OT: Show of hands, who here shoots with Pentax M-42 SLR'S as well as Rangefinders - Page 3

anglophone1 · 10-10-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmr436

Oh really? I've heard fleeting references to it but I've never seen it here in the States.

Is it really the same company?

Not at all, but they still make excellent beer!

Clive

jtzordon · 10-10-2005

I'm actually currently using a yellowed 50mm 1.4 SMC on a Maxxum 7, whose AF mechanism I broke, via adaptor.

Sonnar2 · 10-10-2005

Some of the older Takumar lenses exhibit a characteristic silmilar to RF lenses of the same vintage, are equally well build and available at a much lower price. Compact size (standards and telephoto lenses) as well. Of course, with wide-angle lenses the RF camera is the most compact choice...

http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras

cheers, Frank

titrisol · 10-10-2005

Pentax Spotmatics were my 1st (real) cameras after the Contaflex

Still love it!

derevaun · 10-10-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtzordon

I'm actually currently using a yellowed 50mm 1.4 SMC on a Maxxum 7, whose AF mechanism I broke, via adaptor.

There may not be much hope for the AF mechanism, but the yellowing can be reversed:

http://www.aohc.it/info08e.htm

It worked for my 50/1.4 Super Takumar!

nihraguk · 10-10-2005

I use a Praktica MTL3 with SMC Takumar glass in 28mm and 50mm focal lengths... and a Jupiter 9 85/2. Love the old-school mechanical feel of the camera and the screwmount lenses, as well as the incredibly affordable glass out there. The build quality of certain Pentax SMC Takumar lenses are also awesome.

Krasnaya_Zvezda · 10-10-2005

Another vote for the Praktica MTL3. It lives under the front seat of my car, always ready. I use a Zeiss 1.8 50mm Pancolar on it. I love that camera, even the sound of the shutter, which is only about as loud as an anvil falling from a 10 story building. (Well, not quite, but you get the idea.)

Fred · 10-10-2005

I've still got an old Praktica MTL-3, lovely solid camera, it feels that it would crack concrete if it were dropped , though I have not tried it.

The battery has gone and I've not tried it with a 1.5 volt PX625 alkaline job worried that it might fry the meter. There was a place that made adapters somewhere that would drop the voltage of a 1.5v to the designed 1.35v of the mercury cell.

Also still got an old Fujica st605n with a fully working meter. Not sure if the shutters taperring as it's been a while since it was used.

For K stuff I still have an MX and an ME Super.

doubs43 · 10-10-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krasnaya_Zvezda

Another vote for the Praktica MTL3. It lives under the front seat of my car, always ready. I use a Zeiss 1.8 50mm Pancolar on it. I love that camera, even the sound of the shutter, which is only about as loud as an anvil falling from a 10 story building. (Well, not quite, but you get the idea.)

I'm waiting now for delivery of an MTL-3. I have one already but the advance sprocket is broken and replacement requires a complete disassembly. I hope the new one is fully functional.

The metal Copal-style shutter IS loud! It's also reliable and accurate. Some of the "CLUNK" can be reduced by adding foam strips to buffer the mirror when it hits top.

The Pancolar is an excellent lens but prone to yellowing. I have three of them and I've given the sun treatment (ultraviolet light) to one. The yellowing is entirely gone now. The Pentacon multi-coated 50mm f/1.8 is also excellent.

The attached picture was taken with a 50mm f/1.8 Oreston fully extended. Film was Arista EDU Ultra 200 developed in Rodinal.

Walker

doubs43 · 10-10-2005

The alkaline 1.5v 625 battery will work just fine and won't harm your meter. As I understand it, the Praktica meter circuit is similar to the Spotmatic in that it isn't dependent upon precise voltage and uses a bridge circuit that balances itself.

All of the Prakticas that I own with working meters have the 1.5 volt 625 alkaline battery in them. I do have a couple that use the 4.5v PX-21 (523) battery but that's a horse of a different color.

Walker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred

I've still got an old Praktica MTL-3, lovely solid camera, it feels that it would crack concrete if it were dropped , though I have not tried it.

The battery has gone and I've not tried it with a 1.5 volt PX625 alkaline job worried that it might fry the meter. There was a place that made adapters somewhere that would drop the voltage of a 1.5v to the designed 1.35v of the mercury cell.

ChrisPlatt · 10-10-2005

Another Pentax SLR fan here. Since using a polarizer on a rangefinder
camera is no fun, I prefer to use an SLR when shooting color slides.

Older Pentax cameras and lenses are really well made and a joy to use;
SMC Takumar and SMC Pentax lenses are superb.
I currently own SP-F, KM and ME models.

The SP-F is the final Spotmatic model; it performs open-aperture metering with
SMC Takumars ("ES" mount") and stopdown metering with other M42 lenses.

The KM is much like the Spotmatic-F but uses bayonet ("K") mount lenses.
The K1000 is a cheapened version of the KM.

The ME is almost as small and quiet as a compact rangefinder...

Excelsior, you fathead!
-Chris-

jtzordon · 10-10-2005

derevaun: Thanks for that link. I've thought about that before, but right now I just use it for BW film, so not problem there. Re. the AF mechanism, Minolta will fix it, but I have to send it off to them.

Right now there isn't any real motivation to send it out as I don't have any pressing needs for AF. Plus, then I wouldn't be able to use my macro lens for a while!

Per · 10-10-2005

Love my SPF which I had sínce new in the 70´s. Togerther with 28, 35, 55 and 135.
It is as good a shooter as my M3 and CL, differences are weight and the mirror bang.

