Manual Zoom Club

edom31 · 10-05-2020, 01:09 PM - **2 Likes**

Vivitar (Kino) 75-205mm 3.8 Close Focusing

edom31 · 10-07-2020, 06:25 PM - **1 Like**

Pentax-M 80-200 4.5

edom31 · 10-08-2020, 07:17 AM - **1 Like**

Pentax-M 80-200 4.5

**onlineflyer** · 10-08-2020, 09:03 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by edom31

Pentax-M 80-200 4.5

Have you ever thought about the M 35-70 f2.8-3.5? It's a stellar lens and very inexpensive.

edom31 · 10-08-2020, 09:15 AM

Originally posted by onlineflyer

Have you ever thought about the M 35-70 f2.8-3.5? It's a stellar lens and very inexpensive.

Never set eyes on it before. I saw your review on it! Great fall shot you have there... I do have the F 35-70 (albeit not as fast as this one apparently). Usually not a big zoom type of guy, but I'll keep my eyes out for one!

PS - the M 80-200 = I got this lens by mistake a while back, thinking I was getting a 200mm prime... I kept it as it was cheap to me, and I do not mind using it at all.

**paulh** · 10-08-2020, 09:37 AM

Originally posted by onlineflyer

Have you ever thought about the M 35-70 f2.8-3.5? It's a stellar lens and very inexpensive.

Agree, a very nice chunk of glass, almost prime-like. Nice work with those zooms, Ed.

**From1980** · 10-08-2020, 11:45 AM - **1 Like**

Another push for the M35-70 f2.8-3.5 from me. When it first appeared about 40 years ago, its large aperture seemed offset by the extra weight and bulk, if you can believe that. Compared to lots of faster autofocus lenses it now looks very compact. Inexpensive indeed, last year mine was $89 in beautiful condition.

**onlineflyer** · 10-08-2020, 04:28 PM - **4 Likes**

Our discussion on the M 35-70mm motivated me to pick up the lens and visit the local arboretum today. Here are a few of the shots.

**paulh** · 10-08-2020, 05:28 PM - **4 Likes**

Originally posted by onlineflyer

Here are a few of the shots.

Nice looking shots.

M35-70/2.8-3.5 on *ist D from 2015:

**paulh** · 10-10-2020, 11:14 AM - **2 Likes**

From Nov. 2014 - Cosmicar A35-70/4 on *ist D:

edom31 · 10-14-2020, 06:44 PM - **1 Like**

Well, it seems the M 80-200/4.5 made the starting line up and I can't bench him!

ChristianRock · 10-15-2020, 07:07 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by edom31

Well, it seems the M 80-200/4.5 made the starting line up and I can't bench him!

Nice shots!

It's not a very known lens but some people swear by it. I even saw that just a while back someone left the first negative review of the SMC-A 70-210mm f4, which I thought everyone loved, saying "this lens is very good but I can't recommend it because the M 80-200 f4.5 is better". Of course I question basing a negative review on something like that, but it goes to show some people really like the lens, I guess like the M 75-150mm which got some really impressive numbers on a K-1, in a review by ephotozine (see here: SMC Pentax-M 75-150mm f/4 Zoom Vintage Lens Review | ePHOTOzine ).

I also learned recently that there were two completely different versions of the M 80-200mm f/4.5:
M 80-200/4.5 (version 1) | The K-Mount Page
M 80-200/4.5 (version 2) | The K-Mount Page

Version 1 has the metal ring on the front - beauty ring? - which version 2 doesn't have. Version 1 also has an insane optical formula for those days, especially for a 2.5x zoom - 15 elements in 12 groups! Version 2 has 12 elements in 9 groups like the M 75-150. The version 1 also has a floating element (well, two elements/1 group since they are cemented) like the A 70-210mm f4 - but that is interesting because this is not a "macro" or close-up lens. Version 2 might have it as well but I can't tell, there's no optical design image. It really seems like someone over-designed the first version for the film era and that might be why it performs so well on digital now...

Another lens that was perhaps a bit over-designed and was sold for a long time, well into the 80s, was the K 45-125mm f4. I've always had my eyes on one... the colors and rendering are beautiful and almost of "limited" quality.

edom31 · 10-15-2020, 09:03 AM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

Nice shots!It's not a very known lens but some people swear by it.

Thank you! I will look into what version I have. I know my lens has some haze balls in the 2nd or 3rd element front. It does not seem to affect the quality of the photos. Do I swear by this lens? Well, lets just say I do not see the need to get another film-era K-mount zoom...

More shots!

edom31 · 10-15-2020, 06:29 PM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

I also learned recently that there were two completely different versions of the M 80-200mm f/4.5:

Thanks for making me look into this... I have the 1st version, as I do have the silver ring. According to these forums, the 1st version is a rebadged of the K series counterpart. I purchased the lens for about $25 3 years ago (again I thought I was stealing a 200mm prime). Keeper!

