Early PENTAX TAKUMAR Lenses
(c) Frank Mechelhoff 2005 - Copies allowed only for personal usage
Usage of my pictures only up to 500x300 pixel and with referencing to the source
Contact: Frank.Mechelhoff "at" gmx.de                             Update 25. Juli 2010                                   

 
Auto-Takumar 1:1.8 f=55mm (1958) at Pentax K. This is a small (46mm filter), lightweight and compact lens despite it's focus length is 10% longer than today's standard.

Base Data is from  Asahi Optical Historical Club . This is of great help to start with but contains some mistakes, i.e. some lenses with no evidence that they were ever produced.(i.e a preset Takumar 1.8/58mm M42 lens) - if anybody has seen it, send me a prove!
Probably the best source of information is Gerjan v.Oostens book "Pentax Screwmount Guide", 1999  
There is also the excellent site of Mr. Sherfy, American Pentax collector, of which I bought a nice 2.8/105 lens
The links are shown at Pentax main page.
"Official" Pentax information of the late 50's years like batch numbers is quite non-existing, and if it cited, not very dependable, since a lot of lenses exists in reality which were "not regulary produced" due to Pentax. Obviously production data of these turbulent years when Pentax grows from a small firm to one of  the leaders in camera business has dissapeared somewhere, which is a typical luck happening with "start-up" companies.. Since all lenses have S/N engraved and no doublets exists til now, it will be no big problem to re-discover these facts if a online-database exists to put in the data. Such a database luckily exists, it's link is here.


Takumar Lenses (M37) 1952-1958  
The initial Takumar lenses made for the Asahiflex (1952) were made in chrome brass, probably with rare exceptions. All of them have preset diaphragm with two rings, one to choose aperture and focussing, the second to close it to the preset value and make the picture.
At least one M37 Takumar is known anticipating the later black& chrome style, as early as 1955: a 83mm f/1.9 (see collectors page)

Type	Asahi Kogaku Takumar	Asahi Kogaku Takumar	Asahi Kogaku Takumar	Asahi Kogaku Takumar	Asahi Kogaku Takumar
Lens	50mm f/3.5	58mm f/2.4	83mm f/1.9	100mm f/3.5	135mm f/3.5
Minimum Aperture (Diaphr. type)	16 (P)	16 (P)	16 (P)	16 (P)	16 (P)
Groups-Elements	3-4	3-5	4-7	3-3	4-5
Minimum Focussing Distance (m)	0.7	0.6	1.1	1.4	1.8
Weight (g)	180	200	350	280	500
Filter Siez (mm)	32	40	49	34	43
Introduced	1952	1954	1953	1952	1953
Lens Diagram
Picture
Press Text	Standard lens of Tessar type, especially corrected against astigmatism and chromatic aberration. Most suitable for close-ups and reproduction because of the wide angle vision, as well as for scenery, persons, snaps, etc.	Sensational standard lens of f/2.4 ever produced with 5 lens elements. The focal length is designed at 58mm for single lens reflex camera, having excellent resolving power. Especially designed for color photography because of the increasing popularity of color pictures (Instruction Asahiflex II)	Unique among the TAKUMAR lenses. Along with the TAKUMAR 135mm telephoto lens, aberrations arc reduced in the ultimate value shown by wave optics. Especially the spherical aberration is smaller than any lens made in Japan. Most .suitable for portraits, night photography, stage pictures as well as for general photographs.	Although composed of 3 elements, aberrations are satisfactorily corrected. Recommended for taking sceneries, portraits, news pictures, etc.	Aberrations reduced tu the ultimate value along with the TAKUMAR 83 mm lens. Even with the diaphragm full open, the resolving power is excellent, prodicing brilliant brightness to every corner of the picture. Indispensable for long distance or portraits. Capable of close-ups of animals or plants at a distance.
Remarks	This is a common, solid Tessar type (like the Leitz Elmar of that vintage)	A somewhat uncommon lens of the Heliar type with a cemented front element. No 35mm SLR or Rangefinder of that era had such a lens. The fastest Heliar type standard lens which I know	A up-to-date fast telephoto with second group consisting of 3 cemented elements, which categorizes it to the "Sonnar" design family. Different from other Sonnars is the splitted rear group.	A common triplet design like the pre-war Zeiss Triotar	A very fine 5-elements design higher effort than common in that focal length at that time. Pentax kept this layout (1-1-1--2) in telephoto designs until recent years
Occurence	3 ***	49 *	7 ***	11 ***	8 ***

Occurence/ Rarity: ***=rare **=sporadic *=frequent  (no star)=multitudinous --  
figures as of 3rd July 2005 in Pentax Screwmount Database Project -- please contribute your data here if you own that lenses or cameras !

