1960: Auto-Takumar 1:1.8/55 (second model) - 3rd photo above - despite the name Auto-Takumar this lens has a fully automatic diaphragm like the later Super-Takumar lenses. The aperture ring turns the opposite way compared to all later lenses!
Weight
Diam x Length
Filter Size
Min. Focus
Max. Magnification
215 g
49 mm
45 cm
0.17x (calculated)
Diagonal FOV (APS-C)
Horizontal FOV (APS-C)
Min. Aperture
Max. Aperture
29 degrees
25 degrees
f/16
f/1.8
Diagonal FOV (24x36)
Horizontal FOV (24x36)
Diaphragm
Optical Construction
43 degrees
36 degrees
Automatic
6 elements in 5 groups
1962: Super-Takumar 1:1.8/55 (first version) - fine knurls on aperture ring
1965: Super-Takumar 1:1.8/55 (second version) - coarse knurls on aperture ring
The following years saw one or two additional Super-Takumar variants with only minor changes
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): $35.00
| Rating: 9
Pros:
Compact, well engineered, and excellent sharpness
Cons:
Tighter FOV than M50, perhaps slightly inferior bokeh
I own an SMC version of this lens.
Delivers the quality of a really nice M series 50mm lens with a bit tighter field of view. It has the silky smooth feel of most Takumars, with the advantage that this particular model seems much easier to focus than most ... it delivers a bright image to my K100D view finder.
Image quality: the lens is very very sharp, with great detail across the field. Only a tad of softness wide open, but still very acceptable nonetheless. The bokeh is maybe not as nice as the M 50/1.7 but that is a very subjective splitting of hairs. Colors and contrasts are top flight, rivaling M series.
I'm hard pressed to pick my favorite between the M 50/1.7 and this SMC Takumar 55/1.8... if I could live with the slightly tighter FOV, I might have to give the nod to this oldie but goody.
With M series lenses all the rage at the auction sites, snag this lens if you get a good price ... you won't regret it.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): $30.00
| Rating: 9
Pros:
Fantastic bokeh, sharp, contrasty
Cons:
None
I have the Super Tak version of this lens.
On a DSLR, this is my favourite "people" lens.
The bokeh is exceptional, sharpness is great, contrast is good. Colours are saturated but not cartoonish. This is one of the only lenses where I have personally seen the infamous Leica-style "3D effect".
These are selling for pennies, and still work so well on digital bodies with an M42 adapter. I don't mind stop-down metering, it slows me down and makes me more mindful in my photography.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): N/A
| Rating: 9
Pros:
It's Simply Beautiful
Cons:
Being backwards
I have lived with and used a Super Takumar 'backward' version of this Lens, almost since i started taking Photos 30 odd years ago.
I Know this lens almost Intimately, along with it's f2.0 55mm sibling, (which came on my first Pentax).
There are 'subtle Differences between the two.
the 'Appearance' of the Coatings on These Super Takumars, is Wonderful and they were, (and still are), Extremely advanced, optically superb, with excellent sharpness, contrast and having worked almost exclusively in the past with films Like Kodachrome,..have exceptional Colour.
The Optical and build quality of These Takumars, is unsurpassed.
Few if any other lenses focus like these lenses do.
They are small, light and relatively fast.
All round? a superb lens, as stated a lovely bokeh, bettered only by My 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar and especially the Later series and SMC versions, as They have 8 Aperture Blades, whereas the f1.8 55mm, has 6.
As an aside, Mine has survived being submerged in Seawater and has Only last week been put in for a service, mainly due to slightly 'Lose' Focusing. It Still Takes exceptional Photos.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): N/A
| Rating: 9
Pros:
Small, Light, Good Contrast, Excellent Sharpness at 5.6, Great price
Cons:
Little soft wide open.
I have the Super-Takumar version of this lens.
This lens is really small (about the only smaller one I have found is the Tak 35mm f3.5). The build quality is excellent as are all the Takumars. Focus is very comfortable. It just feels quality.
Compared to the 50mm's (of which I have a whole collection of), I would say the 50mm f1.7's are sharper wide open, but this lens tops the bunch at around f5.6-8. The sharpness and contrast are incredible at that aperature range. Also, in contrast to most Pentax lenses, the colors on this lens seem cooler than most. (Which may or may not be desirable depending on your taste).
Another pro of this lens is that it is really cheap on ebay and offers an excellent value. Rangewise, it isn't much different than a 50mm, but if you enjoy lenses that offer a unique perspective, this lens should join your collection.
