The Lens Culling Begins!

Dewman · 05-05-2015, 06:46 PM

I'm in the process of selecting the Pentax-M lenses I want to keep. I have one gap I'd like to fill, that being a good 35mm. I have a 28mm f:3.5 that I'll keep and let the f:2.8 go. I have several 50mm M lenses, but I think I'll keep the f:1.4, f:1.7 and a f:2.0. I'm 50mm poor, having a DA f:1.8, a 50mm-A f:1.7 and a 50mm-FA 2.8 macro in addition to two Sears 50's and a Ricoh f:1.7. I just acquired a pristine M-100mm f:2.8. Next in order, I have a Takumar f:2.5, and a M-200mm f:4 to round out the lot. I had a very nice K-400mm f:5.6, but I recently sold it. It was a lens that just never got used and it's sale funded my FA-50mm f:2.8 macro. For me, that was a very good trade off.

This all seems so unnecessary as I seldom use any manual lenses any more. I tend to reach for the A or F lenses.... especially as my eyes get worse, it becomes just so much easier to go with the modern lenses and be done with it. But, it just seems like I MUST have this lineup of Manual lenses. Maybe it helps keep me stay connected to my past, I don't know. But I DO know, it would be a hard thing to get rid of ALL of them.

Then, when all this is cut and dried, I've got to begin culling the Manual zooms. Oh.... the humanity of it all!

Do any of you wrestle with these thoughts at night... when sleep won't come? So sad. This has taken the place of dreams of Heather Locklear and Hollywood starlets. Getting old is the pits!

bigdavephoto · 05-05-2015, 07:01 PM

For me, it is just a matter of wishing I could afford the lenses that I want. Easy way to solve LBA...loose your job, and it not be because of anything you did.

**dadipentak** · 05-05-2015, 07:07 PM

I'm putting off the inevitable. Fortunately I'm very good at putting things off.

tvdtvdtvd · 05-05-2015, 07:33 PM

Originally posted by Dewman

Then, when all this is cut and dried, I've got to begin culling the Manual zooms. Oh.... the humanity of it all!
(

That at least should be easy: All of 'em! Well, pick one really horrible zoom with no MC for those times when
you want to produce some crazy flare, but otherwise, All of 'em!

I'm about to do the culling myself after a year of aggressive LBA. Numerous duplicate 28mm & 50mm to
purge, plus a few other odds and ends. Top of the list though is to get rid of every zoom I have. Don't use
them, don't need them taking up shelf space. I do have one particularly bad Albinar 80-200 that produces
big snowflake hexagons. Might keep that one. But the rest are all going out the door.

jimr-pdx · 05-05-2015, 08:14 PM

I feel your "pain" as an M85 just arrived to join my K24 and 100/2.8, 135 & 150mm tele-trio. The M100/4 macro arrives later this week. My 50 is one of newfangled A models..

waste of a nice green button, but I can take it off A so it can pretend to match the others!

**monochrome** · 05-05-2015, 08:14 PM

When it comes down to it I'll keep them.

I had a verbal sale of <i>all</i> my manual and FA lenses to justify the Princesses but the guy didn't bring all the money.

Now I'm back to letting go of one lens at a time. Someone posted a link to a 20 year old Takinami list of the sharpest lenses and I realized I own them all. Insanity! But I'll never let them go now.

AquaDome · 05-05-2015, 10:38 PM - **3 Likes**

I used to have a big pile of manual focus lenses laying around. Instead of selling them, I bought cameras for all of them.

LensBeginner · 05-05-2015, 11:58 PM

Well, you still don't have a K 55/1.8, which is a superb manual lens, and very different from each of your 50s... :-P
Seriously, manual lenses are so cheap that I would keep them all and just enjoy playing with them!

Jonathan Mac · 05-06-2015, 12:18 AM

Originally posted by AquaDome

I used to have a big pile of manual focus lenses laying around. Instead of selling them, I bought cameras for all of them.

I like your thinking

My lens stash keeps on growing, despite selling off a few at the beginning of the year. There always seems to be a "good" reason to keep each and every one.

**jrpower10** · 05-06-2015, 08:12 AM

I feel your pain. I just had to try MF, and of course love it. Now I'm parting with K, M and DA lenses to fund MF gear. The hardest ones to part with have been the M and Tak lenses as these have sentimental value for me (learned photography from my father using these lenses in the film days). Interesting that I have more attachment to these than I do the modern lenses I'm letting go.

bdery · 05-06-2015, 11:32 AM

Originally posted by Dewman

I have several 50mm M lenses, but I think I'll keep the f:1.4, f:1.7 and a f:2.0. I'm 50mm poor, having a DA f:1.8, a 50mm-A f:1.7 and a 50mm-FA 2.8 macro in addition to two Sears 50's and a Ricoh f:1.7

How can you own at least 10 50s and consider yourself poor? I only have one and it's for sale...

