Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
08-23-2019, 08:44 PM   #16621
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
MXLX's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Western NC
Photos: Albums
Posts: 823
I'm starting to search for one of the "grail" lenses, the 85mm. Question to those with experience with either or preferably both:
The 1.9 appears to be more readily available and at less painful prices. The 1.8 seems to be the more highly regarded.
Please opine on either or both (yes, I've read the reviews and looked at the images...that's what has given me the itch), including your recommendations. How much is too much of a premium to pay to get the f1.8? I definitely plan to hold out to find an SMC version. Many thanks!
--
D.

08-24-2019, 12:36 AM - 9 Likes   #16622
Pentaxian
utak's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2012
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 928
QuoteOriginally posted by MXLX Quote
I'm starting to search for one of the "grail" lenses, the 85mm.
I had a similar itch to own a 85mm, and ended up buying the SMC K 85/1.8 (the K-mount version of the SMC Takumar). On the basis that if you've going to spend money on an expensive manual lens, you may as well try to buy the best you can. The A* was out of reach and I waited some time before finding an affordable-to-me K version. I wasn't disappointed. Physically, it's a very handsome lens, and optically impressive. After using it every day for a month on a Daily challenge, I posted a 10/10 review on Forum's lens reviews (so I won't repeat what you can read there).

However, I found that I wasn't using the lens nearly as much as I thought I would - on crop or FF. The K135/2.5 seemed to open up more interesting photo opportunities, even as a portrait lens. So it turned out to be an expensive lens sitting on the shelf.

Then I saw a good-value Super Takumar 85/1.9 for sale, and thought that if it's anywhere near as good I'd sell the 85/1.8. The 85/1.9 is an older optical design dating back (I believe) to the Auto-Takumars, with lesser coatings. My copy was well under half the price of the K85mm.

And is it half the lens? Not at all. Ergonomically, it's more tactile to use with the all metal focus ring (compared to the K85's hard rubber covered ring). Optically, the 85/1.9 is probably a tad softer across the stops, and the lesser coatings result in a slightly more dreamy rendering. But I actually prefer that - generally, I prefer the Auto-Takumar renderings to the later SMCs. It's just a personal preference, and I'm happy to do the pp'ing required to compensate for any lack of contrast. To my eyes, the 85/1.9 bokeh is better than the 85/1.8; sharp enough on the in-focus parts with softer and creamier oof areas - and others have said so too. Not that the 85/1.8 has anything other than beautiful isolation/bokeh. I ended up selling the 85/1.8 for a profit.

Coincidentally, I took out the 85/1.9 on the walk to work yesterday - the first time I've used it for ages - and here is a pp'd snap from the walk, taken wide open.

Hope this helps and happy hunting, Simon


Last edited by utak; 08-24-2019 at 02:10 AM.
08-24-2019, 03:02 PM - 1 Like   #16623
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fulton County, Illinois
Posts: 3,727
Generally speaking, I don't the think the results from Super-Multi-Coated Takumars are superior enough to allow them to look down their noses at the Super-Takumar versions. In the reviews and other postings here, there are many pictures from Super-Takumar's that instantly raise the question: "What's all this fuss about the SMC coatings?"
08-24-2019, 03:14 PM - 1 Like   #16624
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
rayallen's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Forresters Beach, NSW, Australia.
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 3,013
QuoteOriginally posted by goatsNdonkey Quote
Generally speaking, I don't the think the results from Super-Multi-Coated Takumars are superior enough to allow them to look down their noses at the Super-Takumar versions. In the reviews and other postings here, there are many pictures from Super-Takumar's that instantly raise the question: "What's all this fuss about the SMC coatings?"
Thank you for saying that, goatsNdonkey. I felt the same way since my Spotmatic days when I had a mixture of both types (and I still have them) but I thought that I would be considered a heretic if I did.

