[Ron Boggs]

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A*200 f. 4ED Macro and 1.4XL teleconverter for $1900 U.S. or best acceptable offer

This is about as good as it gets for optical quality. No matter what the price, you will not regret owning this piece of art. The A*200 Macro is a very functional “working” item. The tripod collar sits low and close to the lens barrel (unlike some other “jacked up” telemacro’s), the knobs are made of brass not plastic, lens barrel is metal. This lens is rugged and very solidly built. It retracts to a compact size and takes 58mm front filters.

I bought this lens new 12 years ago. It has been very well cared for and has no scratches or dings or other external marring. Glass is perfect, blades are perfect, focus is TIGHT and heavily damped—there is no focus creep whatsoever. I live in a very dry environment so there is no risk of fungus or internal corrosion. Includes original box, soft case and lens booklet.

The only negatives are the finish on the foot of the tripod collar is flaking a bit and the tripod collar knobs are very lightly brassed on the outer rim.

I’m selling this lens with matched A 1.4XL teleconverter. The two combine for impressive results—and 1.4x lifesize images. Also included is a Pentax SMC Cloudy filter for warming effect (I used it for most work done with the lens). I also have a 2XL teleconverter that could be packaged with the lens…

Serious inquiries please PM and we’ll discuss payment (PayPal, VISA etc.) and shipping options and my 10 day return policy.

Price is $1900 U.S. or best acceptable offer, postpaid to lower 48. PM to discuss international...

Had some trouble with TIFF conversions so the scans are dusty and pitiful, but perhaps worth looking at anyway…the poorly composed fish picture is included to show the pleasant bokeh in both foreground and background gravels.

Attached Images

         

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Last edited by Ron Boggs; 03-19-2008 at 02:23 PM. Reason: forgot OBO

[k100d]

have you used anything as a reference point to determine the price of the lens?

[Ron Boggs]

Yes, my investigation into the value of this lens is what convinced me to sell it. The last one to appear on ebay had a $2000 reserve. The number one poster on this forum--Roentare (is that spelled right?) paid $2200 for the copy reviewed on this forum in the lens reviews section. Because of the extreme rarity of this lens, you won't find that much regarding selling price when you search. What you will find in a search is rave reviews about this being the best lens ever made by any maker and other hyperbolic statements of gushing enthusiasm.

The lens does such awesome imaging that I had intended to keep it pretty much forever, even though I have an FA*200/4 EDIF Macro. I figured at the deflated value below what I paid for it that I'd just keep it for my 12 year old son to use so we could "side-by-side" in the wildflower fields. Then I found that the lens has actually appreciated in value over the last 5 years or so. Note that I'm not leaving my son out--I have a few other decent lenses that he already uses regularly...and he can live with my back-up FA100 Macro. It's no star lens, but it's no slouch either.

My reasoning in simple. Last one on ebay last month was tagged at $2000. Mine is in slightly better condition, includes a $250-$300 matched teleconverter (scarce) and a $50 Pentax filter that is no longer being made. My price is $100 less than that last market notice for the product. If you figure my original price, plus what I paid for the teleconverter and filter and shipping on each...my price is actually a few hundred lower than what I probably could get. And you never know with a rare collector's item. Does price even matter if you really want one? Price has never reduced my LBA by even a tiny fraction.

[Miserere]

have you used anything as a reference point to determine the price of the lens?

Well, this bidder seemed to think it was an OK price, and he didn't even get a hard-to-find Pentax TC!

I think that price is OK considering the market, the only problem is to find the money.

Ron you have a PM.

[slomojoe]

Ah - droool.

Seriously, if I had the money, I'd be on this in a second. It's a good price for the market, and since there is nothing like it in the Pentax pipeline, it's likely to keep or even increase its value for the foreseeable future.

[Ron Boggs]

Thanks for the extra price proofs! Pretty much the going rate nowadays...

BTW, reading carefully the equipment on your signature.... would you adopt me?

[Ron Boggs]

I've always teased my wife that we need to be a host family for a foreign exchange student...17 year old, Swedish or Sri Lankan girl...oh, you know the middle aged guy fantasy. So before I agree to adopt, how much can you carry in a back pack?

I have plenty of back packs and I promise to exercise Would your wife disagree if instead of 17 the young student is....let us say....on his 30ishs?

[rmtagg]

All I can do is drool

[Asahiflex]

At this price point, and the Dollar-Euro exchange rate, this certainly is a steal for EU buyers! I'd be all over it, if only I hadn't bought a K20D last tuesday... I wish you much luck selling this legendary lens!

[séamuis]

A*'s are the sexiest lenses ever made..... oh how I wish I could afford that.

[Ron Boggs]

Not only is the lens sexy, but the images are so saturated, sharp and contrasty that, to me, the pictures are "porn" regarless of subject matter. That's why I didn't sell this lens off when I got the FA*200 Macro a few years ago. Sane people move forward and get rid of the old when they upgrade. I was (and still am) very seduced by this lens, so my sanity is definitely in question.

Regarding all the comments about not being able to afford it...this is 2008, since when does it matter if people can afford what they buy? I assure you I couldn't afford most of the lenses I purchased during my severe LBA Heroin days. But now, all the lenses have been paid off for years (yes, horror of horrors, I often borrowed to buy the lenses in my collection), and I don't regret one penny of interest I paid to get to shoot through pro glass. Am I goading you on? YES! Am I acting like the pusher on the street corner? Perhaps, hey, buddy, what's holding you back. Come on, all your friends are doing it. Don't you want to be cool?

A note: I had a PM regarding the focus "tightness" and asking if there was a problem of any sort. Actually, there's no problem with the focus ring turning or with dampening. Just the opposite. Some macro lenses have problems with focus creep when aiming up or down--the weight of the lens itself pulls or pushes the barrel changing the focus. Note that the FA100Macro has a clamp screw for adjusting the dampening and to stop any risk of focus creep. The A* Macro does not have adjustable dampening, but is very heavily damped to prevent even a tiny shift in focus. This dampening is very noticeable vs the typically underdamped autofocus lenses currently in production by all companies. I presume that a worn out, weathered or damaged lens could lose some of it's dampening, opening up the possibility of focus creep. That is NOT an issue with the lens listed here. It's tight and damped as it was when I first opened the box.

[Buddha Jones]

Man, if I had your collection I don't know if I could part with any of them. That would be like selling one of my kids. Well I dont have any kids but I can imagine that is what it would be like.