[shutterbob]

Cosmicar/TOU-Five Star??????? Would like some advice on a Cosmicar TOU/Five Star 70-200mm Macro Zoom K Mount with an "Auto" designation and with MC but not SMC coating. I've been offered one (under $40) in "mint" condition and am interested. Only thing I can discover is that Toyo/Cosmicar is a division of Pentax who made some SLR's for Pentax under the Five Star designation. My first inclination is that Pentax would surely have insisted upon Cosmicar exercising some degree of quality if this lens was made to their spec/mount, but one never knows depending upon the targeted market. Does anyone in the forum possess a Cosmicar Five Star Lens, and if so, what is your impression?

Thanks,
shutterbob

[w6wat]

I used to have that lens, but without the Cosmicar marquis. Mine was marked Toyo Tou/Five Star. I bought it from a large camera shop in Santa Monica or Marina Del Rey here in CA. The salesman told me it was a superb lens and would go well with my ME Super. I loved the lens, but sold it after buying a Tamron SP 60-300. It was quite sharp if memory serves. I remember paying somewhere close to $180 or so for it new. That would've been in the early 1980's. I remember it being quite a bit less than the Pentax 70-210 that I really wanted.

[shutterbob]

Thanks for that. Anyone else have experience with the TOU/Five-Star zoom lenses. The one I have been offered looks great, but I know looks can be deceiving if the glass and build is inferior. The photo of the item looks strikingly identical to the Pentax branded lens of the same spec. Would like to hear from others who may have used or owned one of these.:

[spb37]

I have one. Problem is you cannot stop down the aperture so you need to shoot wide open with digital SLRs. I would pass.

[JMS]

I have one. Problem is you cannot stop down the aperture so you need to shoot wide open with digital SLRs. I would pass.

Where did you get that idea?

[spb37]

Well it does not have a manual setting unlike my takumar primes. I prefer to meter with aperture priority. But you are right I should clarify that it does work (you do not need to shoot wide open) if you use the manual setting and hit AE button method. Thx.

And the lens does have the quality metal feel of taks FWIW mine, a TOU Five Star 75-200mm MC Auto Macro Zoom Lens, was 30 with shipping from fleabay.

[stevebrot]

Well it does not have a manual setting unlike my takumar primes. I prefer to meter with aperture priority. But you are right I should clarify that it does work (you do not need to shoot wide open) if you use the manual setting and hit AE button method. Thx.

And the lens does have the quality metal feel of taks FWIW mine, a TOU Five Star 75-200mm MC Auto Macro Zoom Lens, was 30 with shipping from fleabay.

Ummm...the original post indicates that it is K-Mount not M-42.

Steve

[spb37]

Mine's a K-mount too. Ap ring does not have an "A" setting so AFAIK you need to use the AE button.

[chetan.dighe]

I bought this lens yesterday, and got an opportunity to shoot two cheetas from 4 feet - whatever the closest distance of the lens. The lens is amazingly sharp - almost like a prime. And imagine - I bought this for about 20 / 25 USD (converted from the local currency) - absolutely the bestest value for money ;-)
My advice - anybody finds anything like this in working condition - please don't let the opportunity go - just grab it

This is my 9th (or is it 10th) lens to my Pentax collection. Absolutely delighted. This is going to be one of my most favorite lenses, the other one being Pentax 50/1.4.

[chetan.dighe]

Sorry, the title should read 1:4.5, not a:1.4 just a typo ...

Another addition - this is a constant aperture lens - 4.5 through out the range. I had heard a lot about the optics of this type being superior. I did not understand the discussion much, except for the above mentioned conclusion. I wanted to buy 16-45/4 for my K10D instead of the kit lens, but could not as it was out of stock locally at that time. This one (tou/five star) is my first experience of constant aperture, and may be, among other things, this is also responsible for the great image quality ...

[case]

Cosmicar/TOU-Five Star??????? Would like some advice on a Cosmicar TOU/Five Star 70-200mm Macro Zoom K Mount with an "Auto" designation and with MC but not SMC coating. I've been offered one (under $40) in "mint" condition and am interested. Only thing I can discover is that Toyo/Cosmicar is a division of Pentax who made some SLR's for Pentax under the Five Star designation. My first inclination is that Pentax would surely have insisted upon Cosmicar exercising some degree of quality if this lens was made to their spec/mount, but one never knows depending upon the targeted market. Does anyone in the forum possess a Cosmicar Five Star Lens, and if so, what is your impression?

Thanks,
shutterbob

I found a Tou Five Star 70-200 f4 (KA mount) with Cosmicar etched on the barrel. Got it with a Focal (K-Mart?) 2X teleconverter. Maybe I stumbled on to a remarkably good copy because it is definitely sharper than my Pentax A 70-210 and my Pentax M 200mm f4. It is also remarkably sharp when paired with the Focal 2X teleconverter which also works very well with a number of other 100-200mm range lenses.