A gift of m42 lenses, but are they good?

mutedphotos · 06-05-2008, 01:26 PM

My advisor just handed me his old Pentax gear that had been laying around our lab untouched (in cases) for probably 10-20 years. He didn't need them anymore, so he just gave it all to me, including:

Spotmatic SP-II
SMC Takumar 55/1.8
Fujinon 55/2.2
Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 200/4
APS Rokunar 2x auto tele converter
Honeywell 110 and Vivitar 151 flashes

Everything seems to be in mint condition (except some battery corrosion on the vivitar flash). I'm mostly interested in the two SMC Taks. Did I make out pretty well?

Also, I have the K10, but no adapter for these lenses as of yet, any recommendations there?

Thanks!

Last edited by mutedphotos; 06-05-2008 at 01:33 PM.

ftpaddict · 06-05-2008, 01:30 PM

Are they good? They're free! Of course they're good.

The Spottie and two takumars sound yummy. Fuj made great lenses as well. Don't know about the rest.

Buy an original PENTAX K-M42 adapter. It's the safest way.

Tom S. · 06-05-2008, 01:38 PM

No they are all crap and you should send to me immediately for proper disposal.

Would you like my mailing address?

jsherman999 · 06-05-2008, 01:50 PM

Originally posted by Tom S.

No they are all crap and you should send to me immediately for proper disposal.

Would you like my mailing address?

Actually, they're worse than crap, they're dangerous. They contain rare-earth elements, ie uranium, and need to be disposed of properly. Send them to me, I'm a certified radioactivity-cleanup-guy, and only I can take care of it.

(seriously, though, the 200 and 55 Taks used with a genuine Pentax M42 adapter are going to make you a very happy camper.)

Zewrak · 06-05-2008, 02:18 PM

Excellent lenses all three of them, even with todays standards they are excellent lenses. Check out the Manual Club threads here and see for yourself.

mutedphotos · 06-05-2008, 02:28 PM

hah! thanks guys, now I just need to see if I can track down an adapter!

Zewrak · 06-05-2008, 02:51 PM

Originally posted by mutedphotos

hah! thanks guys, now I just need to see if I can track down an adapter!

Make sure you get a proper one from Pentax. No thirdparty crap ones that will get stuck in your camera.

wlank · 06-05-2008, 02:59 PM

Originally posted by mutedphotos

Also, I have the K10, but no adapter for these lenses as of yet, any recommendations there?

Thanks!

Messing with a M42 super tak 135/3.5 on my K100D Super yesterday for the first time.

I got two different adapters (Bower brand) and neither really suited me. Dificult to mount and remove - made me nervous. Got impatient because Pentax was out of stock.
Finally ordered the Pentax adapter.

For all I know the Bower or some other bramd may work just fine on a K10D.

Bill

Zewrak · 06-05-2008, 03:01 PM

6160215 - a set on Flickr

Thats my SMC-M 200mm f/4 archive. All pictures are unprocessed and shot in raw. No sharpening or other postprocessing done.

Just enter the link and press slideshow to see somewhat sized images, the original sizes are there though.

mutedphotos · 06-05-2008, 03:19 PM

Those look really great, but I'm assuming the SMC-M was a Pentax branded k-mount lens? Was it optically the same as the SMC Tak?

Originally posted by Zewrak

6160215 - a set on Flickr

Thats my SMC-M 200mm f/4 archive. All pictures are unprocessed and shot in raw. No sharpening or other postprocessing done.

Just enter the link and press slideshow to see somewhat sized images, the original sizes are there though.

KungPOW · 06-05-2008, 05:47 PM

Here is a site I like that has info about M42 lenses. You might want to read up about your new lenses.

Manual Focus Forum | Lens, Very, Lenses, Zeiss, Have | Manual Focus Lenses*-*Manual Focus Lenses

Spotmatic was the first SLR I ever used. I still have it. Beautifull camera. A lucky gift to you.

Zewrak · 06-05-2008, 08:03 PM

Originally posted by mutedphotos

Those look really great, but I'm assuming the SMC-M was a Pentax branded k-mount lens? Was it optically the same as the SMC Tak?

Not sure really, but performancewise they are quite equal. Maybe the SMC-M have a bit more contrast. Here is the SMC Takumar gallery at mflenses.

SMC Takumar 200mm f4

You'll have to really work hard to see any differences in optical performance, imho. The SMC Taks have some odd bokeh though, thats the same with my S-M-C Tak 300 aswell and it seem to be quite the same all over the S-M-C's.

S-M-C 300 f/4:
Linked shots - a set on Flickr
5401614 - a set on Flickr

heatherslightbox · 06-06-2008, 02:44 AM

Here's a link to the Pentax Web Store, where you can order a genuine Pentax m42 adapter:
PentaxWebstore Mount Adapter B (35mm Screwmount to Bayonet)

HTH,
Heather

fearview · 06-06-2008, 02:46 AM

the 55 1.8 and the fujinon is crap.

send it to me.

--

Nesster · 06-06-2008, 06:29 AM

I have trouble with my fujinon - it's got those fuji bumps on the mount that haven't allowed me to use them with the M42 adaptor. Plus mine's got a lazy diaphragm so on the screw mount cameras I'm in manual stop down mode. But when I used it it is a very nice lens.
The 55 1.8 is a fantastic lens, much more 'modern' seeming in its rendering than the 50/1.4, I find. That is, the 55 is always tidy and very sharp. My two 1.4's aren't always tidy.

