Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

strangeboy · 06-10-2013, 02:46 PM

So, I've recently acquired this vintage lens, the Takumar Bayonet f2.8 28mm. It turns out that a friend of mine had a few Pentax lenses from her ME Super days. I've read the review and other posts regarding this lens here in the forum, and it just doesn't seem to get the love it deserves!

I constantly read statements like "The corners are not as sharp as the center until stopped down...", to which I would respond "Duh!".
Even the truly great Pentax-DA 21mm Limited suffers from that complaint on occasion.

I truly enjoy shooting with this lens, which is currently mounted to my K-30. The metal construction, smooth focus ring and certain notched feel of the aperture ring are a joy. The minimum focus distance and the relatively short trip to infinity fit my style of shooting just fine.

Anyway, blah, blah, blah...
Here are some photos.

The sun just above this old shack was brutal, though I find this particular lens flare terribly attractive.

**dunerunner** · 06-10-2013, 03:02 PM

Like many things in life, if you like it, thats all that matters

. I really like your photos, looks like you have a winner.

**jatrax** · 06-10-2013, 03:02 PM

Your last image illustrates why the Takumar Bayonet lenses don't get the love. The coatings are not as good and they tend to flare and wash out in many conditions. But as you illustrated handled properly they can deliver very good images.

elliott · 06-10-2013, 04:59 PM

Isn't this the same optical design as the M, A and F series, just without the SMC coating? I'd expect it to be as good as them outside of the flare. The rest of the Takumar Bayonets were either mediocre zooms and the 135mm f2.5 that was a 4 element design and nowhere near as nice as the 6 element M42 Takumar or K series 135mm f2.5.

strangeboy · 06-10-2013, 07:12 PM

Yep... according to the review:
"This lens has no super multi coating of the lens elements but is otherwise optically identical to the second version of the smc PENTAX-M 28mm f/2.8 lens."

strangeboy · 06-10-2013, 09:33 PM

So... as LBA begins to take hold, I've just bought the SMC Pentax-M 28/2.8 (version 1/silver ring), and then a curious little find - a Ricoh XR Rikenon 28/2.8.

bdery · 06-11-2013, 05:24 AM

I really liked that lens during the time I owned it. Not as contrasty as the DA21 or FA28 but still better than its reputation. My main gripe is that it's full manual and the wife won't use those lenses.

p38arover · 06-11-2013, 05:45 AM

I've given mine to my daughter to use on her K100d since I now have a Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM.

I thought the 28mm was good value at $30.

Your pics prove me right!

strangeboy · 06-11-2013, 08:33 AM

Originally posted by bdery

I really liked that lens during the time I owned it. Not as contrasty as the DA21 or FA28 but still better than its reputation. My main gripe is that it's full manual and the wife won't use those lenses.

Yes... better than its reputation. I guess the whole review/ratings thing should be taken with a grain of salt. When a review of one lens contains ratings ranging from 6 to 9, which I think is significant, you just gotta try it for yourself. If my friend didn't already have that lens available, I would never have considered it - based on the reviews. So I've got two more 28/2.8s on the way and plan to spend next week wandering the streets of Chicago (and my own backyard) shooting with:

Takumar Bayonet 28mm/f2.8
SMC Pentax-M " "
Ricoh XR Rikenon " " (this lens has received killer reviews here)

Cheers!

glasbak · 06-11-2013, 01:45 PM

Originally posted by strangeboy

Yes... better than its reputation. I guess the whole review/ratings thing should be taken with a grain of salt.

Apart from the quality of the lens reviews, they often do not mention if the review is done for APS-C or for film.
A lot of M generation lenses suffer from mediocre corner performance on film, but that falls outside the APS-C scope.
So yes, the takumar/takumar-a/pentax-M(V2)/pentax-A/pentax-F 1:2.8 28mm has 'problems' on film, but performs quite OK on APS-C

strangeboy · 06-11-2013, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by glasbak

Apart from the quality of the lens reviews, they often do not mention if the review is done for APS-C or for film.

Ah... never considered that the crop may improve the performance rating by inadvertently removing the blurry parts.

Giorgio One · 04-13-2016, 11:19 PM

The lens is excellent and it is not radioactive. But... Maybe you should try to find lenses that repel flare and attract perfection. Magic coatings do that!...

**pepperberry farm** · 04-14-2016, 05:41 AM

Originally posted by Giorgio One

The lens is excellent and it is not radioactive. But... Maybe you should try to find lenses that repel flare and attract perfection. Magic coatings do that!...

bah - let him run with the single/non-coated lenses and discover their magic...

**jatrax** · 04-14-2016, 07:53 AM

<<<<<<<<<<<<Zombie thread alert>>>>>>>>>>>

From 2013.........

**pepperberry farm** · 04-14-2016, 07:55 AM

isn't that awesome!?!?!?!

