Asahi Pentax 50mm F/4 1:1 Macro-Takumar - A Rared Patina'd Bird..

[THIRTYFIVEMILL]

I'm well known for loving mint kit, particularly lenses and camera bodies but there are exceptions and these are two of them. An old Asahi Pentax Spotmatic and a rare, early 1:1 Asahi Pentax 50mm F/4 1:1 Macro-Takumar that I now have the pleasure of owning and using. I've spent a fair bit of time cleaning and getting this lens into top working shape but I have to say the patina on this lens is a joy to behold. It tells a story of a well used instrument and I've sat here for a while now wondering who once used these and what have they photographed over the decades.

 

[woof woof]

I can see your point but I do like how my Nippon Kopgaku's and Minolta Rokkor MC's have retained their youthful looks.

To me this is how a lens should look

Or maybe like this, sorry the lens cap isn't on straight.

Although I do also like these.

And if age isn't a requirement maybe these are just about the pinnacle, for me.

 

[THIRTYFIVEMILL]

Nah, I've got plenty of those! This lens has personality!!

 

[Plain Nev]

Nah, I've got plenty of those! This lens has personality!!

It does. It looks like it's been lived in.

 

[woof woof]

Nah, I've got plenty of those! This lens has personality!!

Those lenses have a lot of personality but personality or even image quality wasn't on my mind, I was concentrating on the aesthetic and handling qualities of the lenses and those I posted are the ones that I like. I do like the Takumars but I don't think they stand use like some others. I may be wrong. I do think that those Voigtlanders look and handle lovely and are very probably better built than any of the film era lenses I have, including the Takumars and Rokkors and Nippon's but the proof will be in if they still look as good and operate as smoothly in 50 years time.

 

[THIRTYFIVEMILL]

Those lenses have a lot of personality but personality or even image quality wasn't on my mind, I was concentrating on the aesthetic and handling qualities of the lenses and those I posted are the ones that I like. I do like the Takumars but I don't think they stand use like some others. I may be wrong. I do think that those Voigtlanders look and handle lovely and are very probably better built than any of the film era lenses I have, including the Takumars and Rokkors and Nippon's but the proof will be in if they still look as good and operate as smoothly in 50 years time.

Actually, this particular 1:1 Macro-Takumar is supposed to be one of the sharpest macro lenses ever made. We’ll see when I get to shoot with it but it’s held in very high regard by macro photographers. The Takis are some of my personal favourites for build quality too. You often find near mint examples that are half a century old and work perfectly.