SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT Short Review. CO., JAPAN

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In short

SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN is a good manual high-aperture fifty-kopeck piece. There is a whole family of such lenses, in which there are approximately 8-9 basic models. I already had an older version on my review SMC TAKUMAR 1: 1.4/50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN., on the basis of which the lens from this review was made.

This SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN is the first Pentax class 50 / 1.4 lens to receive the Pentax K mount. Prior to that, all ASAHI OPT lenses. CO., JAPAN class 50 / 1.4 used the common M42x1 / 45.5 landing thread.

All lenses of this family (except for the first and the last) use the same optical scheme of 7 elements in 6 groups (classic planar scheme [Planar]). The first was'Planar killer'and used an advanced scheme for those times 8/6 (difference between 7/6 and 8/6), and last - super-modern circuit 15/9!.

Personally, I am a great connoisseur and fan of old Pentax optics (aka ASAHI OPT. CO.), After working with which pleasant emotions always remain. This SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN belongs to one of the first lines of lenses with Pentax K mount. Usually this line is called so - 'Pentax K'(by analogy with Pentax' M ',' A ',' F ',' FA ',' DFA '). Also, this is the first lens in the '50 /1.4 'family to use the name'PENTAX', before this modification all solutions from the '50 /1.4' line had the name 'TAKUMAR'.

In parallel with the line of the best solutions of the 50 / 1.4 class, the line of Pentax / Takumar lenses of the class 50 / 1.7, 50 / 1.8, 50/2, 55 / 1.8 and 55/2 developed.

It's important: This lens does not suffer from lens coating degradation. For example older versions like Super-Multi-Coated TAKUMAR 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPANsuffered from severe degradation of enlightenment.

All major versions of similar lenses Asahi Opt. Co., Takumar / Pentax:

1.2/50

1. SMC PENTAX 1: 1.2 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (7/6, 20947, 1975-1984)
2. SMC PENTAX 1:1.2/50 ASAHI OPT. CO.,JAPAN'GOLD' (7/6, 1981)
3. SMC PENTAX-A 1: 1.2 50mm (7/6, 20987, 1984-2004)
4. SMC PENTAX-A 1: 1.2 50mm Special (7/6, 2000)

1.4 / 50 (video)

1. Super takumar 1: 1.4 / 50 Asahi Opt. Co., Lens made in Japan (8/6, 358, 1964-1966)
2. Super takumar 1: 1.4 / 50 Asahi Opt. Co. Lens made in japan (7/6, 37800, 1965-1971, F/2 in number)
3. Super takumar 1: 1.4 / 50 Asahi Opt. Co. Lens made in japan (7/6, 37801, 1965-1971, F/2 dot)
4. Super takumar 1: 1.4 / 50 Asahi Opt. Co., Lens made in Japan (7/6, 37802, 1965-1971, comma after 'CO.')
5. Super-Multi Coated TAKUMAR 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (7/6, 37902, 1971-1972)
6. SMC TAKUMAR 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (7/6, 37908, 1972-1975)
7. SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (7/6, 20847, 1975-1977)
8. SMC PENTAX-M 1: 1.4 50mm ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (7/6, 20867, 1977-1984)
9. SMC PENTAX-A 1: 1.4 50mm (7/6, 20887, 1984-1989)
10. SMC PENTAX-F 1: 1.4 50mm (7/6, 20827, 1987-1991)
11. SMC PENTAX-FA 1: 1.4 50mm (7/6, 20817, 1991-2023)
12. HD PENTAX-D FA * 1: 1.4 50mm SDMAW (15/9, 21260, 2018->)
13. SMC PENTAX-FA 1: 1.4 50mm Classic (7/6, 2023->)
14. HD PENTAX-FA 1: 1.4 50mm (7/6, 2023->)

1.8 / 55 (video)