08-24-2019, 05:26 PM - 1 Like   #16625
Pentaxian
ZombieArmy's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,209
QuoteOriginally posted by goatsNdonkey Quote
Generally speaking, I don't the think the results from Super-Multi-Coated Takumars are superior enough to allow them to look down their noses at the Super-Takumar versions. In the reviews and other postings here, there are many pictures from Super-Takumar's that instantly raise the question: "What's all this fuss about the SMC coatings?"
I've never felt the coatings on my Super tak 50 1.4 to be overly inferior, it only flares in extreme direct light. My Auto-tak 35 f2.3 though is pretty meh, it puts flaring into your image no matter where you point the damn thing sometimes when it's sunny out, deep hood most certainly required.

When searching for taks though I really don't care what moniker the lenses hold, the optics are still that of a takumar.

Last edited by ZombieArmy; 08-24-2019 at 05:34 PM.
08-25-2019, 04:26 AM   #16626
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
ivanvernon's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Medina, OH
Photos: Albums
Posts: 7,224
QuoteOriginally posted by utak Quote
I had a similar itch to own a 85mm, and ended up buying the SMC K 85/1.8 (the K-mount version of the SMC Takumar). On the basis that if you've going to spend money on an expensive manual lens, you may as well try to buy the best you can. The A* was out of reach and I waited some time before finding an affordable-to-me K version. I wasn't disappointed. Physically, it's a very handsome lens, and optically impressive. After using it every day for a month on a Daily challenge, I posted a 10/10 review on Forum's lens reviews (so I won't repeat what you can read there).

However, I found that I wasn't using the lens nearly as much as I thought I would - on crop or FF. The K135/2.5 seemed to open up more interesting photo opportunities, even as a portrait lens. So it turned out to be an expensive lens sitting on the shelf.

Then I saw a good-value Super Takumar 85/1.9 for sale, and thought that if it's anywhere near as good I'd sell the 85/1.8. The 85/1.9 is an older optical design dating back (I believe) to the Auto-Takumars, with lesser coatings. My copy was well under half the price of the K85mm.

And is it half the lens? Not at all. Ergonomically, it's more tactile to use with the all metal focus ring (compared to the K85's hard rubber covered ring). Optically, the 85/1.9 is probably a tad softer across the stops, and the lesser coatings result in a slightly more dreamy rendering. But I actually prefer that - generally, I prefer the Auto-Takumar renderings to the later SMCs. It's just a personal preference, and I'm happy to do the pp'ing required to compensate for any lack of contrast. To my eyes, the 85/1.9 bokeh is better than the 85/1.8; sharp enough on the in-focus parts with softer and creamier oof areas - and others have said so too. Not that the 85/1.8 has anything other than beautiful isolation/bokeh. I ended up selling the 85/1.8 for a profit.

Coincidentally, I took out the 85/1.9 on the walk to work yesterday - the first time I've used it for ages - and here is a pp'd snap from the walk, taken wide open.

Hope this helps and happy hunting, Simon
Focus makes this photo with the front flower emphasized, just excellent. I am thinking the flower i a cosmos?
08-25-2019, 05:19 AM - 2 Likes   #16627
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
Andrew_Oid's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Cuenca
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 621
QuoteOriginally posted by MXLX Quote
I'm starting to search for one of the "grail" lenses, the 85mm. Question to those with experience with either or preferably both:
The 1.9 appears to be more readily available and at less painful prices. The 1.8 seems to be the more highly regarded.
Please opine on either or both (yes, I've read the reviews and looked at the images...that's what has given me the itch), including your recommendations. How much is too much of a premium to pay to get the f1.8? I definitely plan to hold out to find an SMC version. Many thanks!
--
D.
I have a mint copy of the SMC 1.8 that I bought from a camera shop many years ago when I first started collecting the Taks. It was my third one as I remember and I got it for a ridiculous price ($75 if memory serves me right). Of course, this was before these lenses became popular, the early seventies and in Nashua, NH. Sadly, it's a lens I've never used. The 85mm focal length is not one I like. Currently, I'm playing with the Rokinon 85mm f1.4 lens on a crop sensor camera, making the effective focal length 127.5mm, the maximum aperture f1.4, but with the effective depth of field of a 127.5mm f2.4 lens. (That's as I understand it.) The lens still focuses at 3 feet (MFD). So, you can see why I'm playing with the combination. I may do a comparison with the Tak afterwards.
I would never sell the lens, however. It is a thing of beauty, and I cannot imagine my collection without it. (Tak lovers will understand.)

