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08-09-2012, 03:33 PM   #1
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A 15mm 3.5, FA 20-35 and M 50 1.4 for $600? what you think?

Hi everyone, I'm about to buy these three lens in good shape for $600. I've read some reviews about them and so far like what I read. This is just a case of LBA, but I want a 15mm and this seems to be a nice lens to have and also a good collectors item. Any thoughts on these lens? anyone used them recently? Am I getting ripped off? Thanks!

08-09-2012, 04:11 PM   #2
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If you don't want them post the link and I'll have a go.

I think that is a fair price assuming the condition is good. The FA 20-35 may be the best lens there though. The A 15mm is a very old design and may (or may not) hold up against DA 15mm, I don't have one so I do not know. Unless you are shooting film of course. But it will be much bigger and heavier than the DA. But as a collectors item it is certainly worth it if in mint condition with the hood. The M 50mm is fine and worth maybe 75-100 usd.
08-09-2012, 04:12 PM   #3
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All three for US$600 is a bargin. The A 15mm f3.5 goes for closer to $1,000 on its own.

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Chris
08-09-2012, 04:35 PM   #4
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Fortunately, it's a guy here in Costa Rica that is selling them. I'm going tonight to have a look at them. I'm shooting K5 but I really like the feel of MF lens like the A's. And of course, waiting for a FF Pentax, so it will be nice to have the 15mm. I do take some arquitectural
pics so wide angles are always useful to me.
I saw some prices for the A 15mm but was a litte doubtful of those high prices. Any particular reason that lens is soooo expensive?
Thanks

08-09-2012, 04:36 PM   #5
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Ridiculously cheap for all 3. The 15mm alone is worth almost that.
08-09-2012, 04:43 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by CRPhoto Quote
I saw some prices for the A 15mm but was a litte doubtful of those high prices.
15mm was a ridiculously wide angle on film. Difficult and expensive lens to make back then, and not many ever made. So, not many in the pool = high prices. If they were as common as the A 50mm then they would not cost so much.

Lenses are a little funny when setting value. You have the use value (what someone who is going to use the lens to take pictures is willing to pay) and then you also have collectors who may or may not ever use the lens. The rarer a lens is the more the equation shifts to the collector side.

Does it make any sense to pay $200 for a Takumar 50mm f/1.4 when you can buy an FA 50m f/1.4 for about $300? But I have seen them go that high.
08-09-2012, 04:50 PM   #7
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Thanks for the info. I do plan to use it on the K5 for interiors and landscapes, just hoping it's as good at it looks to be. Maybe tommorrow I'll find out! I plan to give the 50mm to a cousin that wants to buy a K30 or K5, so she can have a nice 50 to play with.

08-09-2012, 09:16 PM   #8
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So I got to see the lenses...they are in perfect shape, no big hood on the 15mm but I got a soft pouch. The 50 is actually an A not an M! And the 20-35 is like new. Hopefully tommorrow I'll get some pictures with them!
08-09-2012, 09:28 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by CRPhoto Quote
no big hood on the 15mm but I got a soft pouch
That particular 15mm is an incredible lens for DSLR video work, actually pretty sought after just for that.
08-10-2012, 02:32 AM   #10
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You don't need other hood for the 15mm. It's very flare resistance.
08-10-2012, 06:25 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by hoanpham Quote
You don't need other hood for the 15mm. It's very flare resistance.
I meant the protective cover for the lens.
08-10-2012, 02:34 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by CRPhoto Quote
I meant the protective cover for the lens.
If the lens cap is missing you could use one of the lenscoat similar soft neoprene lens caps. They fit nicely, give good protection, are fairly cheap and will hold to the lens better, than the original lens cap.

Ben
08-12-2012, 11:09 PM   #13
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wow what a deal...if I were you I would take it in an instance. You can for example keep fa20-35 and sell the other too for 600$, so in the end you will have your fa20-35 for free ....or keep the A15/3.5 and sell the zoom + A50/1.4...and you will end up owning very special lens for couple of dollars. Its a great deal anyway...
08-13-2012, 06:41 AM   #14
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Thanks for the tip on the lens cap Ben_Edict.
I ended up buying the lenses and now I'm trying to get out and shoot some pictures to test the lens. So far I've found the 50 really sharp and great colors and a great lens, the 20-45 also sharp. The 15mm seems a like difficult to focus with large apertures and it does get the left side a little blurry while the rest looks ok i also think it doesn't have good contrast, but I haven't got really serious into testing it. Will try to do it over the next few days and I'll post some pics over here. Thanks!
08-13-2012, 10:26 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by CRPhoto Quote
Thanks for the tip on the lens cap Ben_Edict.
I ended up buying the lenses and now I'm trying to get out and shoot some pictures to test the lens. So far I've found the 50 really sharp and great colors and a great lens, the 20-45 also sharp. The 15mm seems a like difficult to focus with large apertures and it does get the left side a little blurry while the rest looks ok i also think it doesn't have good contrast, but I haven't got really serious into testing it. Will try to do it over the next few days and I'll post some pics over here. Thanks!
If the A 15 is blurry on one side and has low contrast it is decentered and needs repair. In good (aka "normal") condition it is sharp and contrasty and better than most wide angles. It is certainly better than the 20-35 in my own experience, though many people rave about that zoom. I think the A15 is worth the repair cost easily. Focusing is, by the way, better done by simply choosing a distance from the distance scale and using the DOF scale.

Ben
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