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S-M-C Takumar Zoom 85-210mm f/4.5
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 6:59 pm    Post subject: S-M-C Takumar Zoom 85-210mm f/4.5 Reply with quote
Well, this is a lens I've been after for a LONG time! I must confess, I was a little worried that after trying so many fabulous Takumar primes, that the Takumar-Zoom 85-210/4.5 might be a bit of a let down. Well..



(Click for bigger versions)

#1



#2



#3



#4



#5 (heavy crop)



#6



I couldn't have been more wrong, this lens is brilliant! It renders in a very nice way, particularly when you isolate the main subject with shallow depth of field. Sharpness is decent and the lens doesn't appear to do purple fringing at all! Shocked There is some green bokeh fringing, but that doesn't bother me anywhere near as much as the horrible purple stuff. There is some vignetting when shot wide open on full frame, but it can be fixed in Photoshop quite easily. This lens set me back £20.00, and I reckon it's £20.00 well spent...this lens is well worthy of the Asahi Takumar name in my opinion Smile


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for sharing, as a new Takumar prime lens fanatic its nice to see that the zoom is well worth looking for considering the low price. Very Happy


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
What's with the excessive distortion in photo #3? Laughing

But indeed, it appears to be a great zoom! Too bad it's overly large so not very practical for me as a wimp Laughing


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Spotmatic wrote:
What's with the excessive distortion in photo #3? Laughing

But indeed, it appears to be a great zoom! Too bad it's overly large so not very practical for me as a wimp Laughing


Ah yeah, the bird feeder in #3 was at an angle, so I rotated the image which made it look even weirder! Laughing

P.s. I agree, it's a long old lens!


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I bought this lens a couple of years ago in as new condition c/w its case. In the lid of the case was a little compartment containing its close-up lens which when attached reduces the minimum focus to 1.9m.
I agree with everything you say about the lens and I was pleasantly surprised too although it would have been nice if this SMC Takumar had light meter coupling!
Here's mine with a couple of my other Asahi Pentax cameras and lenses.



PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow, £20 seems a GREAT price to me; mine cost US$64 in August 2007!

I wish it had a tripod mount -- the lens weighs 670g and it's 217mm long!


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Those prices are just plain sick! This zoom was more expensive than most of the lenses Asahi had at that time (apart from the Ultra-Achromatic Takumars and the superteles).


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
M42 S-M-C Takumar Price List from March 1973 USA Sales Brochure (on my list to scan later Smile)

17/4 $319.50
20/4.5 $289.50
24/3.5 $259.50
28/3.5 $199.50
35/2 $259.50
35/3.5 $144.50
50/1.4 $150.00
50/4 $189.50
55/1.8 $110.00
85-210/4.5 $519.50
85/1.8 $259.50
100/4 $184.50
105/2.8 $184.50
120/2.8 $194.50
135/3.5 $179.50
135/2.5 V1 $219.50
150/4 $199.50
200/4 $239.50
300/4 $429.50
400/5.6 $449.50
500/4.5 $659.50
1000/8 $1495.50

85/4.5 $1400
300/5.6 $1600

SPII body only $239.50
ES body only $464.50
6x7 body only $499.50
75/4.5 $310
105/2.4 $379.50


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Woah look at that price!! Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked

Many thanks for posting that up! Wasn't there a shorter zoom released as well?


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
Woah look at that price!! Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked

Many thanks for posting that up! Wasn't there a shorter zoom released as well?


Yes, a SMC Takumar 45-125mm f4. Its optical qualities are supposed to be excellent as well! I've never seen one although it is on my wish list. Smile


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great stuff for a zoom lens, great price as well Smile. Congrats


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
DigiChromeEd wrote:
ManualFocus-G wrote:
Woah look at that price!! Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked

Many thanks for posting that up! Wasn't there a shorter zoom released as well?


Yes, a SMC Takumar 45-125mm f4. Its optical qualities are supposed to be excellent as well! I've never seen one although it is on my wish list. Smile


The 45-125 was first sold two years later, in 1975. Both zooms are excellent. I think the 45-125 IQ may be better than the Canon 28-135 IS!



PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Really interesting, thanks! I understand there was also a 75-150/4.5?


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
Really interesting, thanks! I understand there was also a 75-150/4.5?


There was a Super Takumar 70-150 f4.5 manufactured between 1964 and 1971, and there was also a SMC Takumar 135-600mm f6.7 which was current from 1972-75.



Last edited by DigiChromeEd on Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:35 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
DigiChromeEd wrote:
ManualFocus-G wrote:
Really interesting, thanks! I understand there was also a 75-150/4.5?


