"We're not buying a lens based on how it feels" Ahw... wish i could say that. With vintage lenses in my hand i always feel something that modern lenses can't give me. They have a story to tell. They saw more than i ever did, and will see more than i ever will. They are the travellers of time. Capturing a nice shot with them always feels like i were able to add something to their legacy.
i mean I agree, but I can't say this is the case wth most, the 85 feels so darn good that yes I bought it based on the fact it feels AMAAAAAAAZING lol. Plus i love the 85 focal lengh and Takumar's...this is a must have! ;)
One advantage of the long focus throw, is a greater accuracy achieved when the lens us used at wider apertures. This is one of the reasons why I love the later, 55mm f1.8 K - it has a huge amount of focus throw.
Epic lens. I got super lucky and found my SMC 85 1.8 at an estate sale. Mint condition with the hood and case. I paid $15 for it. One of the best days of my life.
I use a OM EM10, for its in-body stabilization, with my vintage lenses. Coupled with a decent focal reducer, my 50/1.4 (or 55/1.8) Super Takumar can deliver some very decent portrait shots that have wonderful bokeh. I do keep these thoriated glass lenses in a glass cabinet and under daylight/LED lighting. This tends to relax the stresses within the thoriated glass matrix of the rear lens elements, which tend to build over years (caused by the Th-232's 14.2 Billion year half life) and cause that characteristic yellowing; for which they are so often associated. Exposure to daylight (UV light spectrum) will clear the yellowing over days (a couple of weeks, max).
An inspiring video! I'm pretty happy shooting my ancient Canon SSC 85/1.8 on my 'old' A7s. It's also a tank. The edges are a little fuzzy wide open, but the center is good to go. By f/4, the whole FOV is looking pretty dang good. I don't shoot enough video, but do use the lens a lot for stills.
Holy cow dude you got some clean content. Fantastic editing and pacing had me very engaged the whole time. You earned yourself another subscriber, and honestly deserve a lot more. Keep it up man!
I love the Canon 85, f1.8. Until recently, it was the sharpest glass I had owned. Stunning difference in colour rendering and saturation of the Tak, tho. Wow!
It’s super impressive. Some people have commented saying they have picked some up at thrift shops for like $75. The hype of this lens is real. How it feels is something else
I’m considering canon vs takumar, I have takumar 50 and it’s great! The only better color rendering which POP is leica. Which one is better? Takumar is 2x the cost of the canon.
Very well produced review my man, I can tell that like me do you have a passion for these older lenses. One thing I found about reviewing the older lenses is there is so much more to talk about whereas the modern lenses either work good or they don't they don't have much character to show in a video review. I'm also glad this does not have the radioactive element. That's something that always bothered me about the 50 mm and why I never tried it. Keep up the good work. Respect
Thanks a lot Ray. Yes I do love shooting these. I think a big part of it is how photogenic they are. Modern lenses by contrast lack the texture and variation these old lenses have. The engraved markings, the design...I just can’t shoot the Sony lenses with any kind of love as there isn’t much to them physically. Optically they’re great, other moderns as well, but ya. Thanks for noticing, makes it feel like it resonates which is always a goal when producing.
Mark Holtze by the way if you're looking for something really unique you may have heard already about the Meyer gorlitz trioplan with its soap bubble bokeh. I did a thorough review of it on my Channel with many photo and video examples. Review took me probably 2 months to put together. You're more than welcome to check it out, my model was made in the 50s actually. It took me a long time to find one in m42 Mount so that I could use it with my speed booster. Have a good one bro and here's a link if you're interested in checking it out. ua-cam.com/video/QXWUjaiUTtE/v-deo.html
This is amazing Ray! I’ll definitely check it out! Beach now but will for sure when I get to a wireless point. Also subbed up as you have loads of good looking content there mate. Thanks for reaching out!
Great video Mark. Not too long at all. Was so cool seeing the waterfront footage. Spent many a summer day there back in the 90's. Miss that place. I don't have the 85 Tak. Looks like a stellar bit of glass. The test shots are fantastic. Have fun with it. Cheers!
Hi Matthew, you said it man! I had my eye on this for awhile, but NREAAAAAAAALLY didn't want to buy it on eBay. It's hard to shop online when i've purchased through the vintage sale stuff. Hands on, physical inspection and testing is just such a better way to buy ;).
Mark Holtze I totally agree! I found a vintage camera/lens shop near me named wings camera store and every time I walk in there its like being a kid in a candy store. They don't really list what they have in stock anywhere online so every time I go there, there is some sort of surprise. Its just a much better experience being able to touch and physically see these lenses in person.
Wow! That is amazing! There is a place in Toronto that’s similar. It’s a bit of a trek to get to but they’ve got something i want. Just need to get up and over there to get it. Or maybe just wait for the next big vintage camera event ;). So good to have a local source! Kid in a candy shop indeed!
Perhaps the best Tak ever produced (like the highly underrated Tak 105mm f2,8). Sharp and contrasty wide open, a real gem. The fans of the 50mm f1,4 , must try this one; could be the real "Zeiss killer".
Love this lens too! I compared it recently with the Nikon 105mm 2.5 P.C. ai-s, I got it in great shape almost minty for €60,- Amazing... Compared to the Takumar ( I looked quite a while to get a good one for under €300) also easy to get ... About IQ, the Nikon is sharper and clearer with less CA wide open. Quite stunning. It's a legendary lens after all... But if the Takumar is stopped down to around 2.5 they are quite equal. But the Takumar has somehow more punch and interesting rendering. It's also such a lovely built Lens.
Ya I haven't played with the Nikon 105, but I have an 85, 35 and 50 1.4 right now that I need to get some time to mess around with. They're just on loan, they're not cheap these ones. I've heard so many good things about these old Nikkor lenses I really want to see how they perform. Thanks Thomas!
I think the TAK edges out on the Canon in natural contrast. The lack of AF could be a deal breaker for you...they're both the same price lol. Strangely enough.
One of the best things about them is how they handle. I never would have picked them had I not seen them at the camera sale and been able to hold it. I wanted all of them lol.
Hi Trevor, thanks for the comment. I need to mess around with extension tubes, I’ve heard good things but I don’t have any hands on experience. Ya nothing like a good clean to purify that beautiful glass!
I have almost 400 PK, M42 and Pentax-adapted lenses, give or take, and these days I'm shooting almost always full frame digital with my K-1, so Takumars are not the most practical choice. I prefer manual focus primes, but the choice generally goes for SMC Pentax or Pentax-A ones. There are two Takumars that are invaluable, though: the Super Tak 1.4/50mm 8-elements, and the Auto Tak 1.8/85mm.The latter is the forefather of the lens tested on this video. It is not the best Pentax MF 85mm prime (in my opinion the A Star 1.4/85mm sits at the very top), but it's the best for portrait use. It plays in the same league with the best of the best, across brands. There are three f/1.8 85mm lenses that were made by Pentax, if I remember correctly. The Super-Multi-Coated Takumar has MC and a wonderful build, the SMC Pentax has the ease of use of the bayonet mount, and the old Auto Takumar has a beautiful construction, but is single coated and is not as sharp as the others. It is sharp enough, though. And its simpler optical design makes for an outstanding portrait lens, on both FF and crop format. If you find one for relatively cheap, go for it. You'll be amazed :)
I agree fully and sorry for the delay, Ididn't get notification of your post, just going through comments randomly. Manual focus for me all the way. The SMC Tak's are just so smooth mechanically...at least the ones I've used.
Great video! I have the Takumar 28mm and love it. When shooting 35mm film I recommend sending to Indie Film Lab for processing and scans. Their work is is super great!
Hi Jonathan! Thanks for the comment mate. The 28 is a 3.5? I say my collection is completely now that I've got the 135 F.2.5, but i'm going to keep an eye out for the 28. Indie Film Lab! I'll check them out as well! I used Downtown Camera for my expired reel and they did a good job. Same day developing so can just drop it off and they'll send me high resolution scans 2 hours later. Was pretty great.
Great and inspiring video, Mark. I recently buyed my Takumar 85mm 1.9 and looking forward to experiment with it on my Canon F1 and Nikon 1... and of course with my Asahi Pentax SV.
So nice. I recently picked up a Minolta 58 1.4 and I know what you mean about build quality and weight. My new favorite lens (for now). Love learning about others like this 85 tak. Cheers!
Hi Jared! The Minolta 58; i've heard good things actually! They're reasonably priced. It's hard for me not to zero in on these now that I'm collecting the tak's. I feel like i've got tunnel vision and kind of overlooking some of the other ones out there. Minolta's M42 mounts by the way? Thanks for the comment mate.
Mark Holtze it’s the SR Minolta mount - MC Rokkor-PF, which I adapt to Sony a6000. Metal lens cap, too! I’ve also got Minolta MD 50 f2 and Minolta MD 24 f2.8. So, I’ve stuck with Minolta SR mount at this point. Thanks for the reply!
How on Earth can EFCS affect the lens' optical performance? I think some of the Sony cameras' electronic-shutter modes drop a few bits, possibly adding contrast to the scene in some manner.
