Looks like Bob solved the mystery.
The greatest thing is that the guy I got the 50/1.4 from acted like he
has scads and scads of old Pentax glass around. Apparently, after
serving in WWII, he was deployed to Japan as part of the occupying
force, and stayed there for quite a while afterward. He talked to me
for a good hour about the island where Asahi got the sand for use in the
manufacture of the lenses, and actually got to know some of the family
of the guy who founded Asahi Optical. He was a really interesting guy.
It's funny how I came about getting the lens, too. Seems the guy I was
talking to is letting his son run the shop these days, and that's who I
usually deal with. But, he just happened to be in the shop when I
stopped in to check on possibly buying one of the new 35/2.4 -- which
they didn't have in stock. I'd asked the son previously if they had any
old used prime lenses, and he denied that they had anything like that.
I then asked him if they had any kind of primes at all, and he said (and
I quote) "What do you mean by a 'prime' lens?"
I shudder to think what's going to happen to this poor man's business
when he passes away and leaves it entirely in the hands of this son.
For some reason, I don't think he was happy with his dad for telling me
they had such lenses in the back -- which I assume is because he doesn't
have the slightest idea of what they're good for, or how much to charge
for them ... or anything about them at all, for that matter.
All I can say is I plan to go back very soon and inquire as to whether
or not they might have an old M 50/1.2 lying around. The guy mentioned
for sure that they had some 135/2.8's and 135/3.5's, as well as some
pancake lenses. And, so, I may have just died and gone to Pentax
heaven. :-)
-- Walt
On 2/2/2011 5:49 PM, Stan Halpin wrote:
See here: http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/primes/normal/M50f1.4.html
You can, just, see that on the example Boz uses, it has the standard way of
showing the standard information on the lens - i.e., it shows a 50MM at the end.
His site may say more about the difference in nomenclature. I might suggest two
different manufacturing sites, two different production runs, etc. but it would
be pure speculation.
As they say on the Antiques Roadshow, don't polish it or refinish it! You may
have something quite valuable to a collector.
stan
On Feb 2, 2011, at 6:24 PM, Walter Gilbert wrote:
Hi all,
In my absence from the list -- which, to the extent it was noticed, must have
been greatly appreciated -- I've managed to procure a few goodies for a not-bad
price, I think, but thought I'd get the opinions of folks more knowledgeable
than myself. I actually got a whole bunch of stuff -- filters, hoods, and one
useless lens which I haven't the foggiest notion what it might be other than an
80-200/4.5 macro with a bent bayonet. Beyond that, however, I got the
following:
Tokina SZ-X 28-200 3.5-5.3
Pentax SMC FA 28-80 3.5-4.7
Sigma 24-70 3.5-5.6 UC
. . . and last but not least:
SMC PENTAX 1:1.4/50
All lenses are in fair to excellent condition, except for the M-50/1.4, which
appears to have never been attached to anything. The threads don't even appear
to have ever had a filter screwed into them. There is something odd about the
lens, that I thought I'd ask about, though nothing performance-wise. It's just
that the printing around the front element is ever-so-slightly different from
what I've seen in images of the same lens around the web. The imprint says:
ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN -- Pentax SMC M-50/1.4 -- 1093350
The other lenses I've seen have "mm" appended after the "50" -- except for
those labeled SMC TAKUMAR, instead of SMC PENTAX. Is this indicative of anything significant at
all? I'm in absolute love with the lens, whatever the case. It took some effort to convince
myself to take it off the K-x in order to try out the other lenses. But, I finally did (and
regretted it, as they all pale considerably).
Whatever the case, I think I got a pretty damned good deal on it all,
considering I'm out a grand total of $200.00 US collectively. I figure I came
out OK by way of enablement for that kind of dough.
Best,
Walt
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