Super Tak 35mm f/2 - Mana from Heaven

woof · 08-24-2010, 08:14 AM

A long time back, after Dad gave me the 1957 Asahi, and I proved that I could make good use of it, he gave me a Spotmatic. Kind of nice to have the on-board light meter really. It was a bit more advanced in many ways.

When he gave me that camera it came with a Super Takumar 35mm f/2. This is the one with the 67mm filter threads. Big piece of fast glass.

That lens was my go-to lens for most things in the 70's. I shot high school yearbook and portraits with that lens. I defaulted to this lens more than the others in my kit. It shows. The cosmetics are terrible. The glass is perfect.

Somewhere along the way it jammed in the Manual position. That was back in the 70's. So no Auto on the Spotmatic anymore. Back in the day I made do. Open aperture, focus, then meter with aperture. More recently, this shortcoming really tended to make me just leave it sitting on the shelf. In fact I have not used it since the 70's.

Last night I took a small screwdriver to the back ring that holds the Auto/Manual switch bezel. I removed the ring to see what I could see and see where to go next... thought I might need to replace a broken part and was ready to cannibalize any of a number of lenses.

Before I went further, I tried it. It works. I cleaned it up a little, replaced the bezel, tightened up some of the other rings and I now have a perfectly workable Super Takumar 35mm f/2. There is something a little special about having an old friend like this back again.

There are some projects I've been meaning to take on with this lens. I'll start posting pics here periodically with it.

If any of you use this lens, please feel free to put pictures of it and pictures from it in this thread.

woof!

Last edited by woof; 08-24-2010 at 01:31 PM.

Adam · 08-24-2010, 08:26 AM

Wow- great to see that the damage wasn't permanent (but I'm impressed that you decided to wait all those years before fixing the lens). What exactly went wrong? Just a slightly jammed lever?

BTW, could you post a photo of it that we can use for the lens DB? We're currently missing the photo (only the late version is there): S-M-C/Super Takumar 35mm F2 Lens Reviews - Pentax Lens Review Database

woof · 08-24-2010, 08:33 AM

Originally posted by Adam

Wow- great to see that the damage wasn't permanent (but I'm impressed that you decided to wait all those years before fixing the lens). What exactly went wrong? Just a slightly jammed lever?

Yes. The bezel got a little loose and shifted just enough so it was jammed. Hard. Could not tell that it was just the bezel. The thing is so ugly cosmetically, and I thought the linkage was broken or corroded, and so never fixed it. There was a time the 35mm f/3.5 was cheeeeeeeeap.

Originally posted by Adam

BTW, could you post a photo of it that we can use for the lens DB? We're currently missing the photo (only the late version is there): S-M-C/Super Takumar 35mm F2 Lens Reviews - Pentax Lens Review Database

Sure. It sure is uuuuuuuuuuuhgly.

woof!

straightshooter · 08-24-2010, 10:37 AM

I just got one the other day and it's amazing to hold this early lens in one hand and a 35 f3.5 in the other. Like holding a feather and a rock. I've got a roll of Tri-X at Dwayne's shot with the 35 f2 and my S1a on World Pentax Day. Hopefully I'll have them back in enough time to post to the gallery.

Adam and Woof, mine is in very nice cosmetic condition if you want me to take a pic of it.

CW

woof · 08-24-2010, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by straightshooter

I just got one the other day and it's amazing to hold this early lens in one hand and a 35 f3.5 in the other. Like holding a feather and a rock. I've got a roll of Tri-X at Dwayne's shot with the 35 f2 and my S1a on World Pentax Day. Hopefully I'll have them back in enough time to post to the gallery.

Adam and Woof, mine is in very nice cosmetic condition if you want me to take a pic of it.

CW

CW,

I agree with you about feather and rock. From a practical standpoint that f/3.5 has a wonderful small profile. But there is something about the f/2 that is qualitatively very nice to work with. Then again, it was a go-to for me for about 8-10 years so perhaps that's all just familiarity.

