Introduction Takumar Super Multi Coated 85mm f/1.8 was

Introduction
Takumar Super Multi Coated 85mm f/1.8 was produced from 1972 and this review looks at the the second
version produced from 1974. In general you wil find many great lenses among the 85mm’s from all the
producers; I think that is because of the almost perfect match between 85mm (on Full Frame) and portraits.
And portraits are normally images that are viewed very carefully, since we all wnat to look the best. The
Asahi Takumar 85mm f/1.8 is not only a member of the good portrait lenses, it is also a member of the fine
group of Asahi Takumar lenes which includes lenses like the 135mm f/2.5, the 50mm f/1.4 and the 105 mm
f/1.8. This group is not only highly praised in reviews, but also costy when the age of the lenses is
considered.
Fokusring = focus ring
Blædering = Aperture ring
Adaptor = Adaptor ring
The 85mm is not a small lens; it weighs in at 341 gr, uses 52mm filters and will extend between 5.6 cm and
6.7 cm from your camera – adding a little more from the adaptor ring.
It is a M42 lens. That means you need an adaptor ring before you can mount the lens on your DSRL. It is
possible to get apator rings with focus assistance. That´s a contrast sensor letting the camera give the
characteristic beep sound when focus is found. That is a great help, if you haven’t got superman skills in the
art of focus. And it is a very useful help since your cameras viewer darkens when you step down the
aperture.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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The lens is very pleasant to operate. The build quality is very high; exactly as you would expect if you have
tried any of the other top-Takumars. This is metal and glass in the best quality and the lens give you the
feeling that it can take some beating and still survive. The balance is good and all moving parts have e very
nice movement.
The focus ring is very smooth as if it was moving in oil. The aperture ring has a nice firmness to is and each
aperture click is easily felt.
The focus ring is in metal and it may be cold and slippery; but thanks to the ribs you have a very good grip.
When you focus, the end lens doesn’t move, so using a pol-filter is easy.
You have about 270 degrees from the near limit to infinity. The near limit is 85 cm. That is a good and long
movement. From the near limit to about 1.8 meters you have the first 180 degrees making it very easy to
find focus on the short distances. But it isn’t hard to find focus on the long distances either. The downside
of the long movement is that when you go from focus point at the near limit to focussing at infinity, you
have to turn a lot. It is no problem, but just worth mentioning anyhow.
The aperture reach is from f/1.8 to f/16. It is a fast lens. The aperture ring is think but still easy to operate.
The grip is good since is also have rips. The movement is clean and the clicks are felt clearly.
The lens has 8 blades.
Data
The elements are situated like this:
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
Price
The lens was produced from 1974. It has is remarkably that the lens still function perfectly. But good build
quality and some users who have appreciated and looked after the lens has worked miracles. Many of the
85mm’s on the market are in very good shape.
My sample looks as good as new. The elements are clean and so are the blades. No oil to see anywhere.
The paint is also looking very nice.
The 85mm f/1.8 has always been a little pricey. The Honeywell Pentax catalogue from June 1973:
SMC Takumar 35mm f/2
SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4
SMC Takumar 85mm f/1.8
SMC Takumar 105mm f/2.8
SMC Takumar 120mm f/2.8
SMC Takumar 200mm f/4 $
SMC Takumar 300mm f/4 $
$259.50
$150.00
$259.50
$184.50
$194.50
239.50
449.50
Already in 1973 in 85mm was on the top of the prices. Only the 300mm f/4 was more expensive.
The market price of today does reflect this: The lens is not cheap. In Denmark the lens has just been
advertised on a Danish eBay-like site with an asking price of Euro 467. At the moment the lens is at eBay
with asking prices (buy-now) at $349 – for EU-buyers the vat must be added (in Denmark that is 25%).
But if you have the patience needed you might strike luck and get it cheaper. Just remember that you might
be in for a long wait. I have often seen 85mm’s jump from $50 to $300 in the last second of an auction.
The images
Olympus E-30 has been used.
Right: The rose was shoot
using a studio flash.
Shutter was 1/160 sec.
and Aperture f/7.1. The
distance was just about 1
meter.
In my opinion: A very nice
picture. Sharp and with
rich precise colours.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
Both pictures on
this page:
Aperture was
f/7.1, shutterspeed was
1/160 sec. and
studioflash was
used.
Notice the
smoothness in
the bokeh.
