[UncleVanya]

I'd like to get rid of all my K and M series in order to get funds for more Takumars (and for a FF mirrorless).
Taks have a kind of magic I just can't explain.

Yes but can you see the difference or is it more of a feeling/use thing?

[Cabessius]

^^^^^
THAT is a comprehensive list. You appear to have a soft spot for 135s. Looking at your Russian lenses, surprised to see no Jupiter-9, or maybe a Helios 44-K4.

Hit me up when you decide to part with the K24/2.8.

I will let you know, of course.

135s tend to be good and cheap, and there are plenty of them around...

Helios-44-K4... It's the same lens as the 44M-4, and I prefer M42 to Ks so...

Jupiter 9... I'd like to have one, but never found a copy at an acceptable price.
I always buy lenses which are priced below the market price. I used to spend hours looking for good lenses at a good price.

Yes but can you see the difference or is it more of a feeling/use thing?

It's more a feeling thing.
Of course, the coatings are "better" in Ks or Ms than in Takumars, but... I can't explain, I touch a Tak and it's instant love.

[savoche]

I guess a lot of us here have the same approach to lenses as some people have to knives. Some good advice to be found here for those who need "help"

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

[Alex645]

Brant Waldeck needs help everyone.

You Tube

You Tube

[bdery]

I feel like I'm an imposter here, since I don't own that many lenses...

I currently own

FA20-35
DFA 28-105
DA* 60-250 (modified for full frame)
Vivitar cheapo 70-210 F4-F5.6 fully manual (worthless so I keep it)

FA43 Limited
M50 f1.4 (never gets used)
FA77 Limited
DFA 100 macro WR

I need to modify this list. Monday I received

F 35-70mm

F 1.7x AF TC

I paid 90$ CAD for the two (and a SF1 camera). The TC was of course the key element here, I'm pairing it with the 60-250 and I seem to be able to get good results when handled properly. The 35-70 is a freebie in what is already an amazing deal. I walked around the neighbourhood yesterday evening with it, and it's impressively good, fast to focus, sharp (brutally so in so-called macro mode) and with good colors. So even though the 35-70 is absolutely redundant I'm going to keep it (especially since a partially broken filter ring makes its value close to zero).

[robbiec]

I'm at 11 I think, listed in my signature. I like and use all of them. It's taken me 10 years and probably 60 individual lens to get where I am now.

APS-C
SMC DA*16-50/2.8 My wide if I need it. Useful for photo club outings to the local beauty spots and landscapes. SDM died so I converted using my father-in-laws K20D. Optically one of the better ones out there I think.

SMC DA*50-135/2.8 I have a love / hate relationship with this one. Fantastic rendering but can be a bit slow to focus, when it does all is forgiven.

HD TC 1.4 - If anything this speeds up the 50-135, use it occasionally for giggles or when I want to play more macro like

FF
Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/25, A multiple personality lens if there ever was one, f/4 or wider, get in close and get amazed by wide close up micro focus and beautiful OOF transitions, colour and smooth bokeh. Stop down to f/8 - f11 and you have a infinity landscape monster on your hands.

SMC FA31/1.8 Limited. Prefer it more on the K-1 than the K-3. Still haven't figured it out. Front heavy which is annoying.

SMC FA43/1.9 Probably my favourite of all my lens. Stick to what it is designed for, 2 to 12 feet, do you want to pick the subject out or not? Watch the background as it will bite with busy bokeh but we get along just fine.

SMC FA50/2.8 Macro, my little optical grenade. Boom, hits you with definition, smooth transitions, lovely colours and contrast. This is an all metal body so coatings wise not as strong as the DFA variant but I prefer the better build. Not as far off the DFA*50 as some might think.

HD DFA*50/1.4 - Knocks the ball out of the park. If your you're getting aberrations, that's your fault. Pay attention to where you are and what you're doing.

K55/1.8 - It and the K-3 are a match made in heaven. Different look than usual Pentax SMC stuff. Great APSC Portrait lens wide open. That's what I use it for. It has a personality of its own.

SMC FA77/1.8 Portrait monster, careful wide open and high contrast scenes but other than that another favourite.

SMC A100/2.8 Macro - It's all about the focus ring and the tactility. Rare, expensive, great flower lens, smooth rendering.

HD DFA*70-200/2.8 - We are still getting to know each other. Give me 6 months.

