Takumar 135mm f/2.5 or "Why fast lenses are so frustrating!"

jadedrakerider · 07-27-2016, 07:58 AM

Because the DoF is so hard to work with, even with focus confirmation!

I just picked this lens up on eBay and I decided to take some photos of a puppy I am going to adopt. I was so mad when I saw what happened. Haha.

But after I stopped down a bit, this lens is amazing. I truly adore it.

It's still a bit difficult to work with as a portrait lens on my K10D, but the results are fantastic.

**sergysergy** · 07-27-2016, 08:01 AM

you just need some practice. cute puppy!

pathdoc · 07-27-2016, 08:50 AM

Puppies have got to be among the hardest targets for a short-DOF situation. The only things worse would be toddlers and kittens.

ETA: Dear God, look at the tongue on that thing!

D1N0 · 07-27-2016, 08:54 AM

red eye removal probably won't work on the puppy

clockworkrat · 07-27-2016, 09:04 AM

Live view and burst shooting are your friend in these situations.

**grahame** · 07-27-2016, 09:13 AM

Originally posted by clockworkrat

Live view and burst shooting are your friend in these situations.

K10D does not have LV... I think a $30 split screen can help. And holding a DSLR with Takumar 135/2.8 at arm distance is not the best way for shooting a moving dog.

jadedrakerider · 07-27-2016, 09:23 AM

Originally posted by pathdoc

Puppies have got to be among the hardest targets for a short-DOF situation. The only things worse would be toddlers and kittens.

Oh yes, we had to take him for a walk to a convenience store before he was tired enough to even remotely sit still. Even then he was a challenge to photograph.

He was testing his master's patience every step of the way (literally!). Next time I am going to crank up the ISO to 800 because at 125 he was still introducing motion blur to his portraits.

---------- Post added 07-27-2016 at 09:30 AM ----------

Originally posted by grahame

K10D does not have LV... I think a $30 split screen can help. And holding a DSLR with Takumar 135/2.8 at arm distance is not the best way for shooting a moving dog.

Nope, not ideal at all. So I ended up shooting at f/8, which was much easier to work with. Shooting a puppy on a tripod is out of the question, especially with a prime lens.

I have a split screen, fortunately, and that helped trmendously. I don't think live view would have been ideal anyway. Puppies are pure action and a little lag is much harder to work with. Unless LV has improved greatly since I last used it.

**grahame** · 07-27-2016, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by jadedrakerider

Unless LV has improved greatly since I last used it.

LV has been improved a lot in the past years, lagging is much reduced, but it is still LV

and still not my price of cake. I have to put the camera to my forehead to get some extra support, particular for MF lens. imaging having that 2 lb camera+ lens merely on your right hand (while you still need to manage click shutter smoothly) and have your left hand turning the focusing ring without introducing camera shaking.

**mattb123** · 07-27-2016, 10:03 AM

I have a couple of old 135mm lenses (one at each end of the spectrum, a Sears and a Leica) that I really like but it can be tough to get focus as you found. I'll usually put a focus point on the eye of my subject, focus, and take a few frames as I make small focus adjustments. A couple will be oof, but I usually get one or two that nail it in the burst as well. Also as you found stopping down a little will help tons and realistically stopped down is how these lenses were probably designed to be used.

jcsnyc · 07-27-2016, 10:30 AM

I have the same lens (135 2.5) and a 50mm 1.2. Definitely challenging when shooting wide open - but you have to learn the "art". I also rely on Live View where possible, but agree this reduces the ability to shoot action shots. "Catch-In Focus" can work well. And just be prepared to throw out a bunch of shots! Dog noses are trouble as well - so agree that close down a bit OR shoot a profile.

Some examples of "success". All shot with my 50mm 1.2 wide open or close to it..... Not really action, but used LV in all cases.

Sliver-Surfer · 07-27-2016, 10:59 AM

Your Focus screen might need shimming. Ive owned 3 Pentax dslrs and had to shim 2 of them. As well the screens in them are not good for fast lenses you may want to upgrade to a precision screen if you want to shoot manually on a regular basis.

Wolfeye · 07-27-2016, 11:20 AM

I'm amazed any of my film shots with manual focus bodies ever came out in focus. A lot did not. My K-50 does a great job with that very same lens (Pentax-M Takumar 135mm f2.5). The focus confirmation is generally accurate. However, the lens really shines on my Sony a7 when you zoom live-view in to focus. Here's one of my son, full-frame, at f2.5

**Tony Belding** · 07-27-2016, 05:01 PM

Now you miss the old spit-prism and microprism focusing screen, huh? Too bad Katz Eye went out of business. . .

Mirrorless cameras are a better choice for vintage lenses now. EVF, focus peaking and magnification for the win.

**pentaxus** · 07-27-2016, 10:36 PM

ebay has chinese screens to fit K-7/30/50 that have a diagonal split image screen. Don't know how good they are.

