Takumar 55mm lenses. A guide to one of the best - and most eclectic - series of vintage M42 lenses

Takumar 55mm lenses were very popular in the film era, and they remain popular and often much loved on today&digital cameras. They&excellent performers. A surprisingly large number of different versions were made between 1957 and 1974. This video looks at the differences between versions and discusses how they perform, supported by tests and many photos. Links to each section: 00:00 Introduction 02:21 A look at the lenses 10:00 The earliest lenses 12:29 Number of aperture blades 13:35 Coatings, contrasts and colours 16:03 Radioactive glass 18:07 Minimum focusing distance 18:40 Sharpness 22:03 Bokeh 25:13 Conclusions #pentax