[rvannatta]

Just cleaned out an old desk and found a copy of my order for a new K-2
with a F/1.7 lens.---------- On March 4, 1977 ---- 319.50

Later in November of 1977, another mail order for the Pentax-M 100 mm F/4 macro
for $144.86, and also what's become an extremely rare lens, An SMC 28mm F/2 wide angle for $209.88. The latter was a big heavy clunker for a wide angle, but i really liked it, and some 20years later when I theives got my camera bag, It was that lens that I truely missed.

[jsherman999]

Just cleaned out an old desk and found a copy of my order for a new K-2
with a F/1.7 lens.---------- On March 4, 1977 ---- 319.50

$1201 in today's dollars, adjusted for inflation. Not too different than a typical good lens + body kit now, although you could make the case that you get more for your money these days in the body.

Later in November of 1977, another mail order for the Pentax-M 100 mm F/4 macro
for $144.86, and also what's become an extremely rare lens, An SMC 28mm F/2 wide angle for $209.88. The latter was a big heavy clunker for a wide angle, but i really liked it, and some 20years later when I theives got my camera bag, It was that lens that I truely missed.

$787 in 2011 dollars for that 28 f/2... I'd love to get my hands on one of those now, a very useful FL on aps-c, and a great lens from what I've seen!


.

[Docrwm]

Another price point to consider, the M135/3.5 sold, in ~1980, for $175 list.

[Nesster]

You got a good deal there - the one mail order ad I've scanned from 1977 asked for $10 more than you paid
All sizes | Excecutive Photo mail order 1977 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[rvannatta]

You got a good deal there - the one mail order ad I've scanned from 1977 asked for $10 more than you paid
All sizes | Excecutive Photo mail order 1977 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

my camera came from Wall street camera---who always had a substantial ad in the back of Pop Photography.

[rvannatta]

$1201 in today's dollars, adjusted for inflation. Not too different than a typical good lens + body kit now, although you could make the case that you get more for your money these days in the body.



$787 in 2011 dollars for that 28 f/2... I'd love to get my hands on one of those now, a very useful FL on aps-c, and a great lens from what I've seen!


.

"more for money" : Flash automation and auto focus are 'big deals' that have been added. On the other hand, my K2 worked flawlessly for 20 years, more than I can say about my k5 which is 4 months old and in for warranty work.

As for the 28/2 ---truly delightful.... but I think the heaviest wide angle I've used.
It had a lot of glass in it.

[gofour3]

The one that gets me was the price of the Pentax 135-600mm f6.7 zoom. It was the most expensive item in their 35mm camera line-up and listed for $2,193.90 in Jan, 1978. The K1000/8
telephoto listed for only $1919.70!

Phil

[Docrwm]

Hadn't thought of Wall Street Photo in years. I got some excellent deals through them on lenses in the late 70s.

I appreciate the ad image. I now know what some of my M lenses like the M50/4 Macro cost new ($136.90) which makes $50 now a steal.

[Davep]

As I recall, I purchased a SP500 with the Super Takumar 55 F2 lens in 1972 at Black's Camera (I think) Toronto, Ontario, for $175.00 CDN (obviously)

I still have that camera, and it is my pride and joy, despite having several other Spotmatic bodies and numerous Super Multi Coated prime lenses I've garnered over the years.

I've taken some great shots (to me) using that basic SP500 camera/lens combo.

[Michaelina2]

Just before Honeywell became the exclusive US distributor of Pentax in the late 60's, as a starving architecture student, I could not afford US retail prices, so I mail ordered an Asahi Pentax Sv with 55/1.8 and 35/3.5 from Hero Camera Company in Japan. The kit cost $85, delivered, including air transportation and duty tax. Later, I added a 135/3.5, then a non-battery powered light meter. I used this 3 lens kit exclusively into the mid-90's, then went digital with a Sony Mavica. While the Sv and lenses still work perfectly, and I have many fond memories of them, things are so much better, now, I'd never give going back a second thought.

In purchasing power terms, that $85 computes to about $550 in 2011.

Cheers...

[violini]

I got mint M135/3.5 last year on ebay for $28.

[rvannatta]

Just before Honeywell became the exclusive US distributor of Pentax in the late 60's, as a starving architecture student, I could not afford US retail prices, so I mail ordered an Asahi Pentax Sv with 55/1.8 and 35/3.5 from Hero Camera Company in Japan. The kit cost $85, delivered, including air transportation and duty tax. Later, I added a 135/3.5, then a non-battery powered light meter. I used this 3 lens kit exclusively into the mid-90's, then went digital with a Sony Mavica. While the Sv and lenses still work perfectly, and I have many fond memories of them, things are so much better, now, I'd never give going back a second thought.

In purchasing power terms, that $85 computes to about $550 in 2011.

Cheers...

You obviously had more money then than I did. I wanted a camera and didn't have cash around then but only dreamed of a Pentax. which one of my friends had. I bought an Exa IIa --- a Cheap line Exacta.-- around $35. A friend sold me an Exacta mount lens with a 'thumb tab' stopdown on it for $10.00

It had the modern features of the day.----eye level view finder, rapid film advance (one lever throw instead of endlessly turning the knob) and shutter speeds to 1/300. You got wide open focusing, and when you pulled back on the thumb tab on the lens, it stopped the lens down for shooting, and the shutter release button
was behind the tab so if you kept pushing you also released the shutter.

But alas, no electronics of any kind and it missed one Pentax invented feature
and that was the auto return mirror. When you released the shutter, the mirror flopped up, and stayed up until you rewound shutter.