May 2008 M42 Lenses Market Watch :)

[yalcinaydin]

Hi I've spent plenty of time this month while watching the ebay market to figure out what I can buy or what I must buy. Here is my last two weeks' watched items and the market value (generally US and UK ebay sites and some from German)
* if stated otherwise these are M42 mount lenses
* # means Buy Now prices, it can be sold or not
* if you see more than one price than it means that more than item
* notes in parantheses are my private notes that I've read here, flickr and there

Here is the list:

Fish-eye
$132 Zenitar M42 16mm Fisheye F2.8
$205 MIR 3.5 FISHEYE
$225 Takumar SMC 17mm f4 Fish Eye

20mm
$230 CZJ Flektogon 4/20mm (nice bokeh(7), nice colors)

28mm:
$37 Vivitar Wide Angle 28mm f/2.5 M42 Screw fit ($39)
$35 VIVITAR 28mm f2.8 mc lens M42
$23 BEROFLEX 28/2.8 MC*CAPS (EXC++)*JAPAN*M42
$21 HANIMEX 28/2.8 AUTO (EXC++)*JAPAN*M42


35mm
$260 CARL ZEISS JENA FLEKTOGON 35/2.8 (EXC++)*M42
$224 PENTAX SUPER-TAKUMAR 35mm f2.0
$161 CARL ZEISS JENA FLEKTOGON 35MM F2.4
$85# MC MIR-24M 2/35mm Auto ($90#)
$61 Mamiya/Sekor 35mm f2.8 auto
$15 REVUENON SPEZIAL 35 mm 1: 2.8 (pek parlak değil)



50mm
$100# Asahi Pentax Super Takumar M42 50mm f1.4 Fast Prime(best 50mm to buy!) ($90)
$99 Zuiko Olympus OM f1.4/50mm lens w.hood.E+++ (OM Mount)
$90 Fujica EBC-Fujinon 1,4/50mm
$75 YASHICA AUTO YASHINON DX f1.4 50mm M42
$35 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8 M42 Lens N/Res!!
$33 Pentacon 50MM F1.8 PRIME Lens =OPT PERFECT
$24 Mamiya /Sekor 1:1.8 f=55mm
$20 CZJ Biotar 2/58mm (SILVER, very nice bokeh but colors seemed a bit dull)



85mm:
$53 Jupiter 9 85mm f/2 M42 screw fit (120$#, 86$, $89#)
$325 xSMC Pentax 85mm f:1.8 Legendary & rare portrait lens!!!
$130 Super Takumar f1:1.9 85mm Pentax M42 Rare


100mm:
$80 PENTAX 105MM F2.8 SUPER-TAKUMAR M42 THREAD MOUNT ($106, $100#, $45)
$56 ISCO ISCONAR 100/4*CAPS (EXC++)*M42


135mm:
$100 CZJ Sonnar 3.5/135 (get this one!) ($150, $145, $167, ,$90#,$100)
$127 MEYER ORESTOR 135/2.8 (1Q)*15-BLADES*M42
$103 SMC TAKUMAR 1:3.5/135 Portrait Lens M42 EXCELLENT Japan (sharp but not a good bokeh)
$72 ASAHI PENTAX SMC TAKUMAR 3.5/135mm (MINT, K-MOUNT)
$68 PENTACON 135/2.8 PRESET*15 BLADES (MINT-)*M42 (nicer bokeh, sharp, if not MC then sharpness is lower)
$68 Asahi Pentax Super-Takumar 135mm f2.5 M42 Spotmatic 2.5
$62 JUPITER 37A F3.5/135 M42 ($35)
$61 PORST 135/2.8 MC AUTO*CAPS+CASE (MINT)*M42
$42 HELIOS 135mm f2.8 TELEPHOTO ($57)
$42 REVUENON AUTO 135/2.8 (EXC++)*JAPAN*M42
$23 Paragon 135mm f/2.8 Excellent!
$3 Vivitar Telephoto 135mm f/2.8 M42 Screw fit

200mm:
$520# CZJ Sonnar 2.8/200mm MC (great!)
$99 SMC Takumar 200mm f4
$11 Super Paragon PMC 200mm f/3.3 M42 Screw fit ($30#,)
$10 Mitsuki MC 200mm f/3.3 ($27, $46#)


300mm:
$225 Carl Zeiss Jena Camera Lens Sonnar 4/300
$179 Pentax SMC Takumar 300MM F4 ($210)
$110 Kominar 1:5.6 300mm lens ($151)
$72 Tair-3 300mm F4.5
$39 Auto Vivitar f/3.5 200mm

400mm:
$455 Takumar SMC 500mm f4.5 Super Telephoto
$62 400mm f6.3 Paragon lens Mint

500mm:
$128 walimex 500/6,3 DX Spiegeltele (mirror)
$85 DOLLONDS 500mm f6.3 TELE LENS
$76 Hanimex M42 500mm Mirror Lens
$330 Tamron SP 500mm 1:8 Tele Macro Mirror Lens Canon EF Fit

1000mm
$295 MC MTO-11 10/1000mm Mirror (M42, Nikon) Macro lens MINT

ZOOM
$51 KIRON K MOUNT MACRO ZOOM 35mm CAMERA LENS 1:4 f70-210mm
$64 Pentax PK-A Fit Vivitar 28-200mm F3.5-5.3 Zoom (77675665)

CHEAP!!!
$1 Vemar Telephoto 400mm f/6.3 lens and a Sun Auto Telephoto 200mm f/3.5

[Himself]

@$99 SMC Takumar 200mm f4

Mine is cheaper.

