[roy]

hey,
i've got a near new super takumar 135/3.5 with case, ET rings, and a set of diopters 1,2,4...
i really hate to break up the set. interested?
drop me a line..

[Quicksand]

How was that show? I was wondering if anyone from here was going to that. I keep an eye on craigslist back and saw some ads for it.

Any good deals?

Not bad -- I'm talking about the San Jose Photo Fair (Photo Fair). There are a few regular shows in the Bay Area. I haven't been to the ones in San Francisco (yet), the ones in Hayward are pretty lame, and the San Jose shows are pretty good.

Staying on topic here, I thought the SMC Tak 35/2.0 I didn't buy was a pretty good deal at $110 (and I probably would have tried to talk the vendor down a bit more). My SMC Tak 28/3.5 was $40, which I think was a solid but unexceptional deal -- optically it's pristine. At a previous show last year, I picked up a Super Tak 135/2.5 for $80, which I didn't end up liking and resold on eBay for about the same amount, which suggests the price was about right to start with.

If you're patient (which is difficult in the pushy crowd), you can find some decent stuff. But it's kind of a pain in the neck, because most of the vendors just have bunches of unlabeled lenses out on a table, frequently with generic or mismatched lens caps, and to find out what you're looking at you often need to pick up each one and look at the mount end or take off the cap and read the markings, or both. (I'm getting good at spotting PK and M42 at a distance, I have to tell you). And of course, 90% of what's there is Canon/Nikon, so it's tedious.

If you're looking for 50mm kit lenses, off-brand lenses (like that Accura Diamatic I got for cheap, which is actually pretty nice now that I have adjusted infinity focus properly -- it was badly off), and more than anything else undistinguished old zoom lenses, there's plenty of stuff there to choose from.

If you're looking for primes, and Taks specifically, you really need to comb through the stuff carefully. But there are treasures to be had.

Next time I need to go with a bigger budget (easier said than done, I'm afraid).

[jthommo]

smc takumar 300/4

[Rense]

Never realized the moon is upside down down-under.....

smc takumar 300/4

[jthommo]

Never realized the moon is upside down down-under.....

We think its the right way up, but I suppose it just depends on your point of view...

[jamonation]

From a week or two ago, out with the 85mm f1.9 to start with, then switched to the 35mm f2. First 2 are 85mm at f16, last 2 are 35mm at f16:

[heliphoto]

Dude...jamonation... I love this image -

[IS050]

All four are fantastic and I like this one the most.

[Mike Cash]

Pentax SV
S-M-C Takumar 135/3.5
Fuji Industrial Records 100

[Nesster]

From the first roll with the ES II, I just had to try a night shot with the vf shade This was with the lens stopped down a click or two, leaning the camera against a metal fence.

SMC 50/1.4, Pentax ES II, BW400CN

[Mike Cash]

Ain't that viewfinder shade the greatest? Makes me wonder why it never became a standard feature on all (D)SLR cameras.

Pentax K20D
S-M-C Takumar 105/2.8

[jamonation]

Thanks all! I miss getting out with my camera and posting to this thread, so here are 2 more from last weekend's outing with the 35mm. First looking SW with sun setting off to the right, second looking SE from the same spot. Both at f16.

[Mike Cash]

The lastest incarnation of the never-ending discussion (in another section) about how awful flash photos are inspired me to go out and take a few flash photos today. First time I've had the stuff out since the end of the year.

Pentax K20D
SMC Takumar 55/1.8
Pentax AF200T

[Andi Lo]

Dude...jamonation... I love this image -

I've been playing with my new tamron so no post this time but... seconded! =)

[Mike Cash]

Pentax K20D
SMC Takumar 55/1.8
Pentax AF200T