Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

soycory · 12-11-2018, 08:05 PM

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Never seen one of these

Pentax SMC AF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 Transparent Model ........... Very Rare !! | eBay

ZombieArmy · 12-11-2018, 08:08 PM

I love it and would love to own it. But I'm fairly certain that price is highway robbery. Doesn't even include the original SFX camera.

These were store models I believe to show off the internals.

**sergysergy** · 12-11-2018, 08:14 PM

It has been sitting there for months. Rare item, ridiculous price.

**pentaxus** · 12-12-2018, 01:17 AM

Where is the clear SF-1 that went with it? The SF-1 had a normal back door and could be used to take pictures....generally with this lens. My recollection is that there were only around 10 allocated to the United States.

Docrwm · 12-12-2018, 03:03 AM

They show up every couple of years. Novelty factor not worth an extra $750.

**clickclick** · 12-12-2018, 05:43 AM

And the big scuff across one side cutting through the printed numbers for focal length really should bring the price down.

steve_k · 12-12-2018, 06:57 AM

Looks like the contacts are also missing. I would bet this is just a display item and non functional.

HYS · 12-12-2018, 07:06 AM

The dawn of plastic-fantastics ?

**mikesbike** · 12-12-2018, 03:07 PM

I bought one off eBay years ago. I got it for quite cheap, I think about $100 in very good condition. Still have it. Glass is excellent. Just an exterior strip a little loose that could be glued. The aperture ring turns a little less than smoothly, but not bad. I don't use it except on my film cameras, which is rarely these days. It is an amazingly small zoom lens, the smallest I know of until the very good DA 18-50mm. And its performance is also very good. It is one of those I have that I'd put to use if I should buy a K-1. Being so small and light it would offset the weight factor of the K-1. But the concept really was for compact bodies. Nice on my MZ-S.

Docrwm · 12-12-2018, 03:11 PM

Originally posted by mikesbike

I bought one off eBay years ago. I got it for quite cheap, I think about $100 in very good condition. Still have it. Glass is excellent. Just an exterior strip a little loose that could be glued. The aperture ring turns a little less than smoothly, but not bad. I don't use it except on my film cameras, which is rarely these days. It is an amazingly small zoom lens, the smallest I know of until the very good DA 18-50mm. And its performance is also very good. It is one of those I have that I'd put to use if I should buy a K-1. Being so small and light it would offset the weight factor of the K-1. But the concept really was for compact bodies. Nice on my MZ-S.

The first legacy AF Pentax lens I bought was the F35-70. Some refer to it as a stack of primes. All I know is that it consistently produces warm, full colors and is small and fast. I've bought 5 of them over the years and the first one is still the one on my cameras. 3 of the others have been sold off and the 5th has a broken plastic part

**TwoUptons** · 12-14-2018, 06:12 AM

I got one about the same time as my K1. It’s a really nice lens on the K1, though the zoom range is pretty short by today’s standards...

I’m also not fond of how the F lenses are put together or the way they look. But optically I can’t fault it for the price...

-Eric

MarkJerling · 12-14-2018, 01:31 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Docrwm

The first legacy AF Pentax lens I bought was the F35-70. Some refer to it as a stack of primes. All I know is that it consistently produces warm, full colors and is small and fast. I've bought 5 of them over the years and the first one is still the one on my cameras. 3 of the others have been sold off and the 5th has a broken plastic part

I have two. It's one of my favourite lenses. I love your "stack of primes" analogy!

Docrwm · 12-14-2018, 01:49 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by MarkJerling

I have two. It's one of my favourite lenses. I love your "stack of primes" analogy!

Some here called it that years ago. Always struck me as apt.

MikeyBugs95 · 12-14-2018, 03:45 PM

Originally posted by clickclick

And the big scuff across one side cutting through the printed numbers for focal length really should bring the price down.

And there's a deep chunk missing in the lens body in picture 2. And a chip in the zoom ring in picture 3.

cyberjunkie · 12-14-2018, 10:28 PM

Originally posted by TwoUptons

I’m also not fond of how the F lenses are put together or the way they look. But optically I can’t fault it for the price...

-Eric

The way they look is frankly questionable.
The way they are "put together" is a totally different affair.
Pentax-F lenses are better built, under the plasticky hood, than most AF objectives.
If you open them, you'd still find brass and retaining rings, not the glued plastic assemblies quite common in late FA optics...

