Asahi Super-Takumar 50 mm f/ 1.4 Lens

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Pictures

Optical design

Format: 35mm SLR

Type: Prime lens

Focusing: Manual Focus (MF)

Lens mounts: M42

First year of production: 1964

Last year of production: 1971

Optical design: 7 elements in 6 groups

User reviews (2)

Photos (23)

Tests (0)

Owners (40)

Views (34356)

Average price: $148

Specifications:

Focal length	Max. aperture	Min. aperture	Blades	Min. Focus (m.)	Filter Ø (mm.)	Weight (gr/oz)	Length (mm/in)
50mm	f/1.4	f/16	6	0.45	49	230/8,1	38.5/1,5

Additional information:

The Asahi Super-Takumar 50 mm f/ 1.4 is one of the best normal lenses with single-layer coating for m42 mount.

This lens is compact and light, also it has impact-resistant construct. Pleasant and smooth focusing.

Super-Takumar 50 mm f/ 1.4 lens gives beautiful with its colors picture with good quality, stable for backlight. Sharp on the aperture 1.4.

There two versions of this lens:

The early version: 1964-1967. This model has different optic scheme (8 lenses in 7groups) and it has a little highest weight (245 g)

The late version: 1967-1971. This model is described in this review.

Super-Takumar is lenses with automated aperture drive, it’s called “blinking” aperture, that also has another inexplicable name “dancing / hopping”. The aperture is really blinking because the closing before the predetermined value happens the moment before the shutter starts its work and after exposition workup it completely opens. So it seems that device with such lens blinks. The lenses of this series have the switcher on the aperture manual control.

Posted by: Sergei Borodin Date of publication: 27.07.2010

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Photos taken with this lens Asahi Super-Takumar 50 mm f/ 1.4:

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***
Autor: Sergei Borodin

4272

Lights II
Autor: vorobaz

7116

Alena
Autor: Sergei Borodin

5508

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Autor: Relayer

2879

Mechanical quality	4.20	15
Optical quality	4.35	14
Usability	4.00	14
Pricing / Value	3.86	14
Bokeh	4.50	14
Overall lens rating	4.18

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Owner reviews: Asahi Super-Takumar 50 mm f/ 1.4

ProfHankD 05.01.2016 23:47:08

Period of use: 72 months

Strengths:

Nearly as good as the newer SMC version overall; perhaps even slightly better bokeh (which is awesome), but not quite as sharp (even after UV treatment). Very well made, smooth operating, and just a nice lens overall.

Weaknesses:

At least my copy had serious radioactive yellowing. This not only added a tint, but actually prevented the lens from getting sharp focus on anything. After UV treatment, it is mostly cleared and can focus, but still isn't quite as sharp as the SMC version. I wonder how much the chemical make-up of this lens has been changed by radioactive decay over the years....

Flare handling is just ok.

Comments:

The radioactivity isn't scary, but this does seem to be one of the hotter lenses, and I'm not sure UV cleaning can be 100% effective in restoring to original performance levels.

PS: mine is the later version.

Comments (0)

Psyduck 1.1.2000 00:00:01

Period of use: 6 months

Strengths:

It’s sharp from opened apertures
Excellent focusing ring motion
Pleasant to the touch
In my own opinion this lens excels Canon 50/1.8 in focusing accuracy
Light weight
Metal or iron-hard

Weaknesses:

this lens is radioactive because it gives 180 micron / hour point-blank nad 20 micron / hour for . back lens and everything in 15 cm radius (with viewfinder) this lens often makes overlighting on the sunlight in the work with the skin in contrast with another optics.

Comments:

I’m in love with this lens but in the same time I’m afraid of it. When you take it in your arms you understand that it’s really great thing! It’s small and confident. This lens is very good for shooting at home or while walking, but it’s bad for the shooting with the bright sun light. In macro shooting, using macro rings, the lens unexpectedly behaves itself as sharp and pleasant lens. Having 1.4 aperture it loses its sharpness, when jamming aperture ring by one point (it does not have any intermediate values, it seems to be the value 2) the lens gets the sharpness again. In general, it’s your decision to use it or not. The radiation has unnoticeable; impact. It’s hard to get rid of this lens because the pictures it gives are too beautiful!

Comments (2)