@@geonerd over 1/500 the EFCS starts to cut the bokeh in half. Plus it adds aberation. This happens because only one curtain is working and it has to do the job of two. So it stands in the way of the light. This is the case with all mirrorless cameras and newest DSLRs that has EFCS mode.
What’s your favourite vintage or modern lens? GO! Build Quality: 0:58 Image Quality: 2:38 Image Samples: 3:46 Flare Handling: 4:02 Image Stabilization: 4:25 Price: 4:49 Compare to a modern 85mm: 5:32 Final Thoughts: 6:27 PS: I shot all my on camera stuff the day before I shot the sunrise stuff. I realized after the fact I needed some really nice looking beauties of this baby to do it justice. Worth the 5am wakeup call!
My favorites: Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm f1.4 (it's a late model and non-thoriated) Jupiter 37A 135mm f3.5 my portrait machine. Super sharp wide open, bokeh is amazingly smooth, and the warm color rendition is perfect for skin tones. Happens to be super cheap as well. Helios 44-2 Also super cheap. I don't use it much, but it's a fun lens. Gives scenes a swirly background on a full-frame camera.
If you are interested, here is a side-by-side comparison of Super Tak 28 f3.5 vs. MC Rokkor-SI 28 f2.5 both at f8: tinyurl.com/y8am44oj The Rok was "whitened" but continues to leave a warm cast that can be corrected in post. The Roks are more refined at closer distances whereas Super Taks are sharper at infinity (comparable to Leica vs. Zeiss design philosophy).
What a great looking piece of glass. I prefer it's image over the Canon 85mm. But as you said - we are used to low prices for vintage lenses, so the price tag for this one is pretty... harsh. For that money you could easily get a Samyang 85 1.4 which lets in more light and is CRAZY sharp. I got mine for 150€ on Ebay. 😁 I'll keep it in the back of my head for the next flea market hunt though! Also: What a sunrise!!
Ya this one is part collector piece for sure at the prices you can get them for. The nice thing about it is it's really not heavy compared to the modern lenses. Especially some of the bigger ones like Canon's 1.4 or the vintage CZ 1.4. But those are also 1.4's. The Contax Carl Zeiss 1.4 is still pretty expensive, beautiful lens though. The Samyang 85 1.4 (is that the cine lens?) is REALLY well priced!
PS: ya the canon was less contrasty and more consistent I think through. The photo's all all unedited and that's straight out of the body. There is some vignetting wide open on the Tak 85 but it quickly goes away at 2.5. I never find it much of an issue now with Lightroom lens correction you can just auto filter the vignette away if you want. I kind of like it though, it ads something to that subject isolation.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE VINTAGE LENSES... However, my love is based on the special renderings produced by the older lenses. The 85mm Super Takumar is a really good lens... In fact, it is too good! It seems to have few of those defects that make Legacy lenses most appealing to me! Therefore, I'd rather shoot with a modern auto focus lens such as the Sony 85mm f/1.8 or the several other 85mm lenses with Sony mounts that have been introduced lately so I can take advantage of my Sony Eye Auto Focus and Animal Eye AF. I got my 85mm f/1.8 Sony for $350 used and that is less expensive than many copies of the Super Takumar... IMO, Eye AF is a game changer when it comes to portraiture however, I will often use manual focus lenses such as the Russian Helios models and the Meyer Gorlitz Orestor and Oreston when I shoot portraits. The renderings of these lenses are so special that I will forgo AF to get those renderings. In fact, I often shoot with a pair of cameras, one wearing a Legacy lens and the other a more modern lens. That way, I have the best of both worlds; the rendering of a Legacy lens and the assurance that I will nail focus with the Sony 85mm...
This is what I am wondering because I'm interested in this Takumar but the high price means the advantages of a newer lens may be a better buy and I love vintsge lenses. Almost all my lenses are vintage.
Nice video. The radioactivity of some older Takumar lenses is NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. They do indeed contain glass that contains some thorium, but: - the amount is small - it is contained in the glass And now for a tip: If you have a yellowish Takumar lens you can easily clear it by using an Ikea LED light. The so-called Jansjo LED light is perfect to clear the yellowish colour. Just place the lens without caps on a mirror and position the light head just above the lens. Let it go for 24 hours or more. The mirror reflects the light for a more even result. NEVER expose the lens to sunlight. It produces a lot of heat melting the grease inside and causes problems to the kitted elements of the lens.
Thanks mate! I have a radioactive 50 1.4 thay has some light yellowing but I kind of like what it naturally does to the photos! Nice to know it can be removed if that time comes. To me it ads to the character. :)
@@darthioan: It's not the coating. the glass of lenses that contain thorium get a yellow to brownish colour over time. This happens due to a reaction between the glass and the thorium. So it's not the coating your removing. UV light simply restores the glass to its original colour.
You're wrong, it actually can be a significant amount of radiation. Directly behind the rear element, it registers roughly 22,000 CPM as measured in this video: (ua-cam.com/video/3ozOMssiP2E/v-deo.html). In general, 1,200 CPM converts to about 1 mR/hr, or 10 μSv/hour. So this lens could potentially be putting out 180 μSv/hour, which is double the exposure you'd get from one dental x-ray. 50,000 μSv per year is considered the annual dose limit for occupational exposure. Above that could potentially put you at risk. You can reach that threshold in 277 hours just from this lens, although it would have to be very close to your body. For me personally, I'd say sleep as far away as possible from it, and avoid holding the camera to your face and shooting through the eyepiece when using it. I wish someone would do a measurement of how much of that radiation actually makes it through the camera body. Sorry to burst anyone's bubble.
Cruising on the the skateboard down to the waterfront, I knew I was going to like this vid. Great comparison and well presented. I wonder if I smell old?
Hey Mark, great to find your channel! I love this lens too and really enjoyed how you presented it. One thing that’s worth mentioning is that because it’s an m42 mount it can be adapted to almost any camera with inexpensive adapters. I used to use the taks on my canon system and now on my pentax DSLRs.
Definitely. I’m enjoying the M42 mounts as well because it’s what my dads old SLR takes so I can use the lenses natively for 35mm photography as well. :) thanks for the kind words mate!
On my A6500... Favorite modern lens is the Sony 85mm f/1.8 (which I bought used for about $450) and my favorite vintage glass is the Sears Auto 55mm f/1.4 made by Tomioka...
Other lenses that I like for my A6500... Among modern lenses, I love the Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS and among vintage glass: I dearly love the Meyer Optik Gorlitz Orestor 135mm f/2.8 Zebra lens with its 15 bladed aperture. Sharp as a tack (even wide open) with beautiful bokeh. And yes, I also use this on my A6500 for outdoor portraiture...
I tested the Takumar lenses with a dosimeter - highly radioactive in very close proximity. So definitely not something I want to have close to me for a long time. The image quality is superior, however. There are people who say it's not big of a deal - the radioactivity is low - Get a dosimeter and check for yourself - the radioactivity is higher than on an airplane which raises serious health concerns if you plan on using it every day for hours...
You have to be specific to which lenses, some are worse than others and I’ve been told by a few nuclear physicists that you can’t simply read a dosimeter without any sort of interpretation. The danger with these was more in the factories that stored the raw materials than those in the lenses themselves. To each their own, but there is a lot of bad information on the actual dangers here. I feel like the dangers have been debunked by sources who work with radioactive materials and have masters or doctorate degrees in them. Radiation isn’t a black or white subject, loads of surrounding understanding needs to occur to properly interpret readings.
@@MarkHoltze it is on all Super Takumar lenses - they all use the same Thorium based coating. They also tell you a plane flight is not harming your health - but hey the radioactivity is very high up there - I tested it myself and it does put stress on your body - so I am not buying that. It's definitely not for sick people - if your immune system is strong you can take more radioactivity - but it really varies from person to person. There is a reason why female flight assistants have breast cancer checks frequently paid by the airline...
That’s fair, as I said to each their own, but there are degrees and levels etc. Certain parts of the world contain higher naturally occurring radioactivity because of the minerals in the ground that are radioactive. The sun is nuclear fission so ya makes sense levels are higher up where the atmosphere is thinner. It’s not the same as down here, the variables all change. That’s my point, it’s not black and white and it’s fair for you to conclude based on your findings. I’ve done loads of research into this and I’m not worried given what I’ve concluded. I would never try to convince anyone of anything, do research, check against sources and draw conclusions.
Wow the colour in those shots in comparison to the canon is crazy. The canon though good is meh in comparison. I just got a 50mm 1.4 Super Tak and am so shocked at how good it is. I mean it’s so old in comparison but is killer.
I bought a Pentax ist DS as is from Henery"s Camera for $60.00 that I got working! I was looking at that camera when it was brand new and it was around $700.00
The takumar is dope I have a 50mm 1.8 or 7 and another vintage lens is the yashica 1.7 50mm also the zeiss Jena is the bomb the color renditions are to die for and the bokeh is sweeet
cool, i have one i bought a couple of years ago. I used it with a m42 adapter on my canon dslr and later on y fuji xt-1. The last year i have been only shooting film so now i use it only on my spotmatic.
3:43 unless you have IBIS with a system allowing the focal length to be manually entered so the system stabilizes property. EG Fujifilm X-T4/5 I'm searching for this one! Thank you for the video review.