[cometguy]

My wishlist is rather short at the moment.
Soligor 20mm f2.8 (hard to get)
Carl Zeiss 100mm f2 ZK (so hard to get and rather expensive in Pentax mount)
A* 135 f1.8 (expensive)
500 mm f4 + a nice new FF teleconverter (both not existing in Pentax mount)

Your last remark made me think how I wish for a DFA 12-24mm and DFA 20-40mm to go on my FF cameras (I have both the DA 12-24mm and DA 20-40mm lenses for my APS-C cameras). Other than these, I'm pretty happy with the huge list of good lenses that I can get for Pentax cameras -- whether new or used off Ebay.

Here's my current list of K-mount lenses, slowly amassed over 40 years of shooting with Pentax cameras:

no longer used much (all bought new):

Cosmicar MC 28mm f/2.8
Koboron 28-105mm f/3.5 Macro
Vivitar Ser. 1 28-105mm f/2.8-3.8
Meade 1000mm f/11 (90-mm aperture) mirror lens


in active use (about half bought new; the prime teles > 105mm bought used):

Pentax smc-DA 12-24mm f/4
Pentax HD DA 20-40mm f/2.8-4 Limited
Pentax smc-FA* 24mm f/2
Pentax smc-F 28mm f/2.8
Pentax SMC[-K] 30mm f/2.8
Pentax smc-FA 35mm f/2 AL [first version]
Pentax smc-F 35-135mm f/3.5-4.5
Pentax smc-FA 50mm f/1.4
Sigma EX 70-200mm f/2.8
Vivitar Ser. 1 70-210mm f/3.5 Macro [ver. 1]
Pentax smc-M 85mm f/2
Pentax smc-FA 100-300mm f/4.7-5.8
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro
Pentax smc-M 120mm f/2.8
Pentax 135mm f/2.5 Takumar
Pentax smc-A* 200mm f/2.8
Pentax smc[-K] 200mm f/2.5
Pentax smc-A* 300mm f/4
Pentax smc-A 400mm f/5.6
Pentax smc[-K] 500mm f/4.5

Pentax Rear Converter-A 2X-S
Pentax Rear Converter-K T6-2X

The 12-24mm DA lens sits on my K10D most of the time when it sits idle, ready to take quick shots of interesting clouds or sunsets. The next lens that spends the most time on my K10D would be the Rear Converter-A 2X-S, for sure, as I use it a lot with most of the lenses in my collection when doing tripod work (though not when doing hand-held work). The HD DA 20-40mm lens sits on my K-3 II most of the time when it sits idle.

---

Last edited by cometguy; 09-24-2020 at 05:26 PM.

[MXLX]

Okay, I keep tabs on this thread. As to how many I have...it's an indelicate question to ask. Too many is the answer, but there are a few I still watch for.

[vrrattko]

hmm...way too many: currently present are:

DA 17-70/4 and DA 20-40/2.8-4
SMC DA21/3.2
HD DA 21/3.2 - stays here
SMC FA 31/1.8 - convincing myself to let it go
SMC FA 43/1.9 - i am keeping it for sure
SMC DA*55/1.4 - nice lens, but i prefer da70
HD DA 70/2.4 - stays here as a part of my 49 3 lens kit with 21 and 43
and finally Smc A*85/1.4 - I am keeping this one, amazing lens even if used rarely

Good observations, @Bui. Made me think.

I tell myself that I'm not a "collector"; I'm a "niche-satisfier". I really have all the lenses I could ever need already: zoom lenses that cover the range 11mm to 450mm, and a few "special purpose" primes - 11mm, 100mm macro, & 560mm telephoto. Some duplication, since I've got both Canon and Pentax, and both APS-C and FF bodies. But that's pretty much it. Nevertheless, I've started looking for things I'd like to "add to my collection" when "black friday" rolls around, and for no good reason; I couldn't possibly improve on what I've already got without creating unnecessary redundancy. I can't realistically use all the lenses I've got to their fullest potential, why should I get more? (Because I WANNA!) Not sure how that's going to go since I'm presently bleeding from the pocketbook because of a fairly drastic computer upgrade (every other day, I hit a snag and have to spend an hour in the car driving to the computer store for some part or another).

I can sympathize, I started doing home-education in 1986, and did that for about twenty years (five kids), and with the elimination of interference from the former spousal unit, I was also "Mr. Mom" for almost that long. In conjunction with an active litigation practice, you understand. I was pretty busy most of the time. Pretty stressful, but overall, lots of fun.