1. takumar 1:1.8 f=55mm Asahi OPT. CO., Japan (6/5, 1958, zebra)
2. Auto-takumar 1:1.8 f=55mm Asahi OPT. CO., Japan (6/5, 1958-1960, zebra)
3. Auto-takumar 1:1.8/55 ASAHI OPT. CO., Lens made in Japan (6/5, 1960, with 'R')
4. Auto-takumar 1:1.8/55 ASAHI OPT. CO., Lens made in Japan (6/5, 1960-1962, no 'R', oblique lines of the depth of field)
5. Auto-takumar 1:1.8/55 ASAHI OPT. CO., Lens made in Japan (6/5, 1962, no 'R', straight lines of depth of field)
6. Super takumar 1: 1.8 / 55 Asahi Opt. Co., Lens made in Japan (6/5, 1962, fine ribs, f/1.8 left)
7. Super takumar 1: 1.8 / 55 Asahi Opt. Co., Lens made in Japan (6/5, before 1965, fine ribs, f/1.8 right)
8. Super takumar 1: 1.8 / 55 Asahi Opt. Co. Lens made in japan (6/5, 37106, before 1971, large ribs)
9. Super-Multi Coated TAKUMAR 1: 1.8 / 55 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (6/5, 37104, 1971-1972)
10. SMC TAKUMAR 1: 1.8 / 55 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (6/5, 37108, 1972-1975)
11. SMC PENTAX 1: 1.8 / 55 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (6/5, 20747, 1975-1977)

2 / 55 (1.9 / 55)

1. Auto-takumar 1:1.9 f=55mm Asahi Opt. Co.,Japan (6/5, 1958-1959)
2. Auto-takumar 1: 2 f = 55mm Asahi Opt. Co., Japan (6/5, 1958-1959, zebra)
3. Auto-takumar 1: 2 f = 55mm Asahi Opt. Co., Japan (6/5, 34100, 1958-1959)
4. Super takumar 1: 2 / 55 Asahi Opt. Co., Lens made in Japan (6/5, small fins, F/2 left)
5. Super takumar 1: 2 / 55 Asahi Opt. Co., Lens made in Japan (6/5, small ribs, F/2 on the right)
6. Super takumar 1: 2 / 55 Asahi Opt. Co. Lens made in japan (6/5, 37103, 1962-1973, large ribs)
7. Super takumar 1: 2 / 55 Asahi Opt. Co. Lens made in japan (6/5, 37107, additional aperture pins)
8. SMC TAKUMAR 1: 2 / 55 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (6/5, 37109, 1973-1975)
9. SMC PENTAX 1: 2 55mm ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (6/5, 1976-1977)

1.7/50

1. SMC PENTAX-M 1: 1.7 50mm ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN (6/5, 20877, 1977-1984)
2. SMC PENTAX-A 1: 1.7 50mm (6/5, 20897, 1984-1989)
3. SMC PENTAX-F 1: 1.7 50mm (6/5, 20837, 1987-1991)
4. SMC PENTAX-FA 1: 1.7 50mm (6/5, 20907, 1991-2004)

2/50

1. SMC PENTAX-M 1:2 50mm ASAHI OPTICAL CO. (5/5, 20677, 1979-1985)
2. SMC PENTAX-A 1: 2 50mm (5/5, 20697, 1985-1998)

2.2/55

1. takumar 1:2.2/55 Asahi Opt. CO., Japan (6/5, 1961-1963)
2. Auto-takumar 1:2.2/55 ASAHI OPT. CO., Lens made in Japan (6/5, 1961-1963)

2/58

1. takumar 1:2 f=58mm Asahi Opt. Co., Japan (6/4, 1957-1958)
2. takumar 1: 2 f = 58mm Asahi Opt. Co., Japan (6/4, 1957-1958, labeled 'R')

DA (APS-C: 1.4/55 DA* + 1.8/50 DA)

1. SMC PENTAX-DA * 1: 1.4 55mm SDM (9/8, 21790, 2008->)
2. SMC PENTAX-DA 1: 1.8 50mm (6/5, 22177, 2012->)

Asahi-Kogaku (M37x1, 3.5/50 + 2.4/58 -> M42)

1. takumar 1: 3,5 f = 50mm Asahi-kogaku (4/3, 1952, M37×1)
2. takumar 1: 3.5 f = 50mm Asahi-kogaku (4/3, 1952, , M37×1, pre-set)
3. takumar 1: 2.4 f = 58mm Asahi-kogaku (5/3, 1954, M37×1, silver)
4. takumar 1: 2.4 f = 58mm Asahi Opt. Co., Japan (5/3, 1957-1958, M42)

The lens names in this list correspond exactly to the lens name label on the lens barrel (except for the serial number and/or filter diameter).