Great video. Love the shout out to Henry's. Just started messing around with a Carl Zeiss Jena 50mm F.2.8 off an old Praktica. Want to look into more M42's but not sure what to look for next. Good starting point. Thanks.
Honestly a big part of why I've been collecting the Tak's (apart from the amazing build quality, optics and apart from this lens - the price point) is because they're M42 and mount to my old dad's Praktica. Ya Henry's was cool to loan me the lens, I had the idea last minute and was already up north so I just called and asked if they rented, they said they didn't but would do one better and lend me one after I pitched them my concept. I think having a modern lens to bounce it off gives a little more context to how good these old lenses are. I was looking for a Sony Zeiss 85 1.8, but all they had on hand was the Canon USM 1.8 which was fine. Thanks for the comment Cameron, good luck on your pursuit for some old glass, definitely check out SMC Takumar's though for that M42.
Wow look at those colours in the sunrise! Did you shoot the intro sequence on the Takumar 85mm by any chance? Also I love your new intro logo. Great review as always!
Thanks mate. Intro was on a 16-35. 24 prime for studio stuff and 100mm macro f4 (Pentax) for the macro stuff. I prob should have shot some test footage with the sunrise but I was on the clock (Father’s Day and wanted to get back to fam before they woke up) and just how quick the sun came up. It will be making lots of appearances in upcoming videos for sure. The logo work was all my boy Seekr. It was super cool going through the process with him. That manny you reviewed today would have been perfect for this shoot :)
I have one of the very early ones which is currently being cleaned and refurbished after 50 years in its case and box in a cupboard. It was my grandfather’s so I’m hoping it’ll work well. Interestingly it is a non Pentax version, so I think maybe a 1960 to 62 version, but I just don’t know.
Thanks Tyler! Was worth getting up super early for I think! Kind of want to make a habit out of it! Lots of worms to catch ;). Miss you guys! Hope you're both well!
Damn it mark you’ve done it again lol it’s fun seeing your editing/photography i’m currently binge watching you’re channel learning so much and i finally got my full frame a7 iii this week can’t wait to try some vintage prime lenses my pentax 55mm f/2 super takumar comes monday
Just a slight correction for 1:22, this lens *is* radioactive. As far as I've read the Auto-Tak 85mm f/1.8 and Super-Tak 85mm f/1.9 (both use the same 5/4 design) are not radioactive, the S-M-C Tak 85mm f/1.8 however uses a 6/6 design with a thoriated front element. I have a video on my channel demonstrating this with my copy, and the serial numbers of our copies are only ~1000 apart.
So true that the build quality is very good because i have one as well. I got it from my grandpa which the lens was left in the closet for like 40 years. XD
Got super lucky a couple of years ago.. Bought a Takumar set at a thrift store consisting of the 35mm f3.5, 85mm f1.8 and the 135mm f3.5 in their original lens cases for about ZAR600... That's about $45!
Very nice of you to say Wahab, thank you. I wanted to showcase the lens as best I could. The time and effort are simply to not waste the time of anyone who takes a moment to watch.
To be fair, my uncle gave me his old 50mm f/1.4 and 135mm f/2.5 to start. Immediately I started looking for the rest of the set of Takumars! These are incredibly sharp lenses for the price. And something people don't always keep in mind, not all of the modern lenses covers 35mm Full Frame while these, were designed for.
That's a great place the start! The 50 and 135 2.5 (amazing things about this lens). I actually had my hands on one at the last camera sale, but only had enough cash on hand for the 85. He would have done a nice deal for me as well. No debit/credit there unfortunately and I have a stupid withdrawal limit. If Tak makes it, Mike's got it! Great point on the full frame. Yes, often the full frame equivalents of modern are more expensive than their cropped kin.
Great video, great comparison. In fact the Canon 85 1.8 is my most hated lens ever. My example of it has a back focus of 10cm and has never once managed to turn out a sharp image, thus. Wasted money.
Ya that's a bummer. I rarely shoot auto F, but MUCH prefer that TAK when it comes to manually housing and overall contrast levels. I'm sure you can sell your 85 back into the open market and recoup some of those costs if you're not happy with it. The price gap between that Canon USM and the L 1.4 is crazy though.
20 seconds? That must be some sort of record mate! Appreciate it, as long as you find value in it, it’s all that matters to me. Have a good weekend mate.
My second favourite vintage 85, after the criminally under-rated Nikkor 85/1.8 K. The Nikkor is generally cheaper as it's not collectible unlike the Takumar 85's and it's every bit as good in the later multi-coated versions.
Sweet Lord Baby Jesus!!! BEAUTY!!! I find Super Takumar 85mm f1.9 in my area something around $210 (including shipping) in perfect condition!!! In Europe, m42 lenses are way cheaper.
Well those prices were from a quick check of eBay. Vendors are looking to get a profit and a lot of the top end prices won't sell. I got this for $250 USD and it's in perfect condition. It was at a camera trade show so I was able to inspect the lens physically. The 1.9 is a less "formidable lens" apparently (still amazing) but it's older than this one and not as "good" (according to the much written about LORe of the two lenses - not that I agree with it per say). IMHO anything about $300 for this lens is too much unless you're collecting for it. They are harder to find so that plays a factor for sure.
The 1.9 is nearly as good (some would argue better) and has just the three-coating layers pre-dating SMC. They're good. many prefer the rendering they give. All my Taks are pre-SMC simply because I have K-mount (K, A, M) varieties that are SMC coated often with the same or simliar optical formulas as their m42 forebears, so it'd be redundant for me. Just want a little more "flavour" and the pre-SMC Taks provide. :)
@@MarkHoltze UPDATE: I'm never asking for advice on UA-cam, but this time I couldn't resist. Yesterday I found it locally, but it's the older version, a Pentax Takumar 85mm f1,9, non SMC, for around US$ 160. Is that version worth the money or should I wait for another chance? By the way, I'm as old as your lens 🤣
@@tomislavmiletic_ I can't speak to any direct experience, but a 1.9 version of this lens at 160 USD sounds pretty enticing. It's like 1/4th of a stop and a fraction of the price. The 85 is such a nice focal length i'm pretty sure in 3 years you'll be able to get MORE for it to be perfectly honest. It beats x 2 for that 1.8, but it's you money mate, do what you feel is right. The 85 1.8 is good, but x2 the price. If you use it extensively it will be worth it, so if you have a full frame camera and want that 85 the 1.9 will totally fill your void I suspect. But I always sleep on a purchase, if in the morning you feel it's worth it, have at it mate. Either way, let me know, I feel invested on your behalf now. lol
I never looked at a vintage 85mm because I knew I would want one and I knew they are expensive (Helios 85 1.5 is also on my wishlist) and extremely hard to come by on the Dutch/ Belgium version of ebay (Marktplaats). I think I am in love, how to tell my wife ... Do you have a second wife video, vintage endgame, the complete Takumar/ Pentax kit to have from wide to telephoto? So I know how high my mortgage needs to be? and if you are at it, maybe let's throw a set of mistresses in the game Canon FD? This would be an awesome and quite expensive match/ pair of videos (hurts us more than it will hurt you). So maybe also split for video and photography? :D Maybe as your fan and ambassador (In the Netherlands), we can start a loan service so we can loan/ lent the lenses to each other (Am a software engineer so could make it happen;) Lenses as the main, your videos/ reviews attached, and possibilities to lent close to you. Have a couple now. Some of them to nice and rare not to share.
Actually, most Takumar 50mm don't have radioactive glass either. The original 8 element version does not contain radioactive glass. The first version of the 7 element version does contain radioactive glass. But the second 7 element version and the third overall version again does not contain radioactive glass. There are however exceptions, probably due to the factory using parts from previous versions. I'm not too sure about later versions As I have no personal experience with them.
Thanks mate! Ya I would like the 8 element version of the 50. Keeping my eyes open for that one. It’s been challenging to get a good solid list on radioactive ones that’s for sure.
Very well done, Mark - nicely presented and paced. Was that a Pentax Spotmatic at the end of the vid? I had one a long time ago, then switched to the K mount Pentax MX. I have the lesser sibling, Asahi Pentax SMC-M f2 85mm lens, but don’t use it much on my Sony gear. The old lenses don’t show up in Adobe LR lens profiles - tried Adobe’s tools to create profiles for my old Pentax lenses, but the effort was not worth the resulting minor image changes when applying the profiles I made myself. How do you handle this issue? Also noted CA as a gremlin in the old Pentax glass, but really like the color rendition. Good points about focus throw and IS.
Hi Paul! Thanks so much, I had a lot of fun shooting this one. At the end of the video yes, that was a Spotmatic. It's a great camera, the back gate needs to be tweaked a bit as it seems to catch every 5 shutter clicks when a lens is mounted. It's fine when no lens is mounted so I'm not sure what's causing it, but I'm confident i'll figure it out with some tweaking (hopefully). :) Ya its' a bummer about profiles not showing up in LR. I'll be honest though I use these lenses mostly for video and don't do much tweaking of my stills in LR anyway. I really should do and experiment more with it. If I figure out something special I'll happily share it with you. CA ya, I'm not particularly bothered by it given it's price point and other strengths. Obviously it would be nice if it was minimized for sure, this being a comparatively expensive lens vs the 50 1.4 and 100mm macro I picked up. Definitely some trade off when shooting with vintage. Thanks again Paul! Really appreciate the comment.
