Sleeper manual focus PK lenses?

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I think I'm going to buy another Pentax LX. It has always been my favorite SLR, and I miss it; I tried to curb my desire with an MX but it didn't pan out. (I sold that camera to kshapero.) My former favorites were the three fullframe Limiteds, but for now I'll probably seek out my old wide zoom, the tiny and comfortable Pentax-M 24-35mm f/3.5, which, though uncommon, is generally pretty affordable.

There were a zillion PK lenses made. What are some good ones that aren't well known?
 
Sleeper manual focus PK lenses?

Ah thanks! Never tried that one. There's a K version, I assume it's the same formula.

Curious about the K 30mm f/2.8, if anyone has any experience with it. Also interested in the large and rare K 28/2.
 
You mentioned the 24-35 zoom, and there's a 20-35 f/4 FA as well that's worth looking at. And the 120mm f/2.8 was made in K mount as well as M42, uncommon focal length but relatively compact with the usual 49mm filter size, excellent performer. The 85 f/1.8 is brilliant too. No experience with the 30 or the 28 K.

We have 3 LX bodies... My wife used a pair for theatre photography for years, beat them around and essentially used them up. She "killed" her 40-80mm also... I had one LX refurbished and found another with 1.2/50 at a good price, so there are now two in decent or better shape! Small and tough, great camera. Enjoy yours!
 
I never paid attention to the FA lenses, as I never had an autofocus Pentax and didn't like the styling...but perhaps I should.

Just remembered one other great K: the 135/2.5, NOT the bayonet versions. I did some good casual portraiture with that one. But it's big and heavy.

Thanks for the good wishes...this'll be my second LX.
 
pluton said:
The K, not M, 28mm f/3.5 was outstanding on film. Should be inexpensive as well.
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at one point Mike Johnston was calling this one of the sharpest 28mm lenses ever made (for slrs maybe?). I shot it on a Pentax DS for a while and results were great...
 
mabelsound said:
I never paid attention to the FA lenses, as I never had an autofocus Pentax and didn't like the styling...but perhaps I should.

Just remembered one other great K: the 135/2.5, NOT the bayonet versions. I did some good casual portraiture with that one. But it's big and heavy.

Thanks for the good wishes...this'll be my second LX.
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Must they be Pentax? You only specified K mount, so I'll presume not.

Since you mentioned the 135, I must say that I found an absolute diamond in the rough in the Focal brand (yes, K-Mart), made in Korea 135mm f/2.8 macro lens.

Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr

This is the lens, as you can see, not to everyone's taste. I will say I've not tried it in 'macro' mode.

http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/sears-135mm-f-2-8-macro-zone.html

It is, however, a very inexpensive experiment if one wishes to try.
 
mabelsound said:
Just remembered one other great K: the 135/2.5, NOT the bayonet versions. I did some good casual portraiture with that one. But it's big and heavy.
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Are you referring to the SMC Pentax 135/2.5? It is bayonet mount but it's not the Takumar bayonet version.
It's a superb lens, but not exactly inexpensive.

The K 28/2 supposedly shares the same design as the Zeiss Distagon 28/2. They are very difficult to find and expensive.

The K30/2.8 is also hard to find and not inexpensive.

One of my favorites is the K 50/1.4

A real sleeper is the K 55/1.8
 
Swift1 said:
Are you referring to the SMC Pentax 135/2.5? It is bayonet mount but it's not the Takumar bayonet version.

It's a superb lens, but not exactly inexpensive.
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Yes, that's the one I mean. Between $200 and $300 usually, I think? Pretty sure the 28 based on the Distagon is rather pricier even than that...

Thanks for the tips!
 
mabelsound said:
I never paid attention to the FA lenses, as I never had an autofocus Pentax and didn't like the styling...but perhaps I should.

Just remembered one other great K: the 135/2.5, NOT the bayonet versions. I did some good casual portraiture with that one. But it's big and heavy.

Thanks for the good wishes...this'll be my second LX.
Click to expand...

mabelsound said:
Yes, that's the one I mean. Between $200 and $300 usually, I think? Pretty sure the 28 based on the Distagon is rather pricier even than that...

Thanks for the tips!
Click to expand...

IIRC, you'd have a hard time finding the K 28/2 for under $500.
 
There was a 28/2 that sold last month for $425 on ebay. Cheaper than I would have expected...

Also, look for the modern Zeiss 'ZK' lenses with native K mount.
 
With the three full-frame Limited lenses as your base, I'd be inclined to skip 28mm and go for a 24mm instead. 28 is too close the 31 to be worth carrying. The 24/2.8 (SMC Pentax-A version) has given me pretty good image quality. It can be difficult to find a lens shade that doesn't vignette.
 

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As Colton said, 50/1.4, 55/1.8 and I could add 50/1.2 and 50/1.7 if you like a compact lens. Moreover there are a couple of great portrait lenses from the M42 years that you could consider: 58/2.4 (Heliar type) and 58/2.0 (Sonnar type).
 
The mentioned K 3.5/28, 2/28, 2.8/30, all quite special. The 2/28 manages to have the same optics as the Distagon in a lighter and smaller, nevertheless very strongly built body. If only sharpness the K 2.8/30 doesn't really outperform my Pentax A 2.8/28 but 'has something', the A lens is also very good too though!

- one could rather ask, which Pentax K is 'not' interesting? ;)

there are 3 lines of manual Pentax lenses with K bajonett:
first is the 'Pentax K' line, also referred to as 'Pentax SMC', next the 'Pentax M' and last the 'Pentax A' lenses. The 'Pentax K' have very strong build, one feels the Takumar legacy, many manual focus enthusiasts prefer them over the later 'M' and 'A' lenses. The 'Pentax M' are mostly smaller and lighter, the 'Pentax A' have electrical contacts so that one can choose aperture on the camera, their aperture ring is a far cry from the smoothness of the earlier lenses but clunky. Actually there is a forth line, the K mount Takumars which should not be confused with the M42 Takumars, they are uncoated budget lenses and there are just a few them.

many gems of even earlier Pentax lenses, the Takumars in M42 screw mount, specially some very early lenses from late 50s and beginning 60s as e.g. the rare 58mm lenses mentioned by mfogiel, but also later S-M-Cs like the 1.4/50, 1.8/85..

Any 55mm lens, if Takumar or Pentax K, is very good and costs very little

The Pentax Lens reviews on Pentaxforums are a very good source for information: http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/
 
The Vivitar Series 1 105mm f/2.5 Macro (mine is KA mount, made by Kiron) makes a very fine portrait lens as well as focussing close enough for 1:1 macro shooting.

And if you want some fast fun on a budget then look for a Revuenon 55mm f/1.2.
 
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