Advice please! Dad passed away and has many M42 lenses

[nutellaface]

Hey all,

My dad passed away and he had a lot of m42 lenses for his film Pentax. They are all in mint condition but I was wondering if it's worth selling these and for how much. Someone offered my $580 for all of these. All come with cases and caps. No dust or fungus. I was thinking maybe I could buy a micro 4/3 camera and adapter and use them but not sure. At least you guys can help tell me which ones to keep and which to sell

1) Mamiya/sekor 135mm/2.8
2) Jupiter 21M 200mm/4.0
3) Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 50mm/1.4
4) Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 35mm/3.5
5) Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm/2.4
6) Pentacon 135mm 2.8
7)Mir 20mm 3.5
8. Tair 11A 135mm 2.8
9)Super-Multi_coated Takumar 135mm 2.5


Thanks for your help guys,

Matt

[bernhardas]

edited

[nutellaface]

Thanks for the reply. It has been a few months since he passed and my mom wanted me to go through the stuff. I took them home with me and I am in no rush to sell. Wanted to get advice from you guys

[luisalegria]

Separate selling prices for that lot would be maybe 30% or so over what you were offered, with some luck as to condition, motivated buyers, etc.
I

[the_x_vision]

if i were you, i would keep them for shooting, it's not about your dad, but those are really good lenses,

[RSalles]

[Webwalker]

[zelda_n64]

nutellaface my sincere condolences,

I am casual photographer and however tempting those lenses would be to sell, I personally would keep them especially if they are in excellent condition.

A quick fix on the sale money and the enjoyment of the sale will be short lived and you will regret your decision.

Please keep them, buy yourself a cheap second hand Pentax DSLR camera for instance K200D, in good condition with extras:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pentax-K200D-DSLR-with-18-200-DC-lens-and-many-extras-/130898794192?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item1e7a2d16d0

I have the K-x, it takes AA batteries (as does the one above) so also get a couple of good quality packs of rechargeable batteries (again cheap off ebay) and a Pentax to M42 infinity adapter.

Keep the Pentax legacy alive and enjoy the pleasure of photography, you have plenty of quality lenses which will only go up in value as they are brought up by collectors/photographers. Who knows, your children may even enjoy the hobby with you and will want to join in.

Do not be tempted with financial offers no matter how good they seem as people like to strike a deal whilst others are possibly at a low point and off guard.

Best of luck and we all look forward to seeing your photographs on this forum.

[Lloydy]

My old man was no photographer, but we shared an interest in cars and mechanical things, we were both practical engineers and loved to tinker. Now, I have his old tools, and I love to use them. There are times when I might have a newer and better tool, but I still reach for the one he used. I have spanners that worked on long gone steam engines, and Battle of Britain Spitfires, he took a pride in his skills. I like to think that lives on through the tools.

Keep the lenses, enjoy them.

[Basilisk]

From personal experience I can certainly recommend you keep the Flektogon and Super Tak 50mm f1.4. The rest are probably pretty good too.

I would second the suggestion of using these on a NEX body - good for manual focus. Also, of the mirrorless options available, the 1.5 crop factor lets you use the lenses closer to their original aspect ratio than a micro 4/3 body. I would suggest buying a few M42 to NEX adaptors, so that you can change lenses more quickly. Changing screw mount lenses is a bit tedious!

Another option I have recently explored is buying an old Pentax Spotmatic body (I have a Spotmatic F). Make sure you get one with a working meter, and avoid later bodies which have a bayonet mount. They are lovely bits of kit and a joy to use.

[eddieitman]

Personally there are some excellent lenses there, it looks like your dad enjoyed his hobby and those lenses probably took some very important family memorys.
The sentimental value is huge to me so i would keep them
Money is easy come easy go.
Memories are a lifetime

[quidam]

Just buy a Sony Nex and you will enjoy these nice manual lenses. Focus peaking on this system makes shooting a real pleasure.

[ellepi]

First of all: condolence.
Second: buy a Samsung NX body with an adapter ring and use all lenses. It could be the best way to bring the soul of your father with you.

[philslizzy]

[NewStuff]

Condolences.

Your Dad had a very good taste in lenses, pretty much all of them are on my list of "to get" or "Yay! Got it!!"

If You do take pictures, then these are about as close to a "Dream starter set" as it's possible to get. Grab a Canon, NEX or Micro 4/3 body (NEX will allow for greater expansion later), and enjoy them.

[nutellaface]

Thank you all for your comments and advice. Think I will keep them and try them out...

Looking at either the new Canon 100D or maybe the Fuji E-X1...

[Yebisu]

[asterinex]

Condolences.

I would not sell anything at the moment. 500 Dollars seem rather low for all that beautiful glass.
In fact, it will only increase in value wenn years pass. These are collectors items.
The Flektogon 35mm alone is more than 200 dollars.
(If you sell, I would sell them all seperately)

I would keep them and shoot with them.
it is a nice memory of your dad.

[nutellaface]

[Lloydy]

I'm so glad you chose to use those lenses. I for one have enjoyed looking at the very good images you've posted, and they are good images, from good lenses. That's a great legacy.

[cheekygeek]

If you really need the cash in order to get the camera to put some lenses on, then I would keep two or three and sell the others to fund the camera purchase.

The Takumar 50mm f1.4 is a fine lens, but you can find one (or one of it's brethren) any time you want to in the future. I know people here will disagree with me, but a relative newbie really isn't going to use FOUR different 135mm lenses. Check the Man/Auto switch on the Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 135mm f2.5. It has a part number stamped into the backside. If it is 43812, then THAT lens is a definite keeper.

I would also recommend keeping the Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm/2.4. I've heard people say that there can be quality differences between them, but the one copy I have is a stunner image-wise and it will let you focus very close (macro). You'll have to get used to using preset lenses, but I think they are great fun.

Keep in mind that if you get a 4/3 camera then you are effectively doubling the focal length of the lenses (in terms of Field of View) from the smaller sensor. With an APS-C you are doing a 1.5x or 1.6x depending upon the brand you get. If you are considering an APS-C, do yourself a favor and consider Pentax DSLRs. They are especially fine with m42 lenses and metering with them is a snap.

[nutellaface]

[cheekygeek]

It is an improved optical design and is a highly rated lens. The earlier S-M-C (and even earlier Super Takumar) 135mm f2.5 was a 5 element, 4 group design. The version you have (called Version 2) was a 6 element, 6 group design which carried over to the first K-mount lenses. The optically identical PK version is reviewed here (with sample images in many of the reviews) http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-K-135mm-F2.5-Lens.html (You can't evaluate the review of the Takumar version 1 because they stupidly mix the Super Tak, and both versions of the S-M-C Taks - plus many people don't know which one they have because they don't know there is even a difference.) See also: http://kajiwara.weebly.com/takumar-13525-v2-66.html.

My condolences on the loss of your father. As others have said, he had refined taste in lenses. Camera bodies come and go (especially in the land of digital) but good lenses are forever.

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

[RAART]

If you decide to part with some of them, please let me know.