There was a Super Takumar 70-150 f4.5 manufactured between 1964 and 1971, and there was also a SMC Takumar 135-600mm f6.7 which was current from 1972-75.


135-600mm? Now THAT would be one to find for £20.00 Laughing


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
DigiChromeEd wrote:
ManualFocus-G wrote:
Really interesting, thanks! I understand there was also a 75-150/4.5?


There was a Super Takumar 70-150 f4.5 manufactured between 1964 and 1971, and there was also a SMC Takumar 135-600mm f6.7 which was current from 1972-75.


135-600mm? Now THAT would be one to find for £20.00 Laughing

Mate, for TWENTY POUNDS, you kicked a screaming goal with that lens. I have one, & I paid a lot more than that! Did you also get the case, and the "close up" "attachment lens" that is stored in the lid of the case?
Cheers, Pickles.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
pickles wrote:
135-600mm? Now THAT would be one to find for £20.00 Laughing

Mate, for TWENTY POUNDS, you kicked a screaming goal with that lens. I have one, & I paid a lot more than that! Did you also get the case, and the "close up" "attachment lens" that is stored in the lid of the case?
Cheers, Pickles.[/quote]

I got the case, but no attachment lens Sad I didn't even realise that there was a pocket in the case until I checked though Laughing There is an original close up adapter on ebay for £25.00, but that's more than the lens cost, so I think I'll pass this time Laughing


PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
More samples here: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic,p,1288432.html


PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:36 pm    Post subject: There is a rare faster version too. Reply with quote
I own this lens and I agree its excellent, but beware of the faster F3.5 version. Its rare and expensive but its a dog, soft in the corners, no where near as good as the F4.5 version you have. I also have the 45-125 and the 135-600 and both of those are excellent lenses too.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
postscript - the smc pentax 85-210/3.5 was a K mount lens, not a M42 lens.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:49 pm    Post subject: Re: There is a rare faster version too. Reply with quote
hifisapi wrote:
I also have the 45-125 and the 135-600 and both of those are excellent lenses too.


This is good info, thank you Smile


PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:37 pm    Post subject: Re: There is a rare faster version too. Reply with quote
hifisapi wrote:
I own this lens and I agree its excellent, but beware of the faster F3.5 version. Its rare and expensive but its a dog, soft in the corners, no where near as good as the F4.5 version you have. I also have the 45-125 and the 135-600 and both of those are excellent lenses too.

I've been looking for the 45-125, but it'd have to be mint with case & all accessories etc. I've seen a few on Ebay, but for one reason or another they were not good enough.
Cheers, Pickles.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:37 pm    Post subject: Re: There is a rare faster version too. Reply with quote
hifisapi wrote:
I own this lens and I agree its excellent, but beware of the faster F3.5 version. Its rare and expensive but its a dog, soft in the corners, no where near as good as the F4.5 version you have. I also have the 45-125 and the 135-600 and both of those are excellent lenses too.

I've been looking for the 45-125, but it'd have to be mint with case & all accessories etc. I've seen a few on Ebay, but for one reason or another they were not good enough.
Cheers, Pickles.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:28 pm    Post subject: Re: There is a rare faster version too. Reply with quote
pickles wrote:
hifisapi wrote:
I own this lens and I agree its excellent, but beware of the faster F3.5 version. Its rare and expensive but its a dog, soft in the corners, no where near as good as the F4.5 version you have. I also have the 45-125 and the 135-600 and both of those are excellent lenses too.

I've been looking for the 45-125, but it'd have to be mint with case & all accessories etc. I've seen a few on Ebay, but for one reason or another they were not good enough.
Cheers, Pickles.


Bought the 45-125 mm M42 version today. Condition 7/10. Sunhood with small dent but fixable. Front and end cap included. Paid Euro 79,00. Probably too much but I could not resist not buying this lens. Again at the local photography store. They have a lot of Pentax gear since last month. For instance Pentax LX body with motordrive well used. They ask Euro 330,00. Too expensive for me as casual photographer.
Regards, Cliff


PostPosted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:03 am    Post subject: Re: There is a rare faster version too. Reply with quote
hifisapi wrote:
I own this lens and I agree its excellent, but beware of the faster F3.5 version. Its rare and expensive but its a dog, soft in the corners, no where near as good as the F4.5 version you have. I also have the 45-125 and the 135-600 and both of those are excellent lenses too.


I'm curious where you get this from (that it is a dog). You have lots of Pentax lenses, so I'm not doubting you - but the few sample images i have seen are excellent. The 3.5 is also only available in a K mount.
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