08-25-2019, 09:11 AM - 10 Likes   #16628
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
Clarkey's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Brampton, ON, Canada
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,456
Some flowers from a couple of months ago (RBG Ontario). SMC Macro Takumar @ F4.0 IIRC.


Iris siberica
by Aaron, on Flickr
08-25-2019, 10:01 PM   #16629
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
MXLX's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Western NC
Photos: Albums
Posts: 823
QuoteOriginally posted by utak Quote
I had a similar itch to own a 85mm, and ended up buying the SMC K 85/1.8 (the K-mount version of the SMC Takumar). On the basis that if you've going to spend money on an expensive manual lens, you may as well try to buy the best you can. The A* was out of reach and I waited some time before finding an affordable-to-me K version. I wasn't disappointed. Physically, it's a very handsome lens, and optically impressive. After using it every day for a month on a Daily challenge, I posted a 10/10 review on Forum's lens reviews (so I won't repeat what you can read there).

However, I found that I wasn't using the lens nearly as much as I thought I would - on crop or FF. The K135/2.5 seemed to open up more interesting photo opportunities, even as a portrait lens. So it turned out to be an expensive lens sitting on the shelf.

Then I saw a good-value Super Takumar 85/1.9 for sale, and thought that if it's anywhere near as good I'd sell the 85/1.8. The 85/1.9 is an older optical design dating back (I believe) to the Auto-Takumars, with lesser coatings. My copy was well under half the price of the K85mm.

And is it half the lens? Not at all. Ergonomically, it's more tactile to use with the all metal focus ring (compared to the K85's hard rubber covered ring). Optically, the 85/1.9 is probably a tad softer across the stops, and the lesser coatings result in a slightly more dreamy rendering. But I actually prefer that - generally, I prefer the Auto-Takumar renderings to the later SMCs. It's just a personal preference, and I'm happy to do the pp'ing required to compensate for any lack of contrast. To my eyes, the 85/1.9 bokeh is better than the 85/1.8; sharp enough on the in-focus parts with softer and creamier oof areas - and others have said so too. Not that the 85/1.8 has anything other than beautiful isolation/bokeh. I ended up selling the 85/1.8 for a profit.

Coincidentally, I took out the 85/1.9 on the walk to work yesterday - the first time I've used it for ages - and here is a pp'd snap from the walk, taken wide open.

Hope this helps and happy hunting, Simon
Short answer, yes it did. That was a great response.

As a matter of some amazement, the lens hoods for the 85s go for even more ridiculous money (relatively speaking ) than the lenses.
08-25-2019, 10:03 PM - 3 Likes   #16630
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
paulh's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 33,091
Skies of early Spring at Lake Grapevine, TX. Super Tak 35/3.5 on K10D:
08-26-2019, 12:10 AM - 10 Likes   #16631
Pentaxian
utak's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2012
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 928
QuoteOriginally posted by ivanvernon Quote
Focus makes this photo with the front flower emphasized, just excellent. I am thinking the flower i a cosmos?
Thank you! Yes, it's a cosmos, growing in our local park.

