Hello all. I'm into older bargain lenses and that often leads me down some strange paths...
Recently, after looking at some MTF data at photodo on the SMC Pentax-F 28-80 f3.5-4.5 Macro, I decided it was a decent "sleeper" beating the snot out of almost all of the other Pentax offerings in similar focal lengths and speeds.
However, I've found the SMC Pentax-F version isn't found very often and the prices when found aren't particularly compelling.
These factors led me to the Takumar-F version of the same focal length and speed. The lenses appear virtually identical. Of course the Takumar-F version supposedly does not have SMC.
Now, I've always found dubious the idea that Pentax, while manufacturing the 2 different versions of these lenses side by side I presume, actually farmed out or produced non-SMC elements in a separate production run to use in the Takumar-F versions. That never made sense to me from a production/manufacturing standpoint.
So, I do a little research on the Takumar-F version and find a lot of suspect or flat out inaccurate data. For instance, I believe the dimitrov data on the Takumar-F is actually data on the Takumar-A variant and incorrectly attributed to the F version. Why would I say that? Well, for one thing the number of aperture blades is said to be 6. Well, I'm looking at one right now, and I assure you all there are in fact 8 aperture blades.
Confused yet? Now, the SMC Pentax-F version is said to have 5 aperture blades. Please, is there anyone here who owns the SMC Pentax-F 28-80 f3.5-4.5 and can look and tell me the number of aperture blades? Please, check and don't just parrot 5 because that's what the internets say.
Regards,
Mike