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Takumar f2/58mm - first outing ( in Japan )
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 5:27 am    Post subject: Takumar f2/58mm - first outing ( in Japan ) Reply with quote

recently I had discovered the Auto Takumar f2/55, a Ultron design which, according to Taunusreiter, had set this design as industry standard. It had been issued at a time when Pentax seemed to have experimented with various designs, there also was a 'Heliar' Takumar f2.4/58 and the Takumar f2/58mm, the only 'Sonnar' normal lens ever made.

I am very happy to have found one recently



here the first shots on the first day out using the lens. Taken on Pentax K-x around 'Ikoma', Osaka, Japan:






































here it's set ( for full size views resp. some more pics ): http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/sets/72157624940446285/

best greetings,
Andreas


PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 5:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice sets. You always show your level...


PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 6:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would precise that this is the only normal Sonnar lens for SLR. Other Sonnar normal lenses exist, but they are for RFs Wink


PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thank you IAZA for looking and commenting, and Carbon for your correction.

second day with this lens, and it got me puzzled:
out of the cam contrasts are very low, and I am not sure if I better left them as such or accept what e.g. 'auto adjust' does to the images

first one I left near to 'auto adjust' which increases contrast and blacks a lot,
next three these are lessened in an increasing degree,
last one contrast and blacks are still increased but is closer to out of cam than to 'auto adjust'










anyway, enjoying this lens a lot..
best greetings,

Andreas


PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent Andreas! Congrats that you found that rare lens, easier to find in Japan actually and I have a feeling I know that lens... Wink
Maybe it needs a inside cleaning, that may be the reason for some lowered contrast...?


PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What a nice lens Andreas - and a very good series as usual with super shots.

Wink


PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Superb results as always, Andreas! And welcome to the 58/2 Takumar 'Sonnar' club Smile

I'd say that the lowered contrast is normal for this lens; my copy has it too. It's perfectly normal because of the many air-glass surfaces and the very simple single coating. I bet you'll notice it flares easily too. The lower contrast pictures are easily corrected in PP of course.

The lens screams for a hood, maybe a 100/135mm hood works best.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congratulations on your acquisition Andreas - and some really nice samples Wink


PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 12:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kds315* wrote:
Excellent Andreas! Congrats that you found that rare lens, easier to find in Japan actually and I have a feeling I know that lens... Wink
Maybe it needs a inside cleaning, that may be the reason for some lowered contrast...?


yes Klaus, I remember that there were two for sale in Japan, and then one went, and I had the feeling it was you. The other one which had been offered more expensively was not sold first, but then reappeared again with a cheaper price and I could not resist any longer..


PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 12:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rolf wrote:
What a nice lens Andreas - and a very good series as usual with super shots.

Wink


Rolf I love my 'common' Auto Tak f2/55 too, but this Sonnar sure has something special, I am very happy to have bought it


PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 12:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spotmatic wrote:
Superb results as always, Andreas! And welcome to the 58/2 Takumar 'Sonnar' club Smile

I'd say that the lowered contrast is normal for this lens; my copy has it too. It's perfectly normal because of the many air-glass surfaces and the very simple single coating. I bet you'll notice it flares easily too. The lower contrast pictures are easily corrected in PP of course.

The lens screams for a hood, maybe a 100/135mm hood works best.


thank you Peter, there was no way I could pass on this lens!

I had expected low contrast just as with other early lenses. However I had not expected that 'auto adjust' would lead to such a very decisive difference, bigger than of any other lens I have tried so far. I guess sometimes the low contrast should be left untouched, but increased contrast and blacks make for very interesting images too. That leaves me undecided how to treat the photos in PPing, I guess I must decide case by case.

Oh yes, images are washed out very easily with direct sunlight from the front, this lens certainly requires careful use.

I just got another Auto Tak 2/55, even though I already have ( more than ) one, just because it comes with an original metal hood. I think it will fit and look cool, though a collapsible plastic hood may be more practical, and I may get one too.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 12:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mal1905 wrote:
Congratulations on your acquisition Andreas - and some really nice samples Wink


thank you Mallachy, I am very happy about this purchase. It renders differently than any other lens I have tried, surpasses my expectations!


PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some excellent samples from this interesting lens.

There was a fun test of this lens in the Pentax forum which might interest some of you (I think I posted the link once before but it won't harm to post it again): http://www.pentaxuser.co.uk/forum/topic/test-takumar-58-2-v-super-tak-50-1-4-v-m50-1-4-v-fa43-1-9-20005

Best wishes, Kris.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 2:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thank you Kris for this interesting link.

the f2/58 sure is not the sharpest lens, but it has a very distinct character and the bokeh proves what is said about Sonnars. I also like the colors it renders very much.















cheers,
Andreas


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beautiful images Kuuan...I think you can take a lot of credit for the way you use this lens. Very Happy


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thank's a lot Mo, but it really is mostly the lens. Today I went down near a small creek where there are some flowers, but it was getting late, and I just could take a few shots, but even when taking fast 'dirty' shots I feel it is the lens that makes them shine






best greetings,
Andreas


PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 2:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kuuan wrote:
...I feel it is the lens that makes them shine


this one could be more of 'photographer's creativity', though certainly not planned or framed carefully, but simply shot and curious how it will come out



PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know Kuuan the camera and lens don't point themselves at the subject Very Happy How hard are these lenses to find?


PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very beatifull photos e fantastic lens.
But I think the Jupiter-8 (Kiev-Contax) is a Sonnar Normal Lens too. I', right?


PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ivan de Almeida wrote:
Very beatifull photos e fantastic lens.
But I think the Jupiter-8 (Kiev-Contax) is a Sonnar Normal Lens too. I', right?


Yes, and much older in design, but it's a rangefinder lens. By the time reflex cameras commercially exploded, the lens coating was already a consolidated reality, and the faster planars replaced the slower sonnars as fast standard lenses (while Tessars remained as slow cheaper standard lenses). So this Takumar is quite an oddity for it's time, I figure one can truly call it a Retro lens.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 4:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mo wrote:
..How hard are these lenses to find?


hm..I'd think not all that easy, outside Japan very rarely to be found. CarbonR may know better, he may have been lookig for one for longer.
In Japan they can be found but also rather seldomly, and if they appear in Japanese auction then usually together with the socalled 'Original Pentax' camera which makes it not a cheap buy.

Ivan de Almeida wrote:
Very beatifull photos e fantastic lens.
But I think the Jupiter-8 (Kiev-Contax) is a Sonnar Normal Lens too. I', right?


thank you Ivan

best greetings,
Andreas


PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks,a rare bird indeed...do we know the numbers produced for this lens...a lot or just a few?


PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent results Andreas.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mo wrote:
Thanks,a rare bird indeed...do we know the numbers produced for this lens...a lot or just a few?


According to Frank Mechelhoff, no more than a few 100 have been ever made.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kuuan wrote:
mo wrote:
..How hard are these lenses to find?


hm..I'd think not all that easy, outside Japan very rarely to be found. CarbonR may know better, he may have been lookig for one for longer.
In Japan they can be found but also rather seldomly, and if they appear in Japanese auction then usually together with the socalled 'Original Pentax' camera which makes it not a cheap buy.

Ivan de Almeida wrote:
Very beatifull photos e fantastic lens.
But I think the Jupiter-8 (Kiev-Contax) is a Sonnar Normal Lens too. I', right?


thank you Ivan

best greetings,
Andreas


Well, I have found three so far, except the one you snatched away in front of my nose Andreas Wink Wink You deserve one for sure!!