This lens is presently going for $600+ USD on ebay. But compared to modern native lenses this is a bargain for what you get. Insanely good portrait lens
Thanks mate. Ya that flower bloomed for a week and it’s gone now hehe. My mother in law hasn’t loads of cool flowers to shoot. They’re good subjects generally ;)
so cool , I jjst saw the video where you found the lens , that was super awesome :) i scored a Minolta 58 mm 1.4 thrifting for 3 bucks , the hunt is the best part :)
Ya this one is tricky, hell is was tricky 2 years ago. It's the 85 focal length, check out the Minolta 85mm F/1.7, I've got one right here and it's a thing of beauty. Or the 105mm F/1.8 by the same brand.
It's a shame you did not create your video around the modern vs vintage lens comparison rather then the brush over you did , infact there is a case for having a dedicated channel doing exactly that since we are entering the mirrorless eclipse and manual focus is no longer a issue
When I was putting this video together I didn't actually think I would get a loaner lens, that was a last minute thing. I had already gone out and shot all my test footage so had to do a pickup with the Canon. I also didn't have much time with it which made me feel like I couldn't actually do a proper VS video. Only way I believe that would be somewhat educational is I had some experience with it so I could properly compare. I did a Canon 100mm Macro F4 vs my SMC Takumar 100mm Macro F/4 video back in late 2017 though. This 85 though is pretty special and in the end wanted to keep the focus on it. I did pick up a Contax Carl Zeiss 85mm 1.4 that's MINT condition, it's a beast. Since Takumar and Zeiss were pretty heavy rivals for a bit back in the day I WILL be doing a comparison between this two. I agree with you there's definitely a full channel idea there, I'd like to do more of it, but I always feel more comfortable if I've had loads of time with something i'm comparing, it's the nuance little differences that sometimes make a video review interesting. Thanks so much for hanging out mate, your contribution's definitely got me thinking.
I ended up buying a Samyang 85mm f/1.4 for my Sony A7 II because it only cost me £180 (around $200). All 85mm vintage lenses are just way to expensive imho which is why I've not bought one.
They are!! It’s crazy I’m still trying to figure that out. The CZ 85 1.4 is $650 min for a decent one. How do you like the Samyang? The Rokinon 85 here is roughly the same price and i’d be Curious to try it out vs the Tak.
The Samyang for me is a little soft at f/1.4 as I expected but nothing a little selective sharpening doesn't sort out. By f/2 my version is very sharp. I like the lens though it's not a focal length I use to often but always pleased with the results when I do use it.
Ya one pays big money to be super sharp at 1.4...even then it’s tough how shallows the focus is. All gold by 2 though isn’t too far off so that’s good. And yes editing sharpness/contrast levels almost reduces the importance of that regardless. Thanks mate!
then mark years later realizes, The term cheaper can or would make people on the outside assume that cheapens their worth and use. I'm glad he has changed his ways.
Hi mark, the tip you give at 3:45 about shutter speed being equal to the focal length, do you mean if the focal length is 50mm then 1/50 of a second is the slowest shutter speed recommended for sharpness? I’m using an APS-C camera (Fujifilm X-T20), so i assume that would be 75mm or 1/75 ss? How does aperture play into this? I assume the usual guides of going to apertures in the middle of the lens’ range is best?
"We're not buying a lens based on how it feels" Ahw... wish i could say that. With vintage lenses in my hand i always feel something that modern lenses can't give me. They have a story to tell. They saw more than i ever did, and will see more than i ever will. They are the travellers of time. Capturing a nice shot with them always feels like i were able to add something to their legacy.
i mean I agree, but I can't say this is the case wth most, the 85 feels so darn good that yes I bought it based on the fact it feels AMAAAAAAAZING lol. Plus i love the 85 focal lengh and Takumar's...this is a must have! ;)
Wow that’s so true, and you said it so beautifully 👏
Man, what you said is really beautiful. I might steal that tho.
I think he's talking about 'physical' feel
Oh for sure that pain in the ass sticky aperture ring on my Pentax pisses me off. I'm sure it pissed of Bob the previous owner too!
The smell test is the most underrated test in all of photography.
lol, I completely agree lol.
Mark Holtze and the sound test！
Check, check, mic check ;)
Maybe the homie watches a lot of Flossy Carter. That's the first person I thought of when he smelled it.
Never heard of him, people love to sniff electronics i just figured it would be funny to sniff...old lenses 😆
One advantage of the long focus throw, is a greater accuracy achieved when the lens us used at wider apertures. This is one of the reasons why I love the later, 55mm f1.8 K - it has a huge amount of focus throw.
Exactly! Love a nice long focus throw. Especially when adapting these lenses for cinema use.
Great review! 👍👍🤘
I got the SMC Takumar 85 1.9. , first edition., bought for 55$ here in Sweden, in absolute mint condition.
Super lens!
the thing is 1.9 has a different formula as 1.8 is 6/6 while 1.9 is kinda cost-down version with 5/4
Epic lens. I got super lucky and found my SMC 85 1.8 at an estate sale. Mint condition with the hood and case. I paid $15 for it. One of the best days of my life.
I use a OM EM10, for its in-body stabilization, with my vintage lenses. Coupled with a decent focal reducer, my 50/1.4 (or 55/1.8) Super Takumar can deliver some very decent portrait shots that have wonderful bokeh. I do keep these thoriated glass lenses in a glass cabinet and under daylight/LED lighting. This tends to relax the stresses within the thoriated glass matrix of the rear lens elements, which tend to build over years (caused by the Th-232's 14.2 Billion year half life) and cause that characteristic yellowing; for which they are so often associated. Exposure to daylight (UV light spectrum) will clear the yellowing over days (a couple of weeks, max).
Tak blows the Canon away, 20 ways til Sunday.
Heck yes it does ! lol
The Canon never stood a chance!
@GonzoTheRosarian agree! ✊
Man the production value in this video! Can tell you put a lot of thought into it.
Thanks Derek. Trying to show these guys in the best light ;).
An inspiring video! I'm pretty happy shooting my ancient Canon SSC 85/1.8 on my 'old' A7s. It's also a tank. The edges are a little fuzzy wide open, but the center is good to go. By f/4, the whole FOV is looking pretty dang good. I don't shoot enough video, but do use the lens a lot for stills.
Holy cow dude you got some clean content. Fantastic editing and pacing had me very engaged the whole time. You earned yourself another subscriber, and honestly deserve a lot more. Keep it up man!
Thanks Austin. Appreciate that man. Welcome, Just remember to keep hands arms and legs inside the train at all times and enjoy the ride. 😉
Brilliant. I paid $2800 for my Canon 50 f/0.95. Am I crazy? A little. But I LOVE the images I get out of it.
Link or images or video? 😁
Not crazy! Collected item!!!!
I love the Canon 85, f1.8. Until recently, it was the sharpest glass I had owned. Stunning difference in colour rendering and saturation of the Tak, tho. Wow!
It’s super impressive. Some people have commented saying they have picked some up at thrift shops for like $75. The hype of this lens is real. How it feels is something else
I’m considering canon vs takumar, I have takumar 50 and it’s great! The only better color rendering which POP is leica. Which one is better? Takumar is 2x the cost of the canon.
Very well produced review my man, I can tell that like me do you have a passion for these older lenses. One thing I found about reviewing the older lenses is there is so much more to talk about whereas the modern lenses either work good or they don't they don't have much character to show in a video review. I'm also glad this does not have the radioactive element. That's something that always bothered me about the 50 mm and why I never tried it. Keep up the good work. Respect
Thanks a lot Ray. Yes I do love shooting these. I think a big part of it is how photogenic they are. Modern lenses by contrast lack the texture and variation these old lenses have. The engraved markings, the design...I just can’t shoot the Sony lenses with any kind of love as there isn’t much to them physically. Optically they’re great, other moderns as well, but ya. Thanks for noticing, makes it feel like it resonates which is always a goal when producing.
Mark Holtze by the way if you're looking for something really unique you may have heard already about the Meyer gorlitz trioplan with its soap bubble bokeh. I did a thorough review of it on my Channel with many photo and video examples. Review took me probably 2 months to put together. You're more than welcome to check it out, my model was made in the 50s actually. It took me a long time to find one in m42 Mount so that I could use it with my speed booster. Have a good one bro and here's a link if you're interested in checking it out.
ua-cam.com/video/QXWUjaiUTtE/v-deo.html
This is amazing Ray! I’ll definitely check it out! Beach now but will for sure when I get to a wireless point. Also subbed up as you have loads of good looking content there mate. Thanks for reaching out!
Mark Holtze You too my man. Respect
Great video Mark. Not too long at all. Was so cool seeing the waterfront footage. Spent many a summer day there back in the 90's. Miss that place. I don't have the 85 Tak. Looks like a stellar bit of glass. The test shots are fantastic. Have fun with it. Cheers!
