Marco Aries

The first version of the Super-Takumar 50mm 1.4 was launched in 1964 with an 8 elements in 6 group configuration. One year later it was updated to 7 elements in 6 groups with improved coatings that included thorium oxide so, yes, this is one of those radioactive lenses. The lens is made of metal, it weights around 220g, it is 38 to 45mm long and it has an external diameter of 63mm, with a 49mm front thread. The iris has 6 blades, the aperture is clicked and it goes from f1.4 to f16 with half steps. On the side there is a switch for automatic aperture control for compatible cameras. The focusing ring has pretty shallow textured dimples, it turns 200 degrees and minimum focusing distance is 45cm. It has an M42 mount with a flange distance of 45,46mm. One minor design issue I have with this lens is that the dimples on the focus and aperture rings are spaced differently, so only two of them align at any given point and that triggers my ocd. Other than that, in classic Asahi...

The F series were the first autofocus lenses produced by Pentax around 1988 to 1991. They used a screw-drive type autofocus, meaning that the motor was in the camera body, which surprisingly is still supported by modern Pentax digital cameras. At the same time, being able to focus manually and having a physical aperture ring means that they can also be used with older analog bodies, like the k1000 or this p30. I just love how Pentax engineers have managed to keep everything compatible for, what, 40 plus years now? The lens has a plastic body, it weights 500g, it is 116 to 160mm long and it has an external diameter of 72mm, with a 49mm front thread. The iris had 9 blades, the aperture is clicked and it goes from f4 at 70mm or f5.6 at 200mm to f32 with half steps plus auto. The small green dot indicates the actual aperture at 200mm. The focusing ring is small and not really meant to be used manually and it turns 240 degrees. Minimum focusing distance is 1,1 meters and the front turns whe...

Long time viewers will know that I’ve been slowly putting together a set of Asahi Pentax-m lenses, but I was still lacking something on the wide end, until I managed to get my hands on this 28mm. The lens is made out of metal, it weights 170g, it is 36 to 40mm long and it has an external diameter of 63mm, with a 49mm front thread. The iris had 5 blades, the aperture is clicked and it goes from f3.5 to f22 with half steps. The focusing ring is rubberized, it turns 110 degrees and minimum focusing distance is 30cm. Flange distance for the Pentax K mount is 45,46mm.   The focusing ring is smooth but still has enough resistance to not be knocked around, while the aperture needs just a bit more force. The lens feels solid, it is short and lightweight and it doesn’t really throw off the balance of your camera. Sharpness wide open is great in the center, but it gets softer towards the edges.  By f8 there is just a bit of fuzziness in the corners.  Chromatic aberratio...

As you all know, Asahi Pentax-m lenses are some of my favorite, so, when I stumbled upon this 50mm 1.4 at a flea market, I had to buy it. Unfortunately, it was starting to develop some fungus, so I had it cleaned by a professional and it was ready to shoot. The lens is made out of metal, it weights 220g, it is 37 to 45mm long and it has an external diameter of 63mm, with a 49mm front thread. The iris had 8 blades, the aperture is clicked and it goes from f1.4 to f22 with half steps. The focusing ring is rubberized, it turns 210 degrees and minimum focusing distance is 45cm. Flange distance for the Pentax K mount is 45,46mm. The focusing ring is smooth and precise, while the aperture needs just a bit more force. The lens is surprisingly small and lightweight and it doesn’t compromise the balance of your camera. Sharpness wide open is good but not exceptional in the center; it gets softer in the corners but without losing much detail.  By f8 it is very sharp all over the fr...

Back in 2019 I bought an Asahi Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 and right away I was surprised by how good it was and by the pleasant warm tones it produced. Since then I’ve been slowly putting together a kit, even branching out in the A series and the reissued Takumars, but I always find myself coming back to the M series. The lens is made out of metal, it weights 400g, it is 111 to 136mm long and it has an external diameter of 63mm, with a 52mm front thread. It also has a built in sunhood. The iris has 8 blades, the aperture is clicked and it goes from f4 to f32 with half steps. The focusing ring is rubberized, it turns 230 degrees and minimum focusing distance is 2 meters. Flange distance for the PK mount is 45,46mm. The wide focusing ring is very smooth, comfortable to grip and the long throw makes fine adjustments easier. While the lens is fairly light in weight, it is also a bit on the longer side, meaning that on lighter camera bodies, can lead to a front heavy system. Sharpness is good yet n...

Takumar lenses are well known and praised for their quality in the vintage lenses community, to the point that they have achieved almost an iconic status and prices in recent years have risen like a cake in the oven. But not all Takumar were created equal; somewhere in between the 80s and 90s, Asahi Optical produced a sort of obscure line under the name Takumar Bayonet and the lens we’re talking about today is one of those. Unlike previous lines with the same name, these more recent lenses lack the Super-Multi-Coating, have bayonet mounts, from which their name, and they look just like the Pentax-M series. Allegedly, they were intended as a budget option, so let’s take a closer look and see for ourselves. The Takumar is made out of metal, it weights around 390g, it is 78mm long when focused to infinity and 97mm when fully extended, with a 52mm front thread. It also has a built-in sunhood. The iris has 8 blades, the aperture is clicked and it goes from f2.5 to f22 with half steps. The f...

  When I found this lens at the usual flea market, where I’ve found a number of my vintage lenses, I bought it immediately, partially because of Mark Holtze’s amazing videos about the Super Takumars, but also because I’ve been actually looking for some Pentax lenses for a couple years, after I missed a good deal at the same flea market.   This lens is very compact, almost pancake size, being only 32mm long when collapsed and 40mm when extended it is quite smaller than similar lenses from other brands, like the Konica Hexanon 50mm 1.7, the Canon FD 50mm 1.8 and the Yashica ML 50mm f1.7; only the well known Konica Hexanon 40mm 1.8 is a bit shorter.  The body is made of both metal and plastic, keeping down the weight to around 190 grams. Even the front thread is smaller, with a 49mm diameter, surrounding the beautiful Super Multi Coated front element.  The iris has six blades, the aperture is clicked and goes from f1.7 to f22. The focusing ring has a rubbe...