I just picked these up used at the local camera show. What's the deal with the plastic insert rings? Handle "A" didn't have any, but handle "B" , which was boxed, came with two. I may have left the insert for "A" sitting on the dealer's table, not knowing it was part of it.

Does anybody know how many insert rings are supposed to come with each focusing handle? BTW, neither of these seem to fit the 165LS.

Thanks, horst

-- Horst Fiedler (fiedlerh@aol.com), March 15, 1998

Answers

I don't know about the number of rings but some older Pentax literature I have says as follows: "A type for use with the 105mm, 135mm, 150mm, and 200mm lenses; B type for use with 35mm [I didn't know there was such a thing - maybe this is a typo and they meant the 45mm], 55mm, 75mm, and 90mm lenses." The newer brochure entitled "Pentax 67 Interchangeable Lenses" (which is included with each new lens that you purchase or that can be ordered from Pentax for $2) says that "The quick focusing rings cannot be used with the 55mm F4, LS 165mm F4, 200mm F4 and Soft 120mm F3.5." In the case of the 200mm, notice the conflict between the older literature, which says that you use the A type for the 200mm lens, and the newer brochure, which says you can't use a quick focus ring with the 200mm lens. I bought the rings for my five P67 lenses, used them for about a month, then took them off and never used them again. I found that they caused the lenses to take up quite a bit more space in my back pack and prevented me from carrying the lenses in the lens cases, which I like to do for protection. Also, and most importantly, I didn't see that I could focus any quicker with them than without them and who needs to focus quickly anyhow with landscapes and buildings, which is what I do. Hope this is helpful. Brian

-- Brian Ellis (beellis@gte.net), June 02, 1998.

I don't know about the number of rings but some older Pentax literature I have says as follows: "A type for use with the 105mm, 135mm, 150mm, and 200mm lenses; B type for use with 35mm [I didn't know there was such a thing - maybe this is a typo and they meant the 45mm], 55mm, 75mm, and 90mm lenses." The newer brochure entitled "Pentax 67 Interchangeable Lenses" (which is included with each new lens that you purchase or that can be ordered from Pentax for $2) says that "The quick focusing rings cannot be used with the 55mm F4, LS 165mm F4, 200mm F4 and Soft 120mm F3.5." In the case of the 55mm and the 200mm lenses, notice the conflict between the older literature, which says that you use the A type for the 200mm lens and the B type for the 55mm lens, and the newer brochure, which says you can't use a quick focus ring with the 55mm and the 200mm lenses. I assume the brochure, being more current, reflects some design changes in these lenses since the time the literature was published and is accurate for the current version of these two lenses. I bought the rings for some of my P67 lenses, used them for about a month, then took them off and never used them again. I found that they caused the lenses to take up quite a bit more space in my back pack and prevented me from carrying the lenses in the lens cases, which I like to do for protection. Also, and most importantly, I didn't see that I could focus any quicker with them than without them and who needs to focus quickly anyhow with landscapes and buildings, which is what I do. Hope this is helpful. Brian

-- Brian Ellis (beellis@gte.net), June 02, 1998.

Sorry about the double answers here. I typed the first one and then noticed that there was a conflict between the two pieces of literature with the 55mm lens as well as the 200mm lens so I changed the answer and I guess I inadvertantly sent both answers rather than deleting the first one.

-- Brian Ellis (beellis@gte.net), June 02, 1998.

Brian, Thanks for the reply. I wonder if the conflict in literature is due to old vs. new style 200mm lenses. In any case, I am using the 105 mm and mostly 165LS for portraiture lately, so the rings are just taking up room in the camera bag. At $8, I couldn't pass them up. 35 mm is the fisheye lens, right? I might buy a reasonably priced 45 or 55mm though if I can find one. Horst

-- Horst Fiedler (fiedlerh@aol.com), June 03, 1998.

Horst - You're right, the 35mm is the fisheye. I forgot all about this lens. Brian

-- Brian Ellis (beellis@gte.net), September 30, 1998.