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Archive 2015 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

charlesk
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

A number of years ago I hopped on the bandwagon at a time when using old lenses on Canon bodies with adapters became all the rage. I was buying and selling various lenses, and ended up with not one but two of these interesting 15mm f/3.5 lenses, which I believe were designed by Pentax in cooperation with Zeiss, possibly based on an old Zeiss design.

The lenses look very similar. One says "Pentax SMC" while the other says "SMC Takumar". Both have original top caps and cases, but the Takumar seems to be fitted with a Canon adapter because it has a Canon end cap. They are both in excellent, near-new condition to my untrained eye. The "Pentax SMC" is "like new in box", with the case, foam supports, manual and box. It still has a masking tape ring around it where the cap goes on and looks like it may never have been used.

Both have been collecting dust on my shelves for years and I'd like to move them along to someone who would appreciate them, but am really not sure what they are worth. I'm not here to solicit offers, more to find out if these are legitimate collectors items.. or just old lenses nobody cares about any more.

I can take pictures if necessary but I figure anyone who knows about these lenses know what I am talking about.

Oct 23, 2015 at 09:03 PM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

Is the Pentax SMC a K-mount and the SMC Takumar an M42 mount?

Here's info on the K-mount from the Pentax forums... http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-K-15mm-F3.5-Lens.html

And on the M42... http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Takumar-15mm-F3.5.html

From what they say, there were earlier lenses produced with aspherical elements, but were dropped out of production quickly. If you have one of those, it's probably worth quite a bit on the collector's market.

Oct 23, 2015 at 09:45 PM

helimat
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

Even the latest version is worth a decent sum:

https://www.keh.com/288477/pentax-15mm-f-3-5-smc-a-k-mount-manual-focus-lens-built-in

Oct 23, 2015 at 10:07 PM

phuang3
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

Any particular reason to have this lens? The samyang 14/2.8 is very good only at half of its price.

Oct 23, 2015 at 10:39 PM

LightShow
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

The Pantax is somewhat rare, therefore the inflated price.

Oct 23, 2015 at 10:59 PM

Big Cheese
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

It's probably worth a bit dues to its rarity. However to get full price you will need to be patient and hold out for a buyer that really wants one. It won't be a deep market. As to its usefulness? Well let's just say most modern lenses with computer aided designs, access to better glass and coatings are likely to leave it for dead. Film was nowhere near as demanding as today's digital sensors.

I'd actually wait to see if Pentax announces a Ff camera as rumoured. That might see its value go up further and would be a good time to sell.

Oct 23, 2015 at 11:42 PM

jstrawman
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

Big Cheese wrote:
I'd actually wait to see if Pentax announces a Ff camera as rumoured. That might see its value go up further and would be a good time to sell.

http://www.pentaxforums.com/articles/trade-shows/pentax-cameras-on-display-at-photoplus-2015.html

Oct 24, 2015 at 12:09 AM

charlesk
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

Thanks for all the replies.

freaklikeme wrote:
Is the Pentax SMC a K-mount and the SMC Takumar an M42 mount?

I don't know exactly how to identify the mounts but I believe this is the case. The one in the box is definitely newer, was produced 1980 or 1981.

freaklikeme wrote:
From what they say, there were earlier lenses produced with aspherical elements, but were dropped out of production quickly. If you have one of those, it's probably worth quite a bit on the collector's market.

One of these appears to be one with the aspherical element. This is apparently identified by the presence of a "4" rather than a "3" on the distance gauge. But the serial number is much higher than others of that type I have seen listed.

These have been gathering dust for almost a decade so I am in no rush. Thanks for the info on the upcoming FF Pentaxes. I should probably also inquire on the Pentax forums.

Oct 24, 2015 at 08:49 AM

jcolwell
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

Hi Charles,

There are five versions of the "big nose" Pentax 15mm f/3.5 lens: two Takumar with M42 screw mount, and three SMC Pentax with Pentax K-mount.

