Too much for a lens (Pentax 43mm "Limited" LTM)??

[julianphotoart]

Recent eBoy auction for 43mm f1.9 LTM Pentax "Limited" Lens. I bid too much, but STILL was outbid. $702.00!!! Wow. See:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270062203290

I read that this lens is the same as the SLR 43mm "Limited" lens; i.e., glass out front and then a tube to match register of rangefinder body. I also read that these are available in Japan for substantially less than $702.00. Is that correct?

Anyone know of any reviews of this lens. There are reviews of the SLR version.

 

[tmessenger]

I think they sold new for around $400 and came with a finder.

 

[Kim Coxon]

I wonder how much some of the early Leica glass sold for retail and how much it is now. At the end of the day, the lens will attract what the market will support. Arsenell has been hawking one on eBay for a while noe for around $1400 but no takers. 😉 http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentax-f-Leica-...ryZ27432QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I don't know how much they are available for in Japan but one review I read said that "There are only limited amount of this Special version issued in Japan, June 2000, priced 150,000 Yen. (Equal to 1,280 USD. ) "

I know there have beeb several threads on the forum about the lens and it is sought after. Another quote I saw says "Pentax is famous for its coating technology. Applied with the most advanced Ghostless SMC, you will not see any flare even headed this 43/1.9 toward sunlight directly. It also won the highest resolution tested by Popular Photography Magazine, reads over 100 l/mm at the center from f/2.8 to f/11. Meanwhile, both Zeiss 50/1.4 & Leica 50/1.4 only get 70 at f/2.8 and best performance of 95 l/mm at f/5.6, although Popular Photography rated Zeiss as the best 50mm lens in 1999." How much do Crons a ZM 50 go for?

Kim

I think they sold new for around $400 and came with a finder.

 

[Kim Coxon]

The only thing I have seen is part of a test which says:

readings were over 100 lines/mm at the center and over 40 lines/mm in the comers from f/2.8 to f/11, an outstanding result. Optimum performance was at f/5.6. Exposure at the film plane is extremely accurate, except at maximum aperture where there is about 1/3-stop underexposure due to light falloff. The lens exhibited slight barrel distortion (0.67%). In the field: Test slides were uniformly sharp and contrasty at all apertures except f/1.9, where center and comers showed slight softness. Flare was very well controlled at all apertures and light falloff was gone by f/2.8. Conclusion: An exquisitely made, limited-production, metal-barrelled, ultra compact semi wide angle lens that performs as well as it looks. Not surprisingly, it's quite costly.

Kim

Anyone know of any reviews of this lens. There are reviews of the SLR version.

 

[pizzahut88]

Pentax.

Pentax.

My friend had one.
Tired it. Then I went and got the Nokton 40mm F1.7

A lot of things are limited.
Remember the Ricoh GR 28mm LTM?

Perhaps the Pentax is better.
But how much better?
Anyway, that's personal judgement.

Manfred

 

[rolleistef]

100pl! Wow 40 more than the Tessar on my Rolleiflex....
But still too much that's true. Why on earth do people collect things? I guess it will finish on somebody's shelf somewhere in a rich place...

 

[edodo]

That lens seems heaven!

 

[Dougg]

$702 is a lot for that lens, but the auction presentation is good, the product was complete with original packaging, the silver finish is rarer than the black, and enthusiasm carried it along...

The lens is sharp and contrasty; I like it. I believe the glass is the same as the SLR version, so those reviews should apply, at least optically. The rear element is indeed quite recessed in the RF mount, probably necessary for it to clear the mirror in the SLR version.

 

[hth]

Thanks for the pointer. I am collecting going prices of some things to sell and I have one identical Pentax 43 as in the auction. This lens was very expensive when new but was sold out for a quite low price in the end. I recall they moved rather quickly at the sell out price.

43mm is quite nice focal length, sort of like a generous 50 and balances a Bessa T quite nicely (much better than the Heliar 50/3.5).

 

[ampguy]

best 40-ish lens ever.

 

[David Murphy]

Has a very good rep. The market price seems to be about $700.

 

[sepiareverb]

I had one for a while, and found it very good. But I disliked the FL, not a 50 and not a 35, and my Summicron 40 gives better old-timey color on Kodachrome so I kept that.

 

[raid]

I got such a lens a few weeks ago, and I love the lens. It will be a very special lens among my other normal lenses. The lens is sharp but not too sharp wide open. It is very well built and it is relatively rare in LTM. The rarity of the lens and the Pentax name may have pushed the price up a little.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I wish Pentax had made more rangefinder lenses, alas. My 43 Limited SLR lens is sitting next to me now, attached to an ME super with a roll of Kodachrome in it.