Hi,

As above, have two Pentax Cameras, both with at least 3 lenses and both working. These were built in the days that cameras made out of hunks of heavy metal, so probably useful for taking into a war zone etc. Think one is circa 1983, the other perhaps late 70s.

I don’t need them and need to get rid, making space for the arrival of a nipper.

Have considered ebay, but are there better places to get rid of decent, but old camera kit. I am not necessarily looking to get much cash, but just want them to get used and not just be some accessory for a retro fan.

Worth taking them into somewhere like London Camera exchange?

Thanks.

I think you’ll do fine selling on ebay. Speaking as a Pentax fan, I often buy old stuff to use on ebay, and competition is fairly healthy.

Sell the lenses separately. On several occasions I’ve picked up SMC 50s screwed to an old SLR, cheaper than people pay for just the lens alone. They just don’t think to buy both together.

+1 for selling on ebay. By all accounts, film is “trendy” now, so you should be able to find some interest in kit that’s in good condition

You’re right about the robust construction of that era of cameras, you could use them to knock nails in if you’d lost your hammer.

Good luck with the selling!

Give them to your local school / college.

Especially if they are the solid Pentax units of old. There are many photography students who can’t get enough hands on time on with a real SLR.

If you genuinely are not bothered too much about what you get for them then this will give you a warm feeling inside too.

Donated my old Prakticas to a school and whenever I feel like I should have kept them for posterity I just remind myself how often I actually used them…

^^^^ ….. Unless a certain ex-mate of mine(teacher)gets his grubbys on em …
Total tosser, used to plunder the gift cupboard and make a few quid for friday night, reckoned they were fair game until he got rumbled and sacked 😆

Just desserts …. but still a great idea donating to local colledge .

I’d be interested in one, any model numbers please?
K1000 was a classic manual only camera that was a massive seller. 83 would likely be something like an ME Super, but could you please confirm?

local antique /junk shop seems to have quite a few photography students asking for old film cameras, when ive been in there, as above try the local colleges

K1000s go for about £60 on eBay. Lovely cameras…

Also interested if me super….

If there’s a 28mm pentax lens amongst those I’d be interested.

I just got hold of a SMC-M f1.4 50mm.

BEAUTIFUL lens, crazy sharp, built like a tank, was a bargain at about fifty quid.

I’d say ebay is fine too, splitting them up and sing individualy is the way to go too.

My old (35yr+) 50mm manual Pentax lens is staggeringly good.

Boy and biscuit by matt_outandabout, on Flickr
Sell on Talkphotography or eBay.

Search online to get an idea and condition for guide line.
If you sell to the shop then obviously they will want it
for much less to sell on.
Other than that flog it on ebay with a realistic reserve.

matt, how did you do that ? i.e. get the picture into digital form. I’ve got an old Super A that I’d like to get going again (and a 50mm 1.2 lens – flash ? pah !)…

I suspect he just screwed the manual lens onto a DSLR? Pentax are great for backwards compatibility.

and a 50mm 1.2 lens

That’d probably fetch a VERY tidy sum on ebay

Took photos at night on Herbertstrasse with that using XP2. Those were the days…

Hi,

For those interested, the older is a K1000, as you suspected.

Newer Pentax is Super A.

No 28mm Pentax lens I am afraid, but have a mix of lenses for each. If anyone is interested, I can email pictures – my email is christophergribbin at gmail dot com.

flap jack – on a K100D. One of the main reasons I bought a Pentax is that any Pentax lens, no matter how old, fits the modern DSLR bodies.

And yes, I have noticed that you do not use flash with such a fast lens.

And I am interested in lenses – matt_outandabout AT hotmail.com

I’ve got a 28mm f2.8 and a 50mm f1.7 sitting doing nothing 🙂

Deffo sell the lenses seperately, the bodies you’ll probably be lucky to get £20 each for. I wouldn’t say film is “trendy”, more “niche”. To all intents and purposes it’s stone dead in the mainstream.

OOh the Super A is a fantastic camera. I still use mine occasionally and good ones can reach £60+ on e-bay.

If only there was a way to convert them to digital, I’d hapily get it done.

