Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
02-21-2009, 08:25 PM   #16
Veteran Member
Mike Cash's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Japan
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 6,950
QuoteOriginally posted by J.Scott Quote
That would have been a steal!
The 50mm f1.4 is supposed to be the better lens as compared to the 55 f1.8.
That is precisely why I use the 55/1.8 more, even though I also have the 50/1.4.

I use the 50/1.4 with my ESII, but that is mostly because that is the lens that came with it when I bought it.

02-22-2009, 08:08 PM   #17
Veteran Member
Ratmagiclady's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: GA
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 13,563
Hey, was there, at any point, a 55 1.4?
02-22-2009, 08:26 PM   #18
Inactive Account




Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: In the present
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,870
QuoteOriginally posted by séamuis Quote
I disagree.
x 2

I arrived at this on my own... BUT... we are not alone... read here... Super Takumar 55/1.8 vs. 55/2.0 - Photo.net Classic Manual Cameras Forum

This also brings 55 f/2.0 into the mix as well... it's the same lens as the f/1.8 in a "budget" disguise.

And be sure to read Nesster's posts in this thread way at the bottom. http://www.flickr.com/groups/takumar/discuss/72157604789121122/

woof

Last edited by woof; 02-22-2009 at 08:35 PM.
02-23-2009, 03:20 AM   #19
Banned




Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H.
Posts: 5,979
QuoteOriginally posted by woof Quote
x 2

I arrived at this on my own... BUT... we are not alone... read here... Super Takumar 55/1.8 vs. 55/2.0 - Photo.net Classic Manual Cameras Forum

This also brings 55 f/2.0 into the mix as well... it's the same lens as the f/1.8 in a "budget" disguise.

And be sure to read Nesster's posts in this thread way at the bottom. Flickr: Discussing help! 50/f1.4 vs 55/1.8 - bokeh test in Takumar!

woof

when we are talking the 'same' lens. are we talking optical design or is it also essentially a 1.8 lens? meaning the only difference between the two is the markings? I have never used the 2.0 so I cant look for myself. this is interesting. I wonder if Pentax has done this before or after? (not counting the SP500 '1000') I am interested in the history of the 55mm being my favorite lens. any links that might be of help?

02-23-2009, 04:27 AM   #20
Veteran Member
Nesster's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: NJ USA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 13,072
Ah, I'd forgotten about that little bokeh test

The 55/2 and /1.8 are the same lens, the /2 has a stop limiter (somewhere there is a pic of this: it's just a grommet cutting off the edges). There have been discussions whether the /2 was a rejected /1.8 - which doesn't make sense as they'd have to assemble the lens, test it, dis-assemble the reject, insert the grommet, re-assemble, in order to make a lens that sells for less.

Perhaps they could have selected for lens elements - the closer to spec become 1.8's and the rest /2's. But even that's a bit doubtful. The f/2 is a marketing gimmic just as the SP500.

There is a benefit however - the f/2 lens throws away the most aberrant light paths, i.e. the ones further out from the optical center.

This is the reason why in the old days the slower lenses usually were sharper than the fast ones - the trade off being low light ability vs. ultimate sharpness.

In the case of Takumar, this isn't the case. Especially with the SMC process, the 50/1.4 had less light loss/glare flare, and was sharper than the 55mm. I've got a 1969 Modern Photography that unequivocally states the 50 is sharper than the 55:

QuoteQuote:
Which lens is sharper, the 50mm f/1.4 or 55mm f/1.8 Super-Takumar? Are faster lenes not as sharp as slower lenses at like apertures? -John Yuen, Ann Arbor, Mich.
We find the 50mm f/1.4 Super-Takumar to be sharper at like apertures than the 55mm f/1.8 Super-Takumar, although generally speaking the slower lenses of most manufacturers are usually to be preferred in sharpness.
That out of the way, we know that sharpness alone, once past some minimum, doesn't determine the ability of a lens. In my torture tests, sometimes the 55 is 'better' with specular highlights and veiling glare than the 50 or the 43, sometimes not. in these sorts of tests, the distances involved v.s. focal length tend to be more important than relative lens behavior.
02-23-2009, 04:41 AM   #21
Pentaxian
Class A's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 11,250
QuoteOriginally posted by monochrome Quote
Beautiful, classic camera.
Oh yes. What a beauty. Somehow I doubt that our current DSLRs will look as classic in 50 years time.

Having said that, I like the design of the K-series. They are definitely not ugly (which cannot be said about all Canon models ).
02-23-2009, 06:50 AM   #22
Inactive Account




Join Date: Mar 2007
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 3,675
Original Poster
I was drawn to the early Spotmatic as it lacks the hotshoe on the pentaprism. I think it just looks cleaner. And this one came with the cool little cold shoe clip that fits over the viewer. Now you see it - now you don't!

02-23-2009, 11:46 AM   #23
Veteran Member
ryan s's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Madison, WI
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,383
The Sears (Ricoh) TLS has that little clip too...so much cleaner without it
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Black & White My family jezeks Photo Critique 6 08-05-2010 06:32 AM
Nature Newest Member to My Family! legacyb4 Post Your Photos! 6 07-16-2010 01:10 PM
New member of family :D Eriksons Welcomes and Introductions 3 08-28-2009 11:14 AM
Our newest family member Photo Tramp Post Your Photos! 7 04-15-2007 12:22 PM
Newest member of our family (new puppy) GLThorne Post Your Photos! 14 04-05-2007 11:28 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:39 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