[thisisforlife]

Part two of my inquiries :-)

If you had to keep only one 135mm lens which one would it be.

I have the:

smc pentax-m 3.5 135mm
Takumar (Boyonet) 2.5 135mm
smc Takumar 3.5 135mm?

I can't keep them all.

Which one would you keep?

Thanks for the help.

Dirk

PS: I'm using them on an x-t3 body and I do many landscape, portret and architectural photography.

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[Papa_Joe]

I would for sure give away the Takumar (Bayonet). The K-mount Takumars are budget primes, without the SMC coating.
This alone is reason enough for me not to use them. They still have a coating of course and probably a better one then most trade mark 135 mm.


The smc Takumar is a similar optical construction, with smc coating, and well regarded.
If you do not need the M42 mount I would stay with the at least as good more modern M 3.5/135 mm.


Your set of 135 mm is quite interesting.
At first I wanted to exclude the Takumar (Bayonet) without a second thought. Then I had a look at the K-mount page.

The Takumar Bayonet is a 4 lenses in 4 groups construction. The basic telephoto lens construction.There are only two other telephoto lenses at all in the K-mount lineup with this basic construction. These are the
- SMC 3.5 / 135 mm
- SMC A 2.8 / 135 mm
The SMC 3.5 / 135 mm is a so called K lens, probably the K mount copy of your M42 smc Takumar.
The SMC A 2.8 / 135 mm has basicly the same construction, with some of the lenses redesigned.
For your Takumar (Bayonet) I have no diagram, but from every of its technical spezifications it is the direct decsendant of the SMC A 2.8 / 135 mm.

Pentax seems to have taken the no thrills construction of the M42 smc Takumar 3.5 / 135 mm, recalculated it to form the SMC A 2.8 / 135 and the reworked this to a Takumar (Bayonet) 2.5 / 135 mm without the SMC coating. I have second thoughts about keeping IQ during this prozess.

---------- Post added 06-07-19 at 01:54 AM ----------

Hi Dirk!

Just saw you have a spotmatic. Then my advice is : Keep the M42 and the M lens. Just discard the K-mount Takumar.
I have the firm belive, that every one having a Spotmatic should have the basic set of M42 prime Takumars. A standard lens (55 mm), a telephoto (135 mm) and a wide angle (28 mm as 35s are to expensive). Ideally to use them together with the camera. Can't help it.

[thisisforlife]

I would for sure give away the Takumar (Bayonet). The K-mount Takumars are budget primes, without the SMC coating.
This alone is reason enough for me not to use them. They still have a coating of course and probably a better one then most trade mark 135 mm.


The smc Takumar is a similar optical construction, with smc coating, and well regarded.
If you do not need the M42 mount I would stay with the at least as good more modern M 3.5/135 mm.


Your set of 135 mm is quite interesting.
At first I wanted to exclude the Takumar (Bayonet) without a second thought. Then I had a look at the K-mount page.

The Takumar Bayonet is a 4 lenses in 4 groups construction. The basic telephoto lens construction.There are only two other telephoto lenses at all in the K-mount lineup with this basic construction. These are the
- SMC 3.5 / 135 mm
- SMC A 2.8 / 135 mm
The SMC 3.5 / 135 mm is a so called K lens, probably the K mount copy of your M42 smc Takumar.
The SMC A 2.8 / 135 mm has basicly the same construction, with some of the lenses redesigned.
For your Takumar (Bayonet) I have no diagram, but from every of its technical spezifications it is the direct decsendant of the SMC A 2.8 / 135 mm.

Pentax seems to have taken the no thrills construction of the M42 smc Takumar 3.5 / 135 mm, recalculated it to form the SMC A 2.8 / 135 and the reworked this to a Takumar (Bayonet) 2.5 / 135 mm without the SMC coating. I have second thoughts about keeping IQ during this prozess.

---------- Post added 06-07-19 at 01:54 AM ----------

Hi Dirk!

Just saw you have a spotmatic. Then my advice is : Keep the M42 and the M lens. Just discard the K-mount Takumar.
I have the firm belive, that every one having a Spotmatic should have the basic set of M42 prime Takumars. A standard lens (55 mm), a telephoto (135 mm) and a wide angle (28 mm as 35s are to expensive). Ideally to use them together with the camera. Can't help it.

