[manntax]

Yeah, as per title - looking for your opinions what would you do. I accumulated quite a collection of lenses thanks to my serious LBA and trying to take some control over my spending on photography gear back. So I decided something has to go - but I have a hard time to decide -therefore please help me what would you do?

The battle is between :

S-M-C Takumars ( M42 )
28mm f3.5 35mm f3.5 50mm f1.4, 135mm f3.5

VS

SMC Pentax (K mount )
24mm f2.8mm 28mm f2.8 50mm f1.7 135mm f3.5 AND SMC-A 50mm f1.4 which bought recently

One thing to note is that I am also having a full set of M42 -> PK adapters so each of my M42 lenses can be equipped in one.

Now, from the above IF I was going to get rid of SMC K mount lenses I would NOT sell 24mm f2.8 - this is an awesome lens that I mostly use with my K-01 and would never sell it !

Also I would probably keep S-M-C Takumar 35mm f3.5 - despite having also Flektogon 35mm f2.4 I simple love that small light tiny prime. I sometime take it in my pocket just in case I need a prime when I am out with my mostly used zoom Tamron 28-75mm

My idea so far was to keep S-M-C Takumars 28 and 35 and 135mm and keep also 24mm SMC-K mount prime. And then I would go for Super Takumar 50mm 8 element - since this is what I really want now ( don't get me wrong SMC-A 50mm 1.4 IS a lovely lens - but I just love the build of takumars and from what I saw looks like guys who advised me on that were right to go for it from the start :P ).

So my handy setup of small primes would look : 24mm f2.8 K mount, S-M-C 28mm f3.5, S-M-C 35mm f3.5m, Super Takumar 50mm f1.4 (8 element ) and S-M-C f135mm f3.5.

That would mean the following would go : SMC-M 28mm, SMC-M 50 f1.7, SMC-M 135mm, SMC-A 50mm 1.4

Ok - please let me know what you would do and why - I am totally torn between those sweet primes and really need some reasoning to decide --manntax

[Moe49]

It looks like you may have already made up your mind:
< My idea so far was to keep S-M-C Takumars 28 and 35 and 135mm and keep also 24mm SMC-K mount prime >
< I just love the build of takumars >

Do you own, or plan to buy, any screwmount cameras? Pentax SV, Spotty-F, ES-II, ...
With the Taks you have, you have the perfect excuse

If not, keep the K-mounts and sell the Takumars and adapters. (my $0.02).

[Just1MoreDave]

...That would mean the following would go : SMC-M 28mm, SMC-M 50 f1.7, SMC-M 135mm, SMC-A 50mm 1.4

Ok - please let me know what you would do and why - I am totally torn between those sweet primes and really need some reasoning to decide --manntax

Those lenses are not hard to reacquire if you regret your choice. I think the M28/2.8 is the easiest to let go - lots of more interesting 28s out there. I prefer the M135/3.5 over the Takumar, because it's smaller, has its own hood and 8 blades.

[manntax]

It looks like you may have already made up your mind:
< My idea so far was to keep S-M-C Takumars 28 and 35 and 135mm and keep also 24mm SMC-K mount prime >
< but I just love the build of takumars >

Do you own, or plan to buy, any screwmount cameras? Pentax SV, Spotty-F, ES-II, ...
With the Taks you have, you have the perfect excuse

If not, keep the K-mounts and sell the Takumars and adapters. (my $0.02).

Yeah the reason I got them all was my ES II and I even recently aqquired also a K1000 in lovely condition. But I slowly stopped using ES II for the convenience my Z1p(s) for which I got a split focusing screens and they suit me much better ( mostly due to nearly unlimited shutter speed ) - so regardless of keeping K mount or M42 I will sell ES II and K1000 and stick to Z1p(s) for my film photography. I simple got a very hard time to just get rid of my lovely m42 primes which I accumulated over the years and can use on everything. Also they work better for me on digital - where I prize high the way that Z1p works with M primes - no silly green buttons :P

So yeah I already planned something but wanted to hear other's opinions and ideas - perhaps from own experience. The truth is that I for the past 6 months have NEVER used my M primes ( apart form 24mm ) and I used mainly my AF lenses or M42 for the convenience of AV mode on digital .

Thanks for your input tho - the idea of getting some cash back from adaptors ( 5 sic ! ) also is tempting.--manntax

---------- Post added 02-25-14 at 11:31 PM ----------

Those lenses are not hard to reacquire if you regret your choice. I think the M28/2.8 is the easiest to let go - lots of more interesting 28s out there. I prefer the M135/3.5 over the Takumar, because it's smaller, has its own hood and 8 blades.

Ha easier said than done ! I got most of my primes cherry picked over the years - often chosen from 2-3 other same lenses after careful testing ( with the exception of 24mm SMC-M lens that I got one and never had a chance to actually compare with another and SMC-A 50 1.4 that I also got one copy). And it took me around 7 years to gather them all in mint condition so yeah it is hard to let them go. Even my 28mm is actually superb and mint condition and sharper than all the other lenses I ever came across at f2.8 - got it cherry picked as a 3rd copy !