GeneW · 10-10-2005

In one of Mike Johnston's columns, he praises the 50mm f/1.4 Super-Tak (and SMC version) to the skies, claiming it's one of the best optics of all time -- on a par with a Summicron. I know some of the shots I took with my Super-Tak 55/2 were among my best ever. Beautiful bokeh.

Uncle Bill, you've created a monster here!

Gene

KoNickon · 10-10-2005

I have a Spotmatic F and ES I use regularly; also have an ESII, H1a, S1a and SV. I love the Super-Multi-Coated Takumars -- I have the 24/3.5; 28/3.5; 35/2; 35/3.5; 50/1.4; 50/4 macro; 100/4 macro; 105/2.8; 135/3.5; and 200/4. I'd put these lenses up with anybody's, and they're real bargains these days.

I remember Herbert Keppler in Popular Photography several years ago testing the S-M-C Takumar 50/1.4 against a Leica M 50, probably the Summicron. The Takumar was as good and actually a little better. (I know -- one lens, one limited test, etc., but the point is, it's a great lens.)

chenick · 10-10-2005

I still have 2 M42 SLRs, a Cosina, which is broken (ebay find, never worked properly, but was too cheap to send back! Came with a nice sharp 28mm Cosina lens.
Next was a Mamiya Sekor 500 DTL, which is one solid camera. Also an extremely cheap ebay find, it dates from I think 1966, and has spot and average metering. Still works too, with a sharp F1.7 50mm Yashica lens
However I have now built a collection around a Pentax ME Super, got tired of trying to see through a dark and dusty Mamiya screen and having to stop down.
Currently have SMC 135 F3.5, 85 F2, 50 1.4, 28 F2.8 and a 24mm Vivitar lens which is my current favourite. Although the 50mm 1.4 is a great lens, it's too close to my RFs to get much use...

-nick

Krasnaya_Zvezda · 10-10-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubs43

...The Pancolar is an excellent lens but prone to yellowing. I have three of them and I've given the sun treatment (ultraviolet light) to one. The yellowing is entirely gone now. The Pentacon multi-coated 50mm f/1.8 is also excellent.

Walker

Hadn't heard about the yellowing problem, thanks for the warning, and the tip about the remedy.

doubs43 · 10-10-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krasnaya_Zvezda

Hadn't heard about the yellowing problem, thanks for the warning, and the tip about the remedy.

The Pancolar used a lens element that has slight radioactive properties. It tends to turn yellow over time. Looking through the lens at a white light source will quickly show the yellowing if it exists. To reverse the yellowing, wrap the lens entirely in aluminum foil except for the back of the lens. Place the back of the lens toward the sun and allow the rays to go in and be reflected back by the aluminum foil. For a seriously yellowed lens it can take many, many hours of exposure to the sun but it will eventually clear.

The same method works on the Takumar lens that also yellow over time.

Walker

Uncle Bill · 10-12-2005

Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!!!!!!
MY M-42 Monster lives! Hell I just scored a 105/2.8 Auto Tak. off the 'Bay for my Model K Asahi Pentax and S1a, I can't wait to use it. The scary thing is its cheap to get into, sort of like FSU glass without the quality control worries.

Bill

Niko · 10-12-2005

It was nice to read many stories from Pentax users! I also use Pentax screwmount SLR´s. I have an SP1000, SL and SV with two lens. Those are 55/2 Super-Takumar (it´s a bit strange, it has the coupling for open-aperture metering with SP-F...) and SMCT 85/1.8. I have (and use) more K-mount equipment, but sometimes i like to use these even older machines with B&W film. There is something special in using them, maybe partly because i have learned about camera repairing when i did some heavy overhauling on the SP1000 and SV. I think i´ll get one more m42 lens, a wideangle, so that each body has one lens

Of course i´d like to have some more bodies as well

but i´ve kind of decided i´ll not become a collector, and must be able to use reasonably often each camera i have... Some people (sometimes even myself) would think i´m on the edge already... But a Asahi Pentax K would be sooo lovely

Niko

JimG · 12-13-2005

I just got a Spotmatic body last week. So far i found a S.Takamr 105mm 2.8 for it. But I'm looking for Super Takumar 20mm. One I was watching to bid on is $200+ right now at auction. Sounds like I'm going to have to wait awhile if that's the going price.

Kim Coxon · 12-13-2005

As Frank (Sonnar2) is aware, I have a "couple" of Pentax's and use both M42 and M37 screwmount. (and just a couple of K mount!!)

Kim

doubs43 · 12-13-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimG

I just got a Spotmatic body last week. So far i found a S.Takamr 105mm 2.8 for it. But I'm looking for Super Takumar 20mm. One I was watching to bid on is $200+ right now at auction. Sounds like I'm going to have to wait awhile if that's the going price.

Jim, there is a Spotmatic forum on "Yahoo Groups" that's quite active and a nice bunch much like the folks you find here. They often discuss various Takumar lenses and IIRC the 20mm Super-Takumar is not generally thought of as a particularly good one. Opinions, of course, will vary.

An affordable alternative you may want to consider is the Russian-made MIR-20M. I bought mine new from Kievcamera in Atlanta for (IIRC) $139 brand new. It came with three filters that screw into the back of the lens, covers and a pouch. The attached picture was taken with it.

Walker

Goodyear · 12-13-2005

Does a K1000 with an adapter count?

If so, yes.

And, indeed, does an EOS 300D with an adapter count?

If so, then yes again!

Doug · 12-13-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kim Coxon

As Frank (Sonnar2) is aware, I have a "couple" of Pentax's and use both M42 and M37 screwmount. (and just a couple of K mount!!)

"M37"? Kim, are you talking about Asahiflex/Tower cameras?