Takumar 8 Elements

Inspector’s condition notes

Lens in good condition. Optical elements are pristine, with no scratches. Focus and aperture operate as smoothly as a new lens. Internal components are solid, with no internal movement or rattling. The filter thread area has minor dents — filters can still be mounted, but feel slightly tight. This does not affect usability or image quality. The exterior body shows signs of use, with visible scratches and paint loss across the lens body.

How this lens renders

Compared to the 50mm with the same specs, this Super-Takumar f/1.4 with 8 lens elements stands out for its distinctive warm tonality from the Thorium content in the glass (you'll notice the lens element yellows when it hasn't been exposed to sunlight or UV for a while), delivering beautiful golden amber tones and gorgeous skin rendition. Wide open at f/1.4, the center is sharp enough to use right away, with a touch of softness that flatters skin. Stop down to f/2.8 and the edges start to sharpen, peaking in the f/5.6–f/8 range — contrast also climbs as you stop down. Bokeh is soft and creamy, melting the background smoothly. With 8 aperture blades, the highlights take on a slightly polygonal shape when stopped down. This copy also produces a moody vignetting wide open (fading as you stop down), and gives you flare to play with when shooting into the light. If you'd rather avoid flare, I'd recommend fitting a lens hood when shooting backlit. A vintage lens well worth collecting for portraiture and documentary work.

In the box

ฝาหน้าแท้ ฝาหลังแท้ แถมฟิวเตอร์ Hoya

Honest disclosure