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02-05-2010, 09:20 AM   #1
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Discerning Pentax Lenses

When I'm searching for some older primes, I find that some Pentax lenses are Asahi, some Tauk, some just Pentax.....?
Which ones are better/worse and why?
Just not sure what I'm looking for....

02-05-2010, 09:33 AM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by Deiberson Quote
When I'm searching for some older primes, I find that some Pentax lenses are Asahi, some Tauk, some just Pentax.....?
Which ones are better/worse and why?
Just not sure what I'm looking for....
Asahi is just the name that Pentax used in the older days. Some were also branded "Honeywell" for US import.

Takumar was a name generally given to the company's M42 (screwmount) lenses, as well as to a few low-end K-mount lenses. The M42s are almost universally very good, while the K-mount Taks are generally looked on a bit less favorably.

All of the above are Pentax lenses, however.
02-05-2010, 09:36 AM   #3
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Original Poster
so asahi is basically like datson was to nissan?
02-05-2010, 09:41 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Deiberson Quote
so asahi is basically like datson was to nissan?
Sort of!

The "Pentax" corporation was originally known as "Asahi Kogaku Goshi Kausha," and later changed its name to "Asahi Optical Co." Later on, when they started putting out camera models named "Pentax," they changed the company name to "Asahi Pentax," etc etc until the Asahi part basically dropped out entirely.

02-05-2010, 10:47 AM   #5
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Asahi named it's screw mount lenses Takumar in honor of artist Takuma Kajiwara a relative of the company's founder Kumao Kajiwara. They progressed from Takumar to Auto-Takumar to Super-Takumar to Super-Multi-Coated Takumar to SMC Takumar. When they switched to the K mount in 1975 they switched the branding to SMC Pentax. They resurrected the Takumar brand in the early 80's for their non-coated budget lenses.
02-05-2010, 11:11 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Deiberson Quote
so asahi is basically like datson was to nissan?
Yes...Asahi Optical Company made Pentax cameras, Takumar lenses, and Pentax lenses. The cameras were also marketed in North America and elsewhere as both Honeywell (Asahi's N. American distributor) Pentax and Heiland (a Honeywell subsidiary).

Steve
02-05-2010, 01:57 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Deiberson Quote
so asahi is basically like datson was to nissan?
More like Asahi is to Nissan as Pentax is to Datsun. Pentax was the brand name for Asahi.

02-05-2010, 06:47 PM   #8
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Asahi Optical Company released their first pentaprism SLR in 1957 and called it the Pentax. It was such a success including the S and K updated versions that they started using the Pentax name to identify the company. Asahi part of the company name went away when Hoya bought the company 3 years ago. The companies first SLR bodies were the Asahiflex cameras that had waist-level finders from 1952-57.
02-05-2010, 06:51 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by deadwolfbones Quote
Sort of!

The "Pentax" corporation was originally known as "Asahi Kogaku Goshi Kausha," and later changed its name to "Asahi Optical Co." Later on, when they started putting out camera models named "Pentax," they changed the company name to "Asahi Pentax," etc etc until the Asahi part basically dropped out entirely.
And to confuse people initially learning about the history of Japanese optics, Kogaku is part of the name of the company associated with the Nikon name and Kogaku can be seen on some early Takumar lenses, mainly the m37 ones and a few early m42 ones made for the Asahiflex bodies. In addition, Asahi was used in the 1930s as part of the name in other companies.
02-05-2010, 07:00 PM   #10
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here's some eye candy (Asahi Pentax Cameras & Lenses): Die Cast Pro - Asahi Pentax Index
02-05-2010, 07:08 PM   #11
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Example of some Asahi, Honeywell and Heiland stuff








Woof's S



https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/891663-post468.html

02-06-2010, 08:04 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Blue Quote
Asahi Optical Company released their first pentaprism SLR in 1957 and called it the Pentax.
Apparently, the Pentax name was purchased from East German Zeiss in 1957.
Source: Wikipedia.
02-06-2010, 08:49 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Laurentiu Cristofor Quote
Apparently, the Pentax name was purchased from East German Zeiss in 1957.
Source: Wikipedia.
Yes and Pentax worked with Zeiss in the early 1970’s and jointly developed two lenses:

SMC Pentax K15/3.5 and the SMC Pentax K28/2.

Phil.
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