QuoteOriginally posted by MXLX Quote
Short answer, yes it did. That was a great response.
As a matter of some amazement, the lens hoods for the 85s go for even more ridiculous money (relatively speaking ) than the lenses.
Those 85mm prices! The good news is that if/when you buy one, as long as you can find one at a reasonable price versus current prices, then it should be a good investment as well as fun. I paid 150 UK pounds for this in early 2017, when most were going for around 180, and they've gone up since then:



Looking through my albums with the 85/1.8 and 85/1.9 on Flickr this morning...my personal favourite below was taken with a 85/1.9. If you'd like to take a look, my 85/1.9 album is: Super-Takumar 85/1.9 | Flickr and my 85/1.8 album: SMC Pentax 85mm f1.8 ("K series") - sold | Flickr


Last edited by utak; 08-26-2019 at 12:33 AM.
08-26-2019, 06:56 AM   #16632
Pentaxian




Join Date: Apr 2011
Photos: Albums
Posts: 8,720
QuoteOriginally posted by rayallen Quote
Thank you for saying that, goatsNdonkey. I felt the same way since my Spotmatic days when I had a mixture of both types (and I still have them) but I thought that I would be considered a heretic if I did.
I relatively recently acquired a mix of both types across the range. I find it hard to distinguish the effect of the coating from the effects of the other differences.
08-26-2019, 07:00 AM   #16633
Pentaxian




Join Date: Apr 2011
Photos: Albums
Posts: 8,720
QuoteOriginally posted by MXLX Quote
Short answer, yes it did. That was a great response.

As a matter of some amazement, the lens hoods for the 85s go for even more ridiculous money (relatively speaking ) than the lenses.
Less around. Easier to lose and easier to spoil and lens collectors want them to full sets.
08-26-2019, 11:02 AM - 1 Like   #16634
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Fulton County, Illinois
Posts: 3,727
QuoteOriginally posted by tim60 Quote
I relatively recently acquired a mix of both types across the range. I find it hard to distinguish the effect of the coating from the effects of the other differences.
I suspect that there are conditions when the SMC Takumars may be more flare resistant, give slightly better color saturation, or produce other results that are better in subtle ways. But over a series of many of pictures, taken in a range of conditions, however, the Super-Takumars (with their earlier, less super, or less multied coatings) are going to produce many images that are arguably the equal of the SMC versions.

I'm not saying don't bother to get the SMC lenses, but I am saying that if you're filling in focal lengths in your Takumar collection, and if your can't find (or can't afford) the SMC model for a particular focal length, don't hesitate to start out with the Super-Takumar model. Getting the SMC version might go on the back burner, after you tried out your Super-Tak for a while.
08-26-2019, 02:03 PM   #16635
Pentaxian




Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Near Vienna, Austria
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,042
QuoteOriginally posted by Andrew_Oid Quote
I have a mint copy of the SMC 1.8 that I bought from a camera shop many years ago when I first started collecting the Taks. It was my third one as I remember and I got it for a ridiculous price ($75 if memory serves me right). Of course, this was before these lenses became popular, the early seventies and in Nashua, NH. Sadly, it's a lens I've never used.



I would never sell the lens, however. It is a thing of beauty, and I cannot imagine my collection without it. (Tak lovers will understand.)
Even Tak shooters will understand--but they will not consent.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
200mm, adjustment, asahi, auto-takumar, camera, d2x, days, ds, eric, f3.5, f4, fisheye, flickr, focus, handle, iq, iso, k3, lens, manor, moves, nikon, pentax lens, post, results, segments, shots, subject, takumar, versions
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
For Sale - Sold: Takumar: Super Takumar 135mm f3.5 includes case, hood and caps Peter Zack Sold Items 7 05-17-2010 07:12 PM
Adorama is dangerous! And so is the Takumar Club! NaClH2O Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 23 01-24-2010 09:54 AM
For Sale - Sold: Hard Cases for Takumar 28mm/3.5 and Takumar 135mm/2.5 gabriel_bc Sold Items 8 01-11-2010 10:17 AM
For Sale - Sold: FS: Pentax-F 28/2.8; Takumar 400/5.6; Takumar 500/4.5 - pics thePiRaTE!! Sold Items 5 03-06-2008 09:47 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:22 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top