The star lenses are basicaly Pentaxs professional range.
correct me if i'm wrong
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Blakely" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2001 1:56 PM
Subject: Re: what do the letters on the lens mean?
> There are the "*" lenses of which there are several. All are of
outstanding
> quality. As with the difference between the K and M series, the * does not
> indicate a different mount or functioning of the lens, but rather a
> difference in some other parameter. In this case, the quality generally is
> superior.
>
> M* (1)
> A* (9)
> F* (3)
> FA* (11)
>
> Regards,
> Bob...
> --------------------------------------
> "Those who say that life is worth living at any cost
> have already written an epitaph of infamy,
> for there is no cause and no person
> that they will not betray to stay alive."
> Sidney Hook
>
> From: "Paul Jones" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
>
> > From: "Mike Johnston" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >
> > > Amita G. wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi all, I have a newbie question. I was just wondering about the
> > > > significance of the letter(s) before the focal length of a lens. For
> > > > example, the A28-135. I checked Boz's page but I couldn't find
> anything
> > > > explaining it.
> > >
> > >
> > > I think I'll answer this, since it also caused me a good deal of
> confusion
> > > at first. Here's a brief history of the basic 35mm Asahi Pentax lens
> > names.
> > > There are a number of specialty lenses with different designations
that
> > I've
> > > omitted for the sake of clarity.
> > >
> > > 1952: Takumar lenses. Allegedly named after a man named Takuma
Kajiwara,
> > who
> > > was either a Japanese painter [Comen], or "a Japanese photographer who
> > lived
> > > in New York in the 1950's [sic]...a personal friend of George Eastman,
> the
> > > founder of Eastman Kodak Co. It's reported Mr. Kajiwara designed the
> early
> > > Takumar lenses" [Jonkman]. These were M42 screwmount lenses. The M42
> > > screwmount was a German invention that came to be known as "Pentax
> > > screwmount" because Asahi made the most popular camera line to use it.
> It
> > is
> > > distinct from the Leica screwmount, which Marc James Small dubbed
"LTM"
> > > (Leica Thread Mount). Many enlarger lenses still use Leica screwmount,
> and
> > > recent years have seen the first new Leica screwmount lenses in
decades,
> > > made by Cosina under the Voigtlaender name. There are no
> > current-production
> > > M42 screwmount lenses that I know of.
> > >
> > > 1958: a series of semi-automatic lenses called "Auto-Takumar." M42
> > > screwmount.
> > >
> > > 1963: The "Super-Takumar" line. M42 screwmount.
> > >
> > > 1971: The "Super-Multi-Coated Takumar" line. M42 screwmount.
Introduced
> > with
> > > the Spotmatic SPII. These lenses had early multicoating nearly
identical
> > to
> > > Zeiss T* coating, and linkages for open-aperture metering with the
> > Spotmatic
> > > F. Early versions had metal knurled focusing rings and the words
> > > "Super-Multi-Coated" spelled out on the front of the lens. Later
> versions
> > > switched to a rubberized focusing rings and were marked "SMC Takumar."
> > >
> > > Note that both "Super-Multi-Coated Takumar" and "SMC Takumar" lenses
are
> > > often both indiscriminately called "SMCT" and "SMC Takumar." People
> should
> > > really be specific and either spell out the name of the earlier lenses
> or
> > > else abbreviate it "S.-M.-C. Takumar" to distinguish earlier from
later
> > > versions.
> > >
> > > 1975: Pentax switched from M42 screwmount to the "K" bayonet mount.
The
> > > Pentax screwmount had been universal, with many manufacturers making
> > lenses
> > > that would fit any M42 camera; Pentax attempted to do the same with
the
> K
> > > mount, leaving the patent open to anyone who wanted to use it--and
> bucking
> > > the trend towards proprietary bayonet mounts. Consequently, a number
of
> > > smaller manufacturers also used the Pentax K-mount. Despite this, it
> never
> > > really achieved universal status.
> > >
> > > The early Pentax K-mount lenses are called "SMC Pentax" lenses and are
> > > briefly referred to as "K" lenses. Many carried over from the last of
> the
> > > M42 lenses and are very fine lenses optically and mechanically. They
> were
> > > contemporaneous with the first three Pentax K-mount cameras, called
the
> > KX,
> > > KM, and K2.
> > >
> > > 1977: A lens line introduced for the compact M bodies. They are
smaller
> > than
> > > the SMC Pentax lenses and are generally neither quite as good
optically
> > nor
> > > quite as nicely built, although they are mostly still of very fine
> quality
> > > and very well-made. They are marked "SMC Pentax-M," abbreviated
"SMCP-M"
> > and
> > > referred to briefly as "M" lenses.
> > >
> > > Although they are K-mount lenses, they are NOT "K" lenses, an
> appellation
> > > which refers to the SMC Pentax line.
> > >
> > > 1983: A line of lenses usable with program mode, marked "SMC
Pentax-A,"
> > > abbreviated "SMCP-A" and referred to as "A" lenses. Although they are
> > > generally slightly better than the M lenses optically, they are
> generally
> > > not quite as well made. They are the first Pentax lenses that more or
> less
> > > lacked the legendary smooth focusing feel of the Super Takumars.
> > >
> > > 1987: F lenses. The first autofocus line. Compatible with the K-mount.
> > >
> > > 1991: FA lenses. The current autofocus line, also compatible with the
> > > K-mount.
> > >
> > > 1997 (? someone correct me if I'm wrong): The Limited lenses. Designed
> for
> > > an autofocus rangefinder that was shelved. FA lenses with metal
barrels
> > sold
> > > as premium, deluxe autofocus lenses with metal barrels, they are in
fact
> > NOT
> > > "limited," but are regular stock items. There are now three, all with
> > > unusual focal lengths: the 43mm, the 77mm, and the 31mm.
> > >
> > > So, to recap, it looks like this:
> > >
> > > M42 screwmount lens series:
> > > ==================
> > > 1952: Takumars
> > > 1958: Auto-Takumars
> > > 1963: Super-Takumars
> > > 1971: Super-Multi-Coated Takumars, later ones marked SMC Takumar
> > >
> > > K-mount lens series:
> > > ============
> > > 1975: SMC Pentax lenses, also called K lenses
> > > 1977: M lens line
> > > 1983: A lens line
> > >
> > > Autofocus lens series:
> > > =============
> > > 1987: F autofocus lenses
> > > 1991: FA autofocus lenses
> > > 1997(?): Limited (FA) lenses
> > >
> > > Hope that's all clear. If I've made any mistakes in this, please,
folks,
> > > don't be shy about setting me straight (like I need to say that <g>).
>
>
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