(Preset) Takumar Lenses in M42 (1957-1962)     
In 1957 the first pentaprism Pentax "Asahi Pentax" came out (later called AP by collectors). Begiining with this camera, until 1975 all Pentax SLRs have M42x1 screw mount like German Pentacon, therefore requiring a new setup of lenses (also the old lenses could be used with an adaptor). These were made in black& chrom creating a new style. Barrells made partly in alloy made them more lightweight than their pure brass precursors. Some standard lenses, ie.e the 1.8/55, were also available in complete black (for the very rare all-black cameras)
These early Preset takumar lens series were only produced for the Original-Pentax and Pentax S (1958-1959)
These series are also marked ´Takumar" but is easy to distinguish from M37 lenses. Focussing scale is either meter or feet according to market.

I. Preset Standard lenses

Type	Takumar	Takumar	Takumar	Takumar
Lens	55mm f/1.8	55mm f/2.2	58mm f/2	58mm f/2.4
Minimum Aperture (Diaphr. type)	22 (P)	22 (P)	22 (P)	22 (P)
Groups-Elements	5-6	5-5	4-6	4-6 ? 3-5
Minimum Focussing Distance (m)	0.55	0.55 ?	0.6	0.6
Weight (g)	164	155	160	155
Filter Size (mm)	46	46	46	46
Introduced	1958	1957	1957	1957
Discontinued	1958	1957	1957	1957
Lens Diagram
Picture
Press Text
Remarks	Highest speed lens for Original Pentax/ Pentax S, preset forerunner of the Pentax K "Zebra" Auto-Takumar 1.8/55mm lens, earlier at production (known S/N 158,87X as opposed to 168,80X) This is the fastest, latest and rarest of the preset standard Takumars. It has the same famous Gaussian (Ultron) 5-6 type becoming the Pentax standard for decades until now. Because it has the same speed and focal length (55/1.8) they are difficult to pick out.	This is one of three (and probably the most common) standard lens for the Asahi-Pentax (1957) -  estimates 8.000-12.000 produced. Interestingly enough, this was the first, and  solely Gaussian type in 1957, very similar to later f/1.8-f/2.0-f/2.2 designs  - but a simpler design with a single 4th element instead of the cemented pair later lenses possess	For black Original Pentax black lenses available (rare). G.v.Oosten shows a slightly different diagram in his book, but my lens too has a flat rear element like the one of Kensetsu's camera collection HP This was the second standard lens for the 1957 Asahi Pentax of a complete other family: A Sonnar (cemented triple). The focal length had to be enlarged to 58mm (small rear distance of that type). To my knowledge it is the only SLR Sonnar type standard lens. Rarer than the Asahiflex lens of the same focal length.	The same design type like the M37 lens of same speed and focal length. Remarkably, the third Asahi-Pentax (1957) standard lens was of a third different design concept - a Heliar type (to my knowledge, the only SLR Heliar type standard lens, and the fastest Heliar type of any format) Test: How do these lenses compare in pictures and figures?
Occurence	2 ***	17 **	7 ***	7 ***