Thanks Tim! Ya it's changed a lot, they've renovated the whole water front, evident by the super smooth pavement and fresh white concrete ;)
I have a 50mm 1.4 SMC Takumar and everything I shoot with it looks ridiculously amazing. I would love to try the 85mm.
Keep an eye out! They pop up unexpectedly. :)
What a gem of a lens... Definitely something to keep my eye out for.
Hi Matthew, you said it man! I had my eye on this for awhile, but NREAAAAAAAALLY didn't want to buy it on eBay. It's hard to shop online when i've purchased through the vintage sale stuff. Hands on, physical inspection and testing is just such a better way to buy ;).
Mark Holtze I totally agree! I found a vintage camera/lens shop near me named wings camera store and every time I walk in there its like being a kid in a candy store. They don't really list what they have in stock anywhere online so every time I go there, there is some sort of surprise. Its just a much better experience being able to touch and physically see these lenses in person.
Wow! That is amazing! There is a place in Toronto that’s similar. It’s a bit of a trek to get to but they’ve got something i want. Just need to get up and over there to get it.
Or maybe just wait for the next big vintage camera event ;). So good to have a local source! Kid in a candy shop indeed!
You can really see the purple hues of the vintage lens in the comparisons at the end. Great video!
Because of your reviews, I got SMC Takumar 24mm and 50mm. And I'm thinking to get a 85mm as well..
The 24 is a gem! The 85, a bit pricy but IMHO, TOTALLY worth it. Such a nice lens.
I've never come across this little gem - thanks for the in-depth review Mark!
Keep your eyes peeled ;). My pleasure Gary, thanks for the comment.
Perhaps the best Tak ever produced (like the highly underrated Tak 105mm f2,8). Sharp and contrasty wide open, a real gem. The fans of the 50mm f1,4 , must try this one; could be the real "Zeiss killer".
Love this lens too!
I compared it recently with the Nikon 105mm 2.5 P.C. ai-s, I got it in great shape almost minty for €60,-
Amazing... Compared to the Takumar ( I looked quite a while to get a good one for under €300) also easy to get ...
About IQ, the Nikon is sharper and clearer with less CA wide open. Quite stunning. It's a legendary lens after all...
But if the Takumar is stopped down to around 2.5 they are quite equal.
But the Takumar has somehow more punch and interesting rendering.
It's also such a lovely built Lens.
Ya I haven't played with the Nikon 105, but I have an 85, 35 and 50 1.4 right now that I need to get some time to mess around with. They're just on loan, they're not cheap these ones. I've heard so many good things about these old Nikkor lenses I really want to see how they perform.
Thanks Thomas!
Thx. Those are the 2 i'm looking at.
I think the TAK edges out on the Canon in natural contrast. The lack of AF could be a deal breaker for you...they're both the same price lol. Strangely enough.
Tak 85 is my favorite m42. The comparisons next to the canon really show a massive difference.
For sure, one thing that is hard to convey is just the build quality differnce.
I would love to get my hands on one of these! I do have a Pentax SMC 50mm 1.4 and it is a beautiful lens. Focus turns so smooth. And it was a freebie!
You can’t beat free on that 50!! Keep an eye out for one of these. It’s magic to own; not sure what it is but it’s charmed me pretty hard :)
These lenses are built like a tank. Quality is top notch, too. Lucky I got one.
One of the best things about them is how they handle. I never would have picked them had I not seen them at the camera sale and been able to hold it. I wanted all of them lol.
Use mine on a 30mm extension tube and get fantastic macro shots.
Have started cleaning all my 42mm lenses now with alcohol , wow what a diffrence.
Hi Trevor, thanks for the comment. I need to mess around with extension tubes, I’ve heard good things but I don’t have any hands on experience. Ya nothing like a good clean to purify that beautiful glass!
I have almost 400 PK, M42 and Pentax-adapted lenses, give or take, and these days I'm shooting almost always full frame digital with my K-1, so Takumars are not the most practical choice. I prefer manual focus primes, but the choice generally goes for SMC Pentax or Pentax-A ones. There are two Takumars that are invaluable, though: the Super Tak 1.4/50mm 8-elements, and the Auto Tak 1.8/85mm.The latter is the forefather of the lens tested on this video. It is not the best Pentax MF 85mm prime (in my opinion the A Star 1.4/85mm sits at the very top), but it's the best for portrait use. It plays in the same league with the best of the best, across brands. There are three f/1.8 85mm lenses that were made by Pentax, if I remember correctly. The Super-Multi-Coated Takumar has MC and a wonderful build, the SMC Pentax has the ease of use of the bayonet mount, and the old Auto Takumar has a beautiful construction, but is single coated and is not as sharp as the others. It is sharp enough, though. And its simpler optical design makes for an outstanding portrait lens, on both FF and crop format. If you find one for relatively cheap, go for it. You'll be amazed :)
I agree fully and sorry for the delay, Ididn't get notification of your post, just going through comments randomly.
Manual focus for me all the way. The SMC Tak's are just so smooth mechanically...at least the ones I've used.
I have a Takumar 105 2.8 I bought from a thrift store in Nashville Tn. It is a nice les but I looking for the 85 f 1.8
Great video! I have the Takumar 28mm and love it. When shooting 35mm film I recommend sending to Indie Film Lab for processing and scans. Their work is is super great!
Hi Jonathan! Thanks for the comment mate. The 28 is a 3.5? I say my collection is completely now that I've got the 135 F.2.5, but i'm going to keep an eye out for the 28. Indie Film Lab! I'll check them out as well! I used Downtown Camera for my expired reel and they did a good job. Same day developing so can just drop it off and they'll send me high resolution scans 2 hours later. Was pretty great.
Great and inspiring video, Mark. I recently buyed my Takumar 85mm 1.9 and looking forward to experiment with it on my Canon F1 and Nikon 1... and of course with my Asahi Pentax SV.
So nice. I recently picked up a Minolta 58 1.4 and I know what you mean about build quality and weight. My new favorite lens (for now). Love learning about others like this 85 tak. Cheers!
Hi Jared! The Minolta 58; i've heard good things actually! They're reasonably priced. It's hard for me not to zero in on these now that I'm collecting the tak's. I feel like i've got tunnel vision and kind of overlooking some of the other ones out there.
Minolta's M42 mounts by the way? Thanks for the comment mate.
Mark Holtze it’s the SR Minolta mount - MC Rokkor-PF, which I adapt to Sony a6000. Metal lens cap, too! I’ve also got Minolta MD 50 f2 and Minolta MD 24 f2.8. So, I’ve stuck with Minolta SR mount at this point. Thanks for the reply!
Beauty thanks! The mirrorless bodies are just perfect when adapting vintage. My DSLR is a bit jealous ;). Thanks again Jared!
For better bokeh with the Sony - turn off the EFCS when shooting on speeds higher than 1/500 :)
How on Earth can EFCS affect the lens' optical performance? I think some of the Sony cameras' electronic-shutter modes drop a few bits, possibly adding contrast to the scene in some manner.
@@geonerd over 1/500 the EFCS starts to cut the bokeh in half. Plus it adds aberation. This happens because only one curtain is working and it has to do the job of two. So it stands in the way of the light. This is the case with all mirrorless cameras and newest DSLRs that has EFCS mode.
Hi Mark, thanks a lot for your videos, smart and amazing videos. I bought this grat lens. You are terribly right! It's a fantastic baby!
✊ glad I’m not the only one who appreciates these!
What’s your favourite vintage or modern lens? GO!
Build Quality: 0:58
Image Quality: 2:38
Image Samples: 3:46
Flare Handling: 4:02
Image Stabilization: 4:25
Price: 4:49
Compare to a modern 85mm: 5:32
Final Thoughts: 6:27
PS: I shot all my on camera stuff the day before I shot the sunrise stuff. I realized after the fact I needed some really nice looking beauties of this baby to do it justice. Worth the 5am wakeup call!
My favorites:
Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm f1.4 (it's a late model and non-thoriated)
Jupiter 37A 135mm f3.5 my portrait machine. Super sharp wide open, bokeh is amazingly smooth, and the warm color rendition is perfect for skin tones. Happens to be super cheap as well.
Helios 44-2 Also super cheap. I don't use it much, but it's a fun lens. Gives scenes a swirly background on a full-frame camera.
If i'm not wrong it has radioactive coating, so i'd not put it near your head much....
Super Taks are fine as is Minolta MC Rokkor-PF 58 f1.4: tinyurl.com/yd48dfx6
If you are interested, here is a side-by-side comparison of Super Tak 28 f3.5 vs. MC Rokkor-SI 28 f2.5 both at f8: tinyurl.com/y8am44oj
The Rok was "whitened" but continues to leave a warm cast that can be corrected in post. The Roks are more refined at closer distances whereas Super Taks are sharper at infinity (comparable to Leica vs. Zeiss design philosophy).
I have Super Tak 300mm 3.5, oh man I love the bokeh.
Dude that Lake Sunrise though! Great visuals man!
Thanks man, ya I got lucky with it! If there were even a few clouds on the horizon it would have been a much different shoot ;)
What a great looking piece of glass. I prefer it's image over the Canon 85mm.
