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02-13-2009, 12:55 PM   #1
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Mamiya / Sekor 55mm f1.8 or SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8?

Hi there!

Sorry, I own EOS 350d but I'm going to get one 55mm M42 lens and I have two options (both are free , as we are going to make a change!).

The other one is Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/1.8 and another one SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8.

Which is better? Is Mamiya even sharpen than Takumar? How about bokeh? Which would you prefer and why?

I have to decide this today or tomorrow.

Thanks for your help!

02-13-2009, 01:34 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by -kb- Quote
Hi there!

Sorry, I own EOS 350d but I'm going to get one 55mm M42 lens and I have two options (both are free , as we are going to make a change!).

The other one is Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/1.8 and another one SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8.

Which is better? Is Mamiya even sharpen than Takumar? How about bokeh? Which would you prefer and why?

I have to decide this today or tomorrow.

Thanks for your help!

I don't know how the Mamiya's coatings are, but that S-M-C tak is going
to give you sharpness, contrast and bokeh that will blow you away.








(focus was on foot)

02-13-2009, 03:15 PM   #3
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I will be getting my Mamiya/Sekor 55/1.8 (M42) in the mail tomorrow or Monday and will post some pictures. My expectation is that the optical quality will be on the same order as a Yashinon or Rikenon of the same vintage. Translation: Very good to excellent, but not a SMC Tak.

Steve
02-13-2009, 03:15 PM   #4
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hat is the aperture?
wide open?

02-13-2009, 08:53 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by gemini Quote
hat is the aperture?
wide open?
It was in very dim evening light, ISO 400, 1/500s, so it was probably f/1.8 or f/2
(aperture not recorded in EXIF with K/M/m42 lenses)

Here's one I remember was 1.8, in extremely low light:

02-14-2009, 04:38 AM   #6
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That's a damn good photo. Damn good.

Re the Mamya, I do have some recollection it's same/similar to Yashinon and Rikenon, and a very good lens. I haven't experienced a m-s, but based on Yash and Rik, these lenses are a bit less abrubt with the transition to OOF, and have some really nice subtlety in the middle tones. A gentler view of things so to speak.
02-14-2009, 08:08 AM   #7
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[QUOTE;488442]It was in very dim evening light, ISO 400, 1/500s, so it was probably f/1.8 or f/2
(aperture not recorded in EXIF with K/M/m42 lenses)

Here's one I remember was 1.8, in extremely low light:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/2794207309_78be61c0e8_b.jpg
[/QUOTE]

very thanks jsherman999

but SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8 is a "yellow" talumar lens?

02-14-2009, 08:32 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by gemini Quote
[QUOTE;488442]It was in very dim evening light, ISO 400, 1/500s, so it was probably f/1.8 or f/2
(aperture not recorded in EXIF with K/M/m42 lenses)

Here's one I remember was 1.8, in extremely low light:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/2794207309_78be61c0e8_b.jpg
QuoteQuote:
very thanks jsherman999

but SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8 is a "yellow" talumar lens?
Good question - my copy wasn't, and I don't think the 1.8's are (the
S-M-C 1.4's have the thorium and often can yellow.)

You should be able to see the lens before you buy, in a photo at least?
02-14-2009, 09:06 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by jsherman999 Quote
Good question - my copy wasn't, and I don't think the 1.8's are (the
S-M-C 1.4's have the thorium and often can yellow.)

You should be able to see the lens before you buy, in a photo at least?
ah, there is difference between:
- tak 55mm 1.4
- tak 55mm 1.8

usually only tak 55mm 1.4 is yellow?

thanks for info ;-)
02-14-2009, 09:42 AM   #10
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There is no Takumar 55mm f/1.4. The 1.4 is a 50mm. The 55s came in f 2, and f 1.8.

Don't worry about any of that though, as a Tak would almost always be better than a Mamiya. The only way I'd consider the Mamiya over a Tak is if the Tak were an f2 and the Sekor was an f 1.4.

Regards,
Mike
QuoteOriginally posted by gemini Quote
ah, there is difference between:
- tak 55mm 1.4
- tak 55mm 1.8

usually only tak 55mm 1.4 is yellow?

thanks for info ;-)
09-15-2009, 02:09 PM   #11
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Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/1.8 is better than you (I) thought

In buying a bunch of Takumars, a Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/1.8 (MS) came for free.
I also have an SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 (SMCT) and Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8 (ST),
both in good shape. The SMCT has been UV cleaned to remove a bad yellow tint.

The MS lens was frankly quite a surprise, and a good one at that.
Bokeh look a lot more like the SMCT than the ST, and frankly might be slightly better.
Sharpness wide open is not as good as the ST, but neither is the SMCT.
Flare is handled surprisingly well by the MS (better than the SMCT????).
However, the image "look" for the MS is very different from the Takumars;
in a word, it looks "Zeiss-ish" -- kind of cold, but crisp, especially at f/5.6 and up.
Given that and the lens external styling, I'm wondering if this is a Zeiss clone?

Just to be explicit about it, I am not one of those folks who thinks anything
Zeiss is great -- but they do have a "look" that is consistent across various
lenses, just as Takumars have a "look." I'm saying the MS lens seems to have
a Zeiss-ish look, and may be a cheap way to get that if it's what you want.

In short, a Tak is better, but surprisingly not in every way....
The attached shot is the MS at f/1.8 on a Sony A350; scaled, but not processed.
Attached Images
 

Last edited by ProfHankD; 09-15-2009 at 04:50 PM. Reason: Clarification
09-15-2009, 02:42 PM   #12
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I don't know about the Mamiya but you won't be disappointed with the Takumay. The 55/1.8 (Super Takumar, Super-Multi-Coated Takumar or SMC Takumar) are all very cheap and all excellent lenses.

SMC Takumar 55/1.8







Super Takumar 55/1.8







Richard
09-15-2009, 04:29 PM   #13
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Another Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/1.8 shot

This one is at f/5.6 on the same Sony A350 I used before....

The first is the unprocessed full frame view,
the second is a 1:1 crop (at 14MP APS-C).

Again, very Zeiss-ish look for the Mamiya Sekor as I see it. No?

Of course, as a Sony body user, I wouldn't be in Pentax Forums if I didn't like the Takumars a whole lot....
Attached Images
View Picture EXIF
DSLR-A350  Photo 
View Picture EXIF
DSLR-A350  Photo 
09-16-2009, 05:24 AM   #14
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A quick side-by-side

One more quick comparison:
50mm f/1.4 SMC Takumar Vs. Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/1.8, both wide open;
the photos are in that order.
These were shot on consecutive days and differ somewhat due to the different
focal lengths of the lenses, but it's a reasonable bokeh comparison.
Again, I think it's a pretty close fight,
but don't think the Mamiya Sekor looses this wide-open comparison;
it's sharper without being too harsh.
Attached Images
View Picture EXIF
DSLR-A350  Photo 
View Picture EXIF
DSLR-A350  Photo 

Last edited by ProfHankD; 09-16-2009 at 05:28 AM. Reason: Clarification
09-16-2009, 05:54 AM   #15
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I used to have the Mamiya Sekor 55 f/1.8. Great optically and beatiful physically. Unfortunatelly sold it to fund another Pentax Limited lens. Looking through my photos made with the Mamiya I regret selling it.








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