[DukeGordon]

Hey all, relatively new to the Pentax scene, hopefully the right place for this, but I just wanted some feedback on a recent craigslist find. Guy was selling some old Pentax gear and I was interested in a few lenses, but he told me $100 for the whole box, so I went ahead and took his offer.

Lenses:
SMC A50/1.4
SMC M50/1.7 (x2)
SMC M28/2.8 with leather case
CPC Phase 2 CCT 28-80mm Macro 3.5-4.5
Cosina MC Cosinon-T 200mm F4
Sears Auto 28-85mm 3.5-4.5

Bodies (All with original owner's manuals):
Pentax Super Program
Pentax ME
Nikkormat EL w/ Nikkor 50/1.4

Extras:
A pile of Hoya UV filters (49 and 52mm),
Hoya +1 and +3 "closeup lens" filters
A few old leather lens and camera cases
Sunpak auto 122 flash
two P&S cameras that will be donated.

I think I got a pretty good deal and am excited to try out some of these old MF lenses.

Any comments on the lenses I got (quality, value, strengths, weaknesses, etc)? I know about the 50/1.4 but don't know much about the others.

Also, I'm thinking of keeping one of the old film cameras for kicks. How do these three camera compare? And what to do with the two I decide not to keep.

[Moe49]

Score !!
That SMC Pentax-A 50mm/1.4 lens is worth $100 on it's own.

[mattb123]

The primes all have good potential. The 28 in particular, especially with the K-1 out that's a decently wide lens on FF.
I'm less of a fan of legacy zooms but some people really like them. If I were you I'd keep the 50/1.4, 28, and 200 and unload the rest.

[Dlanor Sekao]

ALL Your lenses are very usable on the K-3............ You did Very Good Grasshoppa !


You can send me the CPC Phase II 28-80 Macro.......

[BigDave]

I would keep the Nikon Nikormat, it was a classic and looks to be in good shape. This was an all mechanical camera also, so it would work without batteries! Keep it for your collection (we all have one)!

[boriscleto]

Nice find. I get listings like this 2 hours away

[ramseybuckeye]

Excellent find! The A 50/1.4 is the star, but the other primes are no slouches. All of the cameras have merit. I used Nikkormats in college photojournalism classes and they were a good camera, I would keep that too with a 50/1.4 lens, or a least try a roll of film through it, it has value.I don't think you'll get those buy it now prices, but still good. Surprisingly many lenses are going low.

[DukeGordon]

Score !!
That SMC Pentax-A 50mm/1.4 lens is worth $100 on it's own.

Yep, that was the lens I was originally interested in and why I jumped on the deal!

So you are looking at about 600 bucks worth of stuff. Nice haul.

Wow, didn't realize it was that much. Sounds like I need to find some boxes and bubble wrap.

I would keep the Nikon Nikormat, it was a classic and looks to be in good shape. This was an all mechanical camera also, so it would work without batteries! Keep it for your collection (we all have one)!

Yeah, I love how it looks, and it seems to be in great shape. Not sure how to check its function, I haven't been around a film camera in at least 15 years. My only reservation for keeping that one was that it wouldn't be compatible with my growing Pentax lens collection.

[transam879]

Nice find. I get listings like this 2 hours away

I feel your pain. From Liverpool, NY as well. In 2008 I did manage to snag a great find in Liverpool. A Pentax-F 50mm 1.4 mounted to a film camera with bag for $60. I ended up re-selling the lens. Still have the camera body though. But that is the only decent option near Liverpool I've seen since 2008.

[pathdoc]

The M50/1.7's, I am told, have a good reputation.

The ME is a nice little compact film camera for point and shoot work in 24/7 aperture priority with Pentax DSLR lenses. It has two stops EV compensation either way but no other way to adjust shutter speed for a given aperture (but most of the time you probably don't want to go that far from recommended with film anyway). The flash-sync shutter speed is mechanical, so you can run with a crippled variant of Sunny Sixteen if the batteries die. It will meter to a required exposure of EIGHT SECONDS; not at all bad for what's basically an entry-level amateur body. Of course what you do about the film's reciprocity failure is up to you. It is tiny and portable, especially with the SMC-M 40/2.8 Pancake or similar small, light lens on the front. I have one and love it.

The Super Program will allow indirect aperture control of FA-J, DA and D-FA lenses that lack an aperture ring (via adjusting the shutter speed), though of course you're on your own for focus. The flash sync speed is, from experience, NOT mechanical and there is NO backup if the batteries die. The benefit you get over the ME is full control over shutter speed and aperture with lenses that have an aperture ring, and you also as a bonus get true TTL flash metering with compatible Pentax flashes (e.g. AF080C macro ring flash; AF280T swivel/tilt flash). Aside from the luxury LX, the Super Program is IIRC the only Pentax manual-focus camera that does all this. I have one of these too, but have not seen as much use out of it yet.

Put a roll through each; see how you feel about the results. Then sell the one you like the least.

[BigDave]

Not sure how to check its function,

For a film camera, it is quite easy. Cock the shutter, hit the shutter release. Do this at each shutter speed to see if it hangs or is excessively slow at any speed. Start at 1/2 second and keep going up. You should hear the shutter getting aster fand faster. If you do, you are good to go!

[Dlanor Sekao]

Nice find. I get listings like this 2 hours away

Arent You Beating a Path to their Door right now ???

[Apet-Sure]

The M50/1.7's, I am told, have a good reputation.

I love mine - it's my best lens. Average user rating of 9.37; not too shabby! SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7 Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

[DukeGordon]

For a film camera, it is quite easy. Cock the shutter, hit the shutter release. Do this at each shutter speed to see if it hangs or is excessively slow at any speed. Start at 1/2 second and keep going up. You should hear the shutter getting aster fand faster. If you do, you are good to go!

Tried this and it doesn't sound like the shutter changes speeds one way or another. Doesn't hang or anything, but it is all the same speed regardless of the setting I have it on.

I love mine - it's my best lens. Average user rating of 9.37; not too shabby! SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7 Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

Well, maybe I will have to keep both! What does the 1.7 do better than the 1.4?

[osv]

if everything is functional, that nikon package will easily pay for the whole batch, well done.

fwiw, there are some threads about nikon glass on pentax bodies, it would interesting to see how it compares to the a50/1.4 you got.