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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.
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The elusive 58mm f/2 Takumar (pre-set)
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Finally I got one: the elusive 58mm f/2 Takumar (pre-set). The one and only (as far as I know) SLR standard lens based on the Sonnar design. This lens was sold with the Pentax original and Pentax S. Not many have been made; it lost the battle with the newer 55mm double-Gauss designs (which could be made faster than f/2 without undesirable side-effects).

I think the bokeh is very, very smooth, what do you think?

By the way, I made the product shot with another 58mm lens: the 58mm f/2.4 Takumar (pre-set). Also unique because it's the only SLR standard lens based on the Heliar design. Yes, those early Takumars are definitely very interesting!



Forgive me for the uninteresting samples and the uncleaned windows, the weather is quite dull over here at the moment! Everything shot wide open.







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Great bokeh? Definitely!

But you're reading my mind! Shocked I was working on my summary of triplet-based lenses, I was thinking of the 58/2.0 Takumar (because I have never seen any image taken by this lens) while I decided to look at the forum... Bump! Very Happy

Very nice surprise.


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Yes, bokeh is definitely sonnar's.


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Sigh, I've been looking for those 2 takumars for 2 years.

Yep, the bokeh is very sonnarish.


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Great minds think alike, no-X! Laughing

Here's two more samples with the 58mm f/2 Takumar: one close-up (with busy background) and one portrait, both wide open. The weather is still dull so I don't expect to get fabulous results today Wink





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Color rendition seems to be very good too Smile


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The portrait is especially wonderful


patrickh


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ohh wow, lovely bokeh indeed!

Cheers
Tobias


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+1

Maybe I should note down the data of these elusive lenses and buy one, if I see one at a camera-fair to offer it here on the market-place.I would just have to know, what a reasonable price is.
Last sunday at the Darmstadt camera-fair I saw a Kiron 105/2.5 macro in Minolta-mount for 69 Euro in perfect condition, but since I have Nikon cameras, I didn't get it.

Thomas


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Here's the result of some playing with the 58mm f/2 Takumar. I think this subject, wide open, would be hard for any lens.



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wow ! what a lens !

Spotmatic - you know what to do with it! Wink

All pictures are great - my fav is the portrait and -- the guitar !

do you play the guitar?

tf


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Just found one in a store with both original caps (!!). It must have been used quite often and that shows ...
no wonder after having seen these great shots of yours Peter!





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old stuff good stuff
Very attracting pics.


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kds315* wrote:
Just found one in a store with both original caps (!!). It must have been used quite often and that shows ...
no wonder after having seen these great shots of yours Peter!





Great find! I have never seen that kind of front cap, is it plastic? That would be strange as Asahi usually had metal caps at that time. But apparently they still were trying to find out wat was best for their products, so in the late 50's and early 60's there wasn't much of a "brand standard".


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Shocked Shocked Shocked Beauty on Earth! Thank you both for sharing.


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I'll let you know Peter once I have it here!