I have the Super Takumar version of this lens ... and I can definitely say that I do not use this lens enough ... after seeing so many shots from this lens ... it is a little pearler. It's one of those lenses you just can't go passed for the price.
This lens produces some really interesting bokeh when shooting wide or close to wide open ... can also be very smooth and buttery as well. Contrast and colour rendition is phenomenal as well. It really is a beautiful lens indeed.
As with all Takumars ... build quality is excellent ... nothing is loose on the lens. It is very compact as well.
It can be a little soft wide-open .... but then ... that can add to the image taken it such wide apertures anyway.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): $25.00
| Rating: 8
Pros:
sharp, great build quality, cheap
Cons:
needs manual stop down on dslr
I got this lens for next to nothing. Paid $50 for a Super Takumar 55/1.8 and a Super Takumar 28/3.5. Both in excellent condition, but the previous owners name engraved in the barrel. Split in half that means I got it for $25.
So, currently the rating for this lens here says that it's better than the FA 50/1.4, FA 50/1.7, F50/1.4, F50/1.7, A50/1.7, K55/1.8 ? Is it - really ? I don't think so. I'm almost tempted to give it lower rating just to even things up a bit, but I won't.
I'll give it 8, just like the A50/1.7. IQ seems to be not all that different, build quality is of course excellent on a takumar, but when combining the extra hassle needed to use it on a modern camera and the fact that its coating not as good as the later models.. I'll give it extra credit for being cool and being able to put it on a spotmatic though. Just enough to put it on the same level as my A50/1.7. It's a very good lens, but a 9 or a 10 it is not from my point of view.
Get it if you have a spotmatic or another cool camera with m42. If you have a more modern Pentax camera, get a later model for every day use.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): N/A
| Rating: 8
Pros:
less than $20
Cons:
I have used this lens for close-up still life photography, on a tripod, stopped down, so I won't comment on its wide open performance. I have the single coated version. I found the color with Fuji Xtra scanned on an Imacon to be vibrant, accurate, and neutral in temperature. The sharpness and resolution are superb, although I didn't test it for edge to edge performance. I am comparing it against Leica lenses, so my standards are pretty high. The bokeh can be a bit wiry. I haven't tested it for distortion. I use it on a ZX-M. I don't mind stopping down manually, since I'm used to rangefinders. I can't imagine a better deal than this. It's really well made, all metal, nice machining. These takumar lenses are the best deals around, but if you're actually reading this you probably already know that.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): $30.00
| Rating: 10
Pros:
sharp, contrasty, cheap, strong
Cons:
yellowing glass, metering
I bought three Takumar lenses in one set, the 28mm 3.5, 55mm 1.8 and the 135mm 3.5. Of those three, I fell in love with the 55mm and only sleep around with the others
The 55mm was a great lens to learn manual photography with and is always in my bag. It's sharp, smooth, contrasty, has beautiful DOF, is cheap and will go with you anywhere. I have used it for parties, concerts, portraits and candids.
I have the Super Takumar 55mm and will one day get the Super Multi Coated version as a backup. Yeah I gave it a 10, a little high you may think but with so many good points and very few bad, I owe it a 10.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): $40.00
| Rating: 10
Pros:
Color rendition, ease of focus, price, build quality
Cons:
none
My copy is a Super Takumar and it came with a Spottie I bought in a garage sale. I had to wait for a while to get my genuine M42 to K adapter but it was well worth the wait.
The colors are just simply awesome. Very shallow DOF with great bokeh.
I love the 55mm focal length of this lens also, which is just great for portraits.
Not necessarily a negative point but a fact of using any screw mount lens on a DSLR, but I ended up introducing dust onto the sensor because of the amount of time it takes (me, at least) to unscrew the lens and then take the adapter out before closing the body with another lens or body cap.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): $40.00
| Rating: 9
Pros:
sharp, contrast, bokeh, color, built quality
Cons:
need a adapter
I have a 'Super Tak' version.
No need to describe the built quality of a Takumar. I was really impressed when I got it and it is just a joy to shoot with this lens
As many people have mentioned, it produces pleasant color and bokeh. I mainly used it as a portrait lens and the slight softness wide open can be an advantage for this purpose. Stop down to 2.8 it gets very sharp.