In my opinion: It
is very nice
pictures that
demonstrates
the smoothness
of the bokeh
and the fine
sharpness.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
Below left: A resized picture of a small gorilla teddy. The yellow square indicate how much of the picture a
1000 x 750 pixel crop is. Below right: The crop resized.
Below: The final picture.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
Above: Six pictures shoot using aperture f/5.6. In my opinion these pictures show the fine qualities of the
lens; providing a nice sharpness, very smooth bokeh and fine handling of the colours and the differences in
the light.
Next page top: Aperture is f/5.6. In my opinion a very fine statement of the bokeh:
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
The bokeh does, of course,
become even more apparent
when the aperture is opened
and the distance between
the focal point and the
background is larger.
Right: Aperture f/4 was used.
From the lens to the swing
there were about two meters
and from the swing to the
bushes there were about four
meters.
Using Olympus camera this
will give a Depth of Field
(DOF) of just 6 cm,
accordingly to
dofmaster.com.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
Sharpness and bokeh
Both sharpness and bokeh are important issues when looking at lenses. But they are especially important
when looking at lenses meant to be used as portrait lenses. It is not always necessary to have the most
razor sharp lens; portraits are seldom razor sharp since that will show all “imperfections” in the skin. But
sharpness has to be good. Bokeh on the other hand is very important. Often portraits are shoot using a very
open aperture to secure that the area not in focus will be a little blurry.
In my opinion lenses has to be sharp – and has to have the capability of being razor sharp.
Right: A setup in a backgammon
gameboard. The picture has been resized
and the yellow square indicates how
much a 1000 x 750 pixel crop is.
Below: The crop.
Even at this close distamce, the bokeh
seems to pop up – and the sharpness
seems clear.
Next page: A sharpness test. The same motive the same everything, but aperture and shutter time. You are
looking at 100% crops. In my opinion this show that sharpness is good from wide open at f/1.8 to f/11.
Razor sharpness is present from f/2.8. This is a very good result and fits perfectly to the demands that face
a portrait lens.
.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
Below: Another test of the bokeh.
Again you get the fine sharpness already from f/1.8 and here you can clearly see how the bokeh looks up to
4 cm from point of focus.
(Focus is at the 20 cm mark)
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
Below: A wooden model of a fishing boat from the isle Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. The boat is just 10 cm
long. Aperture is f/8.
Below: Aperture is f/4 and spring is just around the corner. Two hours after these pictures were taken; 2 cm
of snow covered everything.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
Below left: Just to show the bokeh again. Aperture f/4.
Below right: No distortion here.
Below right: Railway tracks near Flintholm Station. Aperture f/4.
Below left: A bench in a public park. Aperture f/4.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
And a little portrait:
Aperture f/4.
No reflector or fill in flash was used
(forgot it at home)
In my opinion very nice portraits of a
beautiful woman. The sharpness is very
good, the bokeh is fast and very smooth
leading the focus to be at the woman and
her eyes in particular.
The colours are nice and subtle. Not too
rich and not too dominant.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg
Conclusion
I do think that old lenses often have a special aura to them. Sometimes when I use old lenses, I simply get
the feeling of being better – you might say that old lenses sometimes make me a better man. I think it is
because of the quality some of those lenses show. The build is excellent and operating the focus and
aperture manually adds to the feeling of craftsman ship.
Asahi Takumar 85mm f/1.8 (late version) has clearly met all my expectation – and they were very high.
The lens is very nice to use. The sharpness is very good wide open at f/1.8 and razor from f/2.8. The bokeh
is smooth and soft. Colours are reproduced in high fidelity and the loight is very well controlled.
This is not a cheap M42 lens. The 85mm is a costly friend – but what a friend.
I my opinion the lens does deliver full value for the money. It really is as good as they say – and maybe even
better.
On a scale from 0 to 5; (5 being the best), I give the lens: 4.5
After match
I have reviewed and rated Asahi Takumar 135mm f/2.5 also. I gave the 135mm the same mark as the
85mm; and I mean that.
But if I was to choose from the two, I would say that the 135mm makes a little more sense to me using
Olympus camera. With double crop factor I get 270mm (compared Full Frame mm) from the 135mm lens
and that is a very good strong tele. With the 85mm I get 170mm (compared Full Frame mm) which isn’t
enough to be a strong tele and is too much to be a portrait lens.
Asahi Super Takumar 85mm, f/1.8
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©John Nyberg