Thanks Papa_Joe for the detailed feedback.

I rarely use the spotmatic. So if you had to choose one for my x-t3 which one would it be? Thanks again.

[PJ1]

All three have their good points:

The Takumar Bayonet 135/f2.5 is very sharp but because it lacks SMC coating it is prone to flare when shooting into the light. Some have said that they don't think it is really f2.5 but is was 1/2 stop faster than my FA135/f2.8 when I did a test shoot. It is a full stop faster than the f3.5 lenses.
The M135/f3.5 is sharp and light. But the M series lenses were intended to be small and (comparatively) light.
The Takumar 135/f3.5 is basically the same lens as the M 135/f3.5. It is slightly heavier but has that beautiful Takumar all metal build.

It comes down to what is best for you: speed (Tak Bayonet f2.5), light weight (M135) or looks to die for (SMC Tak 135).

[pepperberry farm]

I'd give you the same advice I gave in the last thread like this you posted....

[thisisforlife]

All three have their good points:

The Takumar Bayonet 135/f2.5 is very sharp but because it lacks SMC coating it is prone to flare when shooting into the light. Some have said that they don't think it is really f2.5 but is was 1/2 stop faster than my FA135/f2.8 when I did a test shoot. It is a full stop faster than the f3.5 lenses.
The M135/f3.5 is sharp and light. But the M series lenses were intended to be small and (comparatively) light.
The Takumar 135/f3.5 is basically the same lens as the M 135/f3.5. It is slightly heavier but has that beautiful Takumar all metal build.

It comes down to what is best for you: speed (Tak Bayonet f2.5), light weight (M135) or looks to die for (SMC Tak 135).

The smc Tak was the last one I bought and it looks like it has never been used. If it has the same image quality than the other 2 I would keep this one. It's stunningly beautiful.

[ronniemac]

Dare I suggest that you sell all three and buy the SMC Pentax-A 135mm F2.8?
Yes I do. It's a really good lens for the price.

But I would not dare to suggest the SMC Pentax-A* 135mm F1.8.
There are so few that these should only ever be attached to Pentax cameras.

[stevebrot]

I would keep the one that looks best on the shelf next to the normal lens you decided to keep.

Which one to keep? smc pentax-m 1.4 50mm, smc pentax-m 1.7 50mm or tsmc Tak f2 55mm - PentaxForums.com

Honestly, while this sort of thread allows PF members an opportunity to express their opinions, you do have all three lenses in hand, know how much you paid for them, know how well they handle on your camera, and know the quality of photos they take. Surely some opinion has been made as to which two you should not have purchased?

That aside, I would keep the S-M-C Takumar since it is the one you have used the least and the other two must be stinkers. It also has the A/M switch making it easier to use on your Fuji.


Steve

(...I give poor advice on these sort of threads since I tend to keep lenses...I also only own two 135mm lenses, one of which I spent quite a bit of time refurbishing, but have never shot with...Neither is Pentax or Asahi brand...BTW, it is sort of hard to make a bad 135mm...)

[UncleVanya]

Keep the M. It's smaller and lighter.

[thisisforlife]

I would keep the one that looks best on the shelf next to the normal lens you decided to keep.

Which one to keep? smc pentax-m 1.4 50mm, smc pentax-m 1.7 50mm or tsmc Tak f2 55mm - PentaxForums.com

Honestly, while this sort of thread allows PF members an opportunity to express their opinions, you do have all three lenses in hand, know how much you paid for them, know how well they handle on your camera, and know the quality of photos they take. Surely some opinion has been made as to which two you should not have purchased?

That aside, I would keep the S-M-C Takumar since it is the one you have used the least and the other two must be stinkers. It also has the A/M switch making it easier to use on your Fuji.


Steve

(...I give poor advice on these sort of threads since I tend to keep lenses...I also only own two 135mm lenses, one of which I spent quite a bit of time refurbishing, but have never shot with...)

