Pentax 28mm Shift Lens

VSTAR · 12-01-2019, 05:41 PM - **1 Like**

Someone in the Toronto area advertised on Kijiji a Pentax 28mm Shift lens for sale in "mint" condition. So I read the reviews, contemplated, thought about the positive and negatives...and then thought...maybe. The lens was advertised for $500 CDN. We had an ice storm/snow storm today...so I offered him $450 if I came today and drove to his area...and we agreed on $475. I thought what am I getting into, considering how rare these lenses are and the price is way too low. Just picked it up a few hours ago. The lens appears to be in mint condition as advertised! No paint missing, no scratches, no fungus, no dust, and all controls work smoothly. So here is the kicker. I asked the seller how he got this rare lens. No answer. I took a photo on my K1 and he asked to see the lcd. So I asked him if he took many photos with it. He answered-"I don't have any Pentax equipment". This goes into my file folder for weird/lucky/wonderful. Now if I can find a 20-35 like this in my area!!!

**mlt** · 12-01-2019, 06:00 PM

What a score! Have fun with the shift movements, particularly coupled with your K-1’s built in 5mm sensor shift function.

**othar** · 12-01-2019, 06:26 PM

Originally posted by VSTAR

He answered-"I don't have any Pentax equipment"

Those are usually the cheapest available offers for vintage lenses. Congrats on your finding.

**ramseybuckeye** · 12-01-2019, 07:01 PM

Congrats! Sometimes you get lucky, the seller's probably happy, because he probably found it in grandpa's junk or something like that. You wonder how many of these treasures get thrown out. You're more likely to see the junk lens that someone thinks is a treasure.

**swip** · 12-01-2019, 08:46 PM

Congrat on the great find.

**barondla** · 12-01-2019, 09:39 PM

Originally posted by VSTAR

Someone in the Toronto area advertised on Kijiji a Pentax 28mm Shift lens for sale in "mint" condition. So I read the reviews, contemplated, thought about the positive and negatives...and then thought...maybe. The lens was advertised for $500 CDN. We had an ice storm/snow storm today...so I offered him $450 if I came today and drove to his area...and we agreed on $475. I thought what am I getting into, considering how rare these lenses are and the price is way too low. Just picked it up a few hours ago. The lens appears to be in mint condition as advertised! No paint missing, no scratches, no fungus, no dust, and all controls work smoothly. So here is the kicker. I asked the seller how he got this rare lens. No answer. I took a photo on my K1 and he asked to see the lcd. So I asked him if he took many photos with it. He answered-"I don't have any Pentax equipment". This goes into my file folder for weird/lucky/wonderful. Now if I can find a 20-35 like this in my area!!!

What great luck! Time to buy a lottery ticket. Interested to see your images.
Thanks for sharing,
barondla

**RobA_Oz** · 12-01-2019, 09:47 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by ramseybuckeye

Congrats! Sometimes you get lucky, the seller's probably happy, because he probably found it in grandpa's junk or something like that. You wonder how many of these treasures get thrown out. You're more likely to see the junk lens that someone thinks is a treasure.

You’d hope it wasn’t someone else’s grandpa’s...

**From1980** · 12-01-2019, 11:36 PM

Originally posted by VSTAR

Someone in the Toronto area advertised on Kijiji a Pentax 28mm Shift lens for sale in "mint" condition. So I read the reviews, contemplated, thought about the positive and negatives...and then thought...maybe. The lens was advertised for $500 CDN.

Oh great deal! That's a fantastic find for you but I wouldn't expect anything like it soon even if I expand my existing Kijiji search to include the Toronto area so I can see these kinds of deals. However there could be 20 times the number of deals with 20 times the population than my area. Then I'll have to rely on friends or relatives to act on anything that comes up. Although shipping to me or a 700-800 km round trip might take the shine off the best prices.

HoutHans · 12-02-2019, 06:21 AM

Congratulations on a great catch. Sometimes you get that, people selling stuff for which they don't know the real value.

Ptarmigan · 12-02-2019, 10:27 AM

Very interesting! I live in Toronto, and a couple of years ago there was one of these lenses in the used display case at Downtown Camera. It was $350 CAD if I recall and in pristine looking condition. It was there for over a year and I had been keeping my eye on it, but was waiting until I had some cash saved up for the K1. Alas, the day I went to that same store to pick up the K1 body, it was gone...
So along with the K1, I picked up a new MIJ 43 Limited instead!
Still, why do I feel like it's the same lens? Glad it ended up with another Pentaxian!

texandrews · 12-02-2019, 11:12 AM

I got that baby. Have not used it much, but it's a back pocket sort of thing just in case....

**Kerrowdown** · 12-04-2019, 03:15 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by VSTAR

Pentax 28mm Shift Lens

It's a wee cracker of lens, an amazing ability to capture fine detail... just a joy to use on K1 FF, here's a recent one of mine.

I used extensively of FF cameras back in the day (LXs etc) just as a wide angle lens, which had extra capabilities if required.

It slows down the picture taking process, which I admit I do enjoy. It allows me the luxury of really checking what will become the final image in the viewfinder, because it requires a slight process to use, as opposed to dare I say with tongue in cheek point/click.

I still use use it to make myself disappear in and on reflective surfaces, rather than do the work in PP. I guess that's the journalist in me coming out where PP is almost forbidden, apart from a little sharpen and contrast.

