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05-18-2018, 08:16 AM   #16
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Agreed on the 50 1.7 ,and give a nod to the F 35-70 and the close focus Vivitar 28 2.8 . Both can usually be had for less than 50 bucks.

05-18-2018, 08:28 AM   #17
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Sigma zoom master 35-70 F3.5-4.5, cost me a whole £2.30 ($3.10 approx), quick focus, small, and sharp images.
Admitting I got this for a steal, my next favourite would be my F 50 1.7, a fantastic little lens for £70.
05-18-2018, 08:42 AM   #18
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Tossup between the Takumar 135mm f2.5 Bayonet and the Helios 44-2. Less than 50 for either one and loads of fun.
05-18-2018, 09:00 AM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by 17dew Quote
Agreed on the 50 1.7 ,and give a nod to the F 35-70 and the close focus Vivitar 28 2.8 . Both can usually be had for less than 50 bucks.

+1 on these lenses. As mentioned, the Sigma/Quantaray 28-80 (and 90) are huge bang for the buck.

05-18-2018, 09:05 AM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by 17dew Quote
give a nod to the F 35-70
Good call.
05-18-2018, 09:22 AM - 3 Likes   #21
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Best cheap lens? That is a tough one, though there are some very excellent suggestions in the comments above. The problem is that if exceptional value comes to light, prices tend to rise. For example, I paid less than $20 for my KMZ Helios 44M 58/2 and while I got a good deal and am extremely fond of the lens, I still feel that any of the Helios 44 series is over-priced at anything over $50 USD. Unfortunately, the asking price is often above that mark and fakes of the more highly-regarded variants are common.

Despite the risk of inflating prices, here are a few from my shelf that punch far beyond their weight (price-wise) for what I paid:
  • Auto Rikenon 50/1.7: <$20 as part of a camera bundle. Current pricing under $30. Size and weight are typical for similar Tomioka-made late-60s normal primes as is the build quality. This lens has "presence" wide open and performs just a small notch below the Super Takumar 55/1.8 for sharpness. Truth be told, I may well prefer the Rikenon



  • Pentax-M 50/1.7: bought new with camera, with current market prices for good or better condition somewhere under $50 USD. Compact with excellent build and world-class resolution when new, this lens has few flaws.



  • Tamron 70-150/3.5 (20A): bought new in 1982, current price under $40. Compact, nice build, close focus, sharp at most focal lengths, and always in bag.





  • Tamron 28/2.5 (02B): bought new in 1982, current pricing usually under $25 USD. Compact and sharp (flat field too) with excellent build. While I don't resonate with the focal length on APS-C, this lens continues to be my landscape workhorse on 35mm film. This is a badly underappreciated lens.




But Wait! There's MORE!

Here are a few others that have attained cult status, as evidenced by inflated pricing, but which I am unsure as to whether they are worth extra money or are a great value at current price point:
  • Auto Rikenon 55/1.4 (and similar Tomioka-made f/1.4 lenses): ~$25 from forum member. Bokeh wide open is the strong point and sharpness stopped down is quite good. Prone to flare and sensor-reflection hot spot. I don't use my copy very often, though that may change.



  • Vivitar 28/2.8 CF (K02): ~$30 on eBay. The last time I looked, it was selling for somewhat more. It is a very decent lens in all respects and near the top of the heap for 28mm lenses in general, but still not worth premium pricing (> $35 USD), IMHO.



  • Any of the Helios 44 series 58/2: these used to be widely available in the $15-$25 USD bracket, but no more. While the positive attributes are obvious (incredible "pop" and bokeh along with consistent center sharpness), these lenses are not without fault (balky build and reliably soft edges and corners) and generally currently overpriced. That being said, my KMZ Helios 44M 58/2 is not for sale...ever...


No...none of the above is for sale...


Steve

Last edited by stevebrot; 05-18-2018 at 09:46 AM.
05-18-2018, 09:31 AM - 1 Like   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by Alex645 Quote
Of lenses that Iʻve purchased, both the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL WR kit zoom
I have to agree. I have taken a lot of incredible photos with the my (v1) copy and still give it an enthusiastic thumbs up for 16Mpx and lower sensors.


Steve

05-18-2018, 10:12 AM   #23
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For zooms, the FA 28-105 f/4-5.6 [IF] it was less than $40, came with hood and caps, was in good cond. I use that lens the most for daytime out of all of my other lenses. For primes, then it's a no-brainer. It would be the m28 f/2.8. I bought that for use as an astro lens when I started getting into astro. It's just a nice lens all around and it was less than $30. The F 30-80 is no slouch either and was also below $30.
05-18-2018, 10:33 AM   #24
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All of my lenses are cheap.

