Trivia Q: You Only Live Twice -- Which Takumar?

<p>Okay, here's a trivia question for you M42 and/or James Bond buffs: A Toyota 2000GT was used in this movie. Can you identify the two Takumar lenses mounted into the roadster's dashboard? At about 43 minutes, 20 seconds into the film, during a chase scene where Bond and a cute Japanese gal are being chased around in their cool little Toyota 2000GT roadster, there's a shot of the 2000GT's dashboard into which a couple of Takumar lenses have been mounted. Much of the writing is too blurry for me to make out, but I can read "Asahi Opt Co" and "Lens Made in Japan" as well as "(xxxxxx)-Takumar" and maybe "1:3.5/55"? Not all sure of the latter -- the front optic looks too big to be f/3.5 for a 55mm lens. The word in front of Takumar is not Super, at least I don't think it is. One too many letters, unless that first one is a copyright symbol? It's roundish, so maybe an "O"?</p>

<p>Just curious. I like trying to identify cameras and/or lenses when they're used in movie scenes -- especially older or period movies. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes not. This one's kinda tricky it would appear.</p>

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<p>Interesting puzzle. I ended up on the following web site where there is a photo of the actress, Akiko Wakabayashi, in the car. <br>

http://www.australiaforeveryone.com.au/world/good_toyota2000.htm<br>

According to the site the closeup shots were not actually of the Toyota 2000GT, so I suppose the image in the still isn't helpful.</p>

<p>Sorry I couldn't be of much help.</p>

<p>I remember a discussion of this on some site, maybe this one, in which it was determined that the lens was the 85mm f/3.5 Quartz-Takumar.<br>

The Quartz-Takumar was designed to be used in UV light. but as it was a only a prop, that would not have mattered. Why such a specialized lens would be used was open to speculation, with some folks figuring it was borrowed or rented by the prop department and the prop guy asked for a cool lens, or the name Quartz-Takumar on the lens looked more high-tech, or... </p>

<p>By the way, I remember I got quite a kick out of watching the shots from right behind Bond and the driver in the 2000GT, looking toward the rear projection screen and they're going around curves without the driver turning the steering wheel.</p>

<p>Ah yes, it's very easy to pick apart all sorts of inconsistencies in those old films. But I just take them for what they are and try to enjoy them anyway. That link is an interesting read, Doug. Thanks for that!</p>

<p>Geez, Jeff, I think you're spot on regarding the Takumars. I've never heard of a Quartz-Takumar before, but that's gotta be it. Right number of letters, and the first letter is clearly "O" shaped. There was also a couple more shots of the dash a few minutes later into the film. They were closer up shots and in those, I was able to rule out 55mm -- but I couldn't tell if it was 65mm or 85mm. The shots were still kinda blurry, so I wasn't able to read the "Quartz" either, but that has to be it. Plus, the front element size looks about right for an f/3.5 85mm lens.</p>

<p>As for the prop speculation, that makes sense, too. Maybe they didn't want to use a run-of-the-mill lens, feeling that it would be recognized too easily?</p>

<p>Later in the movie, Bond is flying around in a gyrocopter, dogfighting with four helicopters. He has a lens mounted to his helmet, which is supposed to provide a video feed for the folks on the ground, I guess. No close-ups of that lens, though, and all the shots were quite fleeting, so I wasn't able to make any sort of ID on it. The barrel length falls within the range of a normal to short tele lens. I wonder if anyone has ever been able to identify that lens.</p>

<p>I found a picture of the Quartz-Takumar:<br>

http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/Quartz-Takumar-85mm-F3.5.html</p>

<p>Thanks for that link, Jeff. Very interesting. So the Quartz 85mm is a bellows lens. That does indeed make it quite a special optic. So not only was it intended for UV work, but also for high-magnification UV work. Apparently a simple optical design, however, with only 4 elements.</p>