[Sew-Classic]

OK, on my way to the hospital to visit my father today, I stopped by a garage sale that advertised camera equipment. I walked away with a Pentax AF280T flash, a Sears (Pentax Mount) 70-210 f4.0 Macro Zoom, an Albinar ADG Auto 2x tele-converter (Pentax mount), and my PRIZE a Pentax A 50mm f1.4, and $60 less in my wallet for the lot.

OK, what's the story on the tele-converter? It came with it's case- no instructions. I've never used on of these, would I want too??? Pros- cons??

The 50mm f.14 is missing it's hood, but other than that is spotless- already tried it out! BIG BIG SMILES. Any special type of hood I should get??

I've having buyer's remorse on the other items. I have a lens that can shoot macro, I have a Pentax AF360 flash (quite happy with that), and I'm clueless about the tele-converter... I guess I just couldn't leave it there. Pretty pathetic on my part. Anyhow, any information about using tele-conveters is MUCH appreciated!

Happy Day!
Jenny

[Peter Zack]

Best hood (IMO) is the screw on Takumar metal hood labeled for the 100mm. Works great and no vignetting. But a lot of people use the collapsable rubber hood that work fine. Btw the lens never came with a hood to begin with.

Use the 2x as a paperweight. Albinar was well known for lousy glass and only a few of the very best 2x's will not degrade IQ. But you should test it out and just mount it first then the 50mm. One thing you can do with it though (if the IQ is poor) is remove the glass and you have a K mount extension tube good for macros. The AF280 is a great flash and if you don't keep it will fetch at least $50-65.00 on Ebay or here. The sears lens might be quite good and surprise you.

BTW smart to stop in the 50mm is worth more than the little you spent. Great deal.

Hope your Dad is doing OK.

[Sew-Classic]

Thanks for the heads up on the converter, and the hood suggestion. Thought the converter might not be something great, but I got her to toss it in at the last moment of haggling anyhow.

Yep- I'm thrilled with the 50mm. It's spotless- all the stuff there was really nice. The flash even came with the manual and the case, all the lenses look like new- they were even stored with silica packs. For the stuff that I'm having some remorse about buying- well, I have an account on "that" aution site. Comes in handy for times like this!

[Sew-Classic]

OMG! I've been playing with the Pentax A SMC 50mm f1.4 lens, and it's great fun! It was even better when I remembered to remove the bad filter that is acting as a protective lens cap at the moment!

The manual focus isn't that big of a deal. I was leary at first, but it was at hard as I thought it would be.

I took some low light shots last night, and this shot this AM (the wind wasn't very cooperative, and I should have used my tripod, but still....I'm happy):

[Ash]

Discovered the fast fifty.
Congrats - it's a great find.
Keep shooting and enjoying the ride!

[mtroute]

OMG! I've been playing with the Pentax A SMC 50mm f1.4 lens, and it's great fun! It was even better when I remembered to remove the bad filter that is acting as a protective lens cap at the moment!

The manual focus isn't that big of a deal. I was leary at first, but it was at hard as I thought it would be.

I took some low light shots last night, and this shot this AM (the wind wasn't very cooperative, and I should have used my tripod, but still....I'm happy):

Congrats, I wish I could find the 1.4 at a garage sale. I think the shot is a little underexposed. I find that with my 50/1.7 have to add +1.00ev...

[Sew-Classic]

Congrats, I wish I could find the 1.4 at a garage sale. I think the shot is a little underexposed. I find that with my 50/1.7 have to add +1.00ev...

Yeah, I noticed that too, but I was still thrilled with the performance of the lens. It's windy here and the rain is looming, so I just didn't take the time to go back out there and work on the exposure......but since you brought it up, I felt complelled. The wind sort of knocked the blossom a bit limp, but I managed another shot. For my k2000, I think that +0.7 was a good spot.

It's good to know that some +exposure comp. is going to be a pretty standard thing for this lens- thankis for the tip!

[séamuis]

I find it rather odd, that you would need any EV boosting with an A lens. never had that problem with my A 1.7, nor have I ever needed it with my A 70~210. great find though. the 50 is an excellent lens.

[Sew-Classic]

I find it rather odd, that you would need any EV boosting with an A lens. never had that problem with my A 1.7, nor have I ever needed it with my A 70~210. great find though. the 50 is an excellent lens.

OK...hmm... I did a quick test inside the house in a dark corner of my foyer - no flash- no EV comp.

I know the photo below is flawed in other ways, but it didn't underexpose. Perhaps it will be a matter of the scene at hand, and metering options set on the camera that determines the require EV comp (if any) more so that this particular lens- just thinking.

Anyhow- I like the lens very much- it was a good day for "sale-ing"!

[séamuis]

well its no secret that metering can be finicky with manual lenses on just about any digital after the *istD. it was certainly the case with my K110D, not so much so on my k-m. of course its just about perfect on my *istD. but being an A lens, I would expect no problems. I guess it will just come down to the type of metering. with an A lens you can take advantage of multi-segment metering. are you using multi-segment or center-weighted? I use only m42 lenses (so certainly no 'A') so I get only center-weighted. you have to be more careful about exposure than you do with multi-segment.

[Sew-Classic]

I generally use multi-segmented metering. But, I don't consider the lens to have a metering problem. I suspect it has more to do with the composition of the scene more than anything else. I did just notice that I didn't input the correct focal length on the first blossom photo- not sure if that would cause metering issues or not. Anyhow, needing to apply some ev comp (+/-) once in a while has always been par for the course with me regardless of camera or lens. Maybe I'm the one that is screwed up.

Here is a scene that has all sorts of exposure issues, but I suspect it has more to do with the black dog and bright window. Pick your poison- expose for the dog, or expose for the window. Parts of the dog are underexposed and the window is blown out. I applied no ev comp. I fault the scene not the camera or lens. Same Pentax A 50mm 1.4 lens



Crop it a bit, and it's not so bad. Kind of makes me want to look out that window to see what he's lookin' at!

[séamuis]

I generally use multi-segmented metering. But, I don't consider the lens to have a metering problem. I suspect it has more to do with the composition of the scene more than anything else

agreed. I shoot scenes like these quite often with my Auto-Takumar 55/1.8 (m42) and can use the EV comp with Av on my istD. (center-weighted) works like a champ to help keep the window from being completely blown out. my little girl Chláir also really enjoys staring out the window, especially when it rains.

You got a smokin deal on that lens... And the dog at the window shot works for me even with the bright window (as the crop shows, you metered that one right IMO)

But be careful, once the MF bug bites you, it is slow to heal... I have a wagonful of MF lenses now and the lens that probably started it all was a SMC 50 1.4...

[Sew-Classic]

You got a smokin deal on that lens... And the dog at the window shot works for me even with the bright window (as the crop shows, you metered that one right IMO)

But be careful, once the MF bug bites you, it is slow to heal... I have a wagonful of MF lenses now and the lens that probably started it all was a SMC 50 1.4...

Yep...I'll be looking for more!

[Andi Lo]

AF 280T swivels, so if you use auto mode you might find it preferrable to AF 360

In fact I'll buy it from you for 25$!