| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: December, 2020 Location: Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago Posts: 40 | | Review Date: June 28, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $220.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Bokeh, build, rendering, character | | Cons: | Not the sharpest | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 6
Camera Used: K-1
| |
I haven't had a chance to spend a ton of time with this lens yet, but in the 3 days I've had it I have used to to capture candids at a party, a newborn shoot, and some casual walk around shooting. It is a joy to use much like every other Takumar I have used to date. This really is a special little Sonnar. It has a distinct way of rendering images and greatly rewards getting the focus just right. I'm sure I'll get to know the lens better and find more strengths and weaknesses as I continue to give it time on my K-1.
Here's my Flickr album that will continue to grow.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lordawesome/albums/72157719462105229 | | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2015 Location: USA Posts: 2,875 | | Review Date: October 15, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Bokeh, Bokeh,Bokeh | | Cons: | Poor sharpness, lower contrast | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-1 K-5IIS
| |
Tiny, lightweight lens that's downright fun to shoot! While it performs well on my K-1, I sort of feel that it's a bit better match on my K-5IIS APS-C body.
This lens is an outstanding example of an old school lens with lots of "character".
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: September, 2015 Location: Ottawa Posts: 1,735
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 18, 2018 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | bokeh | | Cons: | flare | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: K-5
| |
My lens came with an AP. Both were in pristine condition. Judging by the faded stickers on the AP knobs, the camera was probably sitting somewhere in a display case and was not used. The lens itself is beautiful, in my opinion. It's made really well. The preset ring clicks with a very satisfactory feeling. The focus ring is a bit heavy. Not sure if it's because the lens is old, or simply because of the grease they used. I read somewhere that subsequent Takumars used a different grease which contributes to the "silky smooth" focusing, but don't quote me on this.
This is probably my favourite lens. How do I review and rate it? From technical point of view, the lens probably won't score high. I am no pixel peeper, but this lens isn't really super sharp, it flares and loses contrast when shooting into the light, and it is not very contrasty wide open. Having said that, all of these things are not really drawbacks because when I want to use a sharp lens with a good flare control for landscapes, I just use a different lens.
What this lens has is a ton of character. Bokeh is beautiful. Can't really add much to that. The first time I took it out for a walk in a flower garden, I was surprised how beautiful the bokeh is. It has that painterly quality - not as pronounced as the Takumar 35 f2.3, but in some ways similar (I am judging by what I see online only, as I don't have the 35mm). There is no swirliness that you see from a Helios, but the bokeh is very pleasing. To me, this is a perfect portrait lens. The lack of contrast wide open I had mentioned above is not a problem. Not really sure what's going on, but the contrast is really easy to add in the post processing. That isn't my experience with other old lenses, such as Helios 40. That lens, depending on the light, can produce such low contrast that it's hard to salvage in the post.
The second time I took it out for a walk in the forest with the kids I was surprised how 3D images look. I haven't really studied this effect much, so I am not sure if it appears when you stop the lens down a bit, but it's definitely there and it's very pronounced. Maybe even more pronounced than one from the FA 43. Colours are beautiful and somewhat similar to the K 28 f3.5.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: April, 2011 Location: Stuttgart Posts: 389
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 17, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | stunning colour rendition, excellent build quality and a pleasure to use | | Cons: | rare and expencive | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
| |
My Lens Came on a AP Camera attached, directly from Japan. I Used this lens one month without a break on my K-5 and it was a pleasure to use. The first thing I ordered was a step up ring, because the filter thread is 46mm, which is rather unusual. I Made with this lens a couple of portraits, flower shots and Macros and it blessed me always with much better results than expected. It was worth it to search this lens for two years
| | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2010 Location: California Posts: 2,223
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 30, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $699.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Small, Sonnar, Unique bokeh rendering and 3D | | Cons: | None so far - Maybe, not too sharp wide open. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
| |
I bought this lens after one year searching for it because of Asahiflex's beautiful photos. I do not regret it. It is the Sonnar bokeh and 3D effect. I will post photos later. I have the Zeiss Sonnar in the Leica mount and it is unbelievable. The design is the same, and I am enjoying it on the K5.
Update Dec. 25/14:
I took this shot last night. Not bad at all.