05-05-2015, 06:46 PM	#1
Dewman Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,492	The Lens Culling Begins! I'm in the process of selecting the Pentax-M lenses I want to keep. I have one gap I'd like to fill, that being a good 35mm. I have a 28mm f:3.5 that I'll keep and let the f:2.8 go. I have several 50mm M lenses, but I think I'll keep the f:1.4, f:1.7 and a f:2.0. I'm 50mm poor, having a DA f:1.8, a 50mm-A f:1.7 and a 50mm-FA 2.8 macro in addition to two Sears 50's and a Ricoh f:1.7. I just acquired a pristine M-100mm f:2.8. Next in order, I have a Takumar f:2.5, and a M-200mm f:4 to round out the lot. I had a very nice K-400mm f:5.6, but I recently sold it. It was a lens that just never got used and it's sale funded my FA-50mm f:2.8 macro. For me, that was a very good trade off. This all seems so unnecessary as I seldom use any manual lenses any more. I tend to reach for the A or F lenses.... especially as my eyes get worse, it becomes just so much easier to go with the modern lenses and be done with it. But, it just seems like I MUST have this lineup of Manual lenses. Maybe it helps keep me stay connected to my past, I don't know. But I DO know, it would be a hard thing to get rid of ALL of them. Then, when all this is cut and dried, I've got to begin culling the Manual zooms. Oh.... the humanity of it all! Do any of you wrestle with these thoughts at night... when sleep won't come? So sad. This has taken the place of dreams of Heather Locklear and Hollywood starlets. Getting old is the pits!

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05-05-2015, 07:01 PM	#2
bigdavephoto Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: East central Indiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 893	For me, it is just a matter of wishing I could afford the lenses that I want. Easy way to solve LBA...loose your job, and it not be because of anything you did.

05-05-2015, 07:07 PM	#3
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	I'm putting off the inevitable. Fortunately I'm very good at putting things off.

05-05-2015, 07:33 PM	#4
tvdtvdtvd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,665	Originally posted by Dewman Then, when all this is cut and dried, I've got to begin culling the Manual zooms. Oh.... the humanity of it all! ( That at least should be easy: All of 'em! Well, pick one really horrible zoom with no MC for those times when you want to produce some crazy flare, but otherwise, All of 'em! I'm about to do the culling myself after a year of aggressive LBA. Numerous duplicate 28mm & 50mm to purge, plus a few other odds and ends. Top of the list though is to get rid of every zoom I have. Don't use them, don't need them taking up shelf space. I do have one particularly bad Albinar 80-200 that produces big snowflake hexagons. Might keep that one. But the rest are all going out the door.

05-05-2015, 08:14 PM	#5
jimr-pdx Pentaxian Join Date: May 2010 Location: now 1 hour north of PDX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,897	I feel your "pain" as an M85 just arrived to join my K24 and 100/2.8, 135 & 150mm tele-trio. The M100/4 macro arrives later this week. My 50 is one of newfangled A models.. waste of a nice green button, but I can take it off A so it can pretend to match the others!

05-05-2015, 08:14 PM	#6
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	When it comes down to it I'll keep them. I had a verbal sale of <i>all</i> my manual and FA lenses to justify the Princesses but the guy didn't bring all the money. Now I'm back to letting go of one lens at a time. Someone posted a link to a 20 year old Takinami list of the sharpest lenses and I realized I own them all. Insanity! But I'll never let them go now.

05-05-2015, 10:38 PM - 3 Likes	#7
AquaDome Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: New Carlisle, IN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,475	I used to have a big pile of manual focus lenses laying around. Instead of selling them, I bought cameras for all of them.

05-05-2015, 11:58 PM	#8
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Well, you still don't have a K 55/1.8, which is a superb manual lens, and very different from each of your 50s... :-P Seriously, manual lenses are so cheap that I would keep them all and just enjoy playing with them!

05-06-2015, 12:18 AM	#9
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,894	Originally posted by AquaDome I used to have a big pile of manual focus lenses laying around. Instead of selling them, I bought cameras for all of them. I like your thinking My lens stash keeps on growing, despite selling off a few at the beginning of the year. There always seems to be a "good" reason to keep each and every one.

05-06-2015, 08:12 AM	#10
jrpower10 Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Richland, Washington, USA Posts: 935	I feel your pain. I just had to try MF, and of course love it. Now I'm parting with K, M and DA lenses to fund MF gear. The hardest ones to part with have been the M and Tak lenses as these have sentimental value for me (learned photography from my father using these lenses in the film days). Interesting that I have more attachment to these than I do the modern lenses I'm letting go.

05-06-2015, 11:32 AM	#11
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,357	Originally posted by Dewman I have several 50mm M lenses, but I think I'll keep the f:1.4, f:1.7 and a f:2.0. I'm 50mm poor, having a DA f:1.8, a 50mm-A f:1.7 and a 50mm-FA 2.8 macro in addition to two Sears 50's and a Ricoh f:1.7 How can you own at least 10 50s and consider yourself poor? I only have one and it's for sale...