RetroCamera » takumar http://www.retrocamera.net Old retrocamera equipment in a digital photography world. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:41:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Preset Asahi-lens and flowers http://www.retrocamera.net/preset-asahi-lens-and-flowers.html http://www.retrocamera.net/preset-asahi-lens-and-flowers.html#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:24:42 +0000 Mattias http://www.retrocamera.net/?p=1021 Flowers is a nice way to test new lenses, in my opinion. At the moment wood anemone (anemone nemorosa) is everywhere where I live. So I have tested the preset, early lens Asahi Takumar 105mm/2.8 on wood anemone, with an extensionring. Oh, and this also illustrates the hazards with photographing flowers – I put my chin on very nasty ants (myrmicinae) who bites ;)

Similar Posts:]]> http://www.retrocamera.net/preset-asahi-lens-and-flowers.html/feed 0 Early spring flower with preset Takumar lens http://www.retrocamera.net/early-spring-flower-with-preset-takumar-lens.html http://www.retrocamera.net/early-spring-flower-with-preset-takumar-lens.html#comments Sat, 09 Apr 2011 21:26:37 +0000 Mattias http://www.retrocamera.net/?p=1015 So, finally spring is coming here in my part of Sweden. These flowers (Hepatica nobilis, kdineywort, “blåsippa” in swedish) are fighting their way up. This is the first image I like from the early, preset Asahi Takumar 135mm/3.5 I showed my earlier post. Havent had a chance to test it very much yet, but it looks promising.

pennywort
Similar Posts:]]> http://www.retrocamera.net/early-spring-flower-with-preset-takumar-lens.html/feed 0 A little package http://www.retrocamera.net/a-little-package.html http://www.retrocamera.net/a-little-package.html#comments Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:01:00 +0000 Mattias http://www.retrocamera.net/?p=1009 Springtime. Inspiration sets in. And for a little extra boost of inspiration – some “new” (or very old ;) ) lenses. I bought two lenses from Daniel, the old preset Asahi Takumar 135mm/3.5 in mint condition and a preset Asahi Takumar 105mm/2.8. He even sent a long an extra Pentax-camera.

At the moment I can’t test the lenses very much since I have a work deadline today and a bad caugh that wants me to stay inside :( But I wanted to show you the beauty 135mm:

Similar Posts:]]> http://www.retrocamera.net/a-little-package.html/feed 4 Swedish nature shot with old Asahi-lenses http://www.retrocamera.net/swedish-nature-shot-with-old-asahi-lenses.html http://www.retrocamera.net/swedish-nature-shot-with-old-asahi-lenses.html#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:50:50 +0000 Mattias http://www.retrocamera.net/?p=760 For me this is a typical piece of swedish nature shot with old Asahi-lenses (Super-Takumar 28mm/3.5 and S-M-C Takumar 55mm/1.8), and an extension-ring. Lingonberries, heather and mushroom. Late summer/early autumn. The Takumar lenses are so nice for closeups, good sharpness and good bokeh. Slim and light, which is really good when you crawl in the woods ;)

And you need to crawl to get good closups. It’s most often not fun looking at pictures taken with the ground as background.

If you click on the images, you go to the Flickr-page – just click the browsers backbutton to get back here.

Standing guard
Heather
Lingonberry and heather
Lingonberry
Lingonberry
Similar Posts:]]> http://www.retrocamera.net/swedish-nature-shot-with-old-asahi-lenses.html/feed 2 Review of Asahi Super-Takumar 135mm/3.5 M42-lens http://www.retrocamera.net/review-of-asahi-super-takumar-135mm35-m42-lens.html http://www.retrocamera.net/review-of-asahi-super-takumar-135mm35-m42-lens.html#comments Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:12:21 +0000 Mattias http://www.retrocamera.net/?p=631 My friend Daniel insisted I should have one of these, so I went and bought one from UK on ebay. Can you have enough of normal or short tele primes? ;) I started collecting Takumar lenses, so of course I needed the 135mm. Lets see if it’s any good…

Super Takumar 135mm/3.5, angleview

Super Takumar 135mm/3.5, angleview

The purchase
As usual with these old manual lenses it wasn’t that much hat I payed, £8.50 + shipping £9.00. Later on I also got a hood from ebay, it need an original hood – makes a lot of difference. The hood was £7.95 + shipping £3. So if you buy a lens like this, get a hood too. Since I bought from a good seller in UK, there was no problem with shipping or the purchase. Avarage price on Pentaxforums.com is set to $38.

Super Takumar 135mm/3.5, mount

Super Takumar 135mm/3.5, mount

The lens
The Asahi Super-Takumar 135mm/3.5 is a M42-lens, short telephoto prime. The production year I can find at the moment is 1966, but I guess it was made for several years. Construction is of metal and it feels very well built, like most of the Asahi-lenses from the 60′s.

I love the shape and the long focusring with a great grip. It has a switch for Auto/Manual and a small aperturepin – guessing that is for the Pentaxcameras. I haven’t tried it on my Spotmatic-camera, just on DSLR. The Auto/Manual-switch can be used to stopp the lens down/open it while focusing.

