[Shakenbake158]

Hey guys, I recently picked up a Canon 5D, and a Canon 40mm F2.8 lens.

However, I also got an adapter and plan to pick up a few M42 screw mount lenses.

Are there any that I should look for in particular?

I shoot a lot of scenery, and a little macro here and there.

I have been considering the Asahi Takumar 135mm and the 28mm, but I am not sure what models or versions to look for in particular.


Can someone offer some guidance?


Thanks

[kiwi_jono]

As much as I hate to see Pentax glass going to other systems, there is some nice old glass to be found.

You will find plenty of information and reviews in these forums. Start here: Pentax M42 Screwmount Normal Primes - Lens Reviews and Specifications - SLR and Interchangeable Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Go up a level and you will see wide angle, telephoto as well.

I have a nice SMC Tak 55 f1.8 that has great sharpness and colour. You may find a Tak 50 f1.4 returns some nice creamy bokeh. I like my 200 f4 too.

[ivanvernon]

I have dozens of old Canon FD lenses, including some 55 1.2s. Would these fit your Canon DSLR, maybe using some type of adapter?

[boriscleto]

Any that don't say Takumar on the front.

[elliott]

What you really need is the Canon EF 28/1.8 and 135/2.

Takumars should be properly disposed of, PM me for an address to send inferior Takumars to.

[Miguel]

I recently picked up a Canon 5D, and a Canon 40mm F2.8 lens.

However, I also got an adapter and plan to pick up a few M42 screw mount lenses.

Are there any that I should look for in particular?

Welcome to the forum.

I use that 40mm pancake with my 5DMK3. It's excellent.

You have to be very careful with M42s and Pentax K-mount lenses on a FF Canon body. Many will hit the mirror and not function.
This site you need to memorize.

I've had good experience with SMC M42 SuperTakumar 55mm f1.8 and 100mm macro lenses, plus a wonderful 60mm Mamiya/Sekor f2.8 macro. The Tomioka version is identical.

M

[Gerbermiester]

I had a 5d classic for a while myself. As much as I liked the fullframe, I just couldn't fall in love with the cam itself. As for Takumar Lenses, I've attched links for great (and some not so great) Takumar primes. Enjoy the new camera!

Ultra-Wideangles: Pentax M42 Screwmount Extreme Wide-Angle Primes - Lens Reviews and Specifications - SLR and Interchangeable Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Wide-angles: Pentax M42 Screwmount Wide-Angle Primes - Lens Reviews and Specifications - SLR and Interchangeable Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Normals: Pentax M42 Screwmount Normal Primes - Lens Reviews and Specifications - SLR and Interchangeable Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Telephotos: Pentax M42 Screwmount Telephoto Primes - Lens Reviews and Specifications - SLR and Interchangeable Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

[Shakenbake158]

Wow, well thank you for all the replies guys. The basic consensus that I am getting is that I should just save my money for newer lenses instead of investing in older lenses.

[Yos]

If I were a Canon shooter I would invest in used AF lenses. There is so many of them (at least when you look at Swedish "ebay"), usually in very good or mint condition at a very very good price.

[elliott]

Wow, well thank you for all the replies guys. The basic consensus that I am getting is that I should just save my money for newer lenses instead of investing in older lenses.

It is mostly joking because we want them for ourselves, but the newer lenses really are better in many ways. With Canon you have no shortage of great glass for your mount, no need to bother adapting ours.

If you want to get into manual stuff just get whatever looks interesting. They may not be the most technically perfect lens, but most have their own personalities that new glass can't match.

[jogiba]

I have dozens of old Canon FD lenses, including some 55 1.2s. Would these fit your Canon DSLR, maybe using some type of adapter?

The Canon FD lenses work much better on mirrorless cameras than on any Canon DSLR .

[liukaitc]

I have mounted pentax m50mm 1.7, a35-105mm 3.5, m28mm 2.8 on my canon 7d too...works fine.

[Miguel]

I have mounted pentax m50mm 1.7, a35-105mm 3.5, m28mm 2.8 on my canon 7d too...works fine.

Unlike a FF Canon body, the cropped bodies like a 7D, will accommodate just about all Pentax K-mount lenses with an aperture ring and M42s. Nikon stuff too. The older Olympus Zuiko manual glass is well regarded on both kinds of bodies.

M

---------- Post added 03-24-2014 at 04:15 PM ----------

Wow, well thank you for all the replies guys. The basic consensus that I am getting is that I should just save my money for newer lenses instead of investing in older lenses.

I wouldn't take the comments all that literally. I find old glass to render objects less clinically than newer, computer-designed lenses. The "look" can be unique, or different; I love the colors from SuperTakumars. They remind me of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window.

M

[johnha]

Welcome to the forum.

I don't get the interest in Canon shooters using M42 lenses, it simply doesn't make sense. Why pay more for a 40+ year old lens than a new EF equivalent would cost, have to use an adapter and don't get AF (and if using the wrong adapter don't get infinity focus either).

The Taks most Canon users seem to go for are the SMC-Tak 50/1.4 & SMC-Tak 85/1.8 with typical UK prices equivalent to $150 & $500 respectively.

The only other help I can offer is that the EF 28-135 IS lens is too slow, too bulky and I swapped mine for an EF 50/1.8ii when I was briefly shooting an EOS 5 (A2E?) film camera - I say briefly as both the camera and lens broke within months.

John.

[VisualDarkness]

Wow, this was a negative bunch tonight.
Why wouldn't Canon users also want to use old classic nice glass with a nice manual focus feel? They even get to use the lens in the format they were made for!
Why would any Pentax user then pay more to get old lenses than for example DA 50/1.8?

The Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 1.4 / 50 mm 2nd version apparently works well and is a really nice lens. Also hunt for cheap random M42 lenses, they may not be the sharpest tools in the box but they often have a quirky fun to them.