[cameraniac]

I was hoping that someone here could show me an example of what front lens cap would have come on my Auto Takumar 1:1.8/55mm (zebra) lens when purchased new along with a K body. The lens is mounted on the original K body that it came with and I'd really like to have the correct cap on it. Yeah, I'm a little anal about things like that . Right now, it's got an aftermarket, screw-on lens cap. My guess is that it had one of the silver caps with the AOC insignia on it but I'm not sure.

I can't post pics in the Gear Porn thread until I get the right cap!

Thanks in advance for any help. Cameraniac

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Last edited by cameraniac; 07-17-2014 at 02:29 PM.

[Baard-Einar]

I dont think it would have the chrome cap, but just a black push on 46mm cap marked Asahi Pentax, or Takumar.

[.a.t.]

I think Baard-Einar is correct. When I bought my K body and Auto Tak 55 1.8 from their original owner, the cap on the lens was black plastic.

Here's the front cap along with a rear.
I can't say for sure if the rear cap is period correct, but it came with the K body / lens bundle I bought.





Here's another look at the front cap along with a case I found on ebuy. The case has no model # on it, but it's approx. 70mm (2 3/4") high x 72mm (2 7/8") wide.
It fits the 55 perfectly.

[cameraniac]

Baard, all thumbs, thank you for your replies. I'm a little confused though. Baard, you mentioned a push-on cap marked either Asahi Pentax or Takumar and all thumbs, the cap that you have pictured (thank you) is a plastic screw-on or push-on (not sure which) cap with the AOCo logo that actually came with your lens yet you think that Baard's suggestion might be the correct one. What makes you think that Baard is correct? By the way, all thumbs, I'm hoping that the cap that you posted is the correct one as I like the way it looks and the case does look like it was made especially for that lens. Nice find!

Thanks again for your replies - Bill

[.a.t.]

Bill,

I'm sorry for the confusion - I didn't really think carefully about what I read and wrote.
I need an editor.

What I meant was that Baard-Einar is probably correct about the proper cap being black rather than chrome.
I sort of skipped over the part where Baard said "Asahi Pentax" or "Takumar".
In my mind I just lump "AOCo" (Asahi Optical Co.) and Pentax logos all together.

Also, my front cap is a plastic push on. It's a bit loose, but I still think it's the matching cap. Here's a rear view of the front and back caps:




Tim

[monochrome]

FWIW, I bought my K and Auto Takumar 55/1.8 from a collector who represented it as OEM state. It had a black metal 46mm push-on cap that had only the one line, silver, raised, all cap word 'TAKUMAR'.

I since sold it on (I decided to use fewer cameras rather than collect more cameras) but have since seen several identical examples.

[cameraniac]

Bill,

I'm sorry for the confusion - I didn't really think carefully about what I read and wrote.
I need an editor.

What I meant was that Baard-Einar is probably correct about the proper cap being black rather than chrome.
I sort of skipped over the part where Baard said "Asahi Pentax" or "Takumar".
In my mind I just lump "AOCo" (Asahi Optical Co.) and Pentax logos all together.

Also, my front cap is a plastic push on. It's a bit loose, but I still think it's the matching cap. Here's a rear view of the front and back caps:




Tim

No problem, Tim. You have been a great help and I appreciate it.

---------- Post added 07-17-14 at 11:47 PM ----------

FWIW, I bought my K and Auto Takumar 55/1.8 from a collector who represented it as OEM state. It had a black metal 46mm push-on cap that had only the one line, silver, raised, all cap word 'TAKUMAR'.

I since sold it on (I decided to use fewer cameras rather than collect more cameras) but have since seen several identical examples.

Monochrome.....oh no......lol!!

[.a.t.]

. . .
It had a black metal 46mm push-on cap that had only the one line, silver, raised, all cap word 'TAKUMAR'. . .

That's interesting. I wish my cap were metal.

No problem, Tim. You have been a great help and I appreciate it.

It was my pleasure. I love to talk about my toys!

And about the lens case . . . (PM sent)

[Baard-Einar]

That's interesting. I wish my cap were metal.





It was my pleasure. I love to talk about my toys!

And about the lens case . . . (PM sent)

I think all lens cases of that time were brown leather and that black is a little later, around 1960. I am saying this based upon the cases I have from a number of preset lenses. But I have not found one sold with the standard lens inside.

