[B Grace]

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Do you folks really think that the Takumars are worth the price today? Naturally they're built like tanks, but is the IQ that good? I suspect that they became first popular because they were cheap, and since they became popular, the price went up and they aren't really that cheap anymore.

I don't really have experience with Taks, so I'm asking and not insisting that's the case. My only Tak's a unused-looking 50mm 1:1 Macro-Takumar which I don't really use since I find the preset thing unpractical.

I kind of think they are worth the price today. I've noticed the handful of old Takumars (not just the SMC or S-M-C versions) I've tried have worked very well on my K200D and I've found the IQ to be outstanding. I've found nothing definitive about why the coatings seem to work so well on digital cameras, and I've noticed some problems with shooting my modern Nikon primes on my Nikon DSLR, so it's interesting.

A Pentax shooter would have to think that if the prices continue to climb someone at the company might take a look at ramping up the FA LTD series a bit. It doesn't make much sense right now but who knows.

[Lowell Goudge]

I have to rethink perhaps a little my strategy on lenses.

I have put together an M42 kit, ranging from 24mm to 200mm. To date, this kit has cost about $750 and I will spend another $100 to put a 100mmF2.8 portrait lens (not yet arrived).

for $750 here is what I got.

24mm F2.5 Tamron adaptall II with M42 mount
28mm F2.5 Vivitar
35mm F2 SMC Takumar
50mm F1.4 Super Takumar 8 element version
50mm F4 SMC Macro Takumar
58mm F2 Helios M2
85mm F1.9 Super Takumar
135mm F2.8 Tele Lentar Preset
135mm F3.5 SMC Takumar
200mm F3.5 Takumar (preset)

Plus Pentax Helicoid Extension tube, ASAHI extension tube set, Tamron MC 2x Teleconverter

As I said I am adding a 100mm F2.8 Preset with 14 blade aperture to this kit.

This has been put together over the past 2 years, and I wonder what I could sell it for now, as I too have seen prices go up tremendously.

It is not just pentax lenses but across the board. there are a lot of fine M42 lenses out there and I can't complain about the performance of any of the lenses in my list

[Ira]

Yep, you got bargain prices. I got many of mine before things went ridiculous, and some I got when I myself got ridiculous.

I got my Vivitar 24 2.8 for 20 bucks last year, and my 28 2.8 for 15. LAST year.
But remarkably, I nailed my Helios 44-2 for just 15 bucks as well, mint condition, a few months ago.

I think the moral is if you want a vintage lens collection, buy now. The market will support their resale value and you won't lose anything.

[stevebrot]

I could not afford Takumars when they were new and I can't afford them today either. So what has changed?


Steve

[Blue]

I kind of think they are worth the price today. I've noticed the handful of old Takumars (not just the SMC or S-M-C versions) I've tried have worked very well on my K200D and I've found the IQ to be outstanding. I've found nothing definitive about why the coatings seem to work so well on digital cameras, and I've noticed some problems with shooting my modern Nikon primes on my Nikon DSLR, so it's interesting.

A Pentax shooter would have to think that if the prices continue to climb someone at the company might take a look at ramping up the FA LTD series a bit. It doesn't make much sense right now but who knows.

You bring up some very good points. The other thing is that lens prices are up in general on lenses including other Pentax lenses. Pentax has made a run of A 50mm f1.2 recently although they weren't readily available in the U.S. The were going for ~ $900 by vendors in Hong Kong etc. They also made some runs of the AF 1.7x TC.

[Blue]

I could not afford Takumars when they were new and I can't afford them today either. So what has changed?


Steve

I wasn't really old enough to know what one was or at least the significance of one when they were new.

[stevebrot]

...I think the moral is if you want a vintage lens collection, buy now. The market will support their resale value and you won't lose anything.

You hit it directly on the head. This is the essence of dealing with any collectible regardless of how you intend to use the item.


Steve

[Andi Lo]

Whether it's worth it or not, imho have to be compared to their current counterpart. IQ wise you shouldn't doubt the taks, but you have to see if its (un)usability factor is worth the price difference for you over the AF versions of these lenses.

For the 35/2, for example. When i got my FA 35, the price difference was around 120$ between the two. Although I find the Tak Bokeh and colors more intriguing (OTOH, less sharp), an AF fast normal is worth more than 120$ to me over the manual version.

The Tak 20mm commands around 250$, for 120$ more you can get the DA 21mm. I think it's not worth it.

I got my 24, 50, and 105 (my favourite set for digital) for 100$ each. A bargain compared to their digital versions (300$, 250$, 400$), and for these ranges I'm willing to live without AF (for now).

My 200mm Super Tak was 25$, and one of my top three favourite lenses Definitely worth it

my2 Canadian c~

[Stratman]

I have 4 Taks, ST 55 1.8, ST 28 3.5, ST 35 3.5, and S-M-C Tak 200 4. The 28 and 35 look like new, and came with original cases and caps, the 55 has been used, but isn't in bad shape, and the 200 is in great shape too, I have a total of about $125 invested in 'em. I got them before the prices went crazy...thank goodness And now I have a camera made for the Taks, so it's even better !!