Hi Steve, point taken. :-) I'm new to this. Always shot with AF lenses till a couple of weeks ago. I fell in love with the look and feel of these beauties. So I went to a photographers fair and bought a couple (to much) of Pentax and Takumar lenses. Now I realise that I overdid it and what to narrow it down. I always have valuated the opinion of people with more knowledge than myself.

The smc Tak doesn't have the A/M switch but if it did how would that have been useful with my Fuji?

Thanks
Dirk

[stevebrot]

The smc Tak doesn't have the A/M switch but if it did how would that have been useful with my Fuji?

The A/M (auto/manual) slider switches the iris diaphragm from full manual (stopped down all the time) to "auto" actuation (only stopped down when the silver pin on the lens rear is depressed). Whether it is useful depends on your adapter and whether it depresses the silver pin to stop the lens down.

For adapters that do not depress the silver actuator pin, the A/M switch allows the user to easily go between the aperture full open (for focusing) and stopped down (to take the picture).

The A/M switch is exceedingly common on M42 lenses; both your S-M-C Takumar 135/3.5 and SMC Takumar 55/2.0 should have the the A/M switch under the aperture ring. While the A/M switch on most M42 lenses may be used with few cautions, the switch on your two lenses should not be moved unless a rear cap, camera body, or adapter is attached. Your lenses were designed to work with later model Pentax M42 bodies that support open-aperture metering. As such, they have a small pin on the mount face that must be depressed for the A/M switch to operate properly. Attempting to do so without the pin depressed may damage the aperture mechanism.


Steve

[thisisforlife]

The A/M (auto/manual) slider switches the iris diaphragm from full manual (stopped down all the time) to "auto" actuation (only stopped down when the silver pin on the lens rear is depressed). Whether it is useful depends on your adapter and whether it depresses the silver pin to stop the lens down.

For adapters that do not depress the silver actuator pin, the A/M switch allows the user to easily go between the aperture full open (for focusing) and stopped down (to take the picture).

The A/M switch is exceedingly common on M42 lenses; both your S-M-C Takumar 135/3.5 and SMC Takumar 55/2.0 should have the the A/M switch under the aperture ring. While the A/M switch on most M42 lenses may be used with few cautions, the switch on your two lenses should not be moved unless a rear cap, camera body, or adapter is attached. Your lenses were designed to work with later model Pentax M42 bodies that support open-aperture metering. As such, they have a small pin on the mount face that must be depressed for the A/M switch to operate properly. Attempting to do so without the pin depressed may damage the aperture mechanism.


Steve

Man I'm having a very bad memory day. Of course they have that switch. I always have these lenses on manual so I forgot it was there. Thanks for the great explanation and the warning. I'm using the k&f concept adapters. I don't think they do that.

[.a.t.]

. . .
Which one would you keep?
. . .

If you've already tried each one and still can't decide, I suggest flipping a coin!
Assuming image quality is comparable, I could make an argument for each one:

S-M-C Takumar . . . Killer looks and build. Wins on coolness factor.

Takumar Bayonet . . . Best low light speed and shortest minimum focus distance (1.2m vs 1.5). Has a (too short) built in hood.
Closer focusing is a great convenience for me, but my Tak Bay copy is soft at f/2.5, has poor flare resistance and has low contrast at all apertures.

SMC M . . . Smallest and lightest. Also has a (short) built in hood. I'd think this would be the natural choice for a mirrorless camera simply due to its size.
It would be my choice.


Good luck choosing!

[tonyzoc]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the SMC Pentax 135mm f/2.5 lens. I take this one over any other Pentax 135...except maybe the135/1.8 A...but the 1.8 is probably 5 times (or more) the price of the 2.5. I had the 2.5 and sold it and wish I didn't. I also had the M 3.5 and sold it, but recently bought another as I've been restocking my M collection.

[thisisforlife]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the SMC Pentax 135mm f/2.5 lens. I take this one over any other Pentax 135...except maybe the135/1.8 A...but the 1.8 is probably 5 times (or more) the price of the 2.5. I had the 2.5 and sold it and wish I didn't. I also had the M 3.5 and sold it, but recently bought another as I've been restocking my M collection.

This 135mm looks indeed very promising: SMC Pentax 135mm F2.5 Reviews - K Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database Thanks for the tip!