06-05-2008, 01:26 PM	#1
mutedphotos Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 149	A gift of m42 lenses, but are they good? My advisor just handed me his old Pentax gear that had been laying around our lab untouched (in cases) for probably 10-20 years. He didn't need them anymore, so he just gave it all to me, including: Spotmatic SP-II SMC Takumar 55/1.8 Fujinon 55/2.2 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 200/4 APS Rokunar 2x auto tele converter Honeywell 110 and Vivitar 151 flashes Everything seems to be in mint condition (except some battery corrosion on the vivitar flash). I'm mostly interested in the two SMC Taks. Did I make out pretty well? Also, I have the K10, but no adapter for these lenses as of yet, any recommendations there? Thanks! Last edited by mutedphotos; 06-05-2008 at 01:33 PM.

06-05-2008, 02:59 PM	#8
wlank Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Santa Teresa, New Mexico Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,130	but are they good? Originally posted by mutedphotos Also, I have the K10, but no adapter for these lenses as of yet, any recommendations there? Thanks! Messing with a M42 super tak 135/3.5 on my K100D Super yesterday for the first time. I got two different adapters (Bower brand) and neither really suited me. Dificult to mount and remove - made me nervous. Got impatient because Pentax was out of stock. Finally ordered the Pentax adapter. For all I know the Bower or some other bramd may work just fine on a K10D. Bill Last edited by wlank; 05-17-2009 at 08:33 AM.

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06-05-2008, 01:30 PM	#2
ftpaddict Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Yurp Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,666	Are they good? They're free! Of course they're good. The Spottie and two takumars sound yummy. Fuj made great lenses as well. Don't know about the rest. Buy an original PENTAX K-M42 adapter. It's the safest way.

06-05-2008, 01:38 PM	#3
Tom S. Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 4,317	No they are all crap and you should send to me immediately for proper disposal. Would you like my mailing address?

06-05-2008, 01:50 PM	#4
jsherman999 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,237	Originally posted by Tom S. No they are all crap and you should send to me immediately for proper disposal. Would you like my mailing address? Actually, they're worse than crap, they're dangerous. They contain rare-earth elements, ie uranium, and need to be disposed of properly. Send them to me, I'm a certified radioactivity-cleanup-guy, and only I can take care of it. (seriously, though, the 200 and 55 Taks used with a genuine Pentax M42 adapter are going to make you a very happy camper.)

06-05-2008, 02:18 PM	#5
Zewrak Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Nowhere, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 654	Excellent lenses all three of them, even with todays standards they are excellent lenses. Check out the Manual Club threads here and see for yourself.

06-05-2008, 02:28 PM	#6
mutedphotos Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 149 Original Poster	hah! thanks guys, now I just need to see if I can track down an adapter!

06-05-2008, 02:51 PM	#7
Zewrak Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Nowhere, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 654	Originally posted by mutedphotos hah! thanks guys, now I just need to see if I can track down an adapter! Make sure you get a proper one from Pentax. No thirdparty crap ones that will get stuck in your camera.

06-05-2008, 03:01 PM	#9
Zewrak Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Nowhere, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 654	6160215 - a set on Flickr Thats my SMC-M 200mm f/4 archive. All pictures are unprocessed and shot in raw. No sharpening or other postprocessing done. Just enter the link and press slideshow to see somewhat sized images, the original sizes are there though.

06-05-2008, 03:19 PM	#10
mutedphotos Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 149 Original Poster	Those look really great, but I'm assuming the SMC-M was a Pentax branded k-mount lens? Was it optically the same as the SMC Tak? Originally posted by Zewrak 6160215 - a set on Flickr Thats my SMC-M 200mm f/4 archive. All pictures are unprocessed and shot in raw. No sharpening or other postprocessing done. Just enter the link and press slideshow to see somewhat sized images, the original sizes are there though.

06-05-2008, 05:47 PM	#11
KungPOW Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,699	Here is a site I like that has info about M42 lenses. You might want to read up about your new lenses. Manual Focus Forum \| Lens, Very, Lenses, Zeiss, Have \| Manual Focus Lenses-Manual Focus Lenses Spotmatic was the first SLR I ever used. I still have it. Beautifull camera. A lucky gift to you.

06-05-2008, 08:03 PM	#12
Zewrak Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Nowhere, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 654	Originally posted by mutedphotos Those look really great, but I'm assuming the SMC-M was a Pentax branded k-mount lens? Was it optically the same as the SMC Tak? Not sure really, but performancewise they are quite equal. Maybe the SMC-M have a bit more contrast. Here is the SMC Takumar gallery at mflenses. SMC Takumar 200mm f4 You'll have to really work hard to see any differences in optical performance, imho. The SMC Taks have some odd bokeh though, thats the same with my S-M-C Tak 300 aswell and it seem to be quite the same all over the S-M-C's. S-M-C 300 f/4: Linked shots - a set on Flickr 5401614 - a set on Flickr

06-06-2008, 02:44 AM	#13
heatherslightbox Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Gainesville, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,599	Here's a link to the Pentax Web Store, where you can order a genuine Pentax m42 adapter: PentaxWebstore Mount Adapter B (35mm Screwmount to Bayonet) HTH, Heather

06-06-2008, 02:46 AM	#14
fearview Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Jakarta Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,067	the 55 1.8 and the fujinon is crap. send it to me. --

06-06-2008, 06:29 AM	#15
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	I have trouble with my fujinon - it's got those fuji bumps on the mount that haven't allowed me to use them with the M42 adaptor. Plus mine's got a lazy diaphragm so on the screw mount cameras I'm in manual stop down mode. But when I used it it is a very nice lens. The 55 1.8 is a fantastic lens, much more 'modern' seeming in its rendering than the 50/1.4, I find. That is, the 55 is always tidy and very sharp. My two 1.4's aren't always tidy.