Pentax (Takumar) Pentax Takumar 55mm f1.8 Heritage

เรื่องราวของเลนส์

The Takumar 55mm f/1.8 was produced by the Asahi Optical Co. (later known as Pentax, now a subsidiary of Ricoh) in Japan. Asahi Optical was founded by Kumao Kajiwara, who named the Takumar line after his brother, the painter Takuma Kajiwara. According to the reviews, the lens existed in multiple M42 screw-mount variants produced from 1958 to 1975, all sharing the same 6-element/5-group optical formula. It began as the simple 'Takumar 55mm F1.8' in the late 1950s, evolving through Auto-Takumar, Super-Takumar, Super-Multi-Coated (S-M-C) Takumar, and finally SMC Takumar versions, and was frequently bundled with cameras like the Asahi Pentax SV and the Spotmatic. The Super-Takumar 55mm f/1.8 specifically was released in 1962 as a set lens for the Pentax SV. The reviews note it is often called 'radioactive' because at least one glass element (from the 1965 version onward) uses thorium glass, which yellows over time — a yellowing that can be reduced by exposing the lens to ultraviolet light (sunlight). It enjoys a cult following partly because of its extreme affordability, solid build, pleasing rendering, and vintage character. One reviewer notes it is arguably the most popular vintage lens in Japan today, ranking just behind the Helios 44-2 in Instagram popularity, and is widely recommended for beginners entering vintage lens photography. No coined nickname beyond the descriptive 'radioactive' is evidenced in these reviews.

สรุป: The Takumar 55mm f/1.8 is one of the best-value entry points into vintage lens photography. Inexpensive, superbly built, and full of character, it delivers beautiful bokeh and a charming nostalgic flare that make it beloved among beginners and enthusiasts alike — especially in Japan, where it ranks among the most popular vintage lenses. It's not sharp wide open and struggles with bright light, but stopped down to f/2-f/2.8 it produces lovely results. Ideal for anyone wanting an affordable, characterful standard prime for portraits, low-light, and film shooting, provided they accept its vintage quirks like softness wide open and possible thorium yellowing.

คาแรกเตอร์ของภาพ

โบเก้

โบเก้สวยงามน่าพอใจ ให้การละลายฉากหลังที่มีรายละเอียดมากได้อย่างนุ่มนวล แม้จะมีความละมุนของโบเก้น้อยกว่าเลนส์ f/1.4 เล็กน้อย

โทนสี

ไม่แน่ชัด แต่รุ่นที่ใช้แก้วทอเรียมมักจะเกิดการออกโทนสีเหลือง ซึ่งสามารถลดได้โดยการฉายแสงอัลตราไวโอเลต (UV)

ความคม (เปิดสุด)

ไม่คมมากเมื่อใช้รูรับแสงกว้างสุด (wide open) มีฟรินจิ้งสีฟ้าและมุมภาพค่อนข้างนุ่ม แต่เมื่อหรี่รูรับแสงลงเป็นประมาณ f/2 หรือ f/2.8 ความคมจะดีขึ้นอย่างเห็นได้ชัด

แฟลร์

เกิดแฟลร์ได้ง่าย ให้ลุควินเทจ/ย้อนยุคที่ถ่ายออกมาดูน่าสนใจ แต่ยังควบคุมแสงจ้ามากได้ไม่ดี แม้จะใส่ฮูดแล้ว

คอนทราสต์

มักมีคอนทราสต์ลดลงในสภาพแสงจ้าและเมื่อถ่ายย้อนแสง

รีวิวจากผู้ใช้

ข้อดี

Beautiful, pleasing bokeh that renders busy backgrounds smoothly
Nostalgic, photogenic flare that gives images a vintage feel
Excellent build quality with smooth focus and aperture rings, even on aged copies; metal lens cap gives a high-class feel
Very affordable (average around $40) making it an ideal entry point into vintage lenses
Compact and lightweight (around 39mm long, ~200g)
Works especially well on film according to one reviewer
Highly recommended for beginners wanting to try vintage glass

ข้อเสีย

Not sharp wide open at f/1.8 and shows bluish color fringing
Struggles with bright light and backlighting, losing contrast even with a hood
Corners are noticeably softer than the center
Thorium-glass versions yellow over time and require UV treatment
M42 screw mount can unscrew when closing the aperture if the mount isn't properly locked
f/1.8 doesn't provide the creamier look or low-light advantage of faster f/1.4 lenses

เทคนิคการใช้

Stop down to f/2 or f/2.8 for noticeably sharper results and less color fringing than wide open
Avoid facing the sun directly to preserve contrast, or embrace the flare intentionally for a nostalgic look
Use a lens hood in bright conditions, though be aware flare can still appear
If the yellowing bothers you, expose the lens to UV light/sunlight to reduce it
Always secure the M42 screw mount before use so it doesn't unscrew when closing the aperture
Try it on film for what one reviewer feels is its best rendering
Use the correct adapter for your camera (M42-PK for Pentax DSLRs, M42-NEX for Sony mirrorless)

แหล่งอ้างอิง (1)

Web-grounded synthesissecondary

The Takumar 55mm f/1.8 was produced by the Asahi Optical Co. (later known as Pentax, now a subsidiary of Ricoh) in Japan. Asahi Optical was founded by Kumao Kajiwara, who named the Takumar line after his brother, the painter Takuma Kajiwara. According to the reviews, the lens existed in multiple M42 screw-mount variants produced from 1958 to 1975, all sharing the same 6-element/5-group optical formula. It began as the simple 'Takumar 55mm F1.8' in the late 1950s, evolving through Auto-Takumar, Super-Takumar, Super-Multi-Coated (S-M-C) Takumar, and finally SMC Takumar versions, and was frequently bundled with cameras like the Asahi Pentax SV and the Spotmatic. The Super-Takumar 55mm f/1.8 specifically was released in 1962 as a set lens for the Pentax SV. The reviews note it is often called 'radioactive' because at least one glass element (from the 1965 version onward) uses thorium glass, which yellows over time — a yellowing that can be reduced by exposing the lens to ultraviolet light (sunlight). It enjoys a cult following partly because of its extreme affordability, solid build, pleasing rendering, and vintage character. One reviewer notes it is arguably the most popular vintage lens in Japan today, ranking just behind the Helios 44-2 in Instagram popularity, and is widely recommended for beginners entering vintage lens photography. No coined nickname beyond the descriptive 'radioactive' is evidenced in these reviews.

https://overland25.com/en/en_vintagelens/super-takumar-55mm-f18https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-S-M-C-Super-Auto-Takumar-55mm-F1.8.htmlhttps://www.myfavouritelens.com/super-takumar-55mm-f1-8/https://jerfareza.camera/post/lens-review-asahi-pentax-takumar-55mm-f1-8