But as you said - we are used to low prices for vintage lenses, so the price tag for this one is pretty... harsh. For that money you could easily get a Samyang 85 1.4 which lets in more light and is CRAZY sharp. I got mine for 150€ on Ebay. 😁
I'll keep it in the back of my head for the next flea market hunt though!
Also: What a sunrise!!
Ya this one is part collector piece for sure at the prices you can get them for. The nice thing about it is it's really not heavy compared to the modern lenses. Especially some of the bigger ones like Canon's 1.4 or the vintage CZ 1.4. But those are also 1.4's. The Contax Carl Zeiss 1.4 is still pretty expensive, beautiful lens though.
The Samyang 85 1.4 (is that the cine lens?) is REALLY well priced!
PS: ya the canon was less contrasty and more consistent I think through. The photo's all all unedited and that's straight out of the body. There is some vignetting wide open on the Tak 85 but it quickly goes away at 2.5. I never find it much of an issue now with Lightroom lens correction you can just auto filter the vignette away if you want. I kind of like it though, it ads something to that subject isolation.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE VINTAGE LENSES... However, my love is based on the special renderings produced by the older lenses. The 85mm Super Takumar is a really good lens... In fact, it is too good! It seems to have few of those defects that make Legacy lenses most appealing to me!
Therefore, I'd rather shoot with a modern auto focus lens such as the Sony 85mm f/1.8 or the several other 85mm lenses with Sony mounts that have been introduced lately so I can take advantage of my Sony Eye Auto Focus and Animal Eye AF. I got my 85mm f/1.8 Sony for $350 used and that is less expensive than many copies of the Super Takumar...
IMO, Eye AF is a game changer when it comes to portraiture however, I will often use manual focus lenses such as the Russian Helios models and the Meyer Gorlitz Orestor and Oreston when I shoot portraits. The renderings of these lenses are so special that I will forgo AF to get those renderings.
In fact, I often shoot with a pair of cameras, one wearing a Legacy lens and the other a more modern lens. That way, I have the best of both worlds; the rendering of a Legacy lens and the assurance that I will nail focus with the Sony 85mm...
This is what I am wondering because I'm interested in this Takumar but the high price means the advantages of a newer lens may be a better buy and I love vintsge lenses. Almost all my lenses are vintage.
Nice video.
The radioactivity of some older Takumar lenses is NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
They do indeed contain glass that contains some thorium, but:
- the amount is small
- it is contained in the glass
And now for a tip: If you have a yellowish Takumar lens you can easily clear it by using an Ikea LED light. The so-called Jansjo LED light is perfect to clear the yellowish colour. Just place the lens without caps on a mirror and position the light head just above the lens. Let it go for 24 hours or more. The mirror reflects the light for a more even result.
NEVER expose the lens to sunlight. It produces a lot of heat melting the grease inside and causes problems to the kitted elements of the lens.
Thanks mate! I have a radioactive 50 1.4 thay has some light yellowing but I kind of like what it naturally does to the photos! Nice to know it can be removed if that time comes. To me it ads to the character. :)
I see zero reasons to destroy the coating of a lens.
@@darthioan: It's not the coating. the glass of lenses that contain thorium get a yellow to brownish colour over time. This happens due to a reaction between the glass and the thorium. So it's not the coating your removing. UV light simply restores the glass to its original colour.
You're wrong, it actually can be a significant amount of radiation. Directly behind the rear element, it registers roughly 22,000 CPM as measured in this video: (ua-cam.com/video/3ozOMssiP2E/v-deo.html).
In general, 1,200 CPM converts to about 1 mR/hr, or 10 μSv/hour. So this lens could potentially be putting out 180 μSv/hour, which is double the exposure you'd get from one dental x-ray. 50,000 μSv per year is considered the annual dose limit for occupational exposure. Above that could potentially put you at risk. You can reach that threshold in 277 hours just from this lens, although it would have to be very close to your body. For me personally, I'd say sleep as far away as possible from it, and avoid holding the camera to your face and shooting through the eyepiece when using it. I wish someone would do a measurement of how much of that radiation actually makes it through the camera body. Sorry to burst anyone's bubble.
Check out this forum for more reading:
www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/137774-how-radioactive-super-takumars.html
Cruising on the the skateboard down to the waterfront, I knew I was going to like this vid. Great comparison and well presented. I wonder if I smell old?
That water front ride was epic I will admit! I wish I didn't have my gear with me and I could have just GONE for it. Beautiful morning though!
How were you hauling your gear around, backpack?
Carefully!
Wait.....what in the...world....
I got suggested your videos and have been watching for a couple weeks.......... THEN I SEE BARRIE. My hometown!
Nice bay to catch a sunrise no doubt ;)
I have a Super Takumar 105mm I bought from a thrift store in Nashville, TN
The 105 is 🤤 enjoy mate!
Hey Mark, great to find your channel! I love this lens too and really enjoyed how you presented it. One thing that’s worth mentioning is that because it’s an m42 mount it can be adapted to almost any camera with inexpensive adapters. I used to use the taks on my canon system and now on my pentax DSLRs.
Definitely. I’m enjoying the M42 mounts as well because it’s what my dads old SLR takes so I can use the lenses natively for 35mm photography as well. :) thanks for the kind words mate!
On my A6500... Favorite modern lens is the Sony 85mm f/1.8 (which I bought used for about $450) and my favorite vintage glass is the Sears Auto 55mm f/1.4 made by Tomioka...
Other lenses that I like for my A6500... Among modern lenses, I love the Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS and among vintage glass: I dearly love the Meyer Optik Gorlitz Orestor 135mm f/2.8 Zebra lens with its 15 bladed aperture. Sharp as a tack (even wide open) with beautiful bokeh. And yes, I also use this on my A6500 for outdoor portraiture...
Beauty mate! Thanks!
Mistake: I paid about $350 + shipping for the Sony 85mm f/1.9 lens
I have the Pentax-k mount version of this camera. I found it in a camera bag that once belonged to my grandfather together with 3 other lenses.
That's a gem! It's my grandfather's gear that got me hooked into this. Sentimental and honest valuable results.
I tested the Takumar lenses with a dosimeter - highly radioactive in very close proximity. So definitely not something I want to have close to me for a long time. The image quality is superior, however.
There are people who say it's not big of a deal - the radioactivity is low - Get a dosimeter and check for yourself - the radioactivity is higher than on an airplane which raises serious health concerns if you plan on using it every day for hours...
You have to be specific to which lenses, some are worse than others and I’ve been told by a few nuclear physicists that you can’t simply read a dosimeter without any sort of interpretation. The danger with these was more in the factories that stored the raw materials than those in the lenses themselves. To each their own, but there is a lot of bad information on the actual dangers here.
I feel like the dangers have been debunked by sources who work with radioactive materials and have masters or doctorate degrees in them.
Radiation isn’t a black or white subject, loads of surrounding understanding needs to occur to properly interpret readings.
@@MarkHoltze it is on all Super Takumar lenses - they all use the same Thorium based coating. They also tell you a plane flight is not harming your health - but hey the radioactivity is very high up there - I tested it myself and it does put stress on your body - so I am not buying that. It's definitely not for sick people - if your immune system is strong you can take more radioactivity - but it really varies from person to person. There is a reason why female flight assistants have breast cancer checks frequently paid by the airline...
That’s fair, as I said to each their own, but there are degrees and levels etc. Certain parts of the world contain higher naturally occurring radioactivity because of the minerals in the ground that are radioactive. The sun is nuclear fission so ya makes sense levels are higher up where the atmosphere is thinner. It’s not the same as down here, the variables all change. That’s my point, it’s not black and white and it’s fair for you to conclude based on your findings. I’ve done loads of research into this and I’m not worried given what I’ve concluded.
I would never try to convince anyone of anything, do research, check against sources and draw conclusions.
Wow the colour in those shots in comparison to the canon is crazy. The canon though good is meh in comparison. I just got a 50mm 1.4 Super Tak and am so shocked at how good it is. I mean it’s so old in comparison but is killer.
Ya I'd love to see how it compares to the Sony FE 85mm 1.8 as it's a newer lens meant for mirrorless. One day i'll compare those two.
I bought a Pentax ist DS as is from Henery"s Camera for $60.00 that I got working! I was looking at that camera when it was brand new and it was around $700.00
🔥 🔥 🔥
You're gonna go really far mate. Amazing job
Thanks mate, just enjoying producing this stuff and helping spread the love of these lenses :)
The takumar is dope I have a 50mm 1.8 or 7 and another vintage lens is the yashica 1.7 50mm also the zeiss Jena is the bomb
the color renditions are to die for and the bokeh is sweeet
I saw the Jenna for sale the other day, I can’t buy any more 50’s unless if offload s fee or get a Helios
cool, i have one i bought a couple of years ago. I used it with a m42 adapter on my canon dslr and later on y fuji xt-1. The last year i have been only shooting film so now i use it only on my spotmatic.
Ya I’m gearing up to get back into the film stuff and looking forward to using these lenses on the camera. Thanks for your comment.
3:43 unless you have IBIS with a system allowing the focal length to be manually entered so the system stabilizes property. EG Fujifilm X-T4/5 I'm searching for this one! Thank you for the video review.
