| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: December, 2020 Location: Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago Posts: 40
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 15, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Tack Sharp, great build, bokeh | | Cons: | F4 | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-1
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After many years enjoying the fast fifties in the Takumar line I came across one of these on a visit to WA at Kenmore Camera for a great price given its condition and inclusion of a set of extension tubes! I wanted to hold out for the earlier preset 1:1 version, but I couldn't pass up a pristine copy of this lens for a fair price.
I'm usually all about wide open shooting with a good amount of bokeh and often prefer to shoot in low light. This lens made me take a very different approach to shooting every time I took it out. Sometimes a bit of a challenge in one area can help you to grow overall. So, my time spent with this slow, but SHARP lens has been a learning experience for sure. I'd suggest this lens mainly for product photography, but some light macro work and flowers, bees, etc would also be good uses of this glass. If you're interested in trying out macro the macro Takumar 50mm f4 is a great introduction!
So, here's my collection of images through this lens so far.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lordawesome/albums/72157717028814188 | | | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2019 Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 1, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $240.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Takumar build quality. Superb handling. Great color rendition, highlights and shadows. | | Cons: | 5 blades iris | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Sony a7iii
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I have the SMC version. Excellent macro lens. Very sharp and colorful. Butter smooth focus ring. Very precise.
50mm Macro at F4
 | | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2018 Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 26, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | High sharpness and contrast, vivid color, excellent build and handling | | Cons: | 5-bladed diaphragm and pentagon bokeh | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: SP-F, X-T3
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I have the Super Multi Coated version. WOW, this lens is by far my favorite Takumar. Super sharp and contrasty even at minimum focus distance. It resolves very well on 26 megapixels APS-C and has some of the best color contrast and micro contrast I've seen in any macro lens. In terms of raw optical performance it outperforms the 100mm f/4 (as well as most modern macro lenses) in both sharpness and contrast. The simple Tessar-anastigmat design of this lens is very effective. This is one lens that will never leave my collection.
 | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: July, 2012 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Posts: 5,484 | | Review Date: March 21, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, good handling | | Cons: | None really | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: Q10, Q7
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My lens is the later model engraved Super-Multi-Coated MACRO-TAKUMAR 1:4/50
On the Q system, this lens allows a fairly long working distance. It seems to out-perform the small sensors (or maybe it out-performs me) but it is still not a bad option while the Q-system does not include a macro lens. I will let the images speak for themselves. (A comparison with a macro filter on the Pentax 110 50/f2.8 might be interesting if I get around to it.)
Native bee on a white rose (windy day so perhaps not ideal). Shot with Q10 as a jpeg, cropped to 3000x2400 and resized for posting. Tripod used.
Honey bee (feral) at the entrance to a wild hive. Shot with Q7 as a jpeg, cropped to 3000x2400 and resized for posting. Hand held.
100 per cent crops from the above images. Satisfactory result on these small sensors.
 | | | | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2018 Posts: 1
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 30, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $95.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very solid built, easy to use, small size | | Cons: | Only f/4 aperture | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Fujifilm X-T3
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I use this lens as my only macro lens and enjoy it very much. Very easy to use, metal construction, small size. I use m42 adapter for my Fujifilm x-t3 camera.
As this is only 1:2 magnification, I use also extension tubes if needed.
This lens is incredible value for money so highly recommend for anyone.
Please take into account that this is manual focus lens so focusing is a challenge. I use it with focus peaking feature which helps a lot to get proper focus.
Check out my latest macro photos through the links below.
https://flickr.com/photos/161489971@N05/sets/72157697122730530
https://flickr.com/photos/161489971@N05/sets/72157703670662814
https://flickr.com/photos/161489971@N05/sets/72157703620084741 | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2018 Posts: 14 | | Review Date: November 14, 2018 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Incredible sharpness, color fidelity, handling ease | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 6
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Spotmatic
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According to the chart I must have lucked into one of the last production models a couple of years after it was discontinued, which might have discouraged me from buying it.
I'd been curious about macro photography and started with those clumsy extension tubes and sacrifice and exposure calculations (for slides) on an H3V, so went to close-up filter add-ons which solved the calculation problem, but then realized that, even though it would roughly duplicate my 55mm 1.8 lens, and was, on a newer Spotmatic, only manual, it would be worth acquiring. It was. Without the need for extra-fast lenses I essentially never used the 55 again.
