Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

DavidWasch · 10-14-2009, 04:02 AM

I'm sure a few of you have noticed that there are about a dozen of the cherished 50mm f1.2s for sale on fleebay. Most copies are listed for $500, which is a bit steep imho.

I did note that the seller (wsw_08) sounds a bit eager to sell in his posting, so I gave a low-ball 'best offer', because there was nothing to lose. Well, I was able to pick up a copy with fungus for $175 (originally offered at $300). It is probably a good deal for me. I'm not too intimidated by some fungus, having cleaned my own Viv/Komine 28mm recently, with satisfactory results.

I don't think there are any other $300 copies up for sale, but if a similar discount can be applied to the other offerings, good copies may be available for around $300. You may want to give it a shot-- caveat emptor, however!

Just to be clear, I have no relation to the seller, and no interest in the sales, just thought I would spread the word for anyone interested.

-David

Blue · 10-14-2009, 05:30 AM

There is another thread on here about it. Do you have the lens in hand? I notice he sold one copy of the K version for $175.

Edit: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/everything-else/76300-holy-moly-alota-pentax-1-2s.html

DavidWasch · 10-14-2009, 05:51 AM

Originally posted by Blue

There is another thread on here about it. Do you have the lens in hand? I notice he sold one copy of the K version for $175.

Edit: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/everything-else/76300-holy-moly-alota-pentax-1-2s.html

Didn't see the other thread. Well, the info I really wanted to convey had to do with the reduced "offer" that the lenses may sell for.

Nope, the lens is not in hand as of yet. Payment just went out this morning. Clearly, there is some risk. I would be more cautious if I wanted one of the lenses listed for $500. The pictures of the products aren't that great, and the seller doesn't seem very knowledgeable. He seems to be disclosing as much info as he can, though.

-David

Blue · 10-14-2009, 06:26 AM

The A version at $175 would make it cost effective to send it to Erik.

DavidWasch · 10-14-2009, 07:52 AM

Originally posted by Blue

The A version at $175 would make it cost effective to send it to Erik.

Ah, that was just my thought when I made the bid. I could do it myself, but would prefer not to risk damaging a beauty if it could be professionally cleaned at reasonable cost. The only thing I was missing was a reputable place to have the work done--- Thank you for the info! I will likely send Erik my business, and post the results here.

First, I need to test the lens out at home, to confirm that it functions as it should, has clean aperture blades, etc. I am hopeful that it has gained fungus through a lack of use, and is in otherwise good condition (I guess the biggest risk being oil on the blades, which can also be cleaned).

Oh, I hope this works out well. If it does, I'll put my gently used AF50 on the block for about what this lens cost after cleaning. If not, I'll just cry in my beer for a weekend.

davidvcd · 10-14-2009, 08:52 AM

Originally posted by DavidWasch

Ah, that was just my thought when I made the bid. I could do it myself, but would prefer not to risk damaging a beauty if it could be professionally cleaned at reasonable cost. The only thing I was missing was a reputable place to have the work done--- Thank you for the info! I will likely send Erik my business, and post the results here.

First, I need to test the lens out at home, to confirm that it functions as it should, has clean aperture blades, etc. I am hopeful that it has gained fungus through a lack of use, and is in otherwise good condition (I guess the biggest risk being oil on the blades, which can also be cleaned).

Oh, I hope this works out well. If it does, I'll put my gently used AF50 on the block for about what this lens cost after cleaning. If not, I'll just cry in my beer for a weekend.

You got the K version for 175 or was it the A version ?

I made an offer for 195 and it was accepted for an A lens. Can someone point me to a thread about seriously testing / cleaning.

Who is this Erik that get lens professionally cleaned ?

DavidWasch · 10-14-2009, 09:02 AM

Originally posted by davidvcd

You got the K version for 175 or was it the A version ?

I made an offer for 195 and it was accepted for an A lens. Can someone point me to a thread about seriously testing / cleaning.

Who is this Erik that get lens professionally cleaned ?

My purchase was an A-Verion for $175 (originally listed at $300). The price was lower than the others because of visible fungus in the lens.

Congrats on your purchase, I hope it turns out to be a great lens.

Here is the link for Erik. He seems to be well considered by some at this site. Erik's website also inspires some trust, though I have no personal experience with him (yet).

Please post photos of the lens and your reaction to it once it is received. We might be able to start a nice little A-50mm f1.2 Club here

**monochrome** · 10-14-2009, 09:15 AM

Originally posted by davidvcd

Who is this Erik that get lens professionally cleaned ?

Eric Hendrickson, owner of Pentax Camera Service and Pentax technician par excellence'.

