Best M42 lenses(?)

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

These sorts of discussions are interesting and provocative Razz

but folks, don't get your knickers in knots because someone doesn't rate your favorite in the same order as you might. The truth is, there is no ONE best lens or brand of lenses , there are flavors of excellence and styles. And past a certain point even these differences don't mean a whole lot in the overall photographic process.

I like this from Rino:

DSG · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 544 Location: London, UK.

no-X · Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:51 am Post subject:

There are 4 versions of Asahi 50/1.4:

Super Takumar - 8 elemens, 6 blades, no thorium (one more element instead), kills 5D and SD14 (the additional element protrudes too much). I have never seen this lens, it is probably quite rare.

Super Takumar - 7 elements, 6 blades, thoriated glass. This later version use experimental MC (3-4 layers, you can find slightly differently colored samples)

S-M-C - 7 elements, 8 blades, thoriated glass, MC (7 layers)

SMC - 7 elements, 8 blades, thoriated glass, MC (7 layers), cheaper rubber focusing ring, some sources said, that SMC was aimed for price and checkout inspection wasn't as precise, as for S-M-C

All versions should be identical optically.

As for thoriated back element - majority of Tomioka lenses use it too, but Tomioka switched to different otical glue earlier than Asahi, so their lenses don't become yellow, so nobody cares about their radioactivity, because allmost nobody knows about it Very Happy

Did anybody tested CZJ 55/1.4 for radioactivity? I'd be no surprised if this lens use thorium, too.

zewrak · Joined: 12 Apr 2008 Posts: 1212

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

I like this list, although it is hard to say what "the best" really means.

My "best" lenses are those that I like the best. It might easily be that others don't agree or have different preferences.
Just have a look at all the 28mm lenses I have shot with:

* Vivitar MC Close Focus Wide Angle 2.0/28 (Komine)
* Olympus Zuiko Auto-W 3.5/28
* Kiron 2.0/28 MC
* Vivitar Auto Wide-Angle 2.5/28 (Kiron)
* Vivitar Auto Wide-Angle 2.8/28 (Komine) - gave it to my dad
* Pentax-M SMC 2.8/28
* Yashica ML 2.8/28 - sold
* Petri 2.8/28 MC Macro
* Super Albinar 2.8/28 SC
* Raynox Auto 2.8/28 - sold
* Canon EF 2.8/28 (AF!) - sold

There are some quite good lenses in this list, but the one I like the most at the moment is my Vivitar MC 2.0/28 (Komine).
I think hardly anybody would have guessed that. I believe most users would consider the Yashica, the Pentax or the Zuiko to be my No.1.
(OK, the Zuiko and the M-Pentax are great! The Yashica I have sold because it has some value.)

Anyway, this list in the first post really can help new users to decide!
That's great.

no-X · Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:12 pm Post subject:

Thanks for sharing. Is there any difference in sharpness and CA between the 28/2.8 and 28/2 Komine Vivitars?

If you should choose about 3 of these lenses, which would it be? (I'll post them into the main list).

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

no-X · Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:01 pm Post subject:

Fine. I had Kiron 28/2.5 too, but Komine 28/2.8 was much better, so I sold it. Maybe my copy wasn't as good as yours.

Here are some supermarket samples (as I found out, poilu really loves them)

CA + sharpness, bottom right corner at f/8:

Tokina is the sharpest, Komine has lowest CA.

at f/2.8 (upper left corner):

Again, Tokina is the sharpest (!), Komine has lowest CA

I'd like to found a lens, which would be as sharp, as Tokina, but produce lower CA - unfortunately, this level is really disturbing even on downscaled images Sad

pressureworld · Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Posts: 64 Location: Atlanta, GA

I have a vivitar TX 135/2.5 that is razor sharp with some of the creamest bokeh I have ever seen

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

[quote="pressureworld"]I have a vivitar TX 135/2.5 that is razor sharp with some of the creamest bokeh I have ever seen[/quote]

RAzor sharp and creamest bokeh, are compatibles?

Rino.

poilu · Expire: 2019-08-29

no-X · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:44 pm Post subject:

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

[quote="poilu"][quote="Rino"]RAzor sharp and creamest bokeh, are compatibles?[/quote]
Zeiss Cool

[/quote]

Hi, Poilu!

Yes, all know the quality of leica and zeiss lenses, of course. But I think that the great acutance of this lenses be expand over the bokeh too, making it something hard (and beautifull too).

More creamest bokeh I find in some russians lenses and, for example, in Helios 44-2 and in german Pentacon 135/2,8.

Rino.

DSG · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 544 Location: London, UK.

no-X · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:26 am Post subject:

This is first or second version. The sn seems to be very low, all of 50/1.4 taks I had in my hands, was marked by higher sn.

e.g.

2193807 - Super Takumar (2nd)
3783496 - Super Takumar (2nd)
4109041 - Super Takumar (2nd)
4338677 - Super Takumar (2nd)
4628847 - S-M-C (3rd) - I use this one
4786368 - S-M-C (3rd)
5657191 - S-M-C (3rd)
7334420 - SMC (4th)

zewrak · Joined: 12 Apr 2008 Posts: 1212

The serial numbers are unreliable on Takumars. You need the model number on the M/A switch, to be sure. The serials were pretty much pulled out of a hat.

Anyways. I have the S-M-C version and maybe for some odd reason it performs better then the Super-Takumar. I don't know why that would be, since in my experience so far, it's the other way around. But in my opinion the 1.4 is quite sharp wide open and I can't really see this "coma".

Although, considering you do have a small number, it is possible that you have the first version which has a bit of a different construction.