Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
03-16-2018, 05:09 AM - 1 Like   #1
Pentaxian
Mistral75's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 7,488
Special black edition of the smc Pentax-A★ 600mm f/5.6 ED [IF]

Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here.


An smc Pentax-A★ 600mm f/5.6 ED [IF]
  • which is black instead of white-grey
  • the front part of which slightly differs from that of the standard lens (e.g. the cone at the rear is more abrupt)
  • with a detachable lens hood instead of a built-in one

just appeared on eBay:

【Rare!! MINT】 Pentax SMC Pentax-A* 600mm f/5.6 ED IF Tele Lens From Japan #351 | eBay

Could it be a prototype lens?





The standard smc Pentax-A★ 600mm f/5.6 ED [IF]




Last edited by Mistral75; 03-17-2018 at 06:16 AM. Reason: Title modified
03-16-2018, 05:13 AM   #2
New Member




Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Italy
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1
Good lens.
03-16-2018, 05:47 AM   #3
Pentaxian
cmohr's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Brisbane. Australia
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,822
Whatever it is, it's beautiful.
03-16-2018, 06:02 AM   #4
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter




Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Virginia, USA
Photos: Albums
Posts: 259
It is a nice looking lens, wonder if they'd take my white one in trade for it!

03-16-2018, 07:48 AM   #5
Otis Memorial Pentaxian
stevebrot's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Vancouver (USA)
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 42,007
Prototypes don't come with accessories (padded cap) or lens manual for the production model nor do they have serial numbers. It is a beautiful lens, but without provenance, just what it is might be hard to determine.


Steve

Last edited by stevebrot; 03-16-2018 at 08:01 AM.
03-16-2018, 08:32 AM   #6
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: MT
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,349
I was thinking fake or rebranded or medium format model...'til I looked at the green band on the hood. That's the traditional A* green band many of us know so well! Pretty slick counterfeiter to pull that off (not to mention the embossed Pentax info on the lens barrel).
03-16-2018, 08:59 AM   #7
Pentaxian




Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 6,027
Maybe a small number were made in this style for a particular client where black (or removable hood) was preferable for some reason? (government, military, research, something) Or it was just a limited edition in Japan (just because) that was so long ago that nobody remembers? Looks functionally identical except for the hood -- I'm sure it is the same optics inside.

This black one has a serial# of 5964967. My white one is #5712229, so it wouldn't appear that the black one was earlier than others.

03-16-2018, 09:04 AM   #8
Administrator
Site Webmaster
Adam's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Arizona
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 51,558
Very interesting find. Maybe there was a black variant?

The even more interesting thing is the detachable hood. This thing must have come from the Pentax factory in one way or another.

Adam
PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide | Site Help | My Photography)



PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:
03-16-2018, 10:01 AM   #9
Pentaxian
Mistral75's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 7,488
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by vonBaloney Quote
Maybe a small number were made in this style for a particular client where black (or removable hood) was preferable for some reason? (government, military, research, something) Or it was just a limited edition in Japan (just because) that was so long ago that nobody remembers? Looks functionally identical except for the hood -- I'm sure it is the same optics inside.

This black one has a serial# of 5964967. My white one is #5712229, so it wouldn't appear that the black one was earlier than others.
Indeed the latest serial number listed here:

SMC Pentax-A* 600mm F5.6 ED [IF] Serial Numbers - Pentax Serial Number Database - PentaxForums.com

is 5962904, lower than the one of this mystery lens, which could therefore be one of the last smc Pentax-A★ 600mm f/5.6 ED [IF] ever manufactured.
03-16-2018, 10:12 AM   #10
Pentaxian




Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 6,027
So late that rather than early? The last one made! Wasn't this model only available as a special order in the later years of its run? Maybe a very special order.
03-16-2018, 10:17 AM   #11
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
monochrome's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Working From Home
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 26,276
Didn’t some of these more exotic lenses stay in the Japan-only catalog on a made-to-order basis for quite some time after general stock ran out? If so, perhaps the ‘factory’ (one guy at an assembly table) accepted a bespoke order

I recall my dealer saying he could special order an A50/1.2 direct from Japan after I was already a member here, maybe in 2010, made to order.
03-16-2018, 05:11 PM   #12
Pentaxian
Mistral75's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 7,488
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by vonBaloney Quote
So late that rather than early? The last one made! Wasn't this model only available as a special order in the later years of its run? Maybe a very special order.
From asahi man on Digital Photography Review's forum, where I opened a similar thread:
QuoteOriginally posted by asahi man:
The serial number is too high to be for a pure prototype.

Possible that it's a small single series, Pentax was known for small production runs of special orders and offers.

I will send this to a Pentax friend, maybe he will ask at headquarters.
03-16-2018, 06:02 PM   #13
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 11,913
The eBay ad says it all in the ad title:

[Japan police Limited !!]

Makes sense. A big white lens would be hard to be discreet with in the field when doing crowd surveillance etc. The removable lens hood would also make the lens more compact and portable.
03-16-2018, 06:54 PM   #14
Pentaxian




Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 6,027
QuoteOriginally posted by rawr Quote
The eBay ad says it all in the ad title:

[Japan police Limited !!]

Makes sense. A big white lens would be hard to be discreet with in the field when doing crowd surveillance etc. The removable lens hood would also make the lens more compact and portable.
Aha. They just changed that -- said "Rare - Mint" before. The hood doesn't change the size. The normal hood slides out. However, the removable hood is probably more robust -- with usual hood you can't for instance place the lens front element down on a table with the hood extended because the little holding screw can't take the weight and it will retract and crash down.
03-17-2018, 03:19 AM   #15
Pentaxian
Mistral75's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 7,488
Original Poster
In the meantime, the price went up, from $4,999,99 to $6,999.99...

【Japan police Limited !!】 Pentax SMC Pentax-A* 600mm f/5.6 ED IF Lens From Japan | eBay
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
600mm, 600mm pentax a lens, ebay, k-mount, lens, mm, mystery 600mm, pentax lens, post, prototype, slr lens, smc, version
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
smc PENTAX-DA★ 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM Chapel Pentax Medium Format 5 09-19-2017 01:51 PM
From prototype to prototype to product 6BQ5 Pentax Full Frame 37 12-01-2015 03:06 PM
For Sale - Sold: smc PENTAX DA★ 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM RadamFG Sold Items 2 06-03-2015 07:40 AM
For Sale - Sold: smc PENTAX-FA★ 300mm F4.5 ED [IF] joan.pentax Sold Items 15 11-01-2011 07:54 AM
★★NOW IN STOCK★★Pentax K-5 Limited Edition★★ Chuck-B&H Ask B&H Photo! 11 03-31-2011 05:29 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:08 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top