Takumar 8 Elements

Inspector’s condition notes

Lens in great condition — the legendary Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4. The lens is in remarkably complete condition, with the coating still fully intact. A lens in this state is becoming increasingly hard to find these days. This model was first produced in 1964, making it exactly 51 years old now. Some collectors like to boast that this lens could last up to 300 years — though I suspect they were just being dramatic, since it's genuinely built like a tank. The Optical elements are pristine, with no scratches. The focus and aperture ring turn as smoothly as on a brand-new lens. The internal components feel solid and tight, with no rattling or loose movement inside. The exterior shows honest wear from use, with the usual easily visible scratches and paint loss you'd expect on a lens body of this age.

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

Honest disclosure