The lens cap for the 35mm f2.3 is all metal, chrome color with Aoc in raised letters.But that is a 62mm cap.

The older Asahiflex m37 lenses seems to have a chrome lens cap.

I have seen some examples of the all black, plastic (?), cap but on 135mm lens.

To sum it up, it looks like there isn't one answer to the O.P. question. Maybe the cap was different in various markets? Or maybe it was sold without a cap?

[macTak]

Wasn't the K in the US marketed under "Tower"? That would also make it more likely, in my opinion, that there were different versions of caps depending on the distributor, as was certainly the case later (i.e., caps of "Honeywell Pentax" or "Heiland Pentax"). Also, on Frank Mechelhoff's page on Early Takumar lenses (which I have never found any reason to doubt) he has some pictures of Auto-Takumar lenses with what he claims are appropriate period caps; they are metal slip-on caps marked "Pentax" and "Asahi Pentax". http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Pentax_Takumar_Collection.html

Still, caps were easy to lose, and it's not unthinkable that some or all of these (apart from the AOC caps) could be slightly later replacements.

[cameraniac]

Wasn't the K in the US marketed under "Tower"? That would also make it more likely, in my opinion, that there were different versions of caps depending on the distributor, as was certainly the case later (i.e., caps of "Honeywell Pentax" or "Heiland Pentax"). Also, on Frank Mechelhoff's page on Early Takumar lenses (which I have never found any reason to doubt) he has some pictures of Auto-Takumar lenses with what he claims are appropriate period caps; they are metal slip-on caps marked "Pentax" and "Asahi Pentax". Early Pentax Takumar Lenses

Still, caps were easy to lose, and it's not unthinkable that some or all of these (apart from the AOC caps) could be slightly later replacements.

Well I'll be darned... he does show caps. I couldn't remember seeing them the last time I visited his site. Like you said, they could be replacements. I think that what I need to find is some advertisement photos from 1958.

[macTak]

Well I'll be darned... he does show caps. I couldn't remember seeing them the last time I visited his site. Like you said, they could be replacements. I think that what I need to find is some advertisement photos from 1958.

Google has digitised some of the magazines from then, so you could have a look. That having been said, I doubt that you'll find anything--I was just looking through the ads on ebay, and all of the ones from just a little later show the lens uncapped on the camera (as one would of course expect). None of the manuals/brochures I have on file from the screwmount era (though I have none that early, earliest is with the H cameras) show lens caps at all! I could barely keep from laughing--it was almost like a conspiracy. Only one Asahi Pentax brochure from the (late) SMC era even had a small box with "miscellaneous caps are available", showing a metal slip-on front cap with "Asahi Pentax".

[cameraniac]

Google has digitised some of the magazines from then, so you could have a look. That having been said, I doubt that you'll find anything--I was just looking through the ads on ebay, and all of the ones from just a little later show the lens uncapped on the camera (as one would of course expect). None of the manuals/brochures I have on file from the screwmount era (though I have none that early, earliest is with the H cameras) show lens caps at all! I could barely keep from laughing--it was almost like a conspiracy. Only one Asahi Pentax brochure from the (late) SMC era even had a small box with "miscellaneous caps are available", showing a metal slip-on front cap with "Asahi Pentax".

Thanks for trying, Mac. I'm going to take your suggestion and check google for 1958 issues of Life magazine or maybe National Geographic. I seem to remember those magazines as having camera ads. Usually Nikon and Canon though.

[.a.t.]

Thanks for trying, Mac. I'm going to take your suggestion and check google for 1958 issues of Life magazine or maybe National Geographic. I seem to remember those magazines as having camera ads. Usually Nikon and Canon though.

I have decades of old National Geographics and I just checked my late 1957 through 1958 issues.
There are a lot of camera ads, but I didn't find any for Asahi / Pentax / Takumar / Tower / Heiland.

The November and December issues had the most and the biggest ads - presumably because of Christmas.

[cameraniac]

I have decades of old National Geographics and I just checked my late 1957 through 1958 issues.
There are a lot of camera ads, but I didn't find any for Asahi / Pentax / Takumar / Tower / Heiland.

The November and December issues had the most and the biggest ads - presumably because of Christmas.

No kidding, you've actually got 1950's NG mags? That's pretty cool. Thanks for saving me the time it would have taken me to find anything. Haven't had a chance to do so, yet.