The only negative I can think of is it needs an adapter. I just hate screwing the adapter on and off so I removed the small spring on it (which stops it from falling off) and turned the lens to a K mount so I can change the lens fast. Thanks to the smooth focusing it never fell off when I focus
In short, it is a great lens! Just get one from ebay, and BTW it is cheap
Just add a few words: I just found that this lens under-expose wide open on my K10d. The only correct stop is somewhere between 2.8 and 4. Stops down further will tend to over-expose. Eeasily fixed using exposure compensation.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): N/A
| Rating: 9
Pros:
Very sharp wide open, great build quality
Cons:
Low contrast especially in backlight
I had this Super Takumar lens on a Spotmatic since the 1970s, and recently bought a focus-confirm M42 to Sony adapter to try it on my A100 and A350. I will generally miss the focus slightly unless I pay attention to the focus confirmation. In focus, this lens outresolves my 14MP A350 pretty much across the APS-C frame at f/1.8! It isn't at MTF50, but that's just because the contrast is low... the detail is there and clean.
The bokeh stopped down unfortunately echos the hexagonal shape of the aperture. Wide open, the point spread function is a very even circular disk, with less texture inside than I'm used to seeing on modern lenses (i.e., a simple lens design flawlessly executed) and a slight darkening toward the edges. Not quite as pretty as the f/1.4 (which I bought recently), but close.
The colors are classic Takumar, rich but neutral. This richness combines with the low contrast to give digital images that need and handle a little post processing better than with most other lenses. Flare is usually not obvious, but when it is, it often destroys the contrast over most of the frame.
I fell on this particular lens 30 years ago, with my full weight absorbed by it hitting a concrete sidewalk. That seriously dented the filter thread. The truly shocking thing is that the optics obviously are still in perfect alignment and everything still works absolutely smoothly!
Overall, this is a really great normal lens with better sharpness at f/1.8 than the f/1.4 version (and no radioactive yellowing)... but less character. I now also have a Mamiya/Sekor 55mm f/1.8, and I've actually found that I like it better than the Takumar f/1.8 also... again, it has more character. In summary, I find myself rarely using this technically perfect f/1.8 Super Takumar... this is why it only gets 9/10.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): $35.00
| Rating: 10
Pros:
Quite usable wide-open, quite fast for it's age, fantastic build quality and IQ. Great color saturation and microcontrast once stopped down.
Cons:
Not as sharp at smaller apertures (f/11 and beyond) as other lenses, bokeh isn't fabulous but it's no reason to disregard the lens.
I have a Super Takumar version of this lens, and it's just as sharp wide open as my Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 is at f/2.0.
Standard rave about build quality and smoothness of focus applies as to all the Takumars, IQ is great if I do my job, and with a hood on it, it's quite resistant to flare.
My 135mm f/3.5 hood fits onto this lens and I don't get any vignetting on my Canon 40D. Big bump in overall IQ, so try to find the longest hood you can get without vignetting to get the most out of this lens (as with any!!).
My GF loves the look it gives on Tri-X in a Spotmatic, a classic combo that lets the photographer think about what they are shooting and just get on with it! No hassle, no messing around, just photography zen!
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): N/A
| Rating: 10
Pros:
Cons:
Got a Super Takumar 55mm / 1.8 to try, even though I don't really need it. Was curious after hearing all about the addictiveness of Takumar lenses, and managed to get one in quite a good condition.
First impressions and feel of the lens: its tiny! Not a pancake, but nonetheless much smaller than any other lens I have. Its smaller than the FA43 Ltd in terms of the lens diameter. When mounted on the K20D with a M42 adaptor, the electronic contacts of the camera mount can be seen. Handling and focusing is silky smooth - the focusing ring glides over the lens body effortlessly, and feels better than any of the MF lenses I've handled to date.
The image quality delivered by the lens was by no means disappointing, even with the relatively high expectations of it. Sharp, bokeh was brilliant, and the CA was quite well controlled for a non-SMC lens. (though there is some sort of coating on the lens, judging from the green and violet hue from reflections on the glass).
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): $15.00
| Rating: 9
Pros:
Very Sharp from f/1.8 on, wide focus ring, light wieght, good contrast, nice color rendering
Cons:
A/M switch too near the top of the lens,
I have the "Super Takumar" non SMC version. I am just amassed at the IQ at f/1.8. It is sharp, and only gets better as you stop it down. The non-SMC is a coated lens. but it is a slight yellow coating that has excellent color and contrast. Perfect for BW conversions. But flare can be a issue with direct front lighting that enters from a more straight angle. SMC lenses have better flare control for this type of lighting. (the kind of light that would cause back lighting on your subject).
The image snaps in focus at f/1.8 and f/2.8, and can be focused without a slit prism for those with good eyes. READ: Young!. I use the "Catch Focus" personally.