The image quality is lovely on that lens.
It really is a great lens. Handles like a dream as well, I just love it, STILL ;)
Thatss really interessting, I have looked a long time for a lens like this, thank you so much, I think I will buy it soon
You won’t be disappointed. If you are, just sell it back to open market. But my guess is you will keep it ;)
Great video. Love the shout out to Henry's. Just started messing around with a Carl Zeiss Jena 50mm F.2.8 off an old Praktica. Want to look into more M42's but not sure what to look for next. Good starting point. Thanks.
Honestly a big part of why I've been collecting the Tak's (apart from the amazing build quality, optics and apart from this lens - the price point) is because they're M42 and mount to my old dad's Praktica. Ya Henry's was cool to loan me the lens, I had the idea last minute and was already up north so I just called and asked if they rented, they said they didn't but would do one better and lend me one after I pitched them my concept. I think having a modern lens to bounce it off gives a little more context to how good these old lenses are. I was looking for a Sony Zeiss 85 1.8, but all they had on hand was the Canon USM 1.8 which was fine.
Thanks for the comment Cameron, good luck on your pursuit for some old glass, definitely check out SMC Takumar's though for that M42.
Mark try some Minolta Rokkor lenses you will be blown away.
Great review by the way!
Thanks mate! I hear so many great things about Rokkors! They’re so hard to find here!
Just bought this lens.... thanks for the nice review
Hope you love it as much as I do :)
Wow look at those colours in the sunrise! Did you shoot the intro sequence on the Takumar 85mm by any chance? Also I love your new intro logo. Great review as always!
Thanks mate. Intro was on a 16-35. 24 prime for studio stuff and 100mm macro f4 (Pentax) for the macro stuff. I prob should have shot some test footage with the sunrise but I was on the clock (Father’s Day and wanted to get back to fam before they woke up) and just how quick the sun came up. It will be making lots of appearances in upcoming videos for sure.
The logo work was all my boy Seekr. It was super cool going through the process with him.
That manny you reviewed today would have been perfect for this shoot :)
I have one of the very early ones which is currently being cleaned and refurbished after 50 years in its case and box in a cupboard. It was my grandfather’s so I’m hoping it’ll work well. Interestingly it is a non Pentax version, so I think maybe a 1960 to 62 version, but I just don’t know.
very nice video. tks for your time. I have only takumar (50mm 1.4).
My pleasure. I do try to showcase these lenses to the best of their ability. They’re super valuable assets to the craft.
Less than 30 seconds in, I fell in love with this video! You totally hit the mark, Mark! Ha! Way to go CUZ! Can't wait for the next!!!!
Thanks Tyler! Was worth getting up super early for I think! Kind of want to make a habit out of it! Lots of worms to catch ;). Miss you guys! Hope you're both well!
Woah Woah woah there can only be one of us here ;)
lol
Damn it mark you’ve done it again lol it’s fun seeing your editing/photography i’m currently binge watching you’re channel learning so much and i finally got my full frame a7 iii this week can’t wait to try some vintage prime lenses my pentax 55mm f/2 super takumar comes monday
Just a slight correction for 1:22, this lens *is* radioactive. As far as I've read the Auto-Tak 85mm f/1.8 and Super-Tak 85mm f/1.9 (both use the same 5/4 design) are not radioactive, the S-M-C Tak 85mm f/1.8 however uses a 6/6 design with a thoriated front element. I have a video on my channel demonstrating this with my copy, and the serial numbers of our copies are only ~1000 apart.
Yes you’re right! ✊
I got to catch up on so much of your vlogs amazing edit
Thanks Romelo. Ya same mate, summer time is crazy though, so much going on. Love it though. Hope you are well!
So true that the build quality is very good because i have one as well. I got it from my grandpa which the lens was left in the closet for like 40 years. XD
Even better! This as a hand me down is the best way to get it, sentimentality and overall amazing quality lens! Brilliant mate
Got super lucky a couple of years ago.. Bought a Takumar set at a thrift store consisting of the 35mm f3.5, 85mm f1.8 and the 135mm f3.5 in their original lens cases for about ZAR600... That's about $45!
Wow! Worth a lot more now! Good find!
The color saturation from the takumar appears to blow away the cannon equivalent.. Wow
The canon stuff seems a bit more washed out. And I left as is, zero editing for reference.
Very nice video. Thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you very much for your time and effort.
Very nice of you to say Wahab, thank you. I wanted to showcase the lens as best I could. The time and effort are simply to not waste the time of anyone who takes a moment to watch.
Always excellent videos! Keep it up!
Thank Marc-Alexandre! I think what I like most about shooting these old lenses is how nice they look close up ;)
To be fair, my uncle gave me his old 50mm f/1.4 and 135mm f/2.5 to start. Immediately I started looking for the rest of the set of Takumars!
These are incredibly sharp lenses for the price. And something people don't always keep in mind, not all of the modern lenses covers 35mm Full Frame while these, were designed for.
That's a great place the start! The 50 and 135 2.5 (amazing things about this lens). I actually had my hands on one at the last camera sale, but only had enough cash on hand for the 85. He would have done a nice deal for me as well. No debit/credit there unfortunately and I have a stupid withdrawal limit.
If Tak makes it, Mike's got it!
Great point on the full frame. Yes, often the full frame equivalents of modern are more expensive than their cropped kin.
Great video, great comparison. In fact the Canon 85 1.8 is my most hated lens ever. My example of it has a back focus of 10cm and has never once managed to turn out a sharp image, thus. Wasted money.
Ya that's a bummer. I rarely shoot auto F, but MUCH prefer that TAK when it comes to manually housing and overall contrast levels. I'm sure you can sell your 85 back into the open market and recoup some of those costs if you're not happy with it.
The price gap between that Canon USM and the L 1.4 is crazy though.
I got mine for about $200 and i love it.
Good price!!!
It's an amazing lens Mark..I confirm it ..I have three Takumar, ( 28 mm. F 3.5 , 50 mm f.1.4 and my last favorite lens the 85 mm , f 1.8 .👍
Tak’s are so good. Just love them. Thanks for your comment!
Hi I plan to get a 28 MM F 3.5, how do you think about it? I want to use it for some indoor shots and some landscape stuff.
What kind of lenses do you shoot your UA-cam videos with? Your images are absolutely stunning!
Watched like 20 seconds and I just know - that's some great content. Subscribed, and now I can resume watching. Keep it up!
20 seconds? That must be some sort of record mate! Appreciate it, as long as you find value in it, it’s all that matters to me.
Have a good weekend mate.
@@MarkHoltze thanks! quite pumped up to hear that you wanna try 35mm film, as it's my main medium to record images. It's so refreshing and true!
Film is great, I did it with my expired film video. Was fun to document it. Medium format next, but need some water weather.
@@MarkHoltze followed on Instagram too, gonna text you there
I know what you mean. i Love the smell of VINTAGE lenses !
I’m not the only one thank goodness heheh.
@@MarkHoltze That's just the way i felt when i saw you sniffing the lens haha
😂
Great video...Really well made and packed with facts...BIG THUMBS UP!!!
Thanks mate! Try to keep the videos informative cause, if not what’s the point right?
My second favourite vintage 85, after the criminally under-rated Nikkor 85/1.8 K. The Nikkor is generally cheaper as it's not collectible unlike the Takumar 85's and it's every bit as good in the later multi-coated versions.
The Sony 85mm f1.8 is a beast of a lens though that’s around $450 - $500 used
Yes! Would love to compare to the tak!
Sweet Lord Baby Jesus!!! BEAUTY!!!
I find Super Takumar 85mm f1.9 in my area something around $210 (including shipping) in perfect condition!!!
In Europe, m42 lenses are way cheaper.
Well those prices were from a quick check of eBay. Vendors are looking to get a profit and a lot of the top end prices won't sell. I got this for $250 USD and it's in perfect condition. It was at a camera trade show so I was able to inspect the lens physically. The 1.9 is a less "formidable lens" apparently (still amazing) but it's older than this one and not as "good" (according to the much written about LORe of the two lenses - not that I agree with it per say).
IMHO anything about $300 for this lens is too much unless you're collecting for it. They are harder to find so that plays a factor for sure.
The 1.9 is nearly as good (some would argue better) and has just the three-coating layers pre-dating SMC. They're good. many prefer the rendering they give. All my Taks are pre-SMC simply because I have K-mount (K, A, M) varieties that are SMC coated often with the same or simliar optical formulas as their m42 forebears, so it'd be redundant for me. Just want a little more "flavour" and the pre-SMC Taks provide. :)
You have to live with it Mark.. Vintage lenses were unboxed decades ago :)
I got my 1972 Nikkor-P.C 105mm f/2.5 Auto lens in its original packaging 👍❤
On my wish list, on my wish list, on my wish list...
It’s s good get if you can find it mate. It handles even better in person. Good luck!
@@MarkHoltze UPDATE: I'm never asking for advice on UA-cam, but this time I couldn't resist. Yesterday I found it locally, but it's the older version, a Pentax Takumar 85mm f1,9, non SMC, for around US$ 160. Is that version worth the money or should I wait for another chance?