II. Preset lenses of other focal lengths

Takumar 1:4 f=35mm, reported as the first Japanese Wideangle SLR lens

Type	Takumar	Takumar	Takumar	Takumar	Takumar	Takumar
Lens	35mm f/4	83mm f/1.9	100mm f/3.5	105mm f/2.8	135mm f/3.5	200mm f/3.5
Minimum Aperture (Diaphr. type)	22 (M)	22 (P)	16 (P)	22 (P)	22 (P)	22 (P)
Groups-Elements	4-5 (or 4-4?)	4-7	3-3	4-4	4-5	4-4
Minimum Focussing Distance (m)	0.45	1.1	1.1	1.2	2	2.7
Weight (g)	136	305	280	250	300	750
Filter Size (mm)	46	49	46	46	46	67
Introduced	1957	1957	1957?	1958	1957	1959
Discontinued	1959	1959	1957?	1961	1962	1961
Lens Diagram
Picture
Press Text	Same size as the standard lens; can be put into the camera case together with the PENTAX. Light in weight; easy to use. You do not usually need an aperture brighter than f4 for general daylight outdoor picture taking.			Produces a brilliant image in all corners of the photo even with the diaphragm fully open. Indispensable for distant subject matter and for portraits. Ideal for close-ups of animals or plants even at a distance. Recommended as the ideal long tclephoto lens		A bright, 4-element telephoto lens for hand-held shooting. New optical glass used with recently advanced theory of design. Ideal for extraordinary snapshots, stage, spoils and news photos with exceptionally fascinating telephotographic effects.
Remarks	Reverse telephoto of Tessar, like the later f/3.5 or triplet type - different sources - unknown	"Never made in regular production" according to G.v.Oosten's book. Obviously, this isn't the case. But quite rare and usually expensive as most fast 85's. Nice "highspeed" portrait lens of small size and weight, Sonnar type like the M37 lens of same speed and focal length Collectors page see here	Basic Triotar design, lens of the same speed and and focal length as the Asahiflex lens, but with newer outline (similar to the 83/1.9) This lens hadn't a great lifespan and soon was replaced by the Auto-Takumar 105/2.8 (1959) so it's considered as rare.	This is a new design which was quite simply developed out of the 3.5/135 lens, reduced by one element. Nevertheless, it's not a bad lens. performance-wise. It was kept in production until 1963 - then replaced by a version with cemented rear group instead of a single rear element	The same design like its M37 predecessor. A sharp lens.
Occurence	12 **	5 ***	4 ***	20+8 **	55+16	32 *

Auto-Takumar Lenses (1958-1962)  

1958 Asahi Optical launched their new top model Pentax K - here the rare black version. Basically the same cameras as the Original Pentax but the first Pentax (and one of the first SLRs ever) with Semi-Automatic diaphragm mechanism which can be used with special, marked "Auto-Takumar" lenses.
Lenses can be cocked with a lever without looking at it, in this manner open to full aperture before focussing (if the photograph decides to do so).When the trigger is pushed halfway by the photograph, a lever inside the lens mounting closes the diaphragm to the preselect value through a small pin. The photograph then can do a last depth-of-field check. Fully pushing the trigger actuates both mirror and shutter. After firing, lens remains closed at preselect aperture until it's cocked again. Despite the name Auto- this is what we now call semi-automatic diaphragm, in difference to later fuull-automatic diaphragms called Super-Takumars. At least two lenses had despite of its name fully automatic diaphragm mechanisms: the Auto-Takumar 55mm f/1.8 in black (1960-1962) and the the 85mm f/1.8 (1960-1962 and black as well). Some of the Auto-Takumars have f-/stop-rings back to the body: 35mm f/3.5, black 55mm f/1.8 (1960-1962), and 105mm f/2.8 - all others in the front, ahead the focus-ring

I. Auto-Takumar Standard lenses

Lens	Auto-Takumar	Auto-Takumar	Auto-Takumar	Auto-Takumar	Auto-Takumar
Type	55mm f/1.8	55mm f/1.8	55mm f/1.9	55mm f/2	55mm f/2.2
Minimum Aperture (Diaphr. type)	22 (S)	22 (A) 16?	22	22 (S)	22 (S)
Groups- Elements	5-6	5-6	5-6	5-6	5-6
Minimum Focusing Distance (m)	0.55	0.45	0.55	0.55	0.54
Weight (g)	174	215		175	164
Filter Size (mm)	46	49	46	46	46
Introduced	1958	1960	1958?	1958	1961
Discon- tinued	1959	1962	1959	1959? (probaby later)	1961
	Same lens, also sold by Sears, Roebuck & Co	Forerunner of the Super-Takumar. The diaphragm ring stops down counterclockwise
Lens Diagram		All lenses here have the same diagram (see left)
Picture	Eye-catching "zebra-style" black and chrome focus ring. This was a quite fashionable style in the late 1950's - early 1960's. Pentax just did it once, with this lens, which was the highest speed lens for the K ("King") camera. see title picture. Some have marqued half stops on the focussing ring, others don't.
Press Text		Razor-sharp,   fully   corrected,   high  speed standard lens, using rare earth glass, designed by lop lens designers.   Equipped with fully automatic   diaphragm. Ideal for professional  results.		Newest high-speed 6-element lens, utilizing latest optical gloss advances. High resolving power coin bines with outstanding brightness for easiest focusing. Ideal for exceptional results indoors or at night.
Remarks	It is very interesting that after "proving" 3 different design families of standard lenses in the "Pentax year" 1957, one year later only one remains alive - the "Ultron" type made of 6 elements in 5 groups. When other optical companies erratically changed standard lens design well into the 1970's, Pentax remains stable with this concept. Even today (2005) this is Pentax standard of this speed and focal length withoout noticeable difference as far as diagrams are examined. Arguments can be made that it was Pentax who sets this as an industry standard design...	This is optically the same design as the 1958 version, but with newer barrel, shorter close focus distance, and fully autmatic diaphragm mechanism, and completely black, setting the standard "look" for Takumar lenses for more than 20 years. In fact this was the first "Super-Takumar". Slightly bigger and more weight too! From here the 49mm is Pentax standard filter size, instead of the earlier 46mm	This lens was solely made for the Tower 29 sold by Sears, Roebuck & Co in the USA as a re-badged Pentax K. It was the only time in history Pentax used a f/1.9 for a standard lens. Today this lens is even harder to find that the Tower 29, which wasn't sold very often. The only known S/N belongs to early 1959 range. The lens is very similar in outline to the Takumar 55/1.8 for the Pentax K, including the Zebra style. In fact, it could be the same lens optically.	Follower to the f/1.8 and f/1.9 "Zebra" style lens, very similar to them, black focussing ring, and half stops. Very nicely made too. This lens was sold with S2/H2 cameras for standard and still available in good numbers. S/N range from 200,95X - 502,74X	Very similar to the 2.0/55mm Auto Takumar - for the lower priced series. This was indeed more a marketing trick than it reflects the real production costs - which of course are nearly as high as for the f/2.0 lens...
Occurence	50 *	62 *	1 ***	109	92

