Originally posted by cahudson42 50mm F4.0 M42 ‘Normal’ Takumars – SMC 50mm F1.4, Super-Tak 55mm F1.8, Super-Tak 55mm F2.0, Macro-Tak
Lenses were compared on a Q10 with Fotodiox M42 V1 ringless adapter. Full-open and stopped down a bit. 2 shots at each setting to offset being hand-held and focus errors. Results below. Suggest looking at the yellow sticker, gunnel, background, chain and lock.
Note: Per Attachment instructions, 4000x3000 images were resized to 1024x768, making it a bit harder to see the differences. Sorry..
Max of 10 files here. Names dropped. They are, in order:
mt50_F4.0_F4.0(2)
mt50_F4.0_F4.0
mt50_F4.0_F5.6(2)
mt50_F4.0_F5.6
smct50_F1.4_F1.4(2)
smct50_F1.4_F1.4
smct50_F1.4_F2.8(2)
smct50_F1.4_F2.8
smct50_F1.4_F5.6(2)
smct50_F1.4_F5.6
st55_F1.8 and stF2.0 will be in a subsequent post.
This is the second part of M42 50-55 comparison. Super Takumar 55mm F1.8 and F2.0
Images in order:
st55_F1.8_F1.8(2)
st55_F1.8_F1.8
st55_F1.8_F2.8(2)
st55_F1.8_F2.8
st55_F2.0_F2.0(2)
st55_F2.0_F2.0
st55_F2.0_F2.8(2)
st55_F2.0_F2.8
st55_F2.0_F5.6(2)
st55_F2.0_F5.6(1)
Remember these two lenses are optically identical. The F2.0 has exactly the same optics as the F1.8, except there is a fixed 'stop-down ring' added to the internals of the F2.0 to limit max aperture to F2.0. (Probably an 'urban legend', but I remember many years ago hearing that F2.0s were repurposed 'flunked' F1.8s)
What I see in the images is a substantial reduction on PF/CA simply going from F1.8 (on the 1.8) to F2.0 (on the 2.0) (look at black rub-rail and cleat). The rest of the F2.0 images are certainly not any worse than those of the F1.8. This is in disagreement with the User Lens Review Ratings of these two lenses, which rate the F1.8 as the better lens. Doesn't seem that way here. Might as well get the cheaper F2.0.
Also, going to the trouble of removing the ring on the F2.0 to make it an F1.8 - isn't worth the bother, either.
Finally, if you have an F1.8, remember to always stop it down to at least the first click toward F2.8