[Ryan Trevisol]

Scroll down or click here - different deal, same guy, jackpot.
Would love a thread title change to "Epic Craigslist deal part Deux"


So I saw this 40mm 2.8 (the Pentax-M version) on Craigslist for $25, "new in box" but even if it's just in working condition - those lenses typically go for much more than that right?

Catch is he's in South West Miami. I'm in Palm Beach County so it's quite the haul for a $25 lens.

I've kind of been wanting that lens because of the compactness. I think it would be a great lens to walk around with on my ME or even my K-x.

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Last edited by Ryan Trevisol; 06-05-2011 at 05:56 PM.

[Deimos]

yeah at least $120+ i think, its supposed to be nice

[cpk]

Is it stolen? I know that is not a question that you can answer, but the price sounds just too good to be true.

[Flickeroo]

I saw a Pentax-K 50mm F1.2 on there for 40$ once.

I called him up and he told me that he had sold it in 5 minutes, and I was the 6th caller in the last 15 minutes. He didn't want to back out from his price because the guy was coming at his house to get it, but he was realizing that he had way undercharged for it.

He just thought, like many other people, than an old lens obviously wouldn't fit on a newer camera, and also that manual focus would be crap.
I've been waiting for that f1.2 from Montreal to come on the PentaxForum marketplace, just to be jealous.

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Last edited by Flickeroo; 05-17-2011 at 07:13 PM. Reason: Sorry, I originally wrote M, but no M series 1.2 was ever done. Had to be a K then. It wasn't an A series, that much I know.

[Ryan Trevisol]

I don't know. I'll be cautious and I'll find out. I think the awareness of value of Pentax gear around here is quite low. I have an instant google alert set up for my local CL for "Pentax". It pings once, maybe twice a week. I'll ask him for the serial number and we'll see. I suspect as you say, that he probably is undercharging because he doesn't know what he has.

[KxBlaze]

Not sure how far the drive is but I would definitely do it, and it's not for a $25 lens, its for a $100+ lens that you are getting for much less.

[farfisa]

I don't know. I'll be cautious and I'll find out. I think the awareness of value of Pentax gear around here is quite low. I have an instant google alert set up for my local CL for "Pentax". It pings once, maybe twice a week. I'll ask him for the serial number and we'll see. I suspect as you say, that he probably is undercharging because he doesn't know what he has.

I think that's worth the trip if it's a lens you want.

The price is fantastic for any working Pentax lens, and if it has the box (which also suggests it wasn't stolen!) you'll get that collector's appeal too if you ever want to sell it.

[Ryan Trevisol]

Heck, if I don't like it I could flip it, especially with the box.

But yeah, I think it would be great to have on my trip. From what I understand color rendition isn't great, but I'll be shooting mostly black and white. Might turn my ME into a pocketable SLR!

Edit: It's sold already. Oh well. At least I don't have to drive down to Miami and explain an unplanned lens purchase to my wife!

I talked to the guy a little bit and he has no idea what he has. he's buying from pawn shops and re-selling on craigslist. I told him he could've gotten a lot more for the 40 (because it was new in the box), and he was shocked. I ran a search for his phone number and he's got an AE-1 with a 50 1.8 on there for $50, which seems a little low. So now he's going to call me when he gets anything like that Pentax again. Of course, now he's going to want more than $25.

[RioRico]

Why tell? You've burnt a bridge to future deals!

I know, I know, it doesn't feel fair, does it?

For fairness, should we pay just what it's worth?

[Pentaxor]

can't blame him. some of the old geezers that owned such lenses wouldn't think such lens would hold value for 3 decades. atleast this is true with most old manual focus lenses. having said that, as far as the seller is concerned, the lens isn't really underpriced as far as his belief or how much value he gives to the lens. as the saying goes, one man's garbage is someone else's gold.

[Pentaxor]

For fairness, should we pay just what it's worth?

NO ! because some sellers would tell us to take a hike if they are committing highway robbery.

[HoBykoYan]

is it worth buying this lens? ive read the review section and i am afraid its not worth to buy this lens much more with a price tag of around $150 here

[Pentaxor]

is it worth buying this lens? ive read the review section and i am afraid its not worth to buy this lens much more with a price tag of around $150 here

sadly no. one would be better off with a 35/2 or 35/3.5.

[Ryan Trevisol]

I'd say it's only worth it for the compactness, or to flip it if you get an amazing deal like this one. I would have kept it for a while to use on my trip, then flipped it.

[8540tomg]

I wouldn't but the price is tempting.

I tried this lens in a camera store years ago and found it just too small for my taste. The focusing ring is miniscule to say the least. It is the only M series prime that didn't appeal to me in any way. Miniaturization was taken a little too far with this one. As I recall optically it is nothing special either. In my experience if a manual focus lens doesn't "feel right" I just don't use it. This lens falls into that category for me.

Tom G