12-11-2018, 08:05 PM	#1
soycory Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 93	Rarest 35-70 lens ever? 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. Never seen one of these Pentax SMC AF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 Transparent Model ........... Very Rare !! \| eBay

12-11-2018, 08:08 PM	#2
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,211	I love it and would love to own it. But I'm fairly certain that price is highway robbery. Doesn't even include the original SFX camera. These were store models I believe to show off the internals. Last edited by ZombieArmy; 12-11-2018 at 08:13 PM.

12-12-2018, 01:17 AM	#4
pentaxus Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 1,320	where Where is the clear SF-1 that went with it? The SF-1 had a normal back door and could be used to take pictures....generally with this lens. My recollection is that there were only around 10 allocated to the United States.

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12-11-2018, 08:14 PM	#3
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,176	It has been sitting there for months. Rare item, ridiculous price.

12-12-2018, 03:03 AM	#5
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	They show up every couple of years. Novelty factor not worth an extra $750.

12-12-2018, 05:43 AM	#6
clickclick Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Location: East Coast Posts: 2,904	And the big scuff across one side cutting through the printed numbers for focal length really should bring the price down.

12-12-2018, 06:57 AM	#7
steve_k Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Shelton, CT Photos: Albums Posts: 708	Looks like the contacts are also missing. I would bet this is just a display item and non functional.

12-12-2018, 07:06 AM	#8
HYS Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 377	The dawn of plastic-fantastics ?

12-12-2018, 03:07 PM	#9
mikesbike Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 4,566	I bought one off eBay years ago. I got it for quite cheap, I think about $100 in very good condition. Still have it. Glass is excellent. Just an exterior strip a little loose that could be glued. The aperture ring turns a little less than smoothly, but not bad. I don't use it except on my film cameras, which is rarely these days. It is an amazingly small zoom lens, the smallest I know of until the very good DA 18-50mm. And its performance is also very good. It is one of those I have that I'd put to use if I should buy a K-1. Being so small and light it would offset the weight factor of the K-1. But the concept really was for compact bodies. Nice on my MZ-S.

12-12-2018, 03:11 PM	#10
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by mikesbike I bought one off eBay years ago. I got it for quite cheap, I think about $100 in very good condition. Still have it. Glass is excellent. Just an exterior strip a little loose that could be glued. The aperture ring turns a little less than smoothly, but not bad. I don't use it except on my film cameras, which is rarely these days. It is an amazingly small zoom lens, the smallest I know of until the very good DA 18-50mm. And its performance is also very good. It is one of those I have that I'd put to use if I should buy a K-1. Being so small and light it would offset the weight factor of the K-1. But the concept really was for compact bodies. Nice on my MZ-S. The first legacy AF Pentax lens I bought was the F35-70. Some refer to it as a stack of primes. All I know is that it consistently produces warm, full colors and is small and fast. I've bought 5 of them over the years and the first one is still the one on my cameras. 3 of the others have been sold off and the 5th has a broken plastic part

12-14-2018, 06:12 AM	#11
TwoUptons Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,227	I got one about the same time as my K1. It’s a really nice lens on the K1, though the zoom range is pretty short by today’s standards... I’m also not fond of how the F lenses are put together or the way they look. But optically I can’t fault it for the price... -Eric

12-14-2018, 01:31 PM - 1 Like	#12
MarkJerling Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wairarapa, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 20,423	Originally posted by Docrwm The first legacy AF Pentax lens I bought was the F35-70. Some refer to it as a stack of primes. All I know is that it consistently produces warm, full colors and is small and fast. I've bought 5 of them over the years and the first one is still the one on my cameras. 3 of the others have been sold off and the 5th has a broken plastic part I have two. It's one of my favourite lenses. I love your "stack of primes" analogy!

12-14-2018, 01:49 PM - 1 Like	#13
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by MarkJerling I have two. It's one of my favourite lenses. I love your "stack of primes" analogy! Some here called it that years ago. Always struck me as apt.

12-14-2018, 03:45 PM	#14
MikeyBugs95 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,206	Originally posted by clickclick And the big scuff across one side cutting through the printed numbers for focal length really should bring the price down. And there's a deep chunk missing in the lens body in picture 2. And a chip in the zoom ring in picture 3.

12-14-2018, 10:28 PM	#15
cyberjunkie Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Chiang Mai, Bologna, Amsterdam Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,198	Originally posted by TwoUptons I’m also not fond of how the F lenses are put together or the way they look. But optically I can’t fault it for the price... -Eric The way they look is frankly questionable. The way they are "put together" is a totally different affair. Pentax-F lenses are better built, under the plasticky hood, than most AF objectives. If you open them, you'd still find brass and retaining rings, not the glued plastic assemblies quite common in late FA optics...

Rarest 35-70 lens ever?

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!