[LucisPictor]

Thanks for this list!

It clearly shows that there is some "silliness" in the market.

Some price are really good, actually too low for what you get, if you like:
- $37 Vivitar Wide Angle 28mm f/2.5 M42
- $35 VIVITAR 28mm f2.8 mc lens M42
- $24 Mamiya /Sekor 1:1.8 f=55mm
- $53 Jupiter 9 85mm f/2 M42 screw fit
- $72 Tair-3 300mm F4.5
(These lenses should sell for more. Good for buyers, bad for sellers...)

Some prices are ridiculous. These are really good lenses, but I would never pay so much for them:
- $230 CZJ Flektogon 4/20mm (I have seen many 4/20 for about €180,-)
- $260 CARL ZEISS JENA FLEKTOGON 35/2.8 (EXC++)*M42 (What??? Thisnis the f2.8 version!))
- $161 CARL ZEISS JENA FLEKTOGON 35MM F2.4 (Better than the price of the 2.8/35 but still much too high.)
- $100# Asahi Pentax Super Takumar M42 50mm f1.4 Fast Prime (I got mine for $ 60,-)
- $35 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8 M42 (That's not much money and the lens is definitely worth it, but you can find them for under $15,-!)
- $325 xSMC Pentax 85mm f:1.8 (It might be a legendary lens, but I got my Nikkor 1.8/85 for $120,- and this is surely not a worse lens!)
- $56 ISCO ISCONAR 100/4 (I am sure just because it is a German lens.)
- $127 MEYER ORESTOR 135/2.8 (Good lens, but $127,- ??)


Just my 2c!

[yalcinaydin]

[LucisPictor]

A Nikon-EOS adapter will work, I don't think that you will find a Minolta MD-EOS adapter. The mount of the MD lenses needs to be changed to work on an EOS DSLR. These MD lenses cannot be simply adapted by an adapter ring.

[yalcinaydin]

[LucisPictor]

OK, but this adapter uses a lens to get infinity focus. This will certainly deteriorate image quality.

[yalcinaydin]

this stuff is a bit off-topic but here is a summary.
There are three ways to mount tha Minolta MD to EOs as far as I've seen:
1- AF Assist mount adapter having a glass element
2- Changing the EF mount on your EOS with a MD mount, it seems easy if you have lot's of Minolta MD glass
3- If you're considering to buy some specif lenses for your EOS then modification on the lens seems the best way to choose, here is a tutorial:
http://www.cogitech.ca/Rokkor/index.html

I'm dropping any Minolta MD glass purchase ideas for now, but will study the subject deeper. Indeed 1.4 vs 1.2 has just 1/3 stop advantage so it seems not that much reasonable to spend $200-$300 instead of $50-$100. My next DSLR will probably manage ISO3200 without much effort so need for a ultra fast lens will not be that obvious in the near future.

Let me first get my first M42 lenses (they are all on the way at the moment) and see if I can get clear shots with them on concerts then decide for further purchases. I'll stay in market watching

[LucisPictor]

If you want to have an f1.2 lens, try the pre-AI 1.2/55 or AI Nikkor 1.2/50, the Zuiko 1.2/50 or a Pentax-A 1.2/50.
Each of those can easily be adapted to an EOS and they also cost much less than an EF 1.2/50!

[Flor27]

I've read many reports saying Nikkor 55/1.2 lenses aren't that good.

[Attila]

[esrods]

[yalcinaydin]

SMC PENTAX-A* 85mm f1.4 LENS! HARD-TO-FIND! WARRANTY!
It hasn't ended yet but it has an insane 1050$ price tag. Add 250$ and get an AF Canon EF 85/1.2 L or get a MF 85/1.8 and a newer body that can deal with one stop higher ISO. I don't know but this doesn't sound muvh logical too me.

[yalcinaydin]

I'm a person full of suprises because of my lack of stability
I'm in auctions for
- Minolta MC Rokkor – X PG 50/1.4 Minolta MD
- Vivitar 28/f2 (Kiron) Minolta MD

I've asked my Mechanical Eng. PhD student buddy and he said that we can manage the modification part and as he's now dealing with a surgery robot as his study I guess we can easily manage it Next step will be 50/1.2 (now I need money for my summer vaction:)) and 85/1.7 Minolta MDs.

If I got them and have no problem in the convertion process I'll let you know the results

[revinhood]

I bought your list of the super paragon f / 2.8.
we will see if it's good.

[nathancombs]

i can see Pentax stuff going up

1. when the K20D drops to 900$ or so lenes price jumped a lot when the K10D sold so well.

2. when they put out a FF camera. because they have disconnected so much and have VERY little new out that would work on a FF. the old stuff is going to jump up.

[zewrak]