What are the rarest Pentax lenses?

Bui · 02-23-2017, 01:14 AM

Having been stuck into photography for not too long, but I've already enjoyed playing with Pentax's legacy lenses. During recent months I've purchased a lot of cheap lenses to try and have fun with them, but there are some that I've seen people discussing here but I never see them on sale, or some lenses are very difficult to find any valuable information. I guess that is perhaps due to rarity. For example I've seen a lot of M28, A28, M-A 50 1.7-2, M135, I saw some K55, K30, M40, K135 too, but I've never seen K55 1.2 or 85 1.8 or some wide angle like M-A20.

So I'm curious to know what are considered rare and sought-after Pentax lenses? If I know the info I will try to get them should I ever see them :-) I heard about the mystery M 35mm 1.4 but it is more of a legend than reality so that doesn't count.

bhairavp · 02-23-2017, 02:11 AM

Pentax FA*200/4 Macro
Takumar 100 f/2
Pentax FA*300/2.8
Pentax FA*400/5.6
Pentax A*200/4 Macro
Pentax A/K 50/1.2
SMC Pentax 85/1.8 | SMC Takumar 85/1.8

officiousbystander · 02-23-2017, 02:35 AM

Pentax K24 3.5

**Digitalis** · 02-23-2017, 02:43 AM

The 20mm f/1.4, the 300mm f/2, the A*1200mm f/8 ED IF- AFAIK the first two lenses only existed as prototypes, they weren't put into production. The A*1200mm is just exceedingly rare and expensive.

Jeff Lopez · 02-23-2017, 04:02 AM

Probably most SMC K lenses from 1.2 to 1.4 f stops..

pschlute · 02-23-2017, 04:08 AM

This is the "bible" for k-mount lenses..... Welcome to Bojidar Dimitrov's Pentax K-Mount Page

Rare lenses will be expensive, but not necessarily the other way round. There are plenty of K and A 50mm 1.2 around, but they are pricey.

Possibly my rarest is Pentax-A 16mm 2.8 fisheye. They do come up on ebay but not often.

robthebloke · 02-23-2017, 05:40 AM

Pentax M35 f1.4

bdery · 02-23-2017, 05:54 AM

Originally posted by bhairavp

Pentax FA*200/4 Macro
Takumar 100 f/2
Pentax FA*300/2.8
Pentax FA*400/5.6
Pentax A*200/4 Macro
Pentax A/K 50/1.2
SMC Pentax 85/1.8 | SMC Takumar 85/1.8

Originally posted by Digitalis

A*1200mm f/8

What they said, plus the M120 and M150 which are absurdly rare considering their relatively common specs.

I'd also add the 500mm mirror.

pinholecam · 02-23-2017, 05:57 AM - **2 Likes**

This one ...

About 200 made and in the Japan market.
Sold only for about 1 year (actually less)

**gofour3** · 02-23-2017, 06:49 AM

K 8.4/2.8 Fish-Eye.

Quoted from Bojidar Dimitrov web site:
K8.4f2.8-Fisheye

For a long time it was thought that this lens existed only as a prototype, but in early 2004 one lens was offered for auction at Yahoo Japan. The lens appears to be essentially identical to the prototype "smc PENTAX BIRDS-EYE 1:2.8 8.4 mm", but it carries the name "smc PENTAX FISH-EYE 1:2.8 8.4 mm". The lens shown for auction did not have the rubber ring between the aperture ring and the mount (visible on the prototype lens), but I think that it was because it had fallen off and not due to a production redesign.

Something very interesting about this lens is that it lacks a focusing ring! But at this short focal length, the depth of field is so huge, so no wonder...

The optical diagram and size information comes from this paper. Apparently the lens was designe by Satoru for Asahi Optical and is sepecified in Japanese patent JP60-153018.

Phil.

**arv** · 02-23-2017, 07:08 AM

Takumar 58mm f2 - shortest Sonnar for SLR cameras?

Jeff Lopez · 02-23-2017, 08:46 AM

I think that Nikon actually produced a lens for Asahi Pentax circa 1954? it had the long Nikon name and by that time Nikon didnt even have a camera, they were being contracted for lens by Zeiss/Leica?

**gofour3** · 02-23-2017, 09:47 AM

These four lenses took me awhile to find:

K15/3.5AL
K150/4
K80-200/4.5 (Lots of the "M" version, but few of the "K")
K85-210/3.5

Phil.

northcoastgreg · 02-23-2017, 09:51 AM

Other than the prototype lenses, one of the rarest might be the K or M 2000 f13.5 Reflex. There's one review in the PF database, so someone out there owns one, but haven't seen any images from it. Probably largely useless for terrestrial objects, I would guess.

pschlute · 02-23-2017, 10:13 AM

Originally posted by bdery

plus the M120 and M150 which are absurdly rare considering their relatively common specs.

.

I can see 4 M120's for sale on ebay at the moment and 5 actual sales in the last three months. So not that rare. The 150 is a different matter.

I luckily own both these lenses.