II. Auto-Takumar wideangle and short telephoto lenses

Lens	Auto-Takumar	Auto-Takumar	Auto-Takumar	Auto-Takumar	Auto-Takumar
Type	35mm f/2.3	35mm f/3.5	85mm f/1.8	105mm f/2.8	135mm f/3.5
Minimum Aperture (Diaphr. type)	22 (S)	22 (S)	16 (S)	22 (S)	22 (S)
Groups- Elements	6-5	4-5	4-5	3-4 ? I think 4-4 is correct	? - 5
Minimum Focusing Distance (m)	0.45	0.45	0.9	1.2	1.8
Weight (g)	310	147	340	280	317
Filter Size (mm)	65	46	55	49	49
Introduced	1959	1959	1960	1959	1960
Discon- tinued	1962	1962	1962	1961	1963
Lens Diagram
Picture
Press Text	One of the world's brightest retrofocus wide angle lenses for single lens reflex cameras. Edge-to-edge sharp resolution at full aperture; unique lens design without distortion; suitable for architectural photography.	A medium speed lens with extremely high resolving power, this is an excellent general purpose wide-angle optic which will prove highly useful for scenic, industrial, and architectul'nl photography. Compact and light in weight.	A new, ultra-fast 5-element lens which produces an image slightly larger than the standard lens. Perfect for available light portraiture, nature studies, and sports coverage. Used as a standard, general purpose lens by many photographers	A quality medium tclephoto lens of 4 elements, with well corrected aberrations. Light weight design for portability and easy handling. Recommend-ed for scenery, portrait, news photos, other moderate telephoto effects.
Remarks	This was the first "Auto Takumar" non-standard lens, as well as the first fast SLR wideangle "reporter lens" (marketed Autumn 1958) which gaves Pentax a clear advantage. It was replaced in 1963 by a Super-Takumar 2.0/35 with even bigger filter! (67mm) and more weight. It's one of the nicest lenses of the early period, well made and not heavyweight. Performance wise it shows significant chromatic aberrations at high aperture (probably because of the great distance of the single front element to the correcting group). Noneetheless an important lens for every Early Pentax collector...	This was taken into production one year after the 2.3/35 and, of course, replaced the older preset 4/35mm lens.This was Pentax megaseller wideangle lens. It continued in different mountings until 1979 (K-Bayonet) ! Obviously the reason was not its speed. It was a very sharp and contrasty lens, it was very compact, and it was low-priced. This was also the lens which created the typical Pentax "focussing scale window". If the 2.3/35 is a "nice-to-have" lens, this clearly is a "must-have"..!	A "Auto Takumar" for real, like the 1.8-55. Front diaphragm and no "focussing scale window" opposed to later versions. From design point of view, this lens was derivated from the 3.5/135 - a simple solution. High edge sharpness and contrast are not present at f/1.8 - a "portrait lens" characteristic of that vintage. This version was produced to 1964. Between 1964 and 1972 the nominal speed was reduced to f/1.9 Nevertheless, the overall design wasn't so bad that it was replaced not until 1972, by a 6-elements/ 6 groups Double Gauss design 1.8/85mm lens with SMC.	This lens was developed out of the 3.5/135 and kind of shortliving, compared to its series. Replaced in 1962 by a 5-elements/ 4-groups design (Super-Takumar series) similar to the to the 135mm with cemented rear group, but - opposed to it - turned cemented surfaces. The first known example has a 182.xxx S/N. A well made and quite compact short telephoto lens, which was sold in high numbers. A pleasure to use. Attention with backlight shots (flare) !	The same design like all its predecessors from 1952 on. All Pentax short telephoto lenses until 1967 are derived from this initial design.  Kept in production until 1965 (3.5/135 Super Takumar) which has 4 elements in 4 groups (one rear element less). This makes it looks like the earlier 2.8/105 lens. Strangely this two lenses switched optical formulas.´..
Occurence	20 **	40 *	17 **	11 **	19 **

