Pentax Super-Takumar 55 mm F/1.8 Lens

So you think the Canon 50mm F/1.8 II EF lens for your DSLR is a bargain? Well, this hunk of glass is not only a fraction of the $100 Canon lens, it also one ups it in a few other ways.

Usually only costing tens of dollars ($30 or so including shipping! maybe cheaper if you get a body with it), this is a lens that doesn't smell plastic all over. From back in the day when quality matters, this Takumar is supremely well made. Everything but the rubber grip is metal and the focus ring turns with just the right amount of resistance. Of course, being only manual focus, it matters they get the focusing ring right... but everything else on top of that hints quality (and being MF, it's also smaller if that matters to you). It's well built and will last you another 40 years.

More importantly though, this thing is sharp. It's sharp wide open and all over. And if you step it down just a bit, it gets sharper everywhere still. The contrast that comes out of the glass is also very good. No complaints about the image quality at all.

But of course it's not perfect. Or else everybody would want one and the prices will surely go up... and then no one would want one. The biggest issue of course is the manual focusing for the modern day auto focusing crowd. If you don't mind the MF, get one of those cheap AF confirm M42-to-EF adapters and you're good to go for all M42 lenses in the future. I personally buy M42 (and others like Contax/Yashica, Nikon, Pentax K) lenses for things I don't need MF. These include studio portraits (everything is under control) and maco work (MF is required here). Be careful if you have a full frame camera though. The 5D/1Ds mirrors can sometimes hit the rear element of fast lenses since they are large and closer to the sensor plane (the only one I know of is the Tak 50mm F/1.4, for which you can get the Chinon/Ricoh/Sears counterpart instead).

You also need a hood if you got some earlier versions where there is no or little coatings (the Super Multi Coated, SMC, whatever else thing). Flare will degrade your overall (not really micro) contrast that can be mostly fixed in PP.

It might not seem like it's worth it to jump to the manual focusing bandwagon when you need to learn another line up (or line ups considering the various brands) of lenses, the good ones, the gems, and the rare ones that you should avoid (very rare). But I find these senior lenses to each have their own personalities. They render the pictures differently than today's have-to-be-sharp run of the mill lenses. I always notice the 3D like images I get from my Takumar 105mm F/2.8 (very under rated lens if you want a good portrait)... something to do with contrast and tones for specific colors and such.

Besides, this is the most economical way to get that F/1.4 and F/1.2 fast and sharp glass without having to sell your kids... which is illegal, by the way.

So if you're looking for something different or you have already owned all the lenses in your camp or your wallet is a bit lighter than you would like, try these blasts from the past. No one I know has ever regretted.

One final piece of info: all Takumars lenses (i.e. Pentax M42 glass) are good. No joke.

Es un buen objetivo manual antiguo.
Buena nitidez, una focal adecuada y con velocidad suficiente para mí.