02-23-2017, 01:14 AM	#1
Bui Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 316	What are the rarest Pentax lenses? Having been stuck into photography for not too long, but I've already enjoyed playing with Pentax's legacy lenses. During recent months I've purchased a lot of cheap lenses to try and have fun with them, but there are some that I've seen people discussing here but I never see them on sale, or some lenses are very difficult to find any valuable information. I guess that is perhaps due to rarity. For example I've seen a lot of M28, A28, M-A 50 1.7-2, M135, I saw some K55, K30, M40, K135 too, but I've never seen K55 1.2 or 85 1.8 or some wide angle like M-A20. So I'm curious to know what are considered rare and sought-after Pentax lenses? If I know the info I will try to get them should I ever see them :-) I heard about the mystery M 35mm 1.4 but it is more of a legend than reality so that doesn't count.

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02-23-2017, 02:11 AM	#2
bhairavp Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 399	Pentax FA200/4 Macro Takumar 100 f/2 Pentax FA300/2.8 Pentax FA400/5.6 Pentax A200/4 Macro Pentax A/K 50/1.2 SMC Pentax 85/1.8 \| SMC Takumar 85/1.8

02-23-2017, 02:35 AM	#3
officiousbystander Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery Posts: 916	Pentax K24 3.5

02-23-2017, 02:43 AM	#4
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	The 20mm f/1.4, the 300mm f/2, the A1200mm f/8 ED IF- AFAIK the first two lenses only existed as prototypes, they weren't put into production. The A1200mm is just exceedingly rare and expensive.

02-23-2017, 04:02 AM	#5
Jeff Lopez Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 531	Probably most SMC K lenses from 1.2 to 1.4 f stops..

02-23-2017, 04:08 AM	#6
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,216	This is the "bible" for k-mount lenses..... Welcome to Bojidar Dimitrov's Pentax K-Mount Page Rare lenses will be expensive, but not necessarily the other way round. There are plenty of K and A 50mm 1.2 around, but they are pricey. Possibly my rarest is Pentax-A 16mm 2.8 fisheye. They do come up on ebay but not often.

02-23-2017, 05:40 AM	#7
robthebloke Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Sydney Photos: Albums Posts: 844	Pentax M35 f1.4

02-23-2017, 05:54 AM	#8
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,362	Originally posted by bhairavp Pentax FA200/4 Macro Takumar 100 f/2 Pentax FA300/2.8 Pentax FA400/5.6 Pentax A200/4 Macro Pentax A/K 50/1.2 SMC Pentax 85/1.8 \| SMC Takumar 85/1.8 Originally posted by Digitalis A*1200mm f/8 What they said, plus the M120 and M150 which are absurdly rare considering their relatively common specs. I'd also add the 500mm mirror.

02-23-2017, 05:57 AM - 2 Likes	#9
pinholecam Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: North Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,709	This one ... About 200 made and in the Japan market. Sold only for about 1 year (actually less)

02-23-2017, 06:49 AM	#10
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,092	K 8.4/2.8 Fish-Eye. Quoted from Bojidar Dimitrov web site: K8.4f2.8-Fisheye For a long time it was thought that this lens existed only as a prototype, but in early 2004 one lens was offered for auction at Yahoo Japan. The lens appears to be essentially identical to the prototype "smc PENTAX BIRDS-EYE 1:2.8 8.4 mm", but it carries the name "smc PENTAX FISH-EYE 1:2.8 8.4 mm". The lens shown for auction did not have the rubber ring between the aperture ring and the mount (visible on the prototype lens), but I think that it was because it had fallen off and not due to a production redesign. Something very interesting about this lens is that it lacks a focusing ring! But at this short focal length, the depth of field is so huge, so no wonder... The optical diagram and size information comes from this paper. Apparently the lens was designe by Satoru for Asahi Optical and is sepecified in Japanese patent JP60-153018. Phil.

02-23-2017, 07:08 AM	#11
arv Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 414	Takumar 58mm f2 - shortest Sonnar for SLR cameras?

02-23-2017, 08:46 AM	#12
Jeff Lopez Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 531	I think that Nikon actually produced a lens for Asahi Pentax circa 1954? it had the long Nikon name and by that time Nikon didnt even have a camera, they were being contracted for lens by Zeiss/Leica?

02-23-2017, 09:47 AM	#13
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,092	These four lenses took me awhile to find: K15/3.5AL K150/4 K80-200/4.5 (Lots of the "M" version, but few of the "K") K85-210/3.5 Phil.

02-23-2017, 09:51 AM	#14
northcoastgreg Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Northern Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,175	Other than the prototype lenses, one of the rarest might be the K or M 2000 f13.5 Reflex. There's one review in the PF database, so someone out there owns one, but haven't seen any images from it. Probably largely useless for terrestrial objects, I would guess.

02-23-2017, 10:13 AM	#15
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,216	Originally posted by bdery plus the M120 and M150 which are absurdly rare considering their relatively common specs. . I can see 4 M120's for sale on ebay at the moment and 5 actual sales in the last three months. So not that rare. The 150 is a different matter. I luckily own both these lenses.