Actually if I was going to decide by the sharpness of lenses I would probably keep SMC-M 28, Tak 35mm , and Tak. 135. My 50mm lenses are equally good so I got the feeling that Takumar 8 element would be even better.

Your point about SMC-M 135mm lens is valid and I see the benefits of the size and weight and lens hood but my takumar is actually sharper than SMC-M and I always preffer use deeper lens hood than the built in small hoods that never do the job. And if I want to go fast I take my other unbranded lens which is actually sharper than they both when stopped down and very good wide open at f2.8. --manntax

[stevebrot]

S-M-C Tak 28/3.5
S-M-C Tak 35/3.5
M 24/2.8
A 50/1.4
M 135/3.5

Gosh...that was easy.


Steve

[manntax]

S-M-C Tak 28/3.5
S-M-C Tak 35/3.5
M 24/2.8
A 50/1.4
M 135/3.5

Gosh...that was easy.


Steve

:P
I see your reasoning indeed good compromise of quality and practical-n-e-s-s is that the word?
Thanks !! --manntax

[osv]

Ha easier said than done ! I got most of my primes cherry picked over the years - often chosen from 2-3 other same lenses after careful testing ( with the exception of 24mm SMC-M lens that I got one and never had a chance to actually compare with another and SMC-A 50 1.4 that I also got one copy). And it took me around 7 years to gather them all in mint condition so yeah it is hard to let them go. Even my 28mm is actually superb and mint condition and sharper than all the other lenses I ever came across at f2.8 - got it cherry picked as a 3rd copy !

that decides it right there... you should never ever get rid of lenses that were selected like that... unless in a desperate moment it's for something cheap and simple, like the 35mm 3.5.

i wouldn't worry about the differences between the 50mm taks, you'll never notice the little subtleties on film, or with whatever digital camera you are currently using.

it becomes a lot more complicated when you step up to a high-rez full-frame sensor, which we all hope that pentax will provide at some point.

i've had to go through it with the 36mp a7r, and it's caused me endless grief with the wide angle glass, because nothing under 35mm is sharp on the sides.

so i'm here to tell ya, if the glass looks good now, don't ever sell it! lol

[manntax]

that decides it right there... you should never ever get rid of lenses that were selected like that... unless in a desperate moment it's for something cheap and simple, like the 35mm 3.5.

i wouldn't worry about the differences between the 50mm taks, you'll never notice the little subtleties on film, or with whatever digital camera you are currently using.

it becomes a lot more complicated when you step up to a high-rez full-frame sensor, which we all hope that pentax will provide at some point.

i've had to go through it with the 36mp a7r, and it's caused me endless grief with the wide angle glass, because nothing under 35mm is sharp on the sides.

so i'm here to tell ya, if the glass looks good now, don't ever sell it! lol

Wow gosh you didn't help at all :P

But now you really got me thinking indeed the lenses are fairly cheap and I don't really need the money but space perhaps but even that isn't the real problem. I think I simple never use them but what if I move up the ladder ? My K10D is hardly pushing my lenses since they all out resolve its sensor. Same as K-01 all of them outresolves in center and some across the frame even wide open in good lighting conditions where flare or loss of contrast isn't an issue, So yeah I will go for FF pentax as I held back with K3 exactly for that reason. I shoot film for now - not too much around 20-30 rolls a year but still cant get over the field of view of my lenses on film - I grew up with film camera back in 80-90's and I cannot stick with APC-S for good - probably that is why my favoured focal lengths are around 24-28mm which roughly gives me 35-45mm film equivalent - my fav

So yeah that really got me thinking about these countless tests an buying and returning or exchanging lenses just to find that perfect copy with most uniform sharpness and in mint condition.

I think I will stick with my lenses ...

..for now at least - or maybe until I test them again on a Pentax FF DSLR



And thanks for that, I think I needed exactly that !! :P
--manntax

[pinholecam]

Wow gosh you didn't help at all :P

But now you really got me thinking indeed the lenses are fairly cheap and I don't really need the money but space perhaps but even that isn't the real problem. I think I simple never use them but what if I move up the ladder ? My K10D is hardly pushing my lenses since they all out resolve its sensor. Same as K-01 all of them outresolves in center and some across the frame even wide open in good lighting conditions where flare or loss of contrast isn't an issue, So yeah I will go for FF pentax as I held back with K3 exactly for that reason. I shoot film for now - not too much around 20-30 rolls a year but still cant get over the field of view of my lenses on film - I grew up with film camera back in 80-90's and I cannot stick with APC-S for good - probably that is why my favoured focal lengths are around 24-28mm which roughly gives me 35-45mm film equivalent - my fav

So yeah that really got me thinking about these countless tests an buying and returning or exchanging lenses just to find that perfect copy with most uniform sharpness and in mint condition.

I think I will stick with my lenses ...

..for now at least - or maybe until I test them again on a Pentax FF DSLR



And thanks for that, I think I needed exactly that !! :P
--manntax

Agree very much with OSV and I'd certainly not sell a nice collection like what you have displayed above.