For information and review of Pentax Camera Service, and links to Eric's website, go to the External Links Forum / Camera Repair and Service here

CameraReapir and Servcice Sub-Forum

davidvcd · 10-14-2009, 10:14 AM

Well, I got an email confirmation with tracking (unfortunately its usps, so it's of no use) however its shipping from the same state as where I live so I should get it here fast once it ships (great thing about living where I am, packages get here fast !).

DavidWasch · 10-14-2009, 10:41 AM

Originally posted by davidvcd

Well, I got an email confirmation with tracking (unfortunately its usps, so it's of no use) however its shipping from the same state as where I live so I should get it here fast once it ships (great thing about living where I am, packages get here fast !).

Mine shipped too, and I only paid this morning. That is a good sign. We'll see how this goes... Keep me updated.

Mister Guy · 10-14-2009, 11:00 AM

I'm convinced it's legit. I can tell because I want one of them and I have absolutely no money. If it was a fraud, I'd have the cash to buy one myself. This is because the universe hates me.

opfor · 10-14-2009, 07:33 PM

One of my rules for E-bay; if the seller won't answer questions, I won't part with money.
Oh well, too bad, maybe next time....

Blue · 10-14-2009, 08:52 PM

Originally posted by opfor

One of my rules for E-bay; if the seller won't answer questions, I won't part with money.
Oh well, too bad, maybe next time....

Are you saying you asked him a question and he never answered?

Blue · 10-14-2009, 08:53 PM

Originally posted by DavidWasch

Mine shipped too, and I only paid this morning. That is a good sign. We'll see how this goes... Keep me updated.

So far it appears he has sold 8 of the A's for an average price of $251 and the K for $200.

DavidWasch · 10-15-2009, 04:38 AM

Originally posted by Blue

So far it appears he has sold 8 of the A's for an average price of $251 and the K for $200.

Thanks for the update. I didn't know you could search for recently sold items. I hope folks from this site who made purchases convey their experiences. What I think is great about this lens is how it seduces the photographer into really thinking about background, composition and bokeh.

At my last check, there were 11 still up for sale. I wonder if the Rokkors did as well.

10-14-2009, 04:02 AM	#1
DavidWasch Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Connecticut, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 167	Whole mess of A- 50mm f1.2 up for auction I'm sure a few of you have noticed that there are about a dozen of the cherished 50mm f1.2s for sale on fleebay. Most copies are listed for $500, which is a bit steep imho. I did note that the seller (wsw_08) sounds a bit eager to sell in his posting, so I gave a low-ball 'best offer', because there was nothing to lose. Well, I was able to pick up a copy with fungus for $175 (originally offered at $300). It is probably a good deal for me. I'm not too intimidated by some fungus, having cleaned my own Viv/Komine 28mm recently, with satisfactory results. I don't think there are any other $300 copies up for sale, but if a similar discount can be applied to the other offerings, good copies may be available for around $300. You may want to give it a shot-- caveat emptor, however! Just to be clear, I have no relation to the seller, and no interest in the sales, just thought I would spread the word for anyone interested. -David

10-14-2009, 07:52 AM	#5
DavidWasch Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Connecticut, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 167 Original Poster	A Hearty Thanks Originally posted by Blue The A version at $175 would make it cost effective to send it to Erik. Ah, that was just my thought when I made the bid. I could do it myself, but would prefer not to risk damaging a beauty if it could be professionally cleaned at reasonable cost. The only thing I was missing was a reputable place to have the work done--- Thank you for the info! I will likely send Erik my business, and post the results here. First, I need to test the lens out at home, to confirm that it functions as it should, has clean aperture blades, etc. I am hopeful that it has gained fungus through a lack of use, and is in otherwise good condition (I guess the biggest risk being oil on the blades, which can also be cleaned). Oh, I hope this works out well. If it does, I'll put my gently used AF50 on the block for about what this lens cost after cleaning. If not, I'll just cry in my beer for a weekend.

10-14-2009, 09:15 AM	#8
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Eric Hendrickson - Pentax Camera Service Originally posted by davidvcd Who is this Erik that get lens professionally cleaned ? Eric Hendrickson, owner of Pentax Camera Service and Pentax technician par excellence'. For information and review of Pentax Camera Service, and links to Eric's website, go to the External Links Forum / Camera Repair and Service here CameraReapir and Servcice Sub-Forum

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10-14-2009, 05:30 AM	#2
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	There is another thread on here about it. Do you have the lens in hand? I notice he sold one copy of the K version for $175. Edit: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/everything-else/76300-holy-moly-alota-pentax-1-2s.html

10-14-2009, 05:51 AM	#3
DavidWasch Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Connecticut, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 167 Original Poster	Originally posted by Blue There is another thread on here about it. Do you have the lens in hand? I notice he sold one copy of the K version for $175. Edit: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/everything-else/76300-holy-moly-alota-pentax-1-2s.html Didn't see the other thread. Well, the info I really wanted to convey had to do with the reduced "offer" that the lenses may sell for. Nope, the lens is not in hand as of yet. Payment just went out this morning. Clearly, there is some risk. I would be more cautious if I wanted one of the lenses listed for $500. The pictures of the products aren't that great, and the seller doesn't seem very knowledgeable. He seems to be disclosing as much info as he can, though. -David

10-14-2009, 06:26 AM	#4
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	The A version at $175 would make it cost effective to send it to Erik.

