The Super Takumar 28mm 3.5 is (so far and as of the writing of this post) one of my favorite vintage lenses. I bought this lens not expecting much and I was completely blown away by the colors and detail that you get from shooting this lens. I ended up driving to Coronado Island to take some architecture shots but the damn traffic was atrocious and parking was non existant at 2pm. I will update this blog post later on with shots of the Hotel Del Coronado and surrounding area with this lens. The Super Takumar 28mm F3.5 made between 1962-1975 were produced by the Asahi Optical Co. which eventually became known as Pentax. This lens was later produced with what is called a “Super Multi Coated” technology which is a treatment that helps reduce lens flare. This lens is ideal for landscape and city photography as well as botonical photography.
Here is what I got shooting some flowers. I used FotodioX Pro’s M42 adapter for this session along with my Sony A7C II and here is what i got.
Technical Specifications:
- Focal Length: 28mm
- Aperture: Maximum aperture of f/3.5 and a minimum aperture of f/16
- Lens Construction: 7 elements in 6 groups
- Weight: Approximately 256g (9oz)
- Filter Thread Size: 49mm
- Minimum Focus Distance: 40cm.
- Compatibility: The lens has an M42 mount, which is compatible with Pentax/Praktica thread mount systems. You can get an adapter for most systems now to shoot this lens.
User Experience:
- For being a vintage lens, I found it rather easy to use. The lens gives you a good focus experience on manual mode. It is small compared to modern 28mm but that doesn’t keep it from giving you a nice shooting experience. It is full metal, the aperture ring is easy to operate you just need to make sure it is properly oiled up. It doesn’t weight much and it is pretty small so it is rather easy to store in my bag. I lucked out getting this lens in the mint condition that I did with both original lens caps. The shots i got with the FotodioX Pro adapter are excellent. The combo of the lens and adapter is still a pretty light carry; i never really noticed it while shooting.
Video:
The Lens Hooche Verdict
This isnt my first Super Takumar lens. I jumped it to the front of the review list in 2024 because of the condition I got it in (Mint). I wanted to see how it performed and was very happy with how it still performs today. I was lucky enough to get it with both original lens caps. I honestly cant recommend this lens enough for a 28mm. Even at f/3.5 It gives you gorgeous colors at a very good price. As always stay patient on Ebay and wait for a good glass copy and you will enjoy this lens for years to come.
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