Firstly, the lenses are not much money if you sell them considering the hassle of dealing with a sale.
Some will be harder to get back (like the 24/2.8).
Generally, they all work on FF.
Most of the M42 lenses for example can fit on a Canon 5D which can be had for not much money, if you need FF and is on a budget (the 35/3.5 and 50/1.4 will have issues though).
Else, just wait out for a Pentax FF and you are set.

If you really want to make a list, I'd keep the following :
24/2.8, 135/3.5 (k-mount); A50/1.4

I do have most of the lenses in your list except of the 28mms and the M135/3.5.
I also have used these on FF 5D and A7 and can assure you that they work fine on FF.
Only one I need a closer look is the 35/3.5 which I have not shot enough of on FF to be sure of corner performance, but a small pancake lens like it is often kept for portability and joy of use above all parameters.

I have a running thread here exploring if the Pentax lenses work on FF 24mp.
Largely, I have not encountered a 'bad' lens that works poorly.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/169-pentax-full-frame/246917-does-my-m42-...ploration.html

[osv]

where practically all wide angle lenses take a beating is with infinity landscape shots on the a7r.

up close, and other normal shooting, they can look wonderful.

the problem is largely due to field curvature of the glass, which isn't a defect, unless you consider it as a design defect.

the best 24mm i've seen so far in that scenario is the canon fdn, and it's still not acceptable to me... i've compared sigma 24mm 2.8, oly 24mm 2.8, smc 24mm 2.8, kiron 24mm 2.0, etc.

that cheap little 35mm 3.5 tak holds up exceptionally well, tho, hang on to it if 36mp full frame is in your future.

[Lowell Goudge]

Why not just build 2 sets?

I started out looking for only K mounts, with the criteria that I would only get MF primes that were faster than my AF zooms (note I have AF zooms from 10-200mm with 28-200mm at F2.8) and when I could not get a 35mmF2 I ventured into the M42 world with the SMC Tak 35/2. I passed on a lot of lenses, but then got a vivitar 28/2.5 for $9 in M42 mount, and a super tak 85/1.8 a bit later for a good price. I then relaized that many M42 mounts were different behaviour than newer Kmounts, and gave different looks. To make a long story short, I now have 19 M42 lenses from 16mm fisheye to 300mm (nikkor modified to M42) and I have K/KA lenses from 8mm fisheye through 400mm

[manntax]

Agree very much with OSV and I'd certainly not sell a nice collection like what you have displayed above. Firstly, the lenses are not much money if you sell them considering the hassle of dealing with a sale. Some will be harder to get back (like the 24/2.8). Generally, they all work on FF. Most of the M42 lenses for example can fit on a Canon 5D which can be had for not much money, if you need FF and is on a budget (the 35/3.5 and 50/1.4 will have issues though). Else, just wait out for a Pentax FF and you are set. If you really want to make a list, I'd keep the following : 24/2.8, 135/3.5 (k-mount); A50/1.4 I do have most of the lenses in your list except of the 28mms and the M135/3.5. I also have used these on FF 5D and A7 and can assure you that they work fine on FF. Only one I need a closer look is the 35/3.5 which I have not shot enough of on FF to be sure of corner performance, but a small pancake lens like it is often kept for portability and joy of use above all parameters. I have a running thread here exploring if the Pentax lenses work on FF 24mp. Largely, I have not encountered a 'bad' lens that works poorly. Does my M42 and K-mount work on digital FF? - an exploration

A agree with you guys and will not part with my lenses for now. And I never would part with SMC 24mm f2.8 this is so good lens. Thanks for bring that thread on - I will go through it for sure

Why not just build 2 sets?

I started out looking for only K mounts, with the criteria that I would only get MF primes that were faster than my AF zooms (note I have AF zooms from 10-200mm with 28-200mm at F2.8) and when I could not get a 35mmF2 I ventured into the M42 world with the SMC Tak 35/2. I passed on a lot of lenses, but then got a vivitar 28/2.5 for $9 in M42 mount, and a super tak 85/1.8 a bit later for a good price. I then relaized that many M42 mounts were different behaviour than newer Kmounts, and gave different looks. To make a long story short, I now have 19 M42 lenses from 16mm fisheye to 300mm (nikkor modified to M42) and I have K/KA lenses from 8mm fisheye through 400mm

He he that looks like a severe LBA case :P But trust me I am on a good way there too myself :P

where practically all wide angle lenses take a beating is with infinity landscape shots on the a7r. up close, and other normal shooting, they can look wonderful. the problem is largely due to field curvature of the glass, which isn't a defect, unless you consider it as a design defect. the best 24mm i've seen so far in that scenario is the canon fdn, and it's still not acceptable to me... i've compared sigma 24mm 2.8, oly 24mm 2.8, smc 24mm 2.8, kiron 24mm 2.0, etc. that cheap little 35mm 3.5 tak holds up exceptionally well, tho, hang on to it if 36mp full frame is in your future.

Thanks for nice info about lenses on FF sensor - yeah I will get full frame dslr when it comes and initial hype goes down. for now am ok with film and crop sensors.
Good to know the lenses I own in majority will perform well but you really made me curious of how my copy of SMC 24mm f2.8 will do on a FF sensor !

--manntax