06-10-2013, 02:46 PM	#1
strangeboy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 126	Takumar Bayonet 28mm So, I've recently acquired this vintage lens, the Takumar Bayonet f2.8 28mm. It turns out that a friend of mine had a few Pentax lenses from her ME Super days. I've read the review and other posts regarding this lens here in the forum, and it just doesn't seem to get the love it deserves! I constantly read statements like "The corners are not as sharp as the center until stopped down...", to which I would respond "Duh!". Even the truly great Pentax-DA 21mm Limited suffers from that complaint on occasion. I truly enjoy shooting with this lens, which is currently mounted to my K-30. The metal construction, smooth focus ring and certain notched feel of the aperture ring are a joy. The minimum focus distance and the relatively short trip to infinity fit my style of shooting just fine. Anyway, blah, blah, blah... Here are some photos. The sun just above this old shack was brutal, though I find this particular lens flare terribly attractive.

06-10-2013, 03:02 PM	#2
dunerunner Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: The Black Hills Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,109	Like many things in life, if you like it, thats all that matters. I really like your photos, looks like you have a winner.

06-11-2013, 08:33 AM	#9
strangeboy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 126 Original Poster	Originally posted by bdery I really liked that lens during the time I owned it. Not as contrasty as the DA21 or FA28 but still better than its reputation. My main gripe is that it's full manual and the wife won't use those lenses. Yes... better than its reputation. I guess the whole review/ratings thing should be taken with a grain of salt. When a review of one lens contains ratings ranging from 6 to 9, which I think is significant, you just gotta try it for yourself. If my friend didn't already have that lens available, I would never have considered it - based on the reviews. So I've got two more 28/2.8s on the way and plan to spend next week wandering the streets of Chicago (and my own backyard) shooting with: Takumar Bayonet 28mm/f2.8 SMC Pentax-M " " Ricoh XR Rikenon " " (this lens has received killer reviews here) Cheers!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Faulty Pentax Takumar Bayonet 28mm f2.8?	NiftyFifty	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	6	07-21-2010 08:26 PM
Differences- 28MM TAKUMAR-BAYONET +SMC M 28MM	albrechtnamatdurer	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	12	11-20-2009 03:13 PM
Takumar 28mm F2.8 Bayonet	furby	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	3	08-12-2009 05:12 AM
Takumar Bayonet 28mm f2.8 reverse mount	wilkin	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	7	01-26-2009 02:17 AM

06-10-2013, 03:02 PM	#3
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Your last image illustrates why the Takumar Bayonet lenses don't get the love. The coatings are not as good and they tend to flare and wash out in many conditions. But as you illustrated handled properly they can deliver very good images.

06-10-2013, 04:59 PM	#4
elliott Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North Carolina Photos: Albums Posts: 1,720	Isn't this the same optical design as the M, A and F series, just without the SMC coating? I'd expect it to be as good as them outside of the flare. The rest of the Takumar Bayonets were either mediocre zooms and the 135mm f2.5 that was a 4 element design and nowhere near as nice as the 6 element M42 Takumar or K series 135mm f2.5.

06-10-2013, 07:12 PM	#5
strangeboy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 126 Original Poster	Yep... according to the review: "This lens has no super multi coating of the lens elements but is otherwise optically identical to the second version of the smc PENTAX-M 28mm f/2.8 lens."

06-10-2013, 09:33 PM	#6
strangeboy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 126 Original Poster	So... as LBA begins to take hold, I've just bought the SMC Pentax-M 28/2.8 (version 1/silver ring), and then a curious little find - a Ricoh XR Rikenon 28/2.8.

06-11-2013, 05:24 AM	#7
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,363	I really liked that lens during the time I owned it. Not as contrasty as the DA21 or FA28 but still better than its reputation. My main gripe is that it's full manual and the wife won't use those lenses.

06-11-2013, 05:45 AM	#8
p38arover Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Western Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,084	I've given mine to my daughter to use on her K100d since I now have a Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM. I thought the 28mm was good value at $30. Your pics prove me right!

06-11-2013, 01:45 PM	#10
glasbak Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Netherlands Posts: 369	Originally posted by strangeboy Yes... better than its reputation. I guess the whole review/ratings thing should be taken with a grain of salt. Apart from the quality of the lens reviews, they often do not mention if the review is done for APS-C or for film. A lot of M generation lenses suffer from mediocre corner performance on film, but that falls outside the APS-C scope. So yes, the takumar/takumar-a/pentax-M(V2)/pentax-A/pentax-F 1:2.8 28mm has 'problems' on film, but performs quite OK on APS-C

06-11-2013, 02:40 PM	#11
strangeboy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 126 Original Poster	Originally posted by glasbak Apart from the quality of the lens reviews, they often do not mention if the review is done for APS-C or for film. Ah... never considered that the crop may improve the performance rating by inadvertently removing the blurry parts.

04-13-2016, 11:19 PM	#12
Giorgio One New Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 6	The lens is excellent and it is not radioactive. But... Maybe you should try to find lenses that repel flare and attract perfection. Magic coatings do that!...

04-14-2016, 05:41 AM	#13
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,781	Originally posted by Giorgio One The lens is excellent and it is not radioactive. But... Maybe you should try to find lenses that repel flare and attract perfection. Magic coatings do that!... bah - let him run with the single/non-coated lenses and discover their magic...

04-14-2016, 07:53 AM	#14
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	<<<<<<<<<<<<Zombie thread alert>>>>>>>>>>> From 2013.........

04-14-2016, 07:55 AM	#15
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,781	isn't that awesome!?!?!?!

Takumar Bayonet 28mm

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!