Help me for the price please

[Sandie]

I find an almost new Tamron 35-80/2.8-3.8 in the local dealer. They want 60 € for it. I think it is a little bit too much. 30-40 € sounds more reasonable.

How do you guys think about it ? Then do you have any experience with it ?
Thank you in adavance!

[tanheis]

[Nesster]

This is the adaptall SP, correct?

If you check ebay these tend to go for less. My local camera dealer has one with a Canon mount for $98... which may be a fair price, but I doubt he'll get it. A lot depends on which adaptall it comes with... the K-A mounts especially go for insane prices.

I see ebay recent sales: $56 with Nikon AI, $36 for a somewhat ugly one in Canon FD, a BIN $58 for it + the 28mm with either OM or C/Y, $24 for a minolta mount...

I've had this lens since new in '85, and it was essentially the only lens I used for the following 15 years. The lens is surprisingly sharp for a zoom, more like the average 3rd party prime... in resolution it beats my Pentax 16-45 and gets reasonably close to my Pentax primes. The color is good too, but contrast and saturation are lower, especially with any sort of flare (the kind that illuminates the front element from the side). The rubber hood I got with it is a silly, thin thing that I never did use... though it probably would help a bit.

Mine has always had some play in the focus ring, but then I've heard tightness isn't a good thing as that causes a problem in the long run.

It is a pretty good macro as well, closest focus is at 80mm and it zooms out automatically as you focus closer... a cool effect that I still get a kick out of.

[tanheis]

Some statues shot with the lens too...


http://taneli.homelinux.net/albums/Tampere/patsas_poika_mies2.jpg
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http://taneli.homelinux.net/albums/Tampere/patsas_tytto_mummo.jpg
Bigger


http://taneli.homelinux.net/albums/Tampere/patsas_poika_mies.jpg
Bigger

[tanheis]

Yes...

Tamron SP 35-80mm 2.8-3.8 adaptall2 lens - model 01A
http://www.adaptall-2.com/lenses/01A.html

[luisalegria]

"the K-A mounts especially go for insane prices. "

You're very right there.

I have long had a plain K Adaptall, which is much cheaper and easier to find, but of course there is no AV mode on Pentax DSLR's.

There also seem to be 3rd party M42 Adaptalls for @$20-30 - any idea what they are like ?

[Nesster]

No need to pay that much for a M42 adaptall - I got mine for <$10 on the bay, a Fujica ST... many people don't realise they can get a perfectly good M42 that isn't labeled as Pentax

A link to a pbase page I made a while ago comparing the 35-80 to a couple of other lenses, fairly informally:
http://www.pbase.com/jussness/lens_testing


The other fault I forgot to mention: there's barrel distortion at 35mm. I like that so for me it's a feature

(Terve, Tanheis - olen suomalanen vaikka usassa 35 vuotta. Jussi)

[Sandie]

Dear tanheis, Nesster, and luisalegria, thanks a lot for your detailed introduction of the lens. Now I am quite sure I should buy it with some bargain. In fact the dealer has put the lens there for couple of month, then it seems there is no people intrerested in it, except me (). I would like to grasp the chance.

I have a Tamron-M42 adapter. I paid 24€ for it.

[Ballu]