Old Takumar 58/2.4 in 37mm Screwmount

[Abbazz]

A few weeks ago, I received an old Asahiflex camera equipped with a Takumar 58/2.4. The Asahiflex series were the first SLRs made by Asahi Optical Co. in the 1950s. These cameras had a 37mm screwmount, which has the same registration distance as the M42 later adopted for the Asahi Pentax, but with a much smaller diameter, even smaller than a 39mm Leica mount.

The 58/2.4 is a classic Heliar formula (a 5 element, 3 group lens), a tribute from Asahi Optical Co. to one of the great German lens designs. It is the first time a lens with Heliar formula was made for a 35mm camera. Not so many were made after this one either.

Here are some pictures taken with this lens on the old Asahiflex (Efke 25 film souped in D76):





These are from the same lens mounted on my Pentax K10d:





All the pictures were taken wide open. The old lens is rather soft but the bokeh seems great. That's not so surprising. After all, Heliar lenses were reputed for their qualities as portrait lenses. People say that the Emperor Shōwa Tennō of Japan liked so much the results provided by the Heliar lens that he wouldn't allow his picture to be taken with any other type of lens.

Cheers!

Abbazz
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Il n'y a rien dans le monde qui n'ait son moment décisif, et le chef-d'oeuvre de la bonne conduite est de connaître et de prendre ce moment. - Cardinal de Retz

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[Katastrofo]

Abbazz, this lens certainly has a distinctive "signature" - wonderful
photos! And the B&W you did your own developing, impressive! How
did you mount the lens to your Pentax?

Bill

[patrickh]

What a lovely collection of pictures - and the OOF is sooo smooth. B+W certainly brings back a lot of memories - and no regrets for giving up the chemicals.


patrickh
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DSLR: Nikon D70 Nikon D200 Canon 40D
MF Zooms: Kiron 28-85/3.5, 28-105/3.2, 75-150/3.5, Nikkor 50-135/3.5 AIS // MF Primes: Nikkor 20/4 AI, 24/2 AI, 28/2 AI, 28/2.8 AIS, 28/3.5 AI, 35/1.4 AIS, 35/2 AIS, 35/2.8 PC, 45/2.8 P, 50/1.4 AIS, 50/1.8 AIS, 50/2 AI, 55/2.8 AIS micro, 55/3.5 AI micro, 85/2 AI, 100/2,8 E, 105/1,8 AIS, 105/2,5 AIS, 135/2 AIS, 135/2.8 AIS, Nikkor 200/4 AI, 200/4 AIS micro, 3004.5 AI, 300/4.5 AI ED, Kiron 28/2 Panagor 135/2.8, Tamron 28/2.5, Tamron 90/2.5 macro, Vivitar 90/2.5 macro (Tokina) Voigtlander 90/3.5 Vivitar 105/2.5 macro (Kiron) Kaleinar 100/2.8 AI Tamron 135/2.5, Vivitar 135/2.8CF, 200/3.5, Tokina 400/5,6
M42: Vivitar 28/2.5, Flektogon 35/2.4, Takumar 35/3.5, Curtagon 35/4, Arsat 50/1.4, Volna-6 50/2.8 macro,Mamiya 50/1.4, CZJ Pancolar 50/1,8, Oreston 50/1.8, Industar 50/3.5, Sears 55/1.4, Helios 58/2, Jupiter 85/2, Helios 85/1.5, Jupiter 135/4, Jupiter 135/3.5, Takumar 135/3.5, Tair 135/2.8, Takumar 150/4, Jupiter 200/4
Exakta: Topcon 100/2.8, 35/2.8
C/Y: Yashica 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 135/2.8
P6 : Mir 38 65/3.5, Biometar 80/2.8, Kaleinar 150/2.8, Sonnar 180/2.8

[Abbazz]

[Abbazz]