Super Takumar 135 M M F 25 Lens Review

This is a post nigh a classic lens which I bought this week for utilize on my Pentax and Sony cameras – the Takumar 28mm f/3.5 wide bending M42 mount.

Takumar 28mm f/three.5 Images

Every bit I hinted in my terminal post I bought this lens on eBay terminal Dominicus evening for £34 plus £4 postage stamp. I was amazed that I won the sale for only £34 because I've seen these lenses on ebay 'buy it now' offers for up to £70. Admittedly this case didn't come with a lens example or hood so that might explain information technology, merely information technology does have the original Asahi Pentax lens cap and bottom mount screw on cover. Sample images are at the bottom of this post.

History

The takumar series of lenses are the lenses which pentax fitted to their M42 mountain slr cameras before they called them Pentax which happened at well-nigh the aforementioned fourth dimension the One thousand mount was adopted. They accept a reputation as a top quality performer, but don't attract the price tag of leica or zeiss lenses. Like most lenses there are different versions which are detailed on the Pentax Forums website. Mine seems to be a series 3 lens which makes information technology a quite late version – about 1971.

Takumar 28mm f/3.5 Clarification

This is a meaty lens of about 2 inches in height and nearly 1.5 inches in bore. The aperture adjusts from f/3.5 to f/16 with half stop clicks up to f/11 then a full stop click to f/xvi. There is an Auto/Manual switch just above the lens mountain which sets the lens to automated or transmission operation.

This lens was made to piece of work on a Pentax spotmatic 35mm SLR, and the Automatic setting would close the aperture to the right setting when the shutter was released. This allowed the user to view the scene and compose the paradigm with a fully open discontinuity, and when the motion-picture show was taken the camera stopped the lens down to the correct setting. For use on my Sony Nex I set up this to Chiliad and but conform the aperture appropriately whilst in either Aperture priority or Shutter speed priority.

A possibly helpful tip to anyone with a similar M42 lens – when it's not mounted on the photographic camera the Auto/Manual switch will non operate and it'due south possible to suspension the mechanism if you lot force it. There is a tiny pivot on the very dorsum of the lens next to the screw thread which enables the switch (shown in 1 of the pictures above). If you depress this pivot with your finger nail (or if the lens is mounted on a camera) the switch should operate normally.

In functioning the lens is very nice.

The focus ring is nicely damped and shine and the discontinuity ring has a very positive click. On the nex to M42 adapter I have the lens focuses slightly across infinity. This is most probable an error in the adaptor, and possibly 1 I could fix. Since information technology is focusing beyond infinity that would advise I should push the lens slightly further away from the sensor. Since the m42 part of the adapter is held in with grub screws I could take it out and pack backside it with some thin menu to correct this. Notwithstanding, since that would probably make very piddling difference to the lenses shut focus I may not bother!

Takumar Super Multi Coated 28mm 1:three.five
Focal length 28mm
Effective focal length on APS-C 42mm
Maximum aperture f/3.5
Minimum aperture f/16
Mount M42 screw thread
49mm filter thread

Takumar 28mm f/3.5 Samples

I've had very little fourth dimension to go out and get any sample prototype yet just I did get these quick pictures in our garden and business firm yesterday; the close upward images were taken with a 10mm extension tube fitted. Although I haven't taken many pictures with this lens I'm encouraged by what I've seen so far. There seems to be plenty of detail and the colours likewise seem to 'pop' nicely. I can meet why these lenses are sought after.

These are all taken on my Sony Nex vi because I don't nonetheless have a One thousand-mount to M42 adapter then I can't yet try it on the K5.

Update: 24 March 2014 – I've been out today and taken some shots around the boondocks which I've added to the images below. To view the pictures click on the gallery beneath.

The shots today have added to my impression that the Takumar lenses are a series of inexpensive gems. I of a sudden accept a whole new shopping list.