I’ve gt a spotmatic and a 1.4 lens tucked in one of my draws bought it in 1977…

Pentax K-mount primes can make good money especially if they’re KA versions (those work better on DSLR’s) or unusual. I’ve been a Pentax user for the best part of 20 years now and god knows how many lenses I have now – 50+ anyway. Got a 50mm F1.2 (those can make silly money although if you don’t use the F1.2 much the F1.4 is probably a better lens – I rarely use my F1.2 as the F1.4 is smaller and lighter), a couple of 135mm F2’s and, best of all, an FA* 85mm F1.4. Also got a Pentax 645 system – those can be picked up fairly cheap now.

If anyone has a nice LX or MX and is selling then let me know, as I’m always happy to add to my collection!

Screw mount M42 lenses are getting more popular as you can get adaptors to use them on a lot of modern cameras. I’ve got fits for my Pentax DSLR’s and also for the micro 4/3 (got a K-mount adaptor for that too). The little micro 4/3 body looks odd when attached to something like a 135mm F2 though.

I did a set of billboard photos for Fulham FC’s season ticket campaign. Posted up on great big billboards all over south and west London, and all taken with a £35 SMC-M f1.7 lens off ebay 🙂

I don’t think there’s anything even close in terms of quality-for-money

The F1.7 lenses are a bargain – especially the pre-A ones like the SMC-M. They were the standard lens on cameras like the ME and K-1000 so there are loads and loads of them out there. Didn’t know they were making £35 these days though. I’ve sure I’ve got quite a few of them lying around so should probably sell them.

This is what an ancient (and cheap) 135mm F2 M42 screw-mount lens looks like on a modern(ish) DSLR:

Didn’t know they were making £35 these days though

I only paid £17 for a minted one – ebay is overpriced it seems, so sell there…

It varies, sometimes they go high, sometimes not. I’ve had one for £20 with a camera attached.

Mine tend to get knocked about because I do football crowd stuff, jumping in and out of terraces, etc.

What Pentax DSLR body would I need to buy to be able to use the lenses I have? I have been keen to get a DSLR as (a) I am expecting a yowler soon and (b) fancied a DSLR for better holiday pics/mtb photography.

I have the following lenses, obviously on Pentax A body and an Asashi K1000 body too. Thanks for all the tips on breaking the up and selling separately.

Hoya Wide 35mm
Pentax A 24mm
Pentax A 35-105mm
Vivitar 28-85mm
Pentax M 50mm
Pentax A 70-120mm
Pentax M 80-200mm

Any Pentax DSLR should take them I believe

24mm? Not seen one of those. Nice?

24mm might be me writing it down incorrectly – probably confused from a complete lack of knowledge when it comes to photography.

What a refreshing piece of news to here that some people still make some equipment that is backwards compatible, probably the first time in ages I have heard this being the case.

Oh there is a 24mm, I’ve just never found one

Not had an “A” 24mm but had FA* 24mm F2.

If you want a good/cheap K-mount 24mm then the Kiron or Vivitar 24mm F2’s are really nice.

You can also get adapter to fit pentax lens’ on other digital cameras – though it can require you to remove the aperture link if for example you want to use it on a full frame canon – I’ve got a pentax 50m 1.7 that now fits on my canon 5d.

Gribble – any Pentax, that is the beauty. 8)
My K100D was £62 IIRC on eBay, with a single lens, boxed, manuals, hardly used ‘second’ camera. Yes it lacks megapixels and really fast autofocus (can me more meh, but not an issue with your lens), but it takes great pics, seems easy to use and gets good reviews and comments as a ‘good little camera’ even now.
The only change I plan is that it does not have a ‘split’ focus plate, so it can be hard to focus exactly in manual mode (when using old lens).

It takes some pretty sweet pics:

Loch an Eilein by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

Loch Voil canoe pootle by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

Scots pine over loch Tay by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

2/365 by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

12/365 by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

Glen Turret by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

River Awe canoe surf by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

EUCC Falls of Dochart by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

Ardnamurchan by matt_outandabout, on Flickr

Damper bread / stick bread by matt_outandabout, on Flickr