Five Dollar Fun

When I wrote a while back about my Pentax Spotmatic camera, fellow blogger and photographer Mike Connealy mentioned in the comments section that I might like adding a close up lens to my Takumar lens kit. Doesn't take much more prodding than that to get me onto eBay looking at photo gear and I was quite surprised to find an OEM Asahi Pentax close up lens for five bucks with free shipping!  

Pentax Spotmatic SP II with Close Up Lens and Case

My filter arrived on a rainy day, so I took the opportunity to experiment a bit. The Spotmatic was loaded with Eastman 5222 Double-X black and white film which I was shooting at 200 ASA. My cameras are always a favorite photo subject of mine, so I shot my Nikon F2.

And my Dad's Kodak Retina.

Rain drops on my window...

My JCH film canisters, loaded with film for my trip to New York...

The latch on my porch gate...

And a Pentax lens on my desk...

Eastman 5222 is not the best choice for macro photography, but that is what was in the camera, so I went with it. I'm also a bit handicapped right now as I've been shooting with my left eye while I await cataract surgery on my right (shooting) eye, making focusing more difficult for me. It'll be nice to have that right eye back again.

Mike was right! This inexpensive little close up lens is going to be put to good use this winter as the rainy season envelopes the Sonoma Coast. Best five dollars I have ever spent. Thanks Mike!