S-M-C Tak 50/1.4.....Sell or Keep ??????

[rpo83]

I'm after some advice on whether to keep my 50/1.4.

I am having focus issues on my Sigma, i think the registration distance may be wrong for the SD14.

As i am totally blown away with the sharpness of the Vario 35-70 f4 ROM and the Elmarit 60 I am questioning the need for a 50 and so i am thinking of selling it

I know the idea is only to buy, and i have definately caught LBA disease, (i have bought 14 lenses in the last 3 months) but maybe it is time to let one of them go.....

Do you think i'm making a mistake selling this lens? If i decide to want another, will it be easy to replace?

What are they worth, it has the caps as shown but no case.

It is immaculate, check out the pics.

I've got to stop taking pics of my lenses, i hadn't noticed the yellowing until now!!!

[tobbsman]

I have the P-K version of this lens and I would never ever sell it. It's one of my favourites under my collection. It's capable to render razorsharp images and special creamy bokeh!

Cheers
Tobias

[mo]

They seem to be selling well on OZeBay $100+,but there is a glut at the moment...everyone is putting them up for auction.Not necessary the 50/1.4.but a lot of pentax small lenses. Is it the top of the market...hmmmm

[CarbonR]

I suggest not to sell, not to keep, but simply give it to me

[Spotmatic]

Don't do it. I have sold many lenses, but I still regret selling the lenses of which I didn't have another copy. Save yourself the hassle and keep it... There will be one moment in the future that you wish that you had a lens with a much shorter DOF.

Remember: there's more to a picture than just sharpness. Your other lenses may be sharper (although I find the Tak really sharp), but being sharp is not the #1 reason for the existence of the 50mm f/1.4 S-M-C Takumar. Believe me: you will learn to appreciate the merits of the Takumar.

[hinnerker]

Dont know on which Cam you do use the SMC Takumar..

If you use it on a crop, keep it in your pocket. If you use or plan to upgrade to a FF Body, sell this nice lens.

I like some of the Pentax Lenses, mostly the 2.8/105 and the 1.9/85mm i did own and used for Portraits on my EOS 5D.
The wider ones from Pentax arent my favorites.. I did sell all of them.
But if you like to play around with the "swirly" bokeh, keep the Pentax.

Greetz
Hinnerker

[Spotmatic]

[hinnerker]

[hinnerker]

But if you want to play around with these bokeh-effects, the Elmarit 60 and the Summilux can do it in the same way for you..

The Summilux:



Your Makro Elmarit:



So there is not really need to keep this Takumar under this aspects..

Greetz
Hinnerker

[kuuan]

[hinnerker]

You are right with the bokeh in your images, but non of your shots are taken at f1.4 on a 5D Fullframe with highlights around. All your samples are taken in shadow situations and in addition on a crop cam.

Try a 1.4 shot in nearfield (not close up) with some reflecting surfaces like leaves or so what in the oof area/background..
So than you can see the behavior of the lens in this bokeh situation.

But maybe iam wrong and the behavior of the Super Takumar and the SMC Takumar are different. In only know the Super Tak, i did own only for a very short time.

Greetz
Hinnerker

[hasan]

Hello Steve,
your copy seems to be in a very good shape. There are ways to get rid of the yellowing. Look here: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/458769-post5.html

Me personally, I wouldn't sell it.
I can't often enough link to this: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/sm-02-11-24.shtml

[kuuan]

[Spotmatic]

Hey, that girl has six fingers!

[kuuan]

[djmike]

Keep it. This is one of my two faves 50mm in M42.

[rpo83]

Well, this seems a hot topic. Thanks for all the input guys.

Would anyone have an idea why the focus is way off, what i see in the viewfinder has no bearing on the image, and if i set the lens up using hyperfocal guidelines, it is also way out

It has a light shield, that potentially can damage the IR filter on the Sigma SD14, i dont want to modify the lens by cutting this light sheild, so i am assuming the issue is that i cant get the rear element where it should be to work with my camera... does this make sense?

At this point in time i want to keep exploring the foveon sensor, but i would love a full frame DSLR down the track...

I understand the yellowing is not cause for concern, it just needs some UV exposure. I have looked at past sales on eBay and the prices vary wildly What does the brains trust believe it is worth??

[mflex-on]

I have to get one!

[estudleon]

Not sell the very good lenses. And the S-M-C is a very good ones.

I never beleave the high optical quality of it till I try the lens. WOW. Very sharp. Not very contrast but enough (Pancolar MC 1,8/50 has more contrast)

But the IQ is great to me. It's in the Leica M level (it reminds me the summilux 1,4/50 1966 version that I had time ago). No cast, not warm, neutral tones. Has the resolution power and contrast that I like.

[Minolfan]

Sell it if you don't use it. Mflex-on needs one!
But I keep mine, for sure. In use the yellowing disappears, and a bit yellow on digital is easy enough to correct.

[egidio]

great lens, its a keeper. If its yellow just put it on a sunlight for couple of days or(and) under UV lamp for few nigts.

[hinnerker]

[mflex-on]

For me the sun did a good job. I tried to de-yellow my Pancolar. It took not only days but weeks in the sun. "Yellow" moved to "yellowish tone". It’s ok now.

[Nesster]

Perhaps the Takumars de-yellow faster than the Pancolars. I know from direct experience sunlight works with the Takumars.

I wouldn't sell this fine lens unless either I needed the money or had no space where to keep it, and hadn't used it for years. But the wonderful thing about our hobby is that different people will see different things and value different things... and with any older equipment any manufacturing tolerances have been magnified by the life experience of a given lens. Some have gone to war and experienced pestilence, while others have grown temperamental and frustrated having led a coddled but lonely life.

[rpo83]

I am going to try and find the time this weekend to figure out what is happening with the focus. I have a feeling that the problem may have been one of my adapters.

I don't need to sell it, i have space, but i suppose i was trying to get you guys to justify me selling the lens, bad choice on my behalf, it seems we all suffer from chronic LBA

I should have known better......