LBA (Lens Buying Addiction) has crept up on me in getting many unused lens for months after purchase. This Super Takumar happens to be first one to go. I only managed to use it the weekend before I packaged it for my friend.
Now that it is gone, I missed the small size and silky smooth focusing ring. I previously owned a Super Takumar 35mm f/3.5 and I sold it too to my another good buddy of mine in photography forum. Perhaps, I have no luck in keeping two different Super Takumars. I love those old glasses and they are one of a kind in small and lightweight, compact like a pancake in its own charming way. Had I been more careful with my buying, I would have been able to justify keeping my two Super Takumar. Some test shots taken with Pentax K100D.
Initial Impressions:
- Lens is small and compact, very charming in its own way
- Focusing ring is silky smooth
- Matching lens hood and case make it extra sweet to have one in possession
- Lens is quite sharp wide open. Many test shots are done in f/2.8 and sharpness is very reasonable.
- Metering is definitely a difficult task with the lens. In Av aperture priority, I need to tune in +2.0 Ev in f/2.8 setting in my K100D.
- Bokeh seems pretty decent to me.
- Ringed lights are in circles as seen in last test shot.
- Though the lens is small, I find it difficult to hold with my K100D. The small size of the lens makes it a bit awkward to hold and turn for adjusting focus
- Overall, I would not hesitate to buy this lens again. I would not mind having the following in my collection:
- Super Takumar 35mmm f/3.5 or f/2.8
- Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8
- Super Takumar 105mm f/2.8
