Additional information:
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Angle of view: 18°
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Diameter : 66 mm
The Super-Takumar 135 mm f/2.5(Asahi P.No. 43801) is a fast telephoto prime lens for 35 mm M42 screw mount SLR cameras.
The 1st modification of the Super-Takumar 135 mm f/2.5 (1968-1971) features a 5/4 optical formula and a 6-blade aperture. This modification was followed by three more versions of the lens:
2nd version - Super-Multi-Coated Takumar (Asahi P.No. 43802) - from1971 to 1972 (5 elements in 4 groups, 6-blade aperture)
3rd version - Super-Multi-Coated Takumar (Asahi P.No. 43812) - from 1973 to1979 (6 elements in 6 groups, 8-blade aperture)
4th version - Takumar (Bayonet) - from 1980 to 1988 (4 elements in 4 groups, 8-blade aperture)
Contributed by Rabkor:
As for their optical performance these lens variants may be ranked as follows (starting from the best):
3rd variant - SMC Super-Takumar 135 mm f2.5 (6 elements in 6 groups). Multi-coated glass elements. Sometimes the lens can be labeled 'Super-Multi-Coated Takumar', yet it is the same lens. Labeling may have varied from one regional market to another. Sometimes you can come across the same lens in the bayonet variant, labeled SMC Pentax-K 135 mm f2.5. It can be easily recognized by the number 35 before the infinity sign on the distance scale and a broader depth of field scale.
2nd variant - SMC Super-Takumar 135 mm f2.5 (5 elements in 4 groups). Sometimes the lens can be labeled 'Super-Multi-Coated Takumar', yet it is the same lens. Labeling may have varied from one regional market to another. The lens features multi-coated glass elements. It can be easily recognized by the number 30 before the infinity sign on the distance scale and a narrower depth of field scale.
1st variant - Super-Takumar 135 mm f2.5 (5 elements in 4 groups). This is absolutely the same lens as described above, but single-layer. These two lenses (Super-Takumar and K135mm f2.5) differ in the focus ring design and rear parts (М42 and K bayonet). The two lenses with their inner barrels are absolutely identical.
4th variant - Takumar (Bayonet) 135 mm f2.5 (4 elements in 4 groups). Under this label it came to the US market. In Europe it was sold as the Pentax Takumar 135mm f2.5. http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/lenses/primes/_non-SMC/tak_135f2.5.html
It is the most budget lens in the series. It came in a bayonet variant only with a single-layer coating. Many users say it is too soft when wide open, but that is not so. It is strongly recommended to use a hood with the lens. Besides, it is desirable that the hood should be deeper and narrower than its standard counterpart. With the hood both contrast and sharpness get restored.
To summarize:
3 optical schemes (the 1st and the 2nd variants differ in coating only);
4 variants in terms of their optical performance (one variant considering coating type difference);
6 types regarding their catalog indexes.
Links to online resources:
Posted by: Liliom Date of publication: 23.09.2012
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