One of those kids has recently relocated to the area around Toulouse, and before he left I gave him my k-50 and three Pentax APS-C lenses, 50mm f/1.8, 50-200mm, and a 18-55mm. I intend to hoard the rest.

[jcdoss]

I tell myself that I'm not a "collector"; I'm a "niche-satisfier".t.

Much the same as you, I tried to come up with a moniker other than collector, but I decided to call myself a "Pentax lens curator," and I just added three more to the stable. I'm hopeless.

[aslyfox]

trying to decide what lenses to send up to my son who has gotten the KP I was lucky enough to win in December through the forums' contests

he and his wife will get these for sure and from time to time I will loan him other lenses to try out
they live in Omaha, about 90 miles away

it is their first DSLR

SMC Pentax-DA 35mm F2.4 35mm AL

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8

Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm F2.8-4 Macro Zoom PKA ( Komine )

----------------------------------------------------------

current list:

Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM
SMC Pentax-DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited
HD Pentax-DA 16 - 85mm F3.5-5.6 WR
SMC Pentax-DA 21mm F3.2 Limited
Sigma 24mm F2.8 AF Super Wide II F2.8
Kino Precision Japan Kiron 28mm F2 MC P/KA
SMC Pentax-DA 35mm F2.4 35mm AL
SMC Pentax-DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited
SMC Pentax-M 40mm F2.8
SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS
SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 Limited
SMC Pentax-FA 43mm F1.9 Limited
SMC Pentax-A 50mm F1.4
SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7
SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8
SMC Pentax-D FA 50mm F2.8 Macro
SMC Pentax-DA* 55mm F1.4 SDM
SMC Pentax 55mm F 1.8
HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
SMC Pentax-DA 70mm F2.4 Limited
Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm F2.8-4 Macro Zoom PKA ( Komine )
HD Pentax-D FA* 70-200mm F2.8 ED DC AW
SMC Pentax-FA 77mm F1.8 Limited
SMC Pentax-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro
SMC Pentax-A 135mm F2.8
HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm F4.5 - 5.6 ED DC AW
SMC DA * 300mm F4 ED (IF ) SDM
_________________________

HD Pentax -DA AF rear converter 1.4 AW

[Biff]

I'm thinking of getting it to 5, see how it goes. Number will go up if I decide to get into wildlife photography with the KP.

- DA 12-24
- DA 20-40 Limited
- DA 40 Limited
- DA 18-135
- FA 31 Limited
- FA 77 Limited
- A 35-105
- DFA 100 macro

Probably will sell the DA 18-135. Maybe 31 and 77 too.

[Wasp]

It has occurred to me that I may have too many tele zooms:

• Pentax F 70-210mm
• Pentax FA J 75-300mm
• Pentax F 100-300mm
• Sigma 70-300mm
• Sigma 70-300mm APO

The above don't get used much since I have a few primes covering the range:

• Rokinon 85mm
• Pentax 100mm
• Fotar 135mm
• Pentax 135mm
• Pentax 200mm (in two flavors)
• Tamron 300mm

Time to thin out the herd? Nah.

[mgvh]

We moved a month ago. I had planned to list all those lenses I had accumulated over the years on the marketplace here, but I ran out of time getting organized. I did a video interview with KEH. It worked out pretty well, though I know I could have gotten lots more if I had sold some of them individually here or on ebay. I sold them 13 film bodies, but I only had them because I won some auction going for the lens. I don't use film, so I couldn't guarantee functionality of any of them. I figure any money I got for those was icing. (Pentax A3, ME, 2x ME Super, 2x SF1, ZX-M; Vivitar V3000s; Sears KSX; Ricoh KR-30sp; Chinon CP-7m; Mamiya/Sekor 1000TL; Yashica TL-Electro) I had wanted to sell a nice Pentax K-x and an excellent K-30 and a good K-3, but it was pennies on the dollar for those, so I couldn't bear to just dump them. (The KP has become my primary camera.)

I also unloaded 40 lenses. (Yikes! How did I get so many?) A lot of old clunkers in there, but there were some nice ones...

• SMC Pentax 45-124 f4
• SMC Pentax 75-150 f4
• SMC Pentax A 35-70 f4
• SMC Pentax A 50 f1.7a
• Super Takumars: 35 f3.5; 55 f1.8; 300 f4
• Yashinon-DS 50 f1.4

$320 for the lot... So if you see a bunch of Pentax or K-mount or M42 gear on sale at KEH, you are welcome!