Yes, I think a nice one should be the basis of the photo for Adam. It's a nice lens. Mine is all scratched and worn and bent. Heh. Please do post your pics... if not here... somewhere. I'd like to see your results. Pics from the lens to follow.

woof!

straightshooter · 08-24-2010, 11:57 AM

I'll either post the pics or e-mail you a few if they come out ok. It was such a rainy day with really crappy light most of the day. Plus with the a/c going in the car and it being so humid, every time we got out anywhere the first thing that happened was our lenses fogged up. But I may have gotten a few good ones of a covered bridge that I hadn't been to before that Sunday.

CW

Adam · 08-24-2010, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by straightshooter

I just got one the other day and it's amazing to hold this early lens in one hand and a 35 f3.5 in the other. Like holding a feather and a rock. I've got a roll of Tri-X at Dwayne's shot with the 35 f2 and my S1a on World Pentax Day. Hopefully I'll have them back in enough time to post to the gallery.

Adam and Woof, mine is in very nice cosmetic condition if you want me to take a pic of it.

CW

Sure- I'd appreciate that! An 850px width with a blank background is all we need.

If you can, please e-mail it to at this domain, or simply throw it up in the gallery and I'll take it from there

Adam
PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide | Site Help | My Photography)

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Blue · 08-24-2010, 02:14 PM

Great story! I like the early models of the lenses with big glass. I have the 28mm/3.5 Model I early and late (3.5-22 and 3.5-16). I also have the 1st model 50/1.4. I will eventually chase down the 1st version of the 35/2.

Arjay Bee · 08-25-2010, 01:40 AM

Well done on the fix -I had a copy of this lens but sold it at the dawn of digital never expecting to use a 35mm film prime again - and now I can't afford to buy one back... -
It was also my Dad's and like you it was on the spotmatic camera most of the time. The other two lenses in the set were the early ST 50mm 1.4 and 135 3.5 which I still have, fortunately.
good to hear that the old faithful has been rehabilitated.

fearview · 08-26-2010, 09:17 AM

i only have the super multi coated one.. can i get count?

Pentax K1000 SE + smc Takumar 35 1:2 + Kodak Portra NC 160

now it has tiny fungus inside it..

08-24-2010, 08:14 AM	#1
woof Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In the present Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,870	Super Tak 35mm f/2 - Mana from Heaven A long time back, after Dad gave me the 1957 Asahi, and I proved that I could make good use of it, he gave me a Spotmatic. Kind of nice to have the on-board light meter really. It was a bit more advanced in many ways. When he gave me that camera it came with a Super Takumar 35mm f/2. This is the one with the 67mm filter threads. Big piece of fast glass. That lens was my go-to lens for most things in the 70's. I shot high school yearbook and portraits with that lens. I defaulted to this lens more than the others in my kit. It shows. The cosmetics are terrible. The glass is perfect. Somewhere along the way it jammed in the Manual position. That was back in the 70's. So no Auto on the Spotmatic anymore. Back in the day I made do. Open aperture, focus, then meter with aperture. More recently, this shortcoming really tended to make me just leave it sitting on the shelf. In fact I have not used it since the 70's. Last night I took a small screwdriver to the back ring that holds the Auto/Manual switch bezel. I removed the ring to see what I could see and see where to go next... thought I might need to replace a broken part and was ready to cannibalize any of a number of lenses. Before I went further, I tried it. It works. I cleaned it up a little, replaced the bezel, tightened up some of the other rings and I now have a perfectly workable Super Takumar 35mm f/2. There is something a little special about having an old friend like this back again. There are some projects I've been meaning to take on with this lens. I'll start posting pics here periodically with it. If any of you use this lens, please feel free to put pictures of it and pictures from it in this thread. woof! Last edited by woof; 08-24-2010 at 01:31 PM.

08-24-2010, 08:26 AM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	Wow- great to see that the damage wasn't permanent (but I'm impressed that you decided to wait all those years before fixing the lens). What exactly went wrong? Just a slightly jammed lever? BTW, could you post a photo of it that we can use for the lens DB? We're currently missing the photo (only the late version is there): S-M-C/Super Takumar 35mm F2 Lens Reviews - Pentax Lens Review Database Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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08-24-2010, 08:33 AM	#3
woof Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In the present Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,870 Original Poster	Originally posted by Adam Wow- great to see that the damage wasn't permanent (but I'm impressed that you decided to wait all those years before fixing the lens). What exactly went wrong? Just a slightly jammed lever? Yes. The bezel got a little loose and shifted just enough so it was jammed. Hard. Could not tell that it was just the bezel. The thing is so ugly cosmetically, and I thought the linkage was broken or corroded, and so never fixed it. There was a time the 35mm f/3.5 was cheeeeeeeeap. Originally posted by Adam BTW, could you post a photo of it that we can use for the lens DB? We're currently missing the photo (only the late version is there): S-M-C/Super Takumar 35mm F2 Lens Reviews - Pentax Lens Review Database Sure. It sure is uuuuuuuuuuuhgly. woof!