07-27-2016, 07:58 AM	#1
jadedrakerider Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Mohave Valley, AZ Photos: Gallery Posts: 214	Takumar 135mm f/2.5 or "Why fast lenses are so frustrating!" Because the DoF is so hard to work with, even with focus confirmation! I just picked this lens up on eBay and I decided to take some photos of a puppy I am going to adopt. I was so mad when I saw what happened. Haha. But after I stopped down a bit, this lens is amazing. I truly adore it. It's still a bit difficult to work with as a portrait lens on my K10D, but the results are fantastic.

07-27-2016, 10:30 AM	#10
jcsnyc Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Brooklyn, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 253	I have the same lens (135 2.5) and a 50mm 1.2. Definitely challenging when shooting wide open - but you have to learn the "art". I also rely on Live View where possible, but agree this reduces the ability to shoot action shots. "Catch-In Focus" can work well. And just be prepared to throw out a bunch of shots! Dog noses are trouble as well - so agree that close down a bit OR shoot a profile. Some examples of "success". All shot with my 50mm 1.2 wide open or close to it..... Not really action, but used LV in all cases. Attached Images

07-27-2016, 11:20 AM	#12
Wolfeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 782	I'm amazed any of my film shots with manual focus bodies ever came out in focus. A lot did not. My K-50 does a great job with that very same lens (Pentax-M Takumar 135mm f2.5). The focus confirmation is generally accurate. However, the lens really shines on my Sony a7 when you zoom live-view in to focus. Here's one of my son, full-frame, at f2.5 Last edited by Wolfeye; 11-30-2016 at 09:25 AM.

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07-27-2016, 08:01 AM	#2
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,170	you just need some practice. cute puppy!

07-27-2016, 08:50 AM	#3
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	Puppies have got to be among the hardest targets for a short-DOF situation. The only things worse would be toddlers and kittens. ETA: Dear God, look at the tongue on that thing!

07-27-2016, 08:54 AM	#4
D1N0 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Location: --- Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,802	red eye removal probably won't work on the puppy

07-27-2016, 09:04 AM	#5
clockworkrat Veteran Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Black Isle, Scotland Posts: 405	Live view and burst shooting are your friend in these situations.

07-27-2016, 09:13 AM	#6
grahame Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,041	Originally posted by clockworkrat Live view and burst shooting are your friend in these situations. K10D does not have LV... I think a $30 split screen can help. And holding a DSLR with Takumar 135/2.8 at arm distance is not the best way for shooting a moving dog.

07-27-2016, 09:23 AM	#7
jadedrakerider Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Mohave Valley, AZ Photos: Gallery Posts: 214 Original Poster	Originally posted by pathdoc Puppies have got to be among the hardest targets for a short-DOF situation. The only things worse would be toddlers and kittens. Oh yes, we had to take him for a walk to a convenience store before he was tired enough to even remotely sit still. Even then he was a challenge to photograph. He was testing his master's patience every step of the way (literally!). Next time I am going to crank up the ISO to 800 because at 125 he was still introducing motion blur to his portraits. ---------- Post added 07-27-2016 at 09:30 AM ---------- Originally posted by grahame K10D does not have LV... I think a $30 split screen can help. And holding a DSLR with Takumar 135/2.8 at arm distance is not the best way for shooting a moving dog. Nope, not ideal at all. So I ended up shooting at f/8, which was much easier to work with. Shooting a puppy on a tripod is out of the question, especially with a prime lens. I have a split screen, fortunately, and that helped trmendously. I don't think live view would have been ideal anyway. Puppies are pure action and a little lag is much harder to work with. Unless LV has improved greatly since I last used it.

07-27-2016, 09:49 AM	#8
grahame Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,041	Originally posted by jadedrakerider Unless LV has improved greatly since I last used it. LV has been improved a lot in the past years, lagging is much reduced, but it is still LV and still not my price of cake. I have to put the camera to my forehead to get some extra support, particular for MF lens. imaging having that 2 lb camera+ lens merely on your right hand (while you still need to manage click shutter smoothly) and have your left hand turning the focusing ring without introducing camera shaking.

07-27-2016, 10:03 AM	#9
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	I have a couple of old 135mm lenses (one at each end of the spectrum, a Sears and a Leica) that I really like but it can be tough to get focus as you found. I'll usually put a focus point on the eye of my subject, focus, and take a few frames as I make small focus adjustments. A couple will be oof, but I usually get one or two that nail it in the burst as well. Also as you found stopping down a little will help tons and realistically stopped down is how these lenses were probably designed to be used.

07-27-2016, 10:59 AM	#11
Sliver-Surfer Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1,558	Your Focus screen might need shimming. Ive owned 3 Pentax dslrs and had to shim 2 of them. As well the screens in them are not good for fast lenses you may want to upgrade to a precision screen if you want to shoot manually on a regular basis.

07-27-2016, 05:01 PM	#13
Tony Belding Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Hamilton, Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 778	Now you miss the old spit-prism and microprism focusing screen, huh? Too bad Katz Eye went out of business. . . Mirrorless cameras are a better choice for vintage lenses now. EVF, focus peaking and magnification for the win.

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07-27-2016, 10:36 PM	#14
pentaxus Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 1,313	ebay has chinese screens to fit K-7/30/50 that have a diagonal split image screen. Don't know how good they are.