12-01-2019, 05:41 PM - 1 Like	#1
VSTAR Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Toronto Posts: 390	Pentax 28mm Shift Lens Someone in the Toronto area advertised on Kijiji a Pentax 28mm Shift lens for sale in "mint" condition. So I read the reviews, contemplated, thought about the positive and negatives...and then thought...maybe. The lens was advertised for $500 CDN. We had an ice storm/snow storm today...so I offered him $450 if I came today and drove to his area...and we agreed on $475. I thought what am I getting into, considering how rare these lenses are and the price is way too low. Just picked it up a few hours ago. The lens appears to be in mint condition as advertised! No paint missing, no scratches, no fungus, no dust, and all controls work smoothly. So here is the kicker. I asked the seller how he got this rare lens. No answer. I took a photo on my K1 and he asked to see the lcd. So I asked him if he took many photos with it. He answered-"I don't have any Pentax equipment". This goes into my file folder for weird/lucky/wonderful. Now if I can find a 20-35 like this in my area!!!

12-01-2019, 11:36 PM	#8
From1980 Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Essex, Ontario Posts: 682	Originally posted by VSTAR Someone in the Toronto area advertised on Kijiji a Pentax 28mm Shift lens for sale in "mint" condition. So I read the reviews, contemplated, thought about the positive and negatives...and then thought...maybe. The lens was advertised for $500 CDN. Oh great deal! That's a fantastic find for you but I wouldn't expect anything like it soon even if I expand my existing Kijiji search to include the Toronto area so I can see these kinds of deals. However there could be 20 times the number of deals with 20 times the population than my area. Then I'll have to rely on friends or relatives to act on anything that comes up. Although shipping to me or a 700-800 km round trip might take the shine off the best prices. Last edited by From1980; 12-01-2019 at 11:55 PM.

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12-01-2019, 06:00 PM	#2
mlt Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,159	What a score! Have fun with the shift movements, particularly coupled with your K-1’s built in 5mm sensor shift function.

12-01-2019, 06:26 PM	#3
othar Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Linz Photos: Albums Posts: 3,098	Originally posted by VSTAR He answered-"I don't have any Pentax equipment" Those are usually the cheapest available offers for vintage lenses. Congrats on your finding.

12-01-2019, 07:01 PM	#4
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,292	Congrats! Sometimes you get lucky, the seller's probably happy, because he probably found it in grandpa's junk or something like that. You wonder how many of these treasures get thrown out. You're more likely to see the junk lens that someone thinks is a treasure.

12-01-2019, 08:46 PM	#5
swip Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,825	Congrat on the great find.

12-01-2019, 09:39 PM	#6
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,714	Originally posted by VSTAR Someone in the Toronto area advertised on Kijiji a Pentax 28mm Shift lens for sale in "mint" condition. So I read the reviews, contemplated, thought about the positive and negatives...and then thought...maybe. The lens was advertised for $500 CDN. We had an ice storm/snow storm today...so I offered him $450 if I came today and drove to his area...and we agreed on $475. I thought what am I getting into, considering how rare these lenses are and the price is way too low. Just picked it up a few hours ago. The lens appears to be in mint condition as advertised! No paint missing, no scratches, no fungus, no dust, and all controls work smoothly. So here is the kicker. I asked the seller how he got this rare lens. No answer. I took a photo on my K1 and he asked to see the lcd. So I asked him if he took many photos with it. He answered-"I don't have any Pentax equipment". This goes into my file folder for weird/lucky/wonderful. Now if I can find a 20-35 like this in my area!!! What great luck! Time to buy a lottery ticket. Interested to see your images. Thanks for sharing, barondla

12-01-2019, 09:47 PM - 1 Like	#7
RobA_Oz Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tasmania, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,197	Originally posted by ramseybuckeye Congrats! Sometimes you get lucky, the seller's probably happy, because he probably found it in grandpa's junk or something like that. You wonder how many of these treasures get thrown out. You're more likely to see the junk lens that someone thinks is a treasure. You’d hope it wasn’t someone else’s grandpa’s...

12-02-2019, 06:21 AM	#9
HoutHans Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Appingedam Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,119	Congratulations on a great catch. Sometimes you get that, people selling stuff for which they don't know the real value.

12-02-2019, 10:27 AM	#10
Ptarmigan New Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 6	Very interesting! I live in Toronto, and a couple of years ago there was one of these lenses in the used display case at Downtown Camera. It was $350 CAD if I recall and in pristine looking condition. It was there for over a year and I had been keeping my eye on it, but was waiting until I had some cash saved up for the K1. Alas, the day I went to that same store to pick up the K1 body, it was gone... So along with the K1, I picked up a new MIJ 43 Limited instead! Still, why do I feel like it's the same lens? Glad it ended up with another Pentaxian!

12-02-2019, 11:12 AM	#11
texandrews Moderator Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Baltimore Photos: Albums Posts: 3,393	I got that baby. Have not used it much, but it's a back pocket sort of thing just in case....

12-04-2019, 03:15 AM - 1 Like	#12
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,821	Originally posted by VSTAR Pentax 28mm Shift Lens It's a wee cracker of lens, an amazing ability to capture fine detail... just a joy to use on K1 FF, here's a recent one of mine. I used extensively of FF cameras back in the day (LXs etc) just as a wide angle lens, which had extra capabilities if required. It slows down the picture taking process, which I admit I do enjoy. It allows me the luxury of really checking what will become the final image in the viewfinder, because it requires a slight process to use, as opposed to dare I say with tongue in cheek point/click. I still use use it to make myself disappear in and on reflective surfaces, rather than do the work in PP. I guess that's the journalist in me coming out where PP is almost forbidden, apart from a little sharpen and contrast.