Takumar

Another question for this font of knowledge site,

I have been given a Asahi Takumar 1:3.5 / 200. Big heavy lump, like a tank!
It has one large main grip on the body for focusing plus two narrow adjusting rings near the front end, one of which turns smoothly, the other has clikstops.
Anyone here have any knowledge of this lens please?
The front glass appears to be perfectly clean but I think I can see a few spots of whatever on the inner large lens, possibly fungus?
Any idea if it is worth spending money on a strip/clean?

Sounds like the Takumar 200mm preset? This one: http://kajiwara.weebly.com/takumar-20035.html

Reputed to have lovely bokeh, and sharp wide open. Lots of aperture blades too!

I don't know the lens but if anyone else fancies giving one away please let me know

It is a Takumar preset. These are easy to use on Pentax digital cameras provided you have an adaptor. Leave the clicky aperture ring on the minimum aperture but open up the other smooth ring until the image in the viewfinder is at its brightest. Set the camera on manual focus and the exposure mode on Av. Focus the image, then slowly close down the smooth aperture ring until either (a) you have the DoF you want or (b) until the shutter speed falls to minimum allowable shutter speed (about 1/300th hand held, as slow as you like on a tripod).

Sounds complicated but actually quite quick and a bit easier than using K or M series lenses.

A clean and lube will cost you about £30 with AM Techinical Services and is probably worth it for a nice Takumar lens.

K.

Yes, it's well worth having it professionally cleaned. Image quality should be excellent and in any case it's not particularly common. You have a piece of history there - according to the AOHC site there were two versions made 1959-61 and then 1962-66. They list the later version as focusing closer (2.5m rather than 2.7m) and weighing 900g to the 750g of the earlier version.

The two rings are for preset aperture control. You use one to set the aperture you want to shoot at, then turn the other to stop down to said aperture. This allows you to focus with the lens at f3.5 then shut down instantly to the selected aperture without having to count clicks or look at the aperture control to see what you're selecting, as you would if the preset mechanism wasn't fitted.

Sounds like an excellent lens. If you don't want to be messing
around stopping down for every shot just set it to f/5.6 (which
is a bright a most zooms and will still allow manual focus)
focus and take the shot.

Should be OK with good bokeh at f/4 - f/5

WOW, you guys know your stuff!
It weighs 743Grams (excluding the front lens cover)

Sounds like the earlier one then, in which case well worth having it sorted out. If you want a vintage camera to go with it the SV is probably the most readily available for sensible money in working order, although the Super Takumar lenses were on the market by the time the SV arrived.

The best site for screw mount gear is probably this one. It has dates of production and some distinguishing features for most lenses, the only snag is it doesn't include photos (but does for most of the screw mount bodies).

Thank you ALL so very much, I have a few more old lenses that I would value your opinions on, I will post them in due course, & hopefully you will again be as generous with your time.

Tghanks Matt,
I peeked at the link, never new about it.
As for old body's, I am quite new to photography and trying hard to learn how to use Digital & P/shop; Getting to grips with film as well is just too much for what few brain cells I still have in working order!

I have a Takumar 105/2.8 preset which I picked up recently. Still waiting for an M42 adaptor to arrive so I can try it though.

I also picked up an old Mayfair Sankor 200mm/f4.0 preset which actually has a k mount so I was able to try the preset system. Works fine and isn't really much hassle unless you are in a real rush to grab a moment.