I am stumped with this lens

[David Lyga]

FIRST: How do I post a query about a lens that might fall into either the analog or digital category? In the hybrid section there is no category where this question could have been posted. I think that photrio should have a dedicated forum solely for LENSES.
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In a small deal I bought this Chinon AF lens. It DOES fit onto my Pentax ME but that is that: there is NO APERTURE RING. My question is this: is this for 35mm or is this for digital? Many PK mount AF lenses DO have a manual aperture ring. The specs are as follows:

Chinon AF Zoom lens
28 - 70mm
f3.5 - 4.5

The glass is perfect (flashlight test) and mechanically, it is like new. Obviously, I am unable to test the aperture. Is there any value here? Or is this an immediate dinosaur? - David Lyga

 

[4season]

Why not mount the lens to any K-mount film body, affix a sheet of translucent material at the film plane and see whether the lens's image circle covers the full 24 x 36 mm film area? If not, it's likely designed for APS-C digital sensor.

 

[neilt3]

The later AF film bodies control the aperture and shutter speeds by dials/wheels on the camera body , Nikon's the same .
Done to cut costs .
Limits to use of the lens and lowers the value .
It might be worth $/£10 - 15 to someone , though they'd be better getting a Pentax kit lens .

 

[Alan Gales]

You have a very eunuch lens there!

Some people say that the "g" in Nikon g lenses stands for gelded!

 

[David Lyga]

I think that you all have told me what I had expected.

I CAREFULLY checked in my viewfinder and it DOES cover absolute sharpness corner to corner, so it is for analog. But I was not even aware that ANY AF for PK were without aperture rings. Most AF for PK HAVE the aperture ring. - David Lyga

 

[Oren Grad]

It was the standard lens for the Chinon CP-9AF 35mm SLR camera.

 

[David Lyga]

It was the standard lens for the Chinon CP-9AF 35mm SLR camera.

But was it usable on OTHER cameras as well. This is going to be impossible to get rid of.

 

[neilt3]

But was it usable on OTHER cameras as well. This is going to be impossible to get rid of.

That's what the fella you bought it off thought too .
But he found someone to sell it to , didn't he !

Stick it on eBay stating it's for cameras that control the aperture by the command dial .
Specifically all DSLRs and late 35mm SLRs .

For your piece of mind ( that your selling it fairly and honestly ) you might want to look on Pentax Forum .
They have pages for each camera with the specifications of each one .
IIRC it states which use this feature ( or lack of feature )
The reason is that some later lenses don't have an aperture ring , so these also can only be used on certain film bodies .

 

[Maris]

I guess if all else fails cut a slot in it for Waterhouse stops. A unique but brutal solution to the aperture problem.

 

[DonW]

Well you know all the cool kids are shooting everything wide open these days for the razor thin DOF thing. Sell it as a special purpose bokeh monster! Just joking actually. Good luck with it.

 

[4season]

Maybe comparable to Pentax FA J lenses as used on *Ist. Think it would be compatible with more digital models though.

 

[johnha]

But was it usable on OTHER cameras as well. This is going to be impossible to get rid of.

It's definitely @@@@RARE@@@@ in eBay speak, somebody might be looking for one...

 

[neilt3]

Maybe comparable to Pentax FA J lenses as used on *Ist. Think it would be compatible with more digital models though.

But was it usable on OTHER cameras as well. This is going to be impossible to get rid of.

Have a look at this chart , it's not as bad as you think !
https://www.mosphotos.com/PentaxLensCompatibility.html

EDIT : Ignore this post , see post 15 !

 

[jvo]

It's definitely @@@@RARE@@@@ in eBay speak, somebody might be looking for one...

and put really high price tag on it and "make an offer"... you'll get a lot of views, and maybe a buyer - or no interest.

p.s. i don't think you need to test it, the interested buyer will probably know more about this lens than you, and may also be able to ask the "right" questions.

 

[johnha]

Maybe comparable to Pentax FA J lenses as used on *Ist. Think it would be compatible with more digital models though.

It's not comparable to an FAJ - the electronic contacts are different to Pentax (which are on the lens mount flange - not inside it).

Edit: It's even rarer than the AF Pentax M 35-70/2.8 Kf mount lens specific to the MEF!

 

[neilt3]

It's not comparable to an FAJ - the electronic contacts are different to Pentax (which are on the lens mount flange - not inside it).

Edit: It's even rarer than the AF Pentax M 35-70/2.8 Kf mount lens specific to the MEF!

Quite right , missed where the contacts were .
I've just had a look at an old FA lens I had hanging around .
I've scrubbed what i said in post 13 to prevent further confusion if anyone looks for this topic at a later date .

In that case , either sell it for what it is ( see the earlier post that identified it ) or sell it as a "RARE COLLECTORS ITEM " buy it now for £1000 or " make an offer " !
Or bidding starts at £10

 

[4season]

It's not comparable to an FAJ - the electronic contacts are different to Pentax (which are on the lens mount flange - not inside it).

Edit: It's even rarer than the AF Pentax M 35-70/2.8 Kf mount lens specific to the MEF!

Now that's obscure! World's full of rare, even one-of-a-kind items, but monetizing them can be tricky if no one knows/cares.

 

[David Lyga]

Quite right , missed where the contacts were .
I've just had a look at an old FA lens I had hanging around .
I've scrubbed what i said in post 13 to prevent further confusion if anyone looks for this topic at a later date .

In that case , either sell it for what it is ( see the earlier post that identified it ) or sell it as a "RARE COLLECTORS ITEM " buy it now for £1000 or " make an offer " !
Or bidding starts at £10

How about starting at six pounds?

 

[neilt3]

How about starting at six pounds?

Give it a go , what have you got to loose ?

I think I'll pass on it though !

 

[David Lyga]

Give it a go , what have you got to loose ?

I think I'll pass on it though !

You had me enthralled, then you let me down! - David Lyga

 

[neilt3]

You had me enthralled, then you let me down! - David Lyga

At least I left the link in to the Pentax lens compatibility chart , that way when you next get a real Pentax lens you want to shift you can check what it works on first !