax lenses. At present I have very complete K and M42 prime kits, and when out for myself, I will shoot either K or M42 and use only K or M42 lenses on that occasion. considering K mounts from 8-400mm (not counting the mirror lens, and M42 from 16-200mm I have a lot of lenses. and most get regular use.

I still shoot AF when not on my time, or for some go to situations. My Sigma Zoom plus TC is far superior to the old vivitar 400/5.6 which generally just sits.

Most folks only have the run of the mill glass, however there are folks like you and Rico that do have some "off the reservation" k mount glass that is kicking around out there, but is not really known. It is those lenses where the database posting is really valuable. Then, you add in the knowledge of the glass, the ability to clearly explain the lenses pros and cons, coupled with a comparison and contrast of the lenses to other similar lenses in the focal length. The ability to search through the database, the database as a whole along with the individual entries really becomes very valuable.

There are a lot of lenses out there bouncing around that when they become available from time to time, that are just passed by because information is not know, not available, nor a lot is known about them.

someone ran a thread about the lenses you would never buy. My response was, that when pentax promoted the K series DSLR they stated there were 23 million lenses that would fit this camera. obviously, since I am happy with my 50 there are 22,999,950 that I would not buy

But yes, I have found some jems out there, and those are the ones I do put reviews or sample images up for, because they are so rare. My latest project is a tamron 200-500/5.6 because my other hobby is wildlife.

[Weber]

interested_observer

I only have 50 lenses.

Which is "only" about 10 times as many as I have

How did that happen? Pentaxian for many years, or acute LBA?

[Lloydy]

The NEX is a real joy. Those LTMs are so pricey I can't see it spiking your LBA too much. I do have a 35/1.7 c-mount on the way, but so many of them require drastic cropping. I am enjoying my MF lenses so much more on the NEX than I ever did with my katzeye. It really seems like the perfect tool for your collection.

I absolutely agree. I have 52 lenses and 24 cameras - but with 8 different mounts / systems, although some of the camera's are fixed lens such as my old Voightlander folders and a few rangefinders.
I used the PK mount lenses and the M42 on my K10 with great pleasure, that's my only DSLR, all the other stuff is analogue SLR. Just before my K10 died on me I'd bought a NEX5, so that has become my main camera while Pentax dig the ore to make the parts to repair the K10 and it's a revelation with old glass, my hit rate of sharp and well exposed pictures is way higher - I still shoot crap, but it's sharp and correctly exposed crap

I'll still use the K10 with any glass I have that fits, but a camera that's smaller lighter, easier to use and can use my Minolta MD & AF, Canon FD & EOS, M42, M39 and PK lenses just makes sense to me.

But.....
it doesn't answer RioRico's problem - it would just make it worse because he wouldn't have to modify all those lenses to fit PK.

[Lowell Goudge]

Which is "only" about 10 times as many as I have

How did that happen? Pentaxian for many years, or acute LBA?

both, as I explained, I had already 11 when I went digital, and did get LBA, mainly because I wanted MF primes for low light. I was very controlled for a long long time, only buying anything that was faster than what I already had, and when you cosnider my AF kit has F2.8 from 28-200mm that is a big restriction.

My K mount kit, for example started out as 8/3.5, 13/2.8, 24/2, 28/2, 35/2, 50/1.4, 55/1.8, 85/1.4 105/2.8, 135/2.5, 300/4 400/5.6 I have added a few others that I got cheap since, mainly to try, or to get some A lenses where I didn;t have tbem, but you have to admit, my lineup is impressively fast.

My M42 kit is just as impressive, in terms of speed.

but I am done now, unless i really happen onto something good. My kit is obviously missing something at 200mm, but this really is a place holder for the K200/2.5 if and when I find one cheap.

I might go for the announced DA550/5.6 if it is relitively reasonable in price, and at that time, I would potentially sell my fist lens, because there would be no point keeping the adaptall 200-500/5.6