[erikmichael]

I've been searching for months for a Tamron F 1.4 Pz-AF MC4 for my DA* 50-135. I guess I've been looking in the wrong places. Believe it or not, B&H Photo had a used version of this TC pop up on in one of my searches. Their price? $32. No kidding. I thought for sure it wasn't true. In the image they posted, I could only read the Tamron F part. The Other Pz.. emblem on the back side wasn't visible in the photo. I didn't waste time calling them to ask if it was an MC4 - I just placed it in my cart and checked out immediately. For $32, I didn't even blink.

The best part about it all - I had dug up another one of these TCs (MC4) in a Canadian Craigslist post just hours before my purchase. I emailed him saying I was ready to buy - despite his $250 price tag. (I really wanted one of these.) He said the TC sold just an hour before I emailed him. His TC sold in just 9 hours after posting. I'm much happier with the $32 price tag. =)

So anyway - thought I'd share this bit of good fortune with my fellow Pentaxians - keep an eye on B&H used inventory. I can't believe I found this TC in one of the seemingly most obvious places possible. More still, I can't believe they listed it for $32.

[dgaies]

Just wondering if you received it yet. I ordered the same one BH for $32 (8+ condition from the used dept). It went through, my credit card was charged and it wasn't until the next day that they emailed me to cancel the order saying it was a mistake in their computer and they didn't actually have it. If you did, I guess you must have ordered it right before I did and their computer didn't remove it from their used inventory. Anyway, it seemed like a great deal so hopefully you were able to snag it

[Barnster]

It's hard to knock back a bargain like that.You were on the the right website at the right time.

[erikmichael]

Just wondering if you received it yet. I ordered the same one BH for $32 (8+ condition from the used dept). It went through, my credit card was charged and it wasn't until the next day that they emailed me to cancel the order saying it was a mistake in their computer and they didn't actually have it. If you did, I guess you must have ordered it right before I did and their computer didn't remove it from their used inventory. Anyway, it seemed like a great deal so hopefully you were able to snag it

WOW. Yes I did receive it. I'm sorry you missed it. I knew something like that could happen. I just got it this morning. I've been on pins and needles watching it make its way across the US to my office.. I wasn't sure if it was the real deal (MC4) until it came in the door this morning. Psyched to have such a lightweight addition to the bag. I've heard Pentax should be coming out with a TC for their SDMs that will trump this one for sure... hopefully that comes soon.

[dgaies]

I just happen to stumple across it and realized it was a great deal so I figured I'd try it out with my 50-135. Seeing as you were searching for one for months, in a weird way I'm actually glad you got it.

Just out of curiosity, when did you place the order?

[erikmichael]

I just happen to stumple across it and realized it was a great deal so I figured I'd try it out with my 50-135. Seeing as you were searching for one for months, in a weird way I'm actually glad you got it.

Just out of curiosity, when did you place the order?

Thanks for not being sour about it. =)

Placed the order on Nov 18 at 9:33 PM MST.

[dgaies]

All is fair when hunting for bargain camera equiptment No hard feeling at all.

Based on when you bought it, I think I now know what happened. I put the item in my cart around 10pm (8PM MST) on Nov 18. I didn't have my wallet with me so I went downstairs ended up watching TV for a while and then went back and placed the order a few hours later. I guess since it was in my cart the whole time it never got updated to reflect the fact that you bought it. The guys at B&H sounded like they honestly didn't know how it happened when I called and just chalked it up to a computer glitch.

Like I said before, I'm just glad someone here got it and it wasn't B&H not selling it to me because they realized it was underpriced (that was one of my original theories) or that they never actually had one in stock to start (my other theory).

Just a thought... since you have already talked to B&H you should ask them to notify you first when the next one comes in. It is the least they could do... and B&H has always went the extra mile for me.

Would not hurt to ask.

[dgaies]

Not a bad idea. I've always been happy with B&H as well.

Just a thought... since you have already talked to B&H you should ask them to notify you first when the next one comes in. It is the least they could do... and B&H has always went the extra mile for me.

Would not hurt to ask.

[hinman]

I've been searching for months for a Tamron F 1.4 Pz-AF MC4 for my DA* 50-135. I guess I've been looking in the wrong places. Believe it or not, B&H Photo had a used version of this TC pop up on in one of my searches. Their price? $32. No kidding. I thought for sure it wasn't true. In the image they posted, I could only read the Tamron F part. The Other Pz.. emblem on the back side wasn't visible in the photo. I didn't waste time calling them to ask if it was an MC4 - I just placed it in my cart and checked out immediately. For $32, I didn't even blink.

