SMC Takumar 50mm f/1/4 on m4/3

[gmoe]

Hi all,

I've been picking up a few m42 lenses to try out on my GH1.

Recently, I purchased the SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4. At wide open it was super soft almost dreamy looking. I almost thought there was a problem with the lens until I stopped down.

Is that typical of this lens?

Just curious if there are other folks who have shot with this lens on m4/3.

I have the 35mm f/2 and wide open it's very sharp and does not display the softness that the 50mm f/1.4 does wide open.

Also, any other Taks that people would recommend?

Thanks!

 

[m3photo]

At wide open it was super soft almost dreamy looking. I almost thought there was a problem with the lens until I stopped down.

I obviously haven't seen this particular lens but it seems it may have fungus in the elements. Hold it up to the light and check. If so, not to worry, you've got two effects for the price of one; depending on how you use it. If not, I'm wrong and there's some other cause.

 

[Winkel]

I have an SMC version of the 1.4/50 Super Tak and it too is fairly soft with some ghosting at f1.4 but this diminishes quickly once stopped down to f2.8... even f2 is quite good.

In my experience, this is typical for most older lenses.

Enjoy it - it's a great lens.

Jim

 

[pellicle]

Reputations are often made on how things were in the past. But along the way (particularly from the 60's through to the 80's) there were quite some developments both in lenses and ability to get images from the lens. Even in examining slides things like film stock was important in deciding if you liked or did not like a lens.

Now with digital cameras we can examine and interpret our lenses results quite critically, so the lens of the past which may have been "famous" on the Spotmatic may prove to be less than stellar in more modern company and examined with modern systems.

However having said that, almost every "fast" 50mm I've ever seen examined looked soft wide open ... comes with the turf I believe

 

[gmoe]

I have an SMC version of the 1.4/50 Super Tak and it too is fairly soft with some ghosting at f1.4 but this diminishes quickly once stopped down to f2.8... even f2 is quite good.

Thanks Winkel! I wanted to double check because mine seemed just as you described but more so. I wasn't expecting this lens to be soft and dreamy looking (probably the ghosting), it's almost as if there was a pro mist filter placed on the lens.

...it may have fungus in the elements. Hold it up to the light and check. If so, not to worry, you've got two effects for the price of one;

When I look at the lens and check it out in the light, I see no fungus. It's a clean lens. There is slight browning from the radioactive elements though. I may throw it up on my skylight for a few weeks to reduce the browning. Maybe this will help.. But I agree if not, then I have a special "misty" lens to use at a wedding shoot.

Thanks all for the help!

 

[Ron Evers]

I have a Tak 55/1.8 that is pretty good wide open.

Crop from above pic

 

[cap'n bill]

On my old Olympus E510 the f1.4 Takamur was spoiled by internal mirrorbox reflections. I found several other people had the same problem and the consensus of opinion was that partly masking the exit pupil to about 17mm dia made a significant improvement.

May be worth trying.

 

[gmoe]

On my old Olympus E510 the f1.4 Takamur was spoiled by internal mirrorbox reflections. I found several other people had the same problem and the consensus of opinion was that partly masking the exit pupil to about 17mm dia made a significant improvement.

I wonder if this holds true for m4/3 since there is no mirrorbox. I guess it doesn't hurt to try...

Hey Ron, 55mm f/1.8 IS pretty good wide open. Thanks for posting the sample pic.

 

[cap'n bill]

Well no, you are right - I thought after I posted that perhaps I should have used a different term. Camera body cavity perhaps, principle is the same, too much light bouncing around from an oversized rear element designed for a film sized image circle.

I'll try and dig into the archives to see if I can find some examples of the problems I had but I'm pretty ruthless with non keepers so don't hold out much help.