Which Pentax lenses to buy?

[James-EG]

It's a lovely little thing, but probably outside the OP's budget. I've yet to see one for less than £70 in the UK.

It even makes the larger K series bodies into (coat) pocket cameras, and the field of view is usefully wider than 50mm.

Yes they are out of my budget, the cheapest on eBay at the moment is still over £90 I think

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I spent a lot of time wondering what lenses would make a complete setup for me. So over the years I have collected the following lenses for my two Pentax KX bodies:
Pentax SMC 28mm f/3.5
Pentax SMC 35mm f/2
Pentax SMC 50mm f/1.4
Pentax SMC 55mm f/2
Pentax SMC 100mm f/2.8
All of the lenses perform absolutely mindbendingly well. But I only ever use the 35mm and the 50mm. It's very rare that I use any of the other ones, as excellent and useful as they are.
The 55mm f/2 lens is a really amazing performer, and great for portraits. Really good wide open, and mindboggling at f/2.8.
The 28mm f/3.5 is the best wide angle lens I've ever used in terms of sheer picture quality.
Those are both fairly inexpensive and wonderful lenses to own; good substitutes for other more expensive lenses.
Regarding the 135mm f/3.5 - it was one of those lenses I owned for a decade and used maybe five times. I gave it to a friend who got a Pentax K1000, and she has used it a handful times in the last two years. I guess it depends on what you want to do with it. I found it a bit too long for portraiture, and a bit too short for long distance shooting. For street photography it's tough because of its max f/3.5 aperture, and you need something like a 1/250th second shutter time to get a decently sharp picture. So, it's one of those focal lengths that have proven less than useful for me. But you may have a need for a medium telephoto lens that I don't anticipate.

Good luck!

 

[James-EG]

I spent a lot of time wondering what lenses would make a complete setup for me. So over the years I have collected the following lenses for my two Pentax KX bodies:
Pentax SMC 28mm f/3.5
Pentax SMC 35mm f/2
Pentax SMC 50mm f/1.4
Pentax SMC 55mm f/2
Pentax SMC 100mm f/2.8
All of the lenses perform absolutely mindbendingly well. But I only ever use the 35mm and the 50mm. It's very rare that I use any of the other ones, as excellent and useful as they are.
The 55mm f/2 lens is a really amazing performer, and great for portraits. Really good wide open, and mindboggling at f/2.8.
The 28mm f/3.5 is the best wide angle lens I've ever used in terms of sheer picture quality.
Those are both fairly inexpensive and wonderful lenses to own; good substitutes for other more expensive lenses.
Regarding the 135mm f/3.5 - it was one of those lenses I owned for a decade and used maybe five times. I gave it to a friend who got a Pentax K1000, and she has used it a handful times in the last two years. I guess it depends on what you want to do with it. I found it a bit too long for portraiture, and a bit too short for long distance shooting. For street photography it's tough because of its max f/3.5 aperture, and you need something like a 1/250th second shutter time to get a decently sharp picture. So, it's one of those focal lengths that have proven less than useful for me. But you may have a need for a medium telephoto lens that I don't anticipate.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely go for the SMC 28mm f/3.5 and SMC 50mm f/1.7, and I would prefer to get an 85mm or 100mm lens than a 135mm but the 135 is the most affordable for me, so I would have to get that then decide later if it's too long. I also think I'll see if I can get a SMC 35mm f/3.5 if I can find one as I think I would need something between 28 and 50mm.

Also I found an MX for £120, it comes with a 50mm f/2, strap, new batteries and has been fully serviced with a year guarantee, is it worth it?

 

[Paul Howell]

about $190 US, I see a few MXs in C condition without a lens running for $180 or so, seems to be a fair price.

 

[James-EG]

Okay I will really think about buying it, although there is one bidding in similar condition (although not serviced so may need new mirror foam or something) with a SMC 50mm f/1.7 that started at 99p and is now only on £1.04 so I'll have to keep an eye on it!

 

[PentaxBronica]

The K 55mm is a bit of an odd one.

There are f1.8 and f2 versions which are in fact identical - the f2 is rigged so that the aperture can't open as much.

The f2 was only sold on the Japan-made K1000, the f1.8 was a kit lens option on the KM/KX/K2. The 50/1.4 was the mid range with the 50/1.2 at the top.

The other option in camera terms would be to look at a P30 or SFX/SFXn. They rely on batteries but providing you find a good one they're reliable, and are now ridiculously cheap. The SFX/n can run from AAs with the replacement grip. Both can use any K lens which covers full frame from 1975 to the present day, although they're best with FA or earlier lenses which have an aperture ring.