The best part about it all - I had dug up another one of these TCs (MC4) in a Canadian Craigslist post just hours before my purchase. I emailed him saying I was ready to buy - despite his $250 price tag. (I really wanted one of these.) He said the TC sold just an hour before I emailed him. His TC sold in just 9 hours after posting. I'm much happier with the $32 price tag. =)

So anyway - thought I'd share this bit of good fortune with my fellow Pentaxians - keep an eye on B&H used inventory. I can't believe I found this TC in one of the seemingly most obvious places possible. More still, I can't believe they listed it for $32.

Was that you asking me in PM for the TC? I was not reading the rest, does it AF for you with your DA* zoom? I hope everything works out to your favor. I would discourage people from paying too much for the TC, I will estimate the price from $80 to $135.00 for a fair pricing for a good copy that works with your lenses with AF. If it is priced as $250.0, I will suggest to walk away and use the fund for the tele prime and zoom lens instead.

Thanks,
Hin

[PentaJP]

I, too, bought my used Tamron F 1.4 Pz-AF MC4 from B&H Photo back in August.
It just cost me $36.45 including shipping.

By the way, does this teleconverter work well with wide-to-normal angle lenses at a small F-number? Mine seems to work fine with DA50-200mm at the tele end, but when used on FA 35 (f2-2.8) or FA 50 (f1.4-2.8), overall image sharpness gets really compromised. It's not that auto focus is wrong. I hope my copy would work flawlessly on DA* 300, which I intend to buy in the future.

[erikmichael]

All is fair when hunting for bargain camera equiptment No hard feeling at all.

Based on when you bought it, I think I now know what happened. I put the item in my cart around 10pm (8PM MST) on Nov 18. I didn't have my wallet with me so I went downstairs ended up watching TV for a while and then went back and placed the order a few hours later. I guess since it was in my cart the whole time it never got updated to reflect the fact that you bought it. The guys at B&H sounded like they honestly didn't know how it happened when I called and just chalked it up to a computer glitch.

Like I said before, I'm just glad someone here got it and it wasn't B&H not selling it to me because they realized it was underpriced (that was one of my original theories) or that they never actually had one in stock to start (my other theory).

Classic... *usually* this would happen to me. Luck smiled on me for once!

[erikmichael]

Was that you asking me in PM for the TC? I was not reading the rest, does it AF for you with your DA* zoom? I hope everything works out to your favor. I would discourage people from paying too much for the TC, I will estimate the price from $80 to $135.00 for a fair pricing for a good copy that works with your lenses with AF. If it is priced as $250.0, I will suggest to walk away and use the fund for the tele prime and zoom lens instead.

Thanks,
Hin

Hey there Hin Man.... I did email you earlier today to your email address from your website - not a PM here. I agree with your assessment on cost. I'm glad I didn't overpay. AF is working well on the DA*... quality is very good however I see some purple fringing that I don't ever remember seeing on my 50-135 before.

[erikmichael]

I, too, bought my used Tamron F 1.4 Pz-AF MC4 from B&H Photo back in August.
It just cost me $36.45 including shipping.

By the way, does this teleconverter work well with wide-to-normal angle lenses at a small F-number? Mine seems to work fine with DA50-200mm at the tele end, but when used on FA 35 (f2-2.8) or FA 50 (f1.4-2.8), overall image sharpness gets really compromised. It's not that auto focus is wrong. I hope my copy would work flawlessly on DA* 300, which I intend to buy in the future.

Great to hear. Sounds like they come across them semi-frequently.

I haven't used the TC on wider focal lengths and don't know that I would since carrying around mid-size tele prime is just about the same weight as carrying the TC. (FA 35 X 1.4 = 49mm - my DA 40 weighs about 3.2 oz I think and the DA 70 weighs about 4.6 oz.) Were you thinking of a different situation for use of the TC with a wide angle?

It should work well on your DA* 300 - not flawlessly though, as of course you lose the f/stop and the AF is about 2 to 3 times slower than normal (takes a few seconds to zero in).

A note about focusing with the TC ... I disabled the half-press shutter focus feature on my K20D. I've shot this way for quite some time, but it also seems to work well with my new MC4 TC. When using the AF button on the back of the camera to focus, I find that If I press it more than once (with some finessed timing) while it's focusing (lift my finger off, then press again), it seems to lock on to the target a bit quicker than using the default half-press-shutter method.

[frank]

B&H used to sell this TC new for less than $50usd a couple of years back (I bought one for $49 from them), that's why they are selling it used for such low price. I guess they didn't know the current market price for this thing...