SMC Takumar 15/3.5
SMC Takumar "1:3.5/15" AL

SMC Pentax "1:3.5" 15mm AL
SMC Pentax "3.5 15mm"
SMC Pentax-A 15/3.5

The "AL" (aspherical lens) versions are supposed to be better optically than the respective non-AL versions, and the -A version will certainly have the best SMC (Super-multicoating) treatment.

You can get a lot more information on the K-mount versions at Boz Dimitrov's site (link to ultra-wide index page)

http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/primes/ultra-wide/index.html

If you're using a FF DSLR (i.e. Canon) then the K-mount aperture lever and aperture lever shield have to be removed, a.k.a. aperture leverectomy. The M42 mount Taks don't need an operation, but will need either a "rimmed" or "not rimmed" adapter, depending on their aperture control gizmos and the presence or absence of a manual/auto switch for aperture control.

I agree with phuang3 that if you want excellent IQ, you should get the Samyang 14/2.8 UMC. It's a peach.

I owned the not-quite as wide SMC Pentax 18/3.5, which is also rare and expensive, and also had consistently excellent reviews. The SMC Pentax 18/3.5 is noticeably inferior to many other Alt lenses that I've owned, including the Olympus 18/3.5, Tamron SP 17/3.5, and Tokina AT-X 17/3.5. I think it's partly due to the presence of internal filters, which both the 15mm and 18mm lenses have. I decided not to bother with the SMC Pentax 15/3.5 (which apparently shares design specs with the Contax Zeiss 15/3.5 (as do the 28/2 lenses), and so I bought the Samyang (which is also better than the SP 14/2.8).

All of the lenses mentioned here are listed in the Lens Price Database,

Lens$db, http://tinyurl.com/jcolwell-lensdb

Oct 24, 2015 at 10:20 AM

charlesk
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

Thanks, that's a lot of useful info.

I am tempted to try using the Takumar lens but to be perfectly honest I think it would be a shame to risk dinging up a collector's item. I definitely will not do any "ectomies" on 30 year old lenses, it would be a total shame.

The Takumar I have says "SMC Takumar 1:3.5/15". It does not say "AL" on it, but I believe it does have the aspherical element. It is probably not in "absolute mint" condition but is pretty close. Even the case looks almost new. I guess I'll probably post it for sale either here or on the Pentax Forums after I take some pix of it, and see what happens.

The boxed lens says "SMC PENTAX 1:3.5 15mm". It has a "3" rather than "4" on the viewfinder. I am not sure which of those categories it falls into.

Oct 24, 2015 at 11:26 AM

jcolwell
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

The SMC Takumar 1:3.5/15 you describe is an "AL" version. The SMC Pentax 1:3.5 15mm is not.

If "1:3.5/15mm" is engraved on the lens (Tak or Pentax), then it's the AL version, i.e. there's a "/" between "1:3.5" and "15mm". If there's a blank space between "1:3.5" and "15mm", then it's not an AL version.

You can see examples of the K versions at the Dimitrov site linked above.

The Dimitrov images show a "3" on the non-AL distance scale and "4" on the AL version. I didn't notice that before. Thanks.

Oct 24, 2015 at 01:25 PM

e6filmuser
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Looking for advice on rare Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 lenses

jcolwell wrote:
Hi Charles,

There are five versions of the "big nose" Pentax 15mm f/3.5 lens: two Takumar with M42 screw mount, and three SMC Pentax with Pentax K-mount.

SMC Takumar 15/3.5
SMC Takumar "1:3.5/15" AL

SMC Pentax "1:3.5" 15mm AL
SMC Pentax "3.5 15mm"
SMC Pentax-A 15/3.5

The "AL" (aspherical lens) versions are supposed to be better optically than the respective non-AL versions, and the -A version will certainly have the best SMC (Super-multicoating) treatment.

You can get a lot more information on the K-mount versions at Boz Dimitrov's site (link to ultra-wide index page)

http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/primes/ultra-wide/index.html

If you're using a FF DSLR (i.e. Canon) then the K-mount aperture lever and...Show more →

My lens is marked SMC Pentax 1:3.5/15 and is in K mount.

Boz Dimitrov's site is defunct but the contents transferred to:

http://kmp.pentaxians.eu/

Mar 10, 2019 at 03:13 PM


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