08-24-2010, 10:37 AM	#4
straightshooter Inactive Account Join Date: May 2008 Location: Forest Park, Georgia/Jacksonville, Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 633	I just got one the other day and it's amazing to hold this early lens in one hand and a 35 f3.5 in the other. Like holding a feather and a rock. I've got a roll of Tri-X at Dwayne's shot with the 35 f2 and my S1a on World Pentax Day. Hopefully I'll have them back in enough time to post to the gallery. Adam and Woof, mine is in very nice cosmetic condition if you want me to take a pic of it. CW

08-24-2010, 11:02 AM	#5
woof Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In the present Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,870 Original Poster	Originally posted by straightshooter I just got one the other day and it's amazing to hold this early lens in one hand and a 35 f3.5 in the other. Like holding a feather and a rock. I've got a roll of Tri-X at Dwayne's shot with the 35 f2 and my S1a on World Pentax Day. Hopefully I'll have them back in enough time to post to the gallery. Adam and Woof, mine is in very nice cosmetic condition if you want me to take a pic of it. CW CW, I agree with you about feather and rock. From a practical standpoint that f/3.5 has a wonderful small profile. But there is something about the f/2 that is qualitatively very nice to work with. Then again, it was a go-to for me for about 8-10 years so perhaps that's all just familiarity. Yes, I think a nice one should be the basis of the photo for Adam. It's a nice lens. Mine is all scratched and worn and bent. Heh. Please do post your pics... if not here... somewhere. I'd like to see your results. Pics from the lens to follow. woof!

08-24-2010, 11:57 AM	#6
straightshooter Inactive Account Join Date: May 2008 Location: Forest Park, Georgia/Jacksonville, Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 633	I'll either post the pics or e-mail you a few if they come out ok. It was such a rainy day with really crappy light most of the day. Plus with the a/c going in the car and it being so humid, every time we got out anywhere the first thing that happened was our lenses fogged up. But I may have gotten a few good ones of a covered bridge that I hadn't been to before that Sunday. CW

08-24-2010, 01:04 PM	#7
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	Originally posted by straightshooter I just got one the other day and it's amazing to hold this early lens in one hand and a 35 f3.5 in the other. Like holding a feather and a rock. I've got a roll of Tri-X at Dwayne's shot with the 35 f2 and my S1a on World Pentax Day. Hopefully I'll have them back in enough time to post to the gallery. Adam and Woof, mine is in very nice cosmetic condition if you want me to take a pic of it. CW Sure- I'd appreciate that! An 850px width with a blank background is all we need. If you can, please e-mail it to at this domain, or simply throw it up in the gallery and I'll take it from there Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

08-24-2010, 02:14 PM	#8
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Great story! I like the early models of the lenses with big glass. I have the 28mm/3.5 Model I early and late (3.5-22 and 3.5-16). I also have the 1st model 50/1.4. I will eventually chase down the 1st version of the 35/2.

08-25-2010, 01:40 AM	#9
Arjay Bee Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Horn Island, Torres Straits, Q Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,715	Well done on the fix -I had a copy of this lens but sold it at the dawn of digital never expecting to use a 35mm film prime again - and now I can't afford to buy one back... - It was also my Dad's and like you it was on the spotmatic camera most of the time. The other two lenses in the set were the early ST 50mm 1.4 and 135 3.5 which I still have, fortunately. good to hear that the old faithful has been rehabilitated.

08-26-2010, 09:17 AM	#10
fearview Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Jakarta Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,067	i only have the super multi coated one.. can i get count? Pentax K1000 SE + smc Takumar 35 1:2 + Kodak Portra NC 160 now it has tiny fungus inside it..