[pickles]

I have 4 Taks, ST 55 1.8, ST 28 3.5, ST 35 3.5, and S-M-C Tak 200 4. The 28 and 35 look like new, and came with original cases and caps, the 55 has been used, but isn't in bad shape, and the 200 is in great shape too, I have a total of about $125 invested in 'em. I got them before the prices went crazy...thank goodness And now I have a camera made for the Taks, so it's even better !!

You've done well! Things seem to be a bit different now.
Admittedly I want stuff in mint condition, but last week I missed out on a 105 2.8 SMC, with fr & rr caps, hood, case etc....which went on ebay for around $300!....Not far from Kevin's pricing!
Cheers, Pickles.

[ducdao]

You've done well! Things seem to be a bit different now.
Admittedly I want stuff in mint condition, but last week I missed out on a 105 2.8 SMC, with fr & rr caps, hood, case etc....which went on ebay for around $300!....Not far from Kevin's pricing!
Cheers, Pickles.

I guess I'm more lucky than you, I got the Super Tak 105 2.8 almost minty for only $55 including shipping. Of course, it's not the SMC version and doesn't have the hood but still a very good deal to me.

Pentax Super-Takumar 105mm f2.8 Lens (35mm Screw Mount) - eBay (item 220625875839 end time Jun-28-10 08:40:35 PDT)

[macTak]

There are still deals out there if you are very patient/have ample time to waste. Just a couple of months ago I got a Spotmatic plus Super-Takumar 35/3.5, 50/1.4, 105/2.8, and the Tele-Takumar 200/5.6 (with their cases) for $9.50 shipped (on ebay). And I just got the S-M-C Takumar 135/2.5 (with the works) for $60 (on ebay). Thrift stores/pawn shops present another good avenue for trying to find the few remaining good deals, but it is getting harder. Most of the Taks now fetch very respectable to almost absurd prices; only the Macro-Takumar (both the 1:1 preset version and the S-M-C 1:2 version) is really undervalued in my opinion. If only all my other investments were doing as well as my Taks

[magkelly]

I don't think I see my lenses as an investment per se though I have unsuccessfully tried to swap/sell a few a couple of times just to get what I really want, which is more Takumars. I buy my lenses to use, and I don't want to think so much about what they might be worth down the road. That implies that I might sell them.

Ergo I'll really need to keep them perfect to resell them, which really isn't possible if you're going to actually use them. Ultimately that will just keep me from really using and enjoying them. I don't mean I intend to go out there and abuse my lenses, far from it, but if I can't use them, really use them, what's the point of going to all that trouble to get them in the first place? I really don't ever intend to buy lenses so I can just put them up in a case and take them out once in a blue moon to play with. That's just insane in my book, though I do see people doing that, I just don't get the concept.

If I had all the really good lenses my Takumar lusting little heart could ever desire I'd probably wear them out in 20 years taking so many pictures with them that they'd break from sheer exhaustion. Not from abuse, just from being used.

Nothing lasts forever, not even lenses, though I am sure that some out there just may outlast me. But yeah, I do want a whole kit to use someday and I don't want to have to think about how much a lens is worth. To me that's a very small thing compared to what it can ultimately do for me when it's on the camera.

[Lowell Goudge]

I don't think I see my lenses as an investment per se though I have unsuccessfully tried to swap/sell a few a couple of times just to get what I really want, which is more Takumars. I buy my lenses to use, and I don't want to think so much about what they might be worth down the road. That implies that I might sell them.

Ergo I'll really need to keep them perfect to resell them, which really isn't possible if you're going to actually use them. Ultimately that will just keep me from really using and enjoying them. I don't mean I intend to go out there and abuse my lenses, far from it, but if I can't use them, really use them, what's the point of going to all that trouble to get them in the first place? I really don't ever intend to buy lenses so I can just put them up in a case and take them out once in a blue moon to play with. That's just insane in my book, though I do see people doing that, I just don't get the concept.

If I had all the really good lenses my Takumar lusting little heart could ever desire I'd probably wear them out in 20 years taking so many pictures with them that they'd break from sheer exhaustion. Not from abuse, just from being used.

Nothing lasts forever, not even lenses, though I am sure that some out there just may outlast me. But yeah, I do want a whole kit to use someday and I don't want to have to think about how much a lens is worth. To me that's a very small thing compared to what it can ultimately do for me when it's on the camera.

I don't see the kit I posted, which I feel I built at a reasonable price as an investment either, although it probably could be turned over today for a lot more than I paid. The fact is, I have never - ever sold any of my camera gear and regret selling my enlarger lenses because I should have foreseen getting a bellows.

I like using Manual focus lenses when I have the time, and for me, photography is a form of relxation. I take a kit, either K ro M42 oout with me when I just want to shoot, and enjoy myself and there is no one around to dictate my schedule.

The kit I have is about 50% taks 50% something else, and I don;t have a real preference other than I find the tak's have a little more aperture control with half stops as opposed ot other lenses only offering full stops.

virtually all my M42 lenses are intended to be used not collected, and I can assure everyone they will degrade in condition, because they are to be used.

Photography is a hobby, at least for me, I know there are collectors out there but what is the point of collecting lenses if you don't use them, or are afraid to use them.

[macTak]

The person who attempts to buy Takumars as an investment will be sorely disappointed: when one tests them out on their camera, one will find them too good to sell