Pentax 55mm f/1.8 Super-Takumar M42 Lens
100-DAY Warranty - The Pentax 55mm f/1.8 Super Takumar is a legendary vintage manual focus prime lens utilizing the universal M42 screw mount. Produced by Asahi Optical Co. in Japan from the 1960s into the mid-1970s, it is celebrated by vintage film enthusiasts and modern mirrorless shooters alike for its exquisite all-metal build quality, incredibly smooth focus throw, and sharp, character-rich rendering. Because Pentax manufactured millions of these standard lenses, they remain highly accessible, reliable entry points into vintage glass.
Pentax 55mm f/1.8 Super-Takumar M42 Lens
Key Specifications
- Focal Length: 55mm (functions as a standard normal lens on full-frame cameras).
- Aperture Range: Fast f/1.8 maximum aperture down to f/16; relies on a 6-blade diaphragm.
- Optical Formula: 6 elements in 5 groups based on the classic Ultron design.
- Minimum Focus Distance: 45 cm, offering excellent close-up capabilities for a vintage standard prime.
- Filter Thread: 49mm.
- Physical Controls: Features a tactile "nut design" ridged focus ring and an Auto/Manual (A/M) switch. The switch is crucial for modern digital adaptation, allowing you to manually stop down the aperture ring.
Optical Character & The Thorium Element
- Image Sharpness: The lens delivers impressive contrast and clarity wide open at f/1.8. When stopped down slightly to f/2.8 or f/4, it becomes pin-sharp across the frame.
- Bokeh & Flares: The 6-blade design yields a slightly structured, "creamy" vintage bokeh. Because it features early single-coatings (unlike the later Super-Multi-Coated variants), it is prone to catching dramatic, artistic sun flares when shooting against bright light.
- The "Thorium" Yellowing: Later versions of the Super-Takumar line (post-1965) incorporated thorium oxide into the rear glass elements to increase the refractive index and minimize aberrations. Over the decades, mild, safe radioactivity causes the glass to develop a distinctive yellow tint.
