Adapter for Pentax K mount to screwmount body?

APUGuser19 said:

Those old Super Takumars bring next to nothing on EBAY, and are some really great stuff. I've got a box full that I couldn't even get a bid on.

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I'm astonished to hear that, they usually seem to go for very respectable prices on ebay UK at least.

I really have no idea what the person responsible for the flanged M42-K adapters was thinking, as they look nothing like the genuine adapter (which you can also buy cheap clones of). I suspect it may have been something to do with the M42-Canon EOS adapters you see for sale, which do have the flange as the EOS uses a different registration distance to the M42 mount and needs a spacer.

The Auto Takumar 35mm is an interesting one, the aperture doesn't re-open automatically but is cocked with the lever. Auto Takumars were the first Pentax lenses to stop down automatically, with a trip pin in the lens triggered by a paddle in the camera body. The Super Takumar and later lenses have an instant-return diaphram. All of the lenses you have should be excellent performers.

Don't bother with a K1000, you can have a KX for the same money which is just as tough but has a few more features. I know some people go mad for the ultra-basic K1000 but the KX is still 100% manual, it just has a self timer, DOF preview, and mirror lock-up along with a viewfinder which displays shutter speed and aperture.

50 1.4's Takumars (all varieties) are some sort of cult now, so have somewhat higher asking prices on eBay, and seem to bring a decent prices in open auctions. Still, they really aren't a bad deal around $50 or a bit more. They were standard on Spotmatics, so are actually very common, and show up cheap locally when sold on a camera. 35/3.5's Super Multi Coated can be had very cheaply and are really nice lenses. The 35 f2 goes for more, but can still be found well under $100 if you hunt around. That is my favorite lens in the system; it's a nice lens and helps with the finder brightness and focusing too. 105's show up at times either side of $100. 24 and wider, 85, and fast lenses in general seem to bring substantially higher prices.

From what I've seen in the UK, most Super Takumars and all SMC-Takumars are over-priced - for some reason a significant proportion of Canon EOS users prefer them to EF lenses (even though EF lenses are 40 yrs newer and offer full automation). As much as I like using them on K mount bodies with the Pentax adapter, a K mount equivalent lens is much easier to use and usually cheaper.