 DonHAgain-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Update Dec. 20/14:
I put this lens for sale but I withdrew it, it is so difficult to find it again in such a good condition as it is mine. Here are some samples:
 Roses2-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
 Sombrero Vueltiao 1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Update:
Here are some of the first shots (this lens is better than what I thought!):
PentaxK5-Takumar58mmf2@f4-Cup1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
PentaxK5-Takumar58mmf2@f2-Cup1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
As a comparison, here are some photos taken with the Leica M9 (FF) and the Zeiss Planar 50mmf2 ZM:
M9-ZeissPlanar50mmf2@f2-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
M9-ZeissPlanar50mmf2@f4-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
PentaxK5-Takumar58mmf2@f2-Mandarina1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
PentaxK5-Takumar58mmf2@f4-Mandarina1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
The Takumar Addiction by Palenquero, on Flickr
PentaxK5-Takumar58mmf2@f2-Hybiscus101-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
PentaxK5-Takumar58mmf2@f2-BirdFood-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
PentaxK5-Takumar58mmf2@f2-Naranjas-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Here is the lens:
AsahiTakumar58mmf2-M39-M42-4-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2013 Location: Near Basle Posts: 9 | | Review Date: June 18, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Preset, easy to use | | Cons: | expensive, rare | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 7
Camera Used: Sony Nex-6, Canon EOS 5D Mark II
| |
I use the lens on Sony Nex-6 and Canon EOS 5D Mark 2 and Mark 3. The use of the preset aperture on both cameras is easy to handle and fun to work with. I like the work with it more than with the lever on the Auto Takumar 55mm f/2.
The lens has nice and natural colors, better bokeh as the Auto Takumars 55mm f/2 and f/2.2 but also is less sharp than this 2.
The edges are even with closed aperture slightly dull but sharpness is good. I like portraits with the lens.
I didn't have any disturbing CA's yet.
The lens doen't like sidelights, but the flares are controlable and can be used for creativity.
Some photos are at the end of the article here , together with Auto Takumars 55mm f/1.8, f/2 and f/2.2
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: January, 2008 Location: Netherlands Posts: 2,795
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 10, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Build quality, Sonnar design, Bokeh | | Cons: | Not very sharp, super hard to find | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 8
Camera Used: Pentax K-5 & Canon 5D
| |
It would be very hard to write a better review than the previous one, so I decided to let my pictures speak for themselves.
On a Canon 5D (fullframe, the format the lens was intended for):
On Pentax APS-C DSLR's:
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: July, 2010 Location: Clermont-Ferrand, France Posts: 363
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 22, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $570.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Bokeh, standard lens | | Cons: | Sharpness is not outstanding | |
In addition to hefty1's review that says many on this lens, I would say it is a nice standard lens when used on 24x36 camera (either digital - I use it on my Canon 5D - or film). This allows to use it in interiors, rooms, and thanks to the sonnar design, highlights won't be a problem. This lens features a cemeted triplet : imagine how tricky it was to do at this times !
Some samples on 5D : http://kajiwara.weebly.com/takumar-582.html | | | | | Inactive Account Registered: September, 2007 Location: Buckinghamshire, UK Posts: 30
7 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 9, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Good for portraits, it's a Sonnar! | | Cons: | Slightly soft at all apertures, rarer than hen's teeth | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 7
| |
The fastest of the original Gang Of Three normal lenses launched alongside the Asahi Pentax in 1957 and only in production for a very short time (by '58 it had gone) - these were the first lenses made by Asahi in M42 mount.
The optical design is that of a Sonnar and the lens holds the record for being the widest focal length Sonnar ever made for a 35mm SLR (any wider than 58mm and the rear of the lens would have been too close to the film plane and fouled the mirror, that's why 50mm Sonnars are rangefinder items only).
The lens was fantastically expensive when it was new and failed to perform as well as the mid range double-gauss 55/2.2 (which became the basis for all subsequent Pentax 50/55 non-macro lenses), hence finding them today requires years of dedication and a dollop of good luck.
Performance is about what you'd expect from a Sonnar; it's reasonably sharp in the centre and slightly soft at the edges at all apertures. The situation doesn't improve upon stopping down (most Sonnars give their best wide open), you just get a larger depth of field. If you're a sharpness freak then there are plenty of lenses that will suit your needs much better than this one will.
What it does do well is bokeh. The out of focus areas (even foreground and specular highlights) are rendered with a simply gorgeous broad-brush effect which just melts away. Not the colour-soup that you get with a long telephoto lens, nor the fidgety/nervous bokeh you tend to get from sharper lenses; more of an impressionistic painting style which is incredibly attractive. Pictures tend to have a dreamy quality that makes this a perfect lens for portraits where it'll flatter your subjects nicely.
Handling is OK. It's a pre-set lens so there's a degree of fiddling to be done but actually it's not too bad on digital in Av mode (very similar to the Jupiter-9, another Sonnar design). I can't really knock points off for this as pre-set lenses were the cutting edge of technology in 1957 so it shouldn't be judged by today's standards. Focussing is smooth enough but not quite as silky as later Takumars - still much better than pretty much everything else makers were knocking out in that era though (Leitz excepted).
If you do get one beware the rear mount - it's made from aluminium and as a result could be easily cross-threaded if not used with caution. 46mm filters are easy enough to come by these days (thank you Micro 4/3!) but good luck finding an original metal cap.
If you're after a lens for portraiture (and on digital this has an equivalent focal length of 87mm) and you can find one then buy it - you won't be disappointed. If you want a super-sharp performer for those Ansel Adams landscapes then look elsewhere - you'll hate it. If you own a 1957 AP body then send it to me and I'll tell you if they make a good pairing or not...  | | |
;)
;)