10-14-2009, 08:52 AM	#6
davidvcd Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NorthernVA , USA / Grenoble, FRANCE Posts: 148	Originally posted by DavidWasch Ah, that was just my thought when I made the bid. I could do it myself, but would prefer not to risk damaging a beauty if it could be professionally cleaned at reasonable cost. The only thing I was missing was a reputable place to have the work done--- Thank you for the info! I will likely send Erik my business, and post the results here. First, I need to test the lens out at home, to confirm that it functions as it should, has clean aperture blades, etc. I am hopeful that it has gained fungus through a lack of use, and is in otherwise good condition (I guess the biggest risk being oil on the blades, which can also be cleaned). Oh, I hope this works out well. If it does, I'll put my gently used AF50 on the block for about what this lens cost after cleaning. If not, I'll just cry in my beer for a weekend. You got the K version for 175 or was it the A version ? I made an offer for 195 and it was accepted for an A lens. Can someone point me to a thread about seriously testing / cleaning. Who is this Erik that get lens professionally cleaned ?

10-14-2009, 09:02 AM	#7
DavidWasch Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Connecticut, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 167 Original Poster	Originally posted by davidvcd You got the K version for 175 or was it the A version ? I made an offer for 195 and it was accepted for an A lens. Can someone point me to a thread about seriously testing / cleaning. Who is this Erik that get lens professionally cleaned ? My purchase was an A-Verion for $175 (originally listed at $300). The price was lower than the others because of visible fungus in the lens. Congrats on your purchase, I hope it turns out to be a great lens. Here is the link for Erik. He seems to be well considered by some at this site. Erik's website also inspires some trust, though I have no personal experience with him (yet). Please post photos of the lens and your reaction to it once it is received. We might be able to start a nice little A-50mm f1.2 Club here

10-14-2009, 10:14 AM	#9
davidvcd Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NorthernVA , USA / Grenoble, FRANCE Posts: 148	Well, I got an email confirmation with tracking (unfortunately its usps, so it's of no use) however its shipping from the same state as where I live so I should get it here fast once it ships (great thing about living where I am, packages get here fast !).

10-14-2009, 10:41 AM	#10
DavidWasch Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Connecticut, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 167 Original Poster	Originally posted by davidvcd Well, I got an email confirmation with tracking (unfortunately its usps, so it's of no use) however its shipping from the same state as where I live so I should get it here fast once it ships (great thing about living where I am, packages get here fast !). Mine shipped too, and I only paid this morning. That is a good sign. We'll see how this goes... Keep me updated.

10-14-2009, 11:00 AM	#11
Mister Guy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 244	I'm convinced it's legit. I can tell because I want one of them and I have absolutely no money. If it was a fraud, I'd have the cash to buy one myself. This is because the universe hates me.

10-14-2009, 07:33 PM	#12
opfor Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Oxford, UK Photos: Albums Posts: 276	One of my rules for E-bay; if the seller won't answer questions, I won't part with money. Oh well, too bad, maybe next time....

10-14-2009, 08:52 PM	#13
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by opfor One of my rules for E-bay; if the seller won't answer questions, I won't part with money. Oh well, too bad, maybe next time.... Are you saying you asked him a question and he never answered?

10-14-2009, 08:53 PM	#14
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by DavidWasch Mine shipped too, and I only paid this morning. That is a good sign. We'll see how this goes... Keep me updated. So far it appears he has sold 8 of the A's for an average price of $251 and the K for $200.

10-15-2009, 04:38 AM	#15
DavidWasch Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Connecticut, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 167 Original Poster	Originally posted by Blue So far it appears he has sold 8 of the A's for an average price of $251 and the K for $200. Thanks for the update. I didn't know you could search for recently sold items. I hope folks from this site who made purchases convey their experiences. What I think is great about this lens is how it seduces the photographer into really thinking about background, composition and bokeh. At my last check, there were 11 still up for sale. I wonder if the Rokkors did as well.

Whole mess of A- 50mm f1.2 up for auction

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!