Ashai Optical SMC Takumar f/2 55mm M42 mount

Just picked this up off ebay for about €60, adapter arriving later in the week, but if i hold it up to the camera I can take shots with it. Pretty damn impressed so far, sharper than my 2nd nifty 50 was (1st was a dud), much nicer bokeh from what i've seen so far. Produced back between 1971-1976

Of course its manual focus but I managed to do it even with the 400d's legendarily poor viewfinder.

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Why did you go with the f2? you could have gotten a faster version for about that Great lens though and you'll love it! Do you have a split focus screen?

AudibleSilence wrote in post #9419259
Why did you go with the f2? you could have gotten a faster version for about that Great lens though and you'll love it! Do you have a split focus screen?

Could only find f/2's available. The f/1.8 is the same lens anyway just without the restricted aperture. The 1.4 is radioactive No focus screen, pretty sure I'll be fine without it. I'm blessed with 20/20

How many aperture blades? If you say 6, I'll say you could spend your money in a better way. If you say 10, I'll say - nice find.

gasrocks wrote in post #9419312
How many aperture blades? If you say 6, I'll say you could spend your money in a better way. If you say 10, I'll say - nice find.

Can't tell you right now because I flipped the switch on the back to auto and have no idea how to put it back

Can't flip a switch? Gotta be kidding. Is there a pin in the rear of the lens? Set the lens to f/5.6 or f/8 and push the pin in.

KarlosDaJackal wrote in post #9419399
Can't tell you right now because I flipped the switch on the back to auto and have no idea how to put it back

figured it out, there are 2 small pins on the back of the mount, if you push in the small one you can move the auto/manual switch back. On auto the aperture ring has no effect, on manual it works as expected.

Its 6 blades, slightly rounded, looks circular up to f/4. I rarely use a lens for bokeh past f/4 anyway (well nothing short of 300mm) from f/4 to f/16 aperture looks like a polygon. I like 6 blades anyway. Most of the faster fuji lenses used in tv production sport 6 blades. Most tv flares i've seen have had 6 points also. I might use that with my night shots.

I'm also looking at a zuiko 28mm. But i was without a 50mm for months so i grabbed this first.

€60 really is way too much for this lens. I found my SMC 55/1.8 for $10.

Mike Deep wrote in post #9419787
€60 really is way too much for this lens. I found my SMC 55/1.8 for $10.

Why is everyone hung up on price, it is a done deal.

Mayeb trying to give this person some perspective for their next purchase?

Ok, yea I probably paid over the odds a little bit, but i'm happy enough with my purchase. Got the af-confirm adapter today, tested it out and it seems deadly accurate with near objects if you can react quick enough to stop turning the focus ring. Best technique i've found is to release and re-press focus to make sure you did stop it in time. Still not to sure about its use around infinity focus.

Saying that i had it on the 400d today and fogot about focus assist and actually got the images focused where i wanted without any help, although they are all useless shots at my desk in work. Finally got to try this for a real world shot. f/2 - tripod - iso100, dpp with sharpness and everything else at 0, faithful color profile.

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Mike Deep wrote in post #9419787
€60 really is way too much for this lens. I found my SMC 55/1.8 for $10.

Agreed. I paid $60 for my F/1.4 with an adapter...

$60 is pretty lucky, the SMC f1.4 normally go for well over $100 BIN.

Regardless, it looks like a nice lens. If the OP is OK with the price, then what's it matter. It looks like the results are quite good.