There is more truth in that than there should be but most of my lenses are old screw mounts since I only recently got a digital. Of my K mount lenses I do like the 35mm f/2.4 plastic fantastic that I picked up used for $50 but probably my favorite K mount is my Tokina 28-70mm F/2.8-4.3 that I picked up for $25 (used retail) after my son dropped the new to me k-2000 and broke the 18-55DA kit lens about 3 weeks after I got the camera. If you don't have a problem with manual focus, I don't having recently stopped using a spotmatic as a primary camera, I find it to be a great more or less general purpose lens. My only complaint is that the lens meters darker that it is so I have to set the E.V. compensation to -1.3 or -1.7 when using it otherwise I get a lot of over exposure.
05-18-2018, 12:03 PM   #25
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A couple more thoughts:


Tamron adaptall SP 90mm macro. Best value and most readily obtainable of this class of lens - image quality always impresses on first acquaintance, a versatile optic that covers the 135mm full frame equivalent standard potrait focal length. Not difficult to acquire for ~$100.

Tamron adaptall SP 60-300mm. Putative #1 for best MF zoom readily available sub-$100 on the market. Excellent IQ through the zoom range, beats many of the macro lenses (inc the adaptall 90mm above) with 1:1.55 close focus.
Classic 70-210mm - kiron "zoomlock". Innumerable options of this type, it was such a standard lens for a long time. Big ones, small ones, fast ones, more brands than you've ever heard of.... very few bad ones, pretty much they'll all perform stopped down a bit (as the aphorism says, few bad lenses at f8). My suggestion: the kiron zoomlock f4. All round IQ and particularly good colour rendition. Both mine cost less than £20ea (one pkm one pka).You can see my test pics here.


Ok that was 3 sorry...
05-18-2018, 01:17 PM   #26
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Another vote for the M 50mm f/1.7 from me! I paid less than $20 for mine.

The FA 28-80mm also gets my vote. I didn't get mine cheap - bought it new as a kit lens with a film camera.
05-18-2018, 01:43 PM   #27
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Hi,

Maybe not super cheap but is 55mm f2 auto-tak is as good as they say?
05-18-2018, 01:53 PM   #28
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M 50mm f/1,7
A 50mm f/1,7
F 50mm f/1,7
FA 50mm f/1,7
DA 50mm f/1,8

All of these are great, and AFAIK uses the same optical formula (except for a slight change of the aperture diaphragm in the DA), but there are improvements on functionality (aperture coupling and AF), coatings and changes to the exterior and mount.

I have the DA and a M 50mm f/1,4 which is said to be as sharp as the f/1,7 variety, but I always choose the DA before the M on my digital cameras. I think the 1000 NOK I paid for a new DA, was a bargain.
05-18-2018, 02:52 PM - 1 Like   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by Simen1 Quote
M 50mm f/1,7
A 50mm f/1,7
F 50mm f/1,7
FA 50mm f/1,7
DA 50mm f/1,8

All of these are great, and AFAIK uses the same optical formula (except for a slight change of the aperture diaphragm in the DA),
That is basically true except for the DA 50/1.8. Its design is planar-derived like the others as well as most Japanese fast 50s, but differs several from its full-frame cousins in the details of element curvature, thickness, and diameter. The result is a lens with significantly smaller image circle and an optical block with slightly smaller diameter front/rear elements and which is shorter overall by about 0.5 cm. Image rendering is different too, though not in the terms of being inferior or flawed. Both designs work very well and the DA 50/1.8 is definitely the value queen of the current Pentax line as far as I am concerned.

I have both the M and A 50/1.7 as well as the DA 50/1.8 and each has its place in my bag.*


Steve

* The A 50/1.7 on my Super Program, the M 50/1.7 on other cameras except when I want AF or P-TTL flash and the DA 50/1.8 for those last cases.
05-18-2018, 03:44 PM   #30
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My "cheapest" lens is the SMC Takumar 55/1.8. A friend found a whole bag with very nice Spotmatic F and this lens in the local dump recycle building and gave it to me.

I took some snaps with it using the Pentax Mount Adapter K with pretty good results. Shutter speed set by Green button with lens on "Man", focus on "Auto" and back to "Man" to expose.

ISO 100, 1/200 @ f/8 on K-3 hand held. SR was On.

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