By the way, I'm as old as your lens 🤣
@@tomislavmiletic_ I can't speak to any direct experience, but a 1.9 version of this lens at 160 USD sounds pretty enticing. It's like 1/4th of a stop and a fraction of the price. The 85 is such a nice focal length i'm pretty sure in 3 years you'll be able to get MORE for it to be perfectly honest. It beats x 2 for that 1.8, but it's you money mate, do what you feel is right.
The 85 1.8 is good, but x2 the price. If you use it extensively it will be worth it, so if you have a full frame camera and want that 85 the 1.9 will totally fill your void I suspect.
But I always sleep on a purchase, if in the morning you feel it's worth it, have at it mate.
Either way, let me know, I feel invested on your behalf now. lol
very nice breakdown. Appreciated.
Thank you Mik. It's a great lens and wanted to showcase it in the possible possible (visual) light ;). *maybe with a little bias* :)
I never looked at a vintage 85mm because I knew I would want one and I knew they are expensive (Helios 85 1.5 is also on my wishlist) and extremely hard to come by on the Dutch/ Belgium version of ebay (Marktplaats).
I think I am in love, how to tell my wife ...
Do you have a second wife video, vintage endgame, the complete Takumar/ Pentax kit to have from wide to telephoto? So I know how high my mortgage needs to be?
and if you are at it, maybe let's throw a set of mistresses in the game Canon FD? This would be an awesome and quite expensive match/ pair of videos (hurts us more than it will hurt you).
So maybe also split for video and photography? :D
Maybe as your fan and ambassador (In the Netherlands), we can start a loan service so we can loan/ lent the lenses to each other (Am a software engineer so could make it happen;)
Lenses as the main, your videos/ reviews attached, and possibilities to lent close to you. Have a couple now. Some of them to nice and rare not to share.
My favourite vintage lenses are the pentax taks and the Contax Carl Zeiss Lenses.
Ya same, I don’t have as many Zeiss, they’re much more expensive but I would like to get the 85 1.4 eventually.
Actually, most Takumar 50mm don't have radioactive glass either. The original 8 element version does not contain radioactive glass. The first version of the 7 element version does contain radioactive glass. But the second 7 element version and the third overall version again does not contain radioactive glass. There are however exceptions, probably due to the factory using parts from previous versions.
I'm not too sure about later versions As I have no personal experience with them.
Thanks mate! Ya I would like the 8 element version of the 50. Keeping my eyes open for that one. It’s been challenging to get a good solid list on radioactive ones that’s for sure.
I bought the body only and shoot the old Takumars on it!
Ya love being able to use these for film as well.
Very well done, Mark - nicely presented and paced. Was that a Pentax Spotmatic at the end of the vid? I had one a long time ago, then switched to the K mount Pentax MX. I have the lesser sibling, Asahi Pentax SMC-M f2 85mm lens, but don’t use it much on my Sony gear. The old lenses don’t show up in Adobe LR lens profiles - tried Adobe’s tools to create profiles for my old Pentax lenses, but the effort was not worth the resulting minor image changes when applying the profiles I made myself. How do you handle this issue? Also noted CA as a gremlin in the old Pentax glass, but really like the color rendition. Good points about focus throw and IS.
Hi Paul! Thanks so much, I had a lot of fun shooting this one. At the end of the video yes, that was a Spotmatic. It's a great camera, the back gate needs to be tweaked a bit as it seems to catch every 5 shutter clicks when a lens is mounted. It's fine when no lens is mounted so I'm not sure what's causing it, but I'm confident i'll figure it out with some tweaking (hopefully). :)
Ya its' a bummer about profiles not showing up in LR. I'll be honest though I use these lenses mostly for video and don't do much tweaking of my stills in LR anyway. I really should do and experiment more with it. If I figure out something special I'll happily share it with you. CA ya, I'm not particularly bothered by it given it's price point and other strengths. Obviously it would be nice if it was minimized for sure, this being a comparatively expensive lens vs the 50 1.4 and 100mm macro I picked up.
Definitely some trade off when shooting with vintage.
Thanks again Paul! Really appreciate the comment.
I would love to have that lens in my Takumar collection. Nice!
Awesome review dude!📷👍🏾
Thanks Steve! Sorry for the delay, I didn't get notification of your post!
This lens is presently going for $600+ USD on ebay. But compared to modern native lenses this is a bargain for what you get. Insanely good portrait lens
Price has gone up in the last few years. Supply and demand I guess.
@@MarkHoltze More like your excellent reviews are driving demand. I can't get enough Takumars lol
Hello, i love your videos, its a very good work with pro quality, congratulation.
Thank you very much!
That poppy flower doe ! very cool lens
Thanks mate. Ya that flower bloomed for a week and it’s gone now hehe. My mother in law hasn’t loads of cool flowers to shoot. They’re good subjects generally ;)
so cool , I jjst saw the video where you found the lens , that was super awesome :) i scored a Minolta 58 mm 1.4 thrifting for 3 bucks , the hunt is the best part :)
$3?! Wow that’s a deal! Nothing is $3 lol. I fully agree, the hunt brings a whole new experience to this for sure!
Flash forward 2 years and I can't find a vintage 85mm lens for a reasonable price.
Buy and hold vintage glass. It beats inflation every time.
Ya this one is tricky, hell is was tricky 2 years ago. It's the 85 focal length, check out the Minolta 85mm F/1.7, I've got one right here and it's a thing of beauty. Or the 105mm F/1.8 by the same brand.
I've been searching and scoping for some Takumars 85mm here locally, but looks like I gota go KEH or ebay... love the vids
KEH Rocks
Ya they’re a bit tough to find. I couldn’t believe I found one in person. Was so close to pulling trigger on eBay.
Quite a trio you managed to get you hands on! Well done!
Ya it's coming along nicely! The 135 F3.5 was a generous gift from Timskinnercanada. Super cool of him to have sent me that.
It's a shame you did not create your video around the modern vs vintage lens comparison rather then the brush over you did , infact there is a case for having a dedicated channel doing exactly that since we are entering the mirrorless eclipse and manual focus is no longer a issue
When I was putting this video together I didn't actually think I would get a loaner lens, that was a last minute thing. I had already gone out and shot all my test footage so had to do a pickup with the Canon.
I also didn't have much time with it which made me feel like I couldn't actually do a proper VS video. Only way I believe that would be somewhat educational is I had some experience with it so I could properly compare.
I did a Canon 100mm Macro F4 vs my SMC Takumar 100mm Macro F/4 video back in late 2017 though.
This 85 though is pretty special and in the end wanted to keep the focus on it.
I did pick up a Contax Carl Zeiss 85mm 1.4 that's MINT condition, it's a beast. Since Takumar and Zeiss were pretty heavy rivals for a bit back in the day I WILL be doing a comparison between this two.
I agree with you there's definitely a full channel idea there, I'd like to do more of it, but I always feel more comfortable if I've had loads of time with something i'm comparing, it's the nuance little differences that sometimes make a video review interesting.
Thanks so much for hanging out mate, your contribution's definitely got me thinking.
I ended up buying a Samyang 85mm f/1.4 for my Sony A7 II because it only cost me £180 (around $200). All 85mm vintage lenses are just way to expensive imho which is why I've not bought one.
They are!! It’s crazy I’m still trying to figure that out. The CZ 85 1.4 is $650 min for a decent one.
How do you like the Samyang? The Rokinon 85 here is roughly the same price and i’d be Curious to try it out vs the Tak.
The Samyang for me is a little soft at f/1.4 as I expected but nothing a little selective sharpening doesn't sort out. By f/2 my version is very sharp. I like the lens though it's not a focal length I use to often but always pleased with the results when I do use it.
Ya one pays big money to be super sharp at 1.4...even then it’s tough how shallows the focus is.
All gold by 2 though isn’t too far off so that’s good. And yes editing sharpness/contrast levels almost reduces the importance of that regardless.
Thanks mate!
then mark years later realizes, The term cheaper can or would make people on the outside assume that cheapens their worth and use. I'm glad he has changed his ways.
Great great video!! Thankyou!!!
My pleasure Beatrice. Thanks for watching
what adapter is good for canon EF lens for sony Emount camera?
Fotodiox M42 to EF or Sony, Fotodiox M42 to NEX (E mount)
My favourite m42 is the 55mm 1.4 auto reveunon/ auto rekinon :) but never used that 85mm.
Awesome! I’ll have to go do some research on that lens. Thanks for the comment Miguel! The 85 is that good, just saying ;).
Im a fan of takumar lenses. But konica hexanon lenses bokeh is like impressionistic painting
Must see for myself! Thanks for the suggestion mate!
Hi mark, the tip you give at 3:45 about shutter speed being equal to the focal length, do you mean if the focal length is 50mm then 1/50 of a second is the slowest shutter speed recommended for sharpness? I’m using an APS-C camera (Fujifilm X-T20), so i assume that would be 75mm or 1/75 ss? How does aperture play into this? I assume the usual guides of going to apertures in the middle of the lens’ range is best?
Yes. You can shoot lower shutter but just need to be super steady handheld or use a tripod. But ya it’s a sharpness thing.