**gaweidert** · 10-15-2020, 07:09 PM - **2 Likes**

Humpback whale. During a whale watch out of Plymouth MA. Tokina 60-300 SZ-X.

10-10-2020, 11:14 AM - 2 Likes	#820
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,252	From Nov. 2014 - Cosmicar A35-70/4 on ist D: Last edited by paulh; 10-10-2020 at 12:33 PM.*

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edom31 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Garden City, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,349	Pentax-M 80-200 4.5

10-08-2020, 09:03 AM - 1 Like	#814
onlineflyer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NW Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,091	Originally posted by edom31 Pentax-M 80-200 4.5 Have you ever thought about the M 35-70 f2.8-3.5? It's a stellar lens and very inexpensive.

10-08-2020, 09:15 AM	#815
edom31 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Garden City, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,349	Originally posted by onlineflyer Have you ever thought about the M 35-70 f2.8-3.5? It's a stellar lens and very inexpensive. Never set eyes on it before. I saw your review on it! Great fall shot you have there... I do have the F 35-70 (albeit not as fast as this one apparently). Usually not a big zoom type of guy, but I'll keep my eyes out for one! PS - the M 80-200 = I got this lens by mistake a while back, thinking I was getting a 200mm prime... I kept it as it was cheap to me, and I do not mind using it at all.

10-08-2020, 09:37 AM	#816
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,252	Originally posted by onlineflyer Have you ever thought about the M 35-70 f2.8-3.5? It's a stellar lens and very inexpensive. Agree, a very nice chunk of glass, almost prime-like. Nice work with those zooms, Ed.

10-08-2020, 11:45 AM - 1 Like	#817
From1980 Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Essex, Ontario Posts: 682	Another push for the M35-70 f2.8-3.5 from me. When it first appeared about 40 years ago, its large aperture seemed offset by the extra weight and bulk, if you can believe that. Compared to lots of faster autofocus lenses it now looks very compact. Inexpensive indeed, last year mine was $89 in beautiful condition.

10-08-2020, 05:28 PM - 4 Likes	#819
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,252	Originally posted by onlineflyer Here are a few of the shots. Nice looking shots. M35-70/2.8-3.5 on *ist D from 2015:

10-14-2020, 06:44 PM - 1 Like	#821
edom31 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Garden City, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,349	Well, it seems the M 80-200/4.5 made the starting line up and I can't bench him!

10-15-2020, 07:07 AM - 1 Like	#822
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	Originally posted by edom31 Well, it seems the M 80-200/4.5 made the starting line up and I can't bench him! Nice shots! It's not a very known lens but some people swear by it. I even saw that just a while back someone left the first negative review of the SMC-A 70-210mm f4, which I thought everyone loved, saying "this lens is very good but I can't recommend it because the M 80-200 f4.5 is better". Of course I question basing a negative review on something like that, but it goes to show some people really like the lens, I guess like the M 75-150mm which got some really impressive numbers on a K-1, in a review by ephotozine (see here: SMC Pentax-M 75-150mm f/4 Zoom Vintage Lens Review \| ePHOTOzine ). I also learned recently that there were two completely different versions of the M 80-200mm f/4.5: M 80-200/4.5 (version 1) \| The K-Mount Page M 80-200/4.5 (version 2) \| The K-Mount Page Version 1 has the metal ring on the front - beauty ring? - which version 2 doesn't have. Version 1 also has an insane optical formula for those days, especially for a 2.5x zoom - 15 elements in 12 groups! Version 2 has 12 elements in 9 groups like the M 75-150. The version 1 also has a floating element (well, two elements/1 group since they are cemented) like the A 70-210mm f4 - but that is interesting because this is not a "macro" or close-up lens. Version 2 might have it as well but I can't tell, there's no optical design image. It really seems like someone over-designed the first version for the film era and that might be why it performs so well on digital now... Another lens that was perhaps a bit over-designed and was sold for a long time, well into the 80s, was the K 45-125mm f4. I've always had my eyes on one... the colors and rendering are beautiful and almost of "limited" quality.

10-15-2020, 09:03 AM	#823
edom31 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Garden City, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,349	Originally posted by ChristianRock Nice shots!It's not a very known lens but some people swear by it. Thank you! I will look into what version I have. I know my lens has some haze balls in the 2nd or 3rd element front. It does not seem to affect the quality of the photos. Do I swear by this lens? Well, lets just say I do not see the need to get another film-era K-mount zoom... More shots!

10-15-2020, 06:29 PM	#824
edom31 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Garden City, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,349	Originally posted by ChristianRock I also learned recently that there were two completely different versions of the M 80-200mm f/4.5: Thanks for making me look into this... I have the 1st version, as I do have the silver ring. According to these forums, the 1st version is a rebadged of the K series counterpart. I purchased the lens for about $25 3 years ago (again I thought I was stealing a 200mm prime). Keeper!

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