Super-Takumar Lenses (1962-1971)

The Semi-Automatic-diaphragm was only a first step leading to a fully-automatic diaphragm which not longer needs to be cocked, not only closed the aperture to the preselected value, but after firing the shot re-opened it using the same mechasnism. Therefore there is a small lever "Auto" or "Manual" for such cameras which doesn'rt support this feature, or for checking depth-of-fiedl. Except for some extreme telephotos with huge diaphragms where this mechanism couldn't be implemented, most of the lenses of the program were modified this way.
These series are marked "Super-Takumar" in the front ring.

In the age of this series a lot of new lenses were developed, i.e. a series of modern retrofocus wide-angle lenses: two 28mm, 24mm and finally 20mm, a fast 1.4/50mm (the best fast standards SLR lens of that era). The 4-element 2.8/105 seen above was replaced in 1962 by a 4-5 elements design - similar to the 3.5/135 - which was kept until 1979 (K-bayonet era). The telephoto series were completed with a 2.8/120mm and a 4/150mm, all of basically the same proved (5 elements/4 groups) design. It was completed 1968 with a fast 2.5/135mm. The odd 2.3/35 was replaced with a 2.0/35 (70mm filter) which 2 years later was replaced with another 2.0/35 modern design and 49mm filter.

This era of lenses isn't my range of collection. So I cannot provide a complete list here currently.

Super-Takumars, as a rule of thumb, are single-coated lenses, not multi-coated. There are few exceptions (late Super-Takumars build around 1971).


Super-Multi-Coated Takumar Lenses (1971-1976)

After starting the multcoating of optical lenses in production the M42 Pentax Takumar lenses were changed in name once more.
These series are marked ´Super-Multi-Coated Takumar" in the front ring, or later abbreviated "SMC Takumar". To distinguish early from later series it is common among collectors beeing precise with the name, or if needed abbreviate the long diction "Super Multi Coating" as S.-M.-C. to distinguish it from later SMC-Takumars. As a rule of thumb, these lenses are also coupled for open-aperture-metering (For  Spotmatic-F, ES, ES-II) but there are some exceptions as well.


List of S/N's (early Pentax Cameras and Takumar Lenses) vs. Year-of-build

Lenses are build in parallel batches to a plan, in most cases with numbers range appointed before actual production. There are no batch lists maintained or published by Asahi Optical Co., but numbers are figured out by the limited information within the screw mount datatbase (link above) and books, i.e. G.v:Oosten Pentax screw mount guide. And probably numbers were not used completely. So please see this numbers with care.

Date	S/N Lens	S/N Camera	Remarks
May 1957	132.000	134.000	Original Pentax - one model
April 1958	158.000	154.000	first 1.8/55 pre-set Takumar/ first K-model
Autumn 1958	179.800		first 2.3/35 Auto-Takumar
Spring 1959	197.800	193.000	first 2.8/105 Auto-Takumar/ first H2-model
Autumn 1959	249.600		first 3.5/35 Auto-Takumar
Spring 1960	352.300		first 1.8/85 Auto-Takumar
Autumn 1962	690.000		first 3.5/28 Super-Takumar
1963	677.000		first 2.8/105 Super-Takumar
1964	766.000		first version 1.4/50
1964	886.000		first 1.9/85
1965	1.470000		second version 1.4/50mm
1967	2.200000		first  3.5/24mm
1968	3.430000		first 4.5/20mm

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