Hi Steven, > .... M120/2.8. The only problem is I can't seem to find one for sale. I also fear >that when I do it will be priced out of my range due to rarity.
The lens is rare but turns up now and then. At Ebay USA I have seen M120s go for US$ 190, 98, 151, and 211. At Ebay Germany I have watched M120s go for 157 120 124 Euros - the one for 120 Euros I picked up... > What appeals to me is the small size and weight for the focal length and speed of >the lens. It would see a lot of use on a MX at wide aperatures. The M120/f2.8 and the MX make a perfect compact combination which you will much enjoy. In comparison with the M135/f3.5 the extra half f-stop is very useful for the brightness of the fiewfinder. My impression is that the M120's performance at wide apertures is "OK" - not that good, but good enough. The alternatives K120/f2.8, K135/f2.5, K135/f3.5, M135/f3.5 will not perform much better (if at all). Of course sharpness increases a lot when stopping down. However, there is a general slight difference in the character of photos produced by the K lenses that I know (K85/f1.8, K135/f2.5, K135/f3.5) if you compare them to photos produced by M lenses (M85/f2, M100/f2.8, M120/f2.8, M135/f3.5). This slight difference can not be described in terms of sharpness or resolution. It is hard to describe this difference at all, and it certainly is a matter of taste. I attribute this difference to the more compact design of the M lenses. They make more use of the tele construction, that is to say, if you look at a tele lens as a combination of two groups of lens elements, one group with positive focal length, followed by a group with negative focal length, then for the M lenses both focal lengths are shorter than with the bigger K lenses. This certainly has some influence on the image character. > I really would like something a little longer than 100mm as I already have a macro >in that length and a 35-105/3.5 zoom. The difference in focal length between 100 and 120mm lenses is quite small. If I take a 100mm macro then there is no room for the M120. The M120 is a good choice when combined with lenses of 85mm focal length (or shorter) or combinded with lenses of 200mm focal lenght (or longer). I would suggest that 135, 150 and 200mm lenses make better combinations with your current line-up. Maybe you would like to have a look at the F or FA135/f2.8, too? Optically (but not mechanically) they are at least as good as the Ks and Ms. They can be focused town to 0.7 meters, and they can be found for 200 US$. Arnold - 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 .