Contrast is excellent, and is well suited for low light photography. Colors are natural and the images have plenty of fine detail. I gave it a 9 only because I don't like the A/M switch near the top/left of the aperture ring, I sometimes hit it and shift the f/stop opening by accident...but, it is not a big issue, just a small announce at times. A great value for a fast portrait lens on a current DSLR.
Both at f/5.6.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): $5.00
| Rating: 10
Pros:
Smooth focusing ring. Sharp pictures, color is magnificent, CHEAP!
Cons:
photos come out slightly underexposed.
I have the SMC super takumar version.
Just picked up this oldie-but-goodie at a local camera shop. It was attached to a screw mount set of bellows (which i purchased for a low price as well). My first few shots didnt come out all that well, each picture was about 1 stop underexposed (I used the green button on my k10d). But once i compensated for that, the next few pictures were absolutely amazing. Easily better than my M 50mm 1.7 in terms of color rendition and sharpness. The bokeh in the M 50 1.7 is slightly better in my opinion but by no means bad. The focusing ring is smoother than the M and i would say it looks better in structural design.
Obviously a negative is manual focus, but i didnt take away points for that because it really wouldnt be fair to compare this with a lens made today in terms of technology. When comparing lenses of today based on optics, I doubt you find better.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): N/A
| Rating: 10
Pros:
Well made, and the best looking Tak
Cons:
lacks s-m-c but maybe not necesarily a bad thing
This review is for the 'Zebra' Auto-Tak version of the 55mm which is arguably the best looking Tak Asahi Optical ever produced. Optically it is as good as any of them especially when a hood is used. It lacks the S-M-C but that may not be a bad thing for certain uses. The 'Zebra' is my tied with the macro-Tak as my favorite tak. There are more than 1 aperture ring configuration on the 'Zebra' in that there are some with half positions.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): N/A
| Rating: 9
Pros:
half a century old and still a noteworthy contender
Cons:
bass-ackwards aperture ring
Auto-Tak 55/1.8 - Type 2
Beyond f4 I just don't see much much practical difference between the Takumar 50's except for coatings when that's a factor for flare. A hood makes a difference in contrast.
This was my first Pentax lens, coming with a used H1a in the mid '60's and while I didn't realize just how amazing this lens was until much later it was a primary reason I've stayed with Pentax ever since. I've never been able to bring myself to do a shoot-out with my S-T 50/1.4, M 50/1.7, A-T 55/1.8 and A 50/1.7 because I really don't want to have an objective ranking - each one has its niche in the bag - but this won't fall short.
I like the extra 5mm with the 55/1.8 and for some reason I can't explain I find it more natural to use and easier to focus than the 50/1.4. It's somewhat annoying when I forget the aperture ring is 'backwards' but being able to use AV mode is a plus.
I can recommend the SMC/S-M-C/Super-/Auto-/Takumar 55mm F1.8: Yes |
Price (U.S. Dollars): N/A
| Rating: 10
Pros:
Cons:
I own two of the SMC Takumar variety. Both came with my Spotmatic F bodies (one inherited, one bought off Ebay).
These are the classic "fast fifties" of the screwmount Pentax world. The SMC 50/1.4 is faster, but reputed to be not as crisp, but I cannot confirm that as I do not own the 50. The 1.8 was in the middle of the lineup, an upgrade from the 55/2 "kit" lens, and half as expensive as the 50. Later varieties as noted have the rubber focus ring (as mine do) but I actually prefer the feel of the older, metal grooves (as the rest of my Takumars have). The rubber hardens over time and becomes more slippery than the metal grooves, even with wet hands. Models labeled "Super-Multi-Coated Takumar" have all the goodness of the special lens coatings without the rubber ring, which made it's appearance when the abbreviated "SMC" moniker came into use.
These lenses perform fantastically. They are extremely sharp even from 2.8 forward. They will out-resolve most digital sensors from 4 out. Focusing mechanism is silky smooth with just the right amount of throw (not as slow to focus as the 85/1.9, but not overly quick either, like trying to focus foreground subjects with a wide angle). Bokeh is good, very busy sometimes (most Takumars do this). Also, their resistance to flare is truly incredible, even compared to modern lenses. I have had the use of a Nikon AF-S 35/1.8 (which is the APS-C equivalent of a lens like this), and filter or not, I could provoke flare at a moment's notice. I've never once gotten the 55 to flare, even with direct light in the frame. Not enough can be said about the build quality, either. They simply do not make photographic equipment like this anymore. The lens on it's own easily weighs half a pound. That's more than most point and shoot digital cameras these days. For daily use, special events, and semi-professional shoots, I've always had my 55 perform admirably.
This is a lens no Spotmatic collector/operator should be without.
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