The standard for resolution at the time was a Summicron, but it was impossible to see how any lens could be sharper, at all apertures, and with a perfectly flat field. I later used it extensively for slide copy work for other artists, as well as, with a bellow and slide copier, for enlarged details of slides and other experimental work.
An automatic ought to have been faster, but by presetting the aperture and with only a slight twist to get from 7ft to inf it was easily a more convenient lens for ordinary usage, if not, for me, as preferable as a much wider FOV. With this and the 17mm Fish-eye lens (and an excellent 135mm) it was clear that I'd chosen the best system for me.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2009 Posts: 980
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 3, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Lightweight, 1:1, Sharp, deeply recessed front element | | Cons: | Sensitive to moire, tends to underexpose | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-1
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This is the 1:1 preset version. It should probably have it's own thread, as it skews the average purchase price for the rest of the lenses. At time of this review, prices for the 1:1 version can be over $300.00 depending on the cosmetic condition, while the 1:5 versions can be had for $50-75.00.
This is a lovely light little lens. It's sharp. My copy tends to underexpose a half stop to a stop. Not a huge problem with the K-1 if you forget to compensate.
When I get a lens, I always take a picture of my laptop LCD screen. Pictures had a slight a rainbow moire pattern at 1:1. I don't see the issue with my newer 1:1 macro. Would probably go away if one uses the filter simulator when using the K-1. So you might need to be careful shooting patterns.
It has a nice long throw, so critical focusing is easy. Assuming you already have the M42 to K mount, it's probably the least expensive way to get a nice 1:1 macro lens.
Macro-Takumar 50mm f4 1:1, on Flickr
Macro-Takumar 50mm f4 1:1 - Crop, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2010 Location: TAIWAN Posts: 11 | | Review Date: May 1, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $160.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | 1:1, Low contrast, exquisite | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: PENTAX
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I own version Macro-Talumar 1:4/50 (preset, 1:1), 50mm macro lens of choice (except F 50 / 2.8 MACRO), happily useing.
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2013 Location: Kent Posts: 159
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 1, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $115.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | excellent in all respects | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Canon eos 50D
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This review is for the the first (preset) version. I purchased this lens in good used condition in 2014 and have rarely taken it off the camera over the last year.
I have owned a lot of different macro lenses in the past but none of them have performed as well as this one.
Being the 1:1 version makes it incredibly versatile and I find the preset diaphragm really easy to use with my Canon digital camera.
With a little practice using it handheld even when very close is very easy.
I haven't done a direct comparison with the SMC version but I cant believe it would give any sharper, brighter or more contrasty results than mine.
I think the 1:1 is probably a better feature to have rather than SMC.
I would suggest to anyone if you see the first version at the right price then go for it, you won't be disappointed.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2015 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 16
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 13, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | SHARPEST, color saturation, contrast, no CA, no distortion | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-500 and 5 older bodies
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I bought this Macro Takumar 50mm f4 in 1979 and have used it on M-42 film cameras,
PK-mount film cameras, and now two DSLRs. I commend the corporate culture of Pentax
for considering backward compatibility as having value. I appreciate efficiency, which
includes getting full use from assets. Top quality and top performing lenses are assets.
I have every intention of using this lens as long as I have a camera with the ability to
mount it. Mine is the old one that goes 1:1 without tubes on 35mm format, and even beyond
on current DSLRs like my K-500.
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2010 Location: California Posts: 2,223
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 12, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Greatest Macro Ever - Sharp and 1:1 | | Cons: | None so far | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Kx, K5, K3
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I had both versions of the lens the SMC Tak50/4, and the Macro-Tak50/4 (preset). I am evaluating both, although the preset is my main guide. I have had both lenses for several years, and I am surprised that I only use the preset when I need some special real macro, things too small or so. It is the best. I also use it with added tubes and bellows (and of course flash). For walks around, I use the Vivitar 105/2.4 or the Tamron 90/2.8 AF. If you find the Macro-Tak preset, get it.
