M42 Lenses in your collection

Ignoring the K-mount lenses you already have. How many of you still have M42 lenses and still use them (both film and digital)

I was quite impressed with what I have, and actually started to use them on both M42 bodies and digital.

Soligor 28mm F2.8 (given to me)
pretty sharp, but a blue cast in the shadows. tiny though.
Pentacon 29mm F2.8 (cost £25 15 years ago)
Blades stuck wide open, but when it was working, it was great!
SMC-Takumar 35mm F3.5 (bought with Spot-f)
Not used on digital - yet, only SF, great optics. I will keep you posted
Carl Zeiss Jena 50mm F2.8 Tessar (came with my Prakica for my birthday xxx years ago)
Not fast, but sharp and lovely. When focusing it moves slightly on the mount. Does not effect the IQ though.
Super-Takumar 55mm F1.8 (bought with the SV)
WOW! sharp contrasty lens. Love it!
Mamiya-Sekor 55mm F1.4 (£35 recently)
Not as contrasty as the Taks, but lovely bokeh. Could be a portrait monster.
Helios 44m-2 58mm F2 (given to me)
Never used it. But if the other forum is to go by, worth a play
Cosinon 135mm F2.8 (£20 to replace my knackared CZJ 135mm)
Rather good on digital. could be sharper, but pretty good
Pentacon 200mm f4 (given to me)
Not used it yet on digital, but reports say it is good. Love the iris on it.

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Some Cameras

Given to me with a Spotty and a vintage case
Vivitar 55/2.8 macro
SuperMultiCoated Takumar 85/1.8
SuperMultiCoated Takumar 200/4

I've added
Super Takumar 55/1.8
SuperMultiCoated Takumar 135/3.5
Super Takumar 300/4

I also have a 28/2.8 (forgot the make) that I have mixed feelings about and I'm busy modifying a Yashinon 50/1.9 (need to get JIS screw drivers)

The once I like most are the Vivitar, the 85/1.8 and the 55/1.8; they currently go with the K10D but I want to try them on the K5.

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Pentax K10D + Vivitar 55/2.8 macro + Super Takumar 55/1.8 + SuperMultiCoated Takumar 85/1.8 + SuperMultiCoated Takumar 135/3.5 + SuperMultiCoated Takumar 200/4 + Super Takumar 300/4
Pentax K100D + DA18-55ALII + DA55-300
Pentax K5 + FA31Ltd + M50/1.7 + DFA100WR + M120/2.8 (+ DA18-55WR at occasion)

S-M-C Takumar 28/3.5
SMC Takumar 55/1.8
SMC Takumar 50/1.4
S-M-C Takumar 135/3.5
S-M-C Takumar 135/2.5 version 1
S-M-C Takumar 150/4
S-M-C Takumar 200/5
Super Takumar Zoom 70-150/4.5

Some other Auto/Super Takumar 55mm lenses.

I mainly use the first seven on my various M42 cameras such as the ES/ESII combo. The zoom sees no use at all.

K.

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Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
My website

SMC Takumar 55/1.8
SMC Takumar 55/2.0
Far too many 135mm by various makers
CZJ 35/2.4
CZJ 50/2.0
CZJ 135/3.5
There's also a Soligor 400mm somewhere and several T2 mounts with M42s on.

They all get used from time to time on digital and film.

Oh, I nearly forgot the bag full of Helios 55s that came with the Zenits!

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Cheers, HG

K110+DA40, K200+DA35, K3 and a bag of lenses, bodies and other bits.

Mustn't forget the Zenits, or folders, or...

I've some gallerieshere CLICKY LINK! and my PPG entries.

I have just acquired a 55mm f1.8 Super Takumar, don't ask me what it's like as I've not had a proper chance to play with it

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My Names Alan, and I'm a lensaholic.
My PPG link
My Flckr link

SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8 x 2
SMC Takumar 35mm f3.5
SMC Takumar 135mm f3.5
SMC Takumar 200mm f4
SMC Takumar 28mm f3.5

All with cases, hoods and Asahi Pentax UV or Shylight filters, some ghostless.

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Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -

Ensinor 24mm f/2.8 Macro
Ensinor 28mm f/2.8 x2
Ensinor 135mm f/2.8 x2 .... 1:5 Macro

Pentax SMC Takumar M42 35mm f/3.5 x2
Pentax SMC Takumar M42 28mm f/2.8

Pentax 55mm Super Takumar f1.8

Old Pentax 50/55mm f/2 Preset

Some Vivitars and Chinons

Loads of Tomiokas inc. 55mm f/1.2
and about 3x 55mm f/1.4's Excellent lenses

-

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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

Sounds interesting?

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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

I have no M42 lenses in my collection.

I had a SMC Pentax/Takumar 35mm lens in M42 mount once but I couldn't handle the messing about with the adapter and/or manual focusing the thing.

Frankly, I couldn't see the point. I personally doubt that IQ is any better/worse than modern day lenses. The only possible attraction I could come up with was cost.

Whilst I have a few of the better quality primes in my collection, they rarely see the light of day because I will almost always prefer the convenience of a zoom lens.

EG: I am marshaling at a banger race meeting in Cartagena tonight where I also double as duty 'tog. I'm taking 2 x bodies + 2 x lenses. DA* 50-135mm for the cars (I get close to the action) on my K5, and my DA* 16-50mm + AF540FGZ flash on my K20D for portraits of the winners. I'm not taking any primes with me.

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Peter E Smith

My flickr Photostream

Can totally see why you'd use an AF zoom when you need to deliver the goods without messing around. But I think a lot of us enjoy the 'messing around'! When people stick solely to modern zooms, I often wonder why they shoot Pentax in preference to the better known brands. I don't think I could afford modern lenses with the speed and quality of my MF ones. That said, I've never really liked using m42 lenses - a bit too much of a faff even for me.

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[link=https://500px.com/will_brealey/[/link]

I never use mine on digital, as has been said, too much faffing around

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Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -

I forgot to mention all the CZ Jena and Russian
lenses I have as well

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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

I have the following:

NPS 400mm F5.9 - it had an outing at Martin Mere yesterday - pictures are on flickr, Your Photo's section and the Gallery

Tokina 300mm F5.5 - also visted Martin Mere but stayed in the bag

Hoya 135mm f2.8 - I really need to make an effort to use this or sell it on

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K10D, K5 plus plenty of clueless enthusiasm.

My Flickr site link

One enthusiast described the S-M-C Takumar 50mm f1.4 thus: "Holding this lens is akin to handling an artifact from a mysterious, long-lost civilization whose technology and craftsmanship far exceed our own" - I echo his sentiment.
I have the S-M-C Tak versions of:
50mm f1.4 (+K version)
55mm f1.8 (+K version)
85mm f1.8 (+K version)
120mm f2.8

If it was a 50mm f1.5 it must have been
from a mysterious, long-lost civilization

Edit: Damn Rowdy changed it to a f/1.4

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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi