'Standard' lens for an ME Super

Hello, I'm new to Pentax and have aquired an old ME Super with a Vivitar 35-

70mm zoom attached. For now I just want to buy one extra lens.

 

Now I know zip about pentax stuff except that the ME super is a good and cheap

camera (Strangely, I like that combination!) provided the shutter mechanism is

functioning properly, the speed circuitry doesn't give up and the foam rubber

seals are OK. I know less than zip about lenses so would any Pentax lens

experts like to suggest a better lens 35 to 50mm or a good zoom in that range

to give sharp results?

 

Btw - I am aware that the mount is K type & later that M42 screw.

 

Thanks

35mm f2.0 - Bulky but good. 40mm pancake - overpriced. 50mm: f2.0 = good enough, dirtcheap, f1.7 better, f1.4 also good but IMHO exagurated.

Once I had the 50 f/1.7 M with my Pentax MX. I was very happy with it. It should be very good value now.

http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/<br>

http://stans-photography.info/<br>

http://www.aohc.it/<br>

http://www.mail-archive.com/pentax-discuss%40pdml.net/index.html<br>

http://www.photodo.com/nav/prodindex.html<br>

Best bang for the buck, 50 f/1.7 M. Way to go Andrea!

If you decide you want the 50/1.7, I have one that came with my ME Super that I no longer use (because I now have the 50/1.4). Email me at DGrayshome at aol dot com if you're interested and we can talk.

 

Del

I don't know anything about the Vivitar 35-70 but if it is good then there is no point to aqcuire a 50 mm lens. What you need is a wide angle and a short tele. M28/2.8 is cheap and good, but a little bit too close to the 35 mm. I would recommend K24/2.8. It is good and cheaper than any Pentax 21 mm.

 

For a telephoto there are several good choices. 85 mm is too close to 70 mm, so you should consider K105/2.8 (excellent) or one of the 135 mm lenses of Pentax (some of these are cheap, especially Bayonet Takumar 135/2.5).

 

The nice feature of all of these is that they are compatible with the Pentax (or Samsung) DSLRs, so you loose nothing when you upgrade your camera.

I don't know anything about the Vivitar 35-70 but if it is good then there is no point to aqcuire a 50 mm lens. What you need is a wide angle and a short tele. M28/2.8 is cheap and good, but a little bit too close to the 35 mm. I would recommend K24/2.8. It is good and cheaper than any Pentax 21 mm.

 

For a telephoto there are several good choices. 85 mm is too close to 70 mm, so you should consider K105/2.8 (excellent) or one of the 135 mm lenses of Pentax (some of these are cheap, especially Bayonet Takumar 135/2.5).

 

The nice feature of all of these is that they are compatible with the Pentax (or Samsung) DSLRs, so you loose nothing when you upgrade your camera.

I have both the 16-45 and the FA28-80. The 16-45 is notably sharper than the 28-80. I sometimes use the 28-80 when I expect to need the range. It is not bad, does the job for all-around work.

 

Adam Maas referred to the SMC-F28-200 lens. It is supposed to be a Tamron-built 28-200 with SMC optics. I had the Tamron version, and it was "totally unusable" in the *istD, a soft s.o.b. and I sold it. I have seen the Tamron 28-300 (older version) and it is far better. When zoomed to 300, it is long like a log.

 

Andrea, to answer the original question 18-55 or 16-45? If you can justify the price difference, buy the 16-45. It is pricy compared to the kit lens 18-55 but I have never regretted paying the extra. It simply is an excellent lens.

 

Markku

The 50/2M or 50/1.7M would have been the ones to sell with the camera when it came out. The 50/1.7 is the better of the two. My favorite standard lens in K mount is the 55/1.8 SMC Pentax. This one is harder to find because it was only made for a short time between the introduction of the KX, KM and K2 models and when the smaller MX and ME models came out. I have a 35/2M lens which is quite compact and a very good performer. It is tiny compared with my Canon 35/2 FD SSC and Minolta 35/1.8 lenses.

You probably have more answers than you use at this point. Well, here goes anyway. I bought a 50/1.4 K back when I bought my LX new (an early model). It's a bit bigger than the M or A, but what a lens. I've used that lens more than any other I've owned and it still looks brand new. No joke. I have used it with every Pentax K mount body I have owned, including my *istD, and it has never let me down. I have heard others talk it down due to its size and early SMC coating, but I'll bet I've published more images with it than any of them. I've also seen it go for a much better price than either the M or A. Check it out. It could end up your favourite lens too.

I second the motion for the 50/1.4! --Dave