 Macro-Takumar50mmf4=ExtensionTubes-Tornillo1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
 Macro-Takumar 50mmf4-MacroPreset+ExtensionTubes@f4-PlugTerminals1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
 S-M-C Takumar 50mmf4-Macro@f4-Buganvilia-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
you can also use this lens for product photography, it is so sharp:
 S-M-C Takumar 50mmf4-Macro&Refconverter-A@f4-frutas1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: January, 2014 Posts: 152 | | Review Date: December 5, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, build, unique star bokeh | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax K-01
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I recently picked up the Macro-Takumar 50mm f4 (preset version) . I am truly in love with this lens! The all-metal build quality is superb, and it is a dream to use with its' long focus throw and smooth operation. I'm amazed a lens this old can be so sharp. I also happen to love the bokeh though I can understand why it's not to everyone's taste. I haven't owned too many macro lenses so I can't really draw any comparisons, but I am very happy with it so far; easily my favorite lens. Here's a sample from a short walk through the garden to show what it can do on my Pentax K-01.
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: July, 2012 Posts: 928
10 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 11, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, colourful, exquisitely engineered | | Cons: | f4, more fragile than S-M-C's | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-3, K-01
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The Macro Takumar 50/4 celebrates its 50th birthday this year.
Recently, I used the early 1:1 preset version every day for a month on the Single in Challenge, and all I can say is ‘wow’. What a great lens Takumar made back in 1964. Physically the lens is a small gem, and it’s a joy to use. The end results are beautiful, even by the standards of today’s macros.
It’s not the easiest lens to master, and that’s part of the fun. First of all, f4 is a bit slow for some kinds of macro work with only natural light. With live view/zoom it’s really not a problem seeing/focusing. But I’d have liked a faster lens to combat very slight movements in small objects. Secondly, my K-3 and K-01 simply can’t meter the very deep-set glass accurately for up-close shots outside, and tends to over exposure across the frame, resulting in blow-outs. However, that's not a con worth dwelling on for me, as macro is much better manually metered.
After some trial and error on subjects and settings, you’ll find the lens produces stunning images. Very sharp and very colourful. At f4 the 50mm it can deliver very artistic images with surprisingly narrow DoF and super-smooth bokeh (see photo below). 10 for bokeh wide open, but closed down the blades become much more noticeable in the background and maybe not to everyone's taste.
The quality of build and engineering is outstanding. Having said this, there is one downside to the preset version, given its age. It has more moving parts, and is undoubtedly more fragile than later, and to me less desirable, S-M-C Takumars (not 1:1). So you have to be careful buying one unseen off the web.
I highly recommend the lens to anyone who wants a cheapish entry into macro photography, and a piece of history. It cost me around US$100. It’s worth every cent IMO. It’s one of those lenses you’ll want to return to again and again. It is also a more than adequate walk around lens. Not quite in the same league as the Takumar 50/1.4, but close enough.
Here are a few photos of and by the lens, and if you're interested, a link to my Mac Tak 50/4 photos on Flickr. www.flickr.com/photos/95859572@N06/sets/72157644855700903/
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2013 Location: Storrs-Mansfield, Connecticut Posts: 223
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 6, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Practically everything!! My favorite lens, period! | | Cons: | A bit slow for some things but there's always a trade off. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-x and K-01
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When I returned to photography after 35+ years, I began the search for that special combination that I once had with my K-1000 and the old Pentax 50mm (don't even remember which one it was now) that I simply wore out. I am embarrassed to admit how long I searched and how many 50 and 55 mm lenses I bought to find that magic. The SMC Macro Takumar 1:4/50 (with the Auto feature) has brought me home to that feeling of wonder and creativity that I'd lost in my photography. Where once I had eagle vision (think Ted Williams), I'm now over 70 and although I don't need glasses to drive, I find that I can't focus as well, as accurately as I once did.
Enter the K-01. The focus peaking feature is fantastic! Never mind that the K-01 is a brick and everybody loves to hate it. Focus peaking combined with a hood* and a stunning manual lens like the SMC Macro Takumar 1:4/50 is a combination that puts this old lady back in the game. Thank you Pentax and Takumar for fantastic engineering. I'm a very, very happy woman!
Clarification: By "hood", I meant an external hood on the LCD when it's very sunny. This lens doesn't really need a hood because it's recessed so deep.
* | | | | | Senior Member Registered: December, 2012 Posts: 166
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 22, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, colorfull | | Cons: | Slow in some conditions | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-5
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I bought this lens as i came up on ebay for a ok price.
Had no expectations of what so ever, but now it´s one of my favourite lenses to create art from the "little world" or beautiful details.
Also it´s very sharp even for non close ups.
Sharpness, bokeh, Colors..
I let some pictures talk for it.
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