Super Takumar 135mm/3.5, front

Super Takumar 135mm/3.5, front

Results
My copy is sharp and has good very soft bokeh. Reading the opinions of others on the internet makes me think that there are quality difference in copies. Could also be an error behind the camera though, you never know for sure reading articles or posts on forums if it’s just a crap photographer ;) But as I said, I like the bokeh and sharpness. If you get the right depth of field this can be magic.

Super Takumar 135mm/3.5, side

Super Takumar 135mm/3.5, side

It is very easy to focus with, smooth and easy to see – which is great for a manual lens with f 3.5, slow manual lenses can often be hard to focus in a small viewfinder like my EOS 350D. The chromatic aberration is not that bad. It can be very sharp – wideopen it’s ok but stopped down even better.

I have this 135mm and a (Carl Zeiss) aus Jena Sonnar 135mm/3.5 in the Zebra version and have a hard time choosing. The Super-Takumar weighs a whole lot less comparing to the aus Jena, and is more tender built. I guess it’s mood of the day that decides which to go with. No doubt the buildquality in the Takumar is superior. I find it amazing how a 60′s lens can be in such good shape as ALL the Super-Takumar 135mm I’ve seen. The Pentax-people take care of their gear.

Images

Wood Cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum)

Wood Cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum)

Bohemian waxwings

Bohemian waxwings

Bohemian waxwing, 100% crop

Bohemian waxwing, 100% crop

Portrait

Portrait

Midsommarblomster

Midsommarblomster

Ice

Ice

Autumn road

Autumn road

Pros

  • Easy to focus
  • Sharp
  • Good bokeh
  • Nice colours
  • Good construction
  • Cheap (well… depends of your luck of course)
  • Easy to find

Cons

  • Definately needs a hood, preferably original of course!
  • Contrast can be a bit lower then other Takumars in some circumstances, but that can be good thing.

Reading

Reviews on Pentax-forums
Review on MFlenses
PBase
Jens Jacob at Flickr

Similar Posts:]]> http://www.retrocamera.net/review-of-asahi-super-takumar-135mm35-m42-lens.html/feed 11 Fluffy sunset with lens Asahi S-M-C Takumar 55mm/1.8 http://www.retrocamera.net/fluffy-sunset-with-lens-asahi-s-m-c-takumar-55mm18.html http://www.retrocamera.net/fluffy-sunset-with-lens-asahi-s-m-c-takumar-55mm18.html#comments Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:12:41 +0000 Mattias http://www.retrocamera.net/?p=417 Today it’s snowstorm here. The last few days I have had the idea to do a 50mm battle (my armada of 50mm lenses is growing), but I never seem to get out and do it. Well, I have some images on storage since last shoot so… heres fluffy catched in backlight with Asahi Opt.Co. Super-Multi-Coated 55mm f1.8 M42-lens on the camera Canon EOS 350D:

Fluffy sunset with this Pentax-lens

Fluffy sunset with this Pentax-lens

Similar Posts:]]> http://www.retrocamera.net/fluffy-sunset-with-lens-asahi-s-m-c-takumar-55mm18.html/feed 0 Takumar photographs in the night http://www.retrocamera.net/takumar-photographs-in-the-night.html http://www.retrocamera.net/takumar-photographs-in-the-night.html#comments Sun, 09 Nov 2008 22:16:09 +0000 Mattias http://www.retrocamera.net/?p=367 A couple of takumar-lenses used in the darkness of the night in this photographs. The first with Asahi Opt.Co. Super-Takumar 135mm/3.5 and the second Auto-Takumar 85mm/1.8, both on Canon EOS 350D.

Parkinglot shot with Super-Takumar 135mm/3.5

Parkinglot shot with Super-Takumar 135mm/3.5

House shot with Auto-Takumar 85mm/1.8

House shot with Auto-Takumar 85mm/1.8

Similar Posts:]]> http://www.retrocamera.net/takumar-photographs-in-the-night.html/feed 0 Sold my S-M-C Takumar 300mm/f4 http://www.retrocamera.net/sold-my-s-m-c-takumar-300mmf4.html http://www.retrocamera.net/sold-my-s-m-c-takumar-300mmf4.html#comments Sun, 09 Nov 2008 22:02:12 +0000 Mattias http://www.retrocamera.net/?p=365 Yesterday I sold my Asahi Opt.Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 300mm/f4. Needed the money and was my most valuable lens but the one I used the least. It was sold on swedish ebay “Tradera” for estimated $230.

Asahi S-M-C Takumar 300mm/4

Asahi S-M-C Takumar 300mm/4

Similar Posts:]]> http://www.retrocamera.net/sold-my-s-m-c-takumar-300mmf4.html/feed 3 First try with Super Takumar 35mm/3.5 and macro-ring http://www.retrocamera.net/first-try-with-super-takumar-35mm35-and-macro-ring.html http://www.retrocamera.net/first-try-with-super-takumar-35mm35-and-macro-ring.html#comments Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:08:29 +0000 Mattias http://www.retrocamera.net/?p=106 I bought a Pentax Super Takumar 35mm/3.5 from a friend on the net, zewrak. It looks and feels very nice! Gave it a couples tries, today with macroring and one of our sunflowers.

Super Takumar 35mm/3.5

Super Takumar 35mm/3.5

Sunflower

Sunflower

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