Main technical characteristics of SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN:

Review Instance Name	SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN 1030387
Basic properties	Pentax K - K mount manual focus only. aperture control ringas well as semi-automatic iris control using the ring aperture SMC (Sopera-Multi-Coated) - multi-layer optical coating lens suitable for full-frame cameras metal casecompact size 20847 - lens version code
Front Filter Diameter	52 mm, metal thread for filters.
Focal length	50 mm
Zoom ratio	1 X (this is a fixed lens, it does not have a zoom).
Designed by	for film cameras with a frame size of 24 x 36
Number of aperture blades	8 petals. Petals dark matte At F / 2 and F / 2.8, the aperture blades form a small jagged opening.
Tags	focus distance scale in meters and feet depth of field scale for F / 4, 5.6 (not explicitly), 8, 11 (not explicitly), 16, 22 'R' mark for infrared operation white convex mark-point of installation
Diaphragm	from f / 1.4 to f / 22. The lens has an aperture control ring. There are labels on the ring for F / 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22. You can set one additional value between each pair of numbers (except F / 1.4-> F2 and F / 16-> F / 22)
MDF	0.45 meters, maximum magnification ratio 1:6.7
The weight	270 grams (measured)
Optical design	7 elements in 6 groups The lens does not use special optical elements in its optical design. The same optical design is used by older lenses of the same family: SMC TAKUMAR 1: 1.4/50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN Super-Multi-Coated TAKUMAR 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN Super-Takumar 1: 1.4 / 50 Asahi Opt. Co. Lens made in japan and newer: SMC PENTAX-M 1: 1.4 50mm ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN SMC PENTAX-A 1: 1.4 50mm SMC PENTAX-F 1: 1.4 50mm SMC PENTAX-FA 1: 1.4 50mm
Lens hood	Threaded, screwed into the front filter thread
Manufacturer country	LENS MADE IN JAPAN (body inscription, lens made in Japan).
Period	1975-1977. Subsequently replaced by SMC PENTAX-M 1: 1.4 50mm ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN.
Price	About $ 100 for used option. Current prices can be look at EBAY. Prices for modern Pentax lenses can be viewed at E-Catalog.

Lenses based on the optical scheme on which the SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT is built. CO., JAPAN (from this review, produced from 1972 to 2018 (almost 50 years). The first was a manual SMC TAKUMAR 1: 1.4/50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPANand the last one is autofocus SMC PENTAX-FA 1: 1.4 50mm.

Assembly, appearance, focusing

Pictured next to SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN shown SMC TAKUMAR 1: 1.8/55 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN.

SMC PENTAX 1: 1.4 / 50 ASAHI OPT. CO., JAPAN is well built. The focusing ring has an anti-slip insert made of very coarse material and rotates approximately 225 degrees (5/8 of a full turn). The movement of the ring is very smooth, oily, pleasant. During focusing, the front retractable body does not rotate. Focusing occurs by moving the entire lens unit. Lens chamfers are poorly blackened.

Sample photos (Full Frame + APS-C)

Pictures in the gallery were obtained using Nikon D4 (Full Frame, 16 MP), converting the original RAW files with the original Nikon Capture NX-D v 1.4.6 utility. A

Pictures in the gallery were obtained using Sony a3500 (Sony Exmor APS-C HD CMOS sensor at 20 MP, JPEG from the camera). An adapter was used Pentax K -> Sony E / NEX.

You can download / view the original photos in RAW format (Nikon '.NEF' and Sony '.ARW') at this link (gallery / folders on Yandex.Disk).

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Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram