Marcus - I keep hearing rumors about mysterious "collectors" but I tend to discount them. In most areas of endeavor, collectors are attracted by Mint or near Mint items, and particularly Rare Mint items. [Like the 40mm "pancake" lens.] I suppose that the K 85mm 1.8 may be rare on the market, (which accounts for the $500+ market price they have been getting) but that is just because it is so good that most owners won't put them up for sale. I imagine a pretty good run of them was produced. And I imagine most were and are still used as lenses, not as trophies in a collection.
Millions of Susan B Anthony dollars were minted. Many more millions of the Saka...whosits dollar have been minted. You won't often see them out in usual commerce, but that doesn't make them "rare". The lenses you mention are all very good. They have the advantage that they work as well with the newest Pentax MZ-S as with the older bodies. So why would anybody sell? There is very little if any "upgrade" possible from these lenses at these focal lengths within the Pentax line unless you specifically need auto-focus. All things come to he who waits. If you want a good system, wait. And watch. And save up you cash, because you will probably need to pay full value for these lenses. Stan > From: Marcus <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Pentax fast glass? > >. . . Now I have been looking at Pentax gear > because I think it is very undervalued and the lenses > have great coatings. But I am finding that while most > lenses are inexpensive, the ones that would best serve > my needs cost as much or more than the competition. > > So while we can all agree that Pentax makes great > stuff, can anyone tell me if my money will truly be > spent best on Pentax or should I keep looking? > > In Pentax I would like: Two MX bodies, M 28mm f2, A > 50mm f1.4, and K 85mm f1.8. > > I can not even find the 28mm f2 except for at B&H used > for $375. The 85mm is pretty hard to find to and I > think at least that much money. > > Now from Nikon, while I prefer the MX, there is the > FM2, the 35mm f1.4, 85mm f2, and even a 24mm f2. These > are all readily available on the used market, and the > prices are not driven up so much by collectors, which > I believe is the case with the Pentax lenses. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
