7/15/2023 0 Comments Pentax camera lens most bokeh lensA Super-Takumar lens is one with an improved anti-flare lens coating as well as a more sophisticated stopping-down mechanism, according to Wikipedia. Takumar lenses are made by Asahi Optical, which was founded by Kumao Kajiwara, brother of renowned Japanese-American portrait painter, Takuma Kajiwara. Image by Raimond Spekking via Wikimedia used under Creative Commons. The vintage versions - for a clean copy - you're looking at paying between $300 and $400, so it's not the cheapest on the list, but it is a hell of a lot of fun. It creates a sort of radial bokeh, which became its signature, and even the 2013 modern version retained that. It isn't the sharpest lens, particularly at f/1.5, but as far as character goes, it's right up there with the best. It's so brilliant in fact, that in 2013, when a new version was announced, I immediately bought one and loved it. It is said to have been based on (read: possibly a copy of) the Zeiss Biotar, but whatever the case, it's brilliant. This Russian prime started being made around 1950 and continued production up until around the 1990s, so there are a number of them out there. Price-wise, the Pentacon is perfect for a little justifiable foray into your curiosity, with copies on eBay at the moment for around $80, and they're in seemingly good condition. The 135mm focal length prime has been a staple of the lens industry ever since this era, and the Canon 135mm f/2 remains my most beloved lens to this day. It is these 15 blades that give it the gooey bokeh and a singular look. What you're looking for is the M42 15-blade edition. There are a few versions of this lens, and it's easy to get the wrong one. The aforementioned catalyst for my love of vintage glass. Image by Yoan Carle via Flickr used under Creative Commons Pentacon 135mm f/2.8: 'The Bokeh Monster' However, if you are careful and ensure the glass is clear and healthy, you might score yourself a real gem. It was softer than freshly tumble-dried kittens. I bought a 400mm prime without seeing the front or back elements because I won the bid with a low-ball offer. Make sure you do your research, however, as believe me, cloudy lenses with fungus are useful to man nor beast. There is a smattering of lenses that are still usable from the first third of the 20th century (although most are from 1950-1999) and so there is quite the back catalog. For whatever purpose you would like a vintage lens - be it macro, landscape, portrait, and so on - there will be options. I have compiled a small list of my favorites, but by the very nature of how deep and varied the vintage glass market is, I could not begin to provide an exhaustive list. Some have been great, most of have been middling, and a few have been spectacular wastes of money, but I regret none of them. I have owned a lot of vintage lenses and I have a dry container chock full of them. This marked the start of my burning curiosity into what other lenses of the past could create unique and beautiful looks for my images. I bought an adapter and took it into my garden to give it a go and fell in love. In somewhat of a minor miracle given that I had no idea what to check when buying vintage lenses, my copy was cosmetically damaged but optically perfect: no scratches, no clouding, no mold. I began bidding on a few and eventually scored one for under the expected price I'd read. I jumped on eBay to see if there were any available, and there was. I can't remember where the article was or even who wrote it, which is a shame, but it was on a lens called "the Bokeh Monster." I was intrigued. I remember wondering if I could ever compete with their kits worth more than most cars. I was in a small photography community of full-time photographers and long-standing hobbyists with f/1.2 primes and telescopic flagship zooms. My penchant for vintage lenses started primarily because I didn't have much money when I got my first camera.
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