[DanielT74]

Actually my Super-Tak 50/1.4 is very sharp. A very nice lens and a fantastic bargain for the price. Here I compared it to Leica Summilux-R 50/1.4, one of (if not the one) best 50mm lenses out there:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/119918-super-t...ilux-50mm.html

The Super-Tak, in my opinion, was no slouch and for the size and the price delivered plenty of ooomph (in my opinion).

---

Last edited by DanielT74; 04-22-2011 at 12:21 AM.

[KX-Digital]

Actually my Super-Tak 50/1.4 is very sharp. A very nice lens and a fantastic bargain for the price. Here I compared it to Leica Summilux-R 50/1.4, one of (if not the one) best 50mm lenses out there:

Super-Tak 50mm/1.4 versus Leica Summilux 50mm - PentaxForums.com

According to read reviews and tests all the Takumar and Pentax 50/1.4's are great, wonderful bokeh, good sharpness and better than nearly all other 50/1.4's because it has a group of 2 elements which on the sides they are glued together are curved while other brands have elements with flat sides glued together here.

I read your comparison with the Summilux (alas no images anymore) which is of quite a later date (introducted 1969, produced 1970) than the Super-Takumar (1964-1971 for 7 element, 1964-1966 for 8 element), especially because the one you included is the older 8-element version which thus also has an element more and thus as a result is more vulnerable to flare. Moreover, in 1971 Pentax introduced the S-M-C version. Leica updated their R-50/1.5 from 2-cam to 3-cam during its lifetime and likely had it updated to multicoating too but I can't find when. Your summilux thus may have been multicoated. Now in 1979 updated their 50/1.4 from series vii filter-size to 55mm filter-size and replacing the clip-on hood for a built-in hood. Some count his as the second version, others still as version 1 as the optics didn't change. Another nice twist is that the next version, thus either called second or third version but it is the last one, which has a 60mm filter size and also features a ROM-chip, like the 'Planar-killer' Super-Takumar has 8 elements in 7 groups.

Now the last Summilux-R being considerably better accordng to Leica fans may qualify for 'the one best' 50mm but generally this title has always gone to the Summicron 50/2.0.

[Digitalis]

Pentax K 55mm 1.8 (is it better optically than the Super Tak 55mm 1.8?)Super Takumar 50 1.4 (am not sure which version yet)Konica Hexanon AR 50mm 1.7 (i've read that this is a very sharp lens...)

I'd rank each lens thusly, based on open aperture performance


1] Hexanon AR 50mm f/1.7
2] Pentax K 55mm f/1.8
3] Super-Takumar 50mm f/1.4 - assumign this is the 7 element variant. [optically the 8 element variant is superior]

Now the last Summilux-R being considerably better accordng to Leica fans may qualify for 'the one best' 50mm but generally this title has always gone to the Summicron 50/2.0.

This title has been taken by the Leica APO-Summicron 50mm f/2 ASPH . This lens carries a hefty price tag even when compared to the faster Summilux. The optical qualities of a fully apochromatic lens design cannot be denied, the apochromatic 50mm makes for an excellent pairing with the Leica APO-Summicron 90mm f/2 ASPH.