Beaten up Auto & Super Takumar primes get a new home

[markus maurer]

<p>This poor beaten up Takumar lenses found the way from the (very dirty) attic to my home and already got used today. All show very heavy signs of use and the Takumar 28mm F3.5 has a big dent in the filter ring as well but the glass is fungus and scratch free and I was mostly bidding at the auction to get the Auto Takumar 135mm F3.5 which works very well. The black SV body is a complete wrack, the description in the auction was misleading but frankly I have no real use for another film body except for decoration purposes anyway. I paid $67 shipping included for everything + a lens shade and extension rings. So please welcome my new Pentax family members :-)</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[markus maurer]

<p>I did a springtime greeting card for a client today with this Takumar 55mm F1.8 and the smallest extension ring on the K10D, handheld and in natural light :-)</p><div></div>

[markus maurer]

<p>The Auto Takumar 135mm F3.5 looks and feels great with the original Takumar lens shade and really delivers</p><div></div>

[markus maurer]

<p>minimum distance is 1.8 meters for the Auto Takumar 135mm F3.5</p><div></div>

[markus maurer]

<p>another one close at around 2.5 meters</p><div></div>

[markus maurer]

<p>Eastern theme with the Super Takumar 55mm F1.8 and polarizer</p><div></div>

[markus maurer]

<p>I try to take some samples with the Super Takumar 28mm F3.5 next weekend but fear some flare because I can not mount a lens shade due to the heavy dent in the filter ring.</p><div></div>

[markus maurer]

<p>the last one, this time the Auto Takumar 135mm F3.5 with an extension ring</p><div></div>

[craigd]

<p>Nice work! I'm not completely clear on the physical differences between Auto Takumars and Super Takumars. My SV came with three Supers (35, 50, 135); I don't have any Autos. Do the Autos fully support the SV's automatic aperture? (The smartass answer would be that's why they're called Auto, but so many things were called Auto back in those days...)</p>

<p>The six-bladed aperture is very clearly shown in the hexagons of the blurred background of your first color shot.</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>I'd run right out and scour the pawnshops for those lenses if I didn't appreciate the skill it takes to produce photos like that.</p>

[markus maurer]

<p>Craig, I have to pass your question to the experts or have a look at http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Pentax_Main.html and elsewhere, thanks for looking and commenting. At least the handling seems identical on a digital body with the original Pentax M42 adapter. Dave, its as easy as walking around with open eyes, set the Pentax digital body to AV and a bit of exposure compensation around +1, focus and shoot, as you know well :-) Thanks for the compliment!</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Boy, those lenses have "paid their dues". Never pampered, that's for sure.</p>

[osamu]

<p>nice photos, markus! it is amazing how well those lenses are built. no scratches on the lens surface at all? i like 135/3.5 also. very nice.</p>

[craigd]

<p>Ah, I see: the Auto Takumars were (in modern terms) only semi-automatic. They stopped down automatically before shooting but had to be reset manually.</p>

[ukhov]

<p>Markus lenses look like-some of them "automatic" ,but if you not going to decorate with the camera always mirror and comb in the gain.Images fresh like spring ,good composition and light.</p>

[michael_elenko]

<p>Nice textures on the second shot Markus. Artful subtle color too. I have the SMC version of the 55mm f1.8 and love it.</p>

<p>ME</p>

[kfrog]

<p>Markus, Excellent photos. How do you use these extensions rings? I have a set of 3 rings, several Super-Takumars (including the 55mm f/1.8) and a K10D. When I put a ring on the camera, then the lens on the ring I find it very difficult to focus. Any techniques you could recommend? Thanks.</p>

[markus maurer]

<p>Thank you all! I kind of like the "patina" and wear off of the lenses, makes my look more like a pro despite using a Pentax (aha!) and indeed with the table tripod and the long metal shade on the Takumar 135mm my K10D looks like a special secret weapon ;-) Focussing for closeups can be tricky in low light but I prefocus the lens and then move the camera. A table tripod on the chest for some support is a tremendous help, I love the Minolta one and for longer lenses often use the Monostat monopod. Lighting is critical, the best investment for macro photography is an off camera flash on a cord or flash grip imho, an old auto or manual flash is sufficient. I often take a tiny Pentax Af160 or the AF280T and the Pentax cord with me and use it handheld from the side.</p>