Pentax M42 Lenses

How do the older Pentax branded M42 lenses stack up against the Pentax M, A, & FA lenses in terms of optical quality?

I ask because the M42 lenses are much cheaper than the other types on the whole and I'm tempted to buy a K-M42 adapter and try out a couple.

Are there any disadvantages with M42 lenses compared with M lenses, ie. are they any more difficult to use or anything?

Cheers.

Do a search on this site and you will find lots of info on M42. Many here love these lenses but they are not as easy to use. Optically there are many fine ones, and dogs too. If you get an adapter, try to get a genuine Pentax...or you will be sorry, I was. This is just a yard shot with a Vivitar F2.0 28mm M42 ....paid about $20 for it.



--
'This is not that serious.....let's all have fun.'

Currently I prefer to buy M42 lens over K mount. It may not be quite as easy to use but with an adaptor it can be used on almost any 35mm film or digital SLR made.

The new lenses are a bit better as with time come improvements , the limited primes come to mind. I have some newer auto focus Pentax zooms. Zooms are nice but I still feel no zoom is as sharp as a prime M 42 mount lens at its focal length.

El_Gimpster said:

How do the older Pentax branded M42 lenses stack up against the
Pentax M, A, & FA lenses in terms of optical quality?

Click to expand...

I would recommending that you look for the SMC Takumars only. In many cases they are just as good as the later lenses IMO.

El_Gimpster said:

I ask because the M42 lenses are much cheaper than the other types
on the whole and I'm tempted to buy a K-M42 adapter and try out a
couple.

Click to expand...

Look for the original Asahi (Pentax) M42 K mount adapter. It can be removed with a fingernail. The offbrands require a tool to remove.

El_Gimpster said:

Are there any disadvantages with M42 lenses compared with M lenses,
ie. are they any more difficult to use or anything?

Click to expand...

You can use the M42 lenses in the Av mode. In good light I just set my aperture, and as long as I can see to focus, just focus and shoot. Sometimes I can focus at f16 with no problem. In dim light you can focus at wide open then just turn your aperture to what ever you desire then shoot. With M lense you use them in M mode and then have to remember to press the AE-L button (on the DS) to meter, then take the shot. I sometimes forget the AE-L button and my image is a total bust. In a nutshell, in most cases of normal light, I find the M42 lenses easier to use than the K or M lenses but not easier than the A lenses.

Stay away from the M42 Takumar 70-150mm, it is just too darned heavy to use.

The SMC Takumar 85-210mm f4.5 is a very nice zoom lens.

Buy the SMC 85mm f1.8 over the 85mm f1.9

The SMC Takumar 135mm f2.5 is one heluva nice lens.

My next M42 buy will be the SMC 35mm f2 There is a non-SMC version of this on ebay right now (very had to find in searching) but I don't want the non-SMC version myself. I have been seeing the non-SMC 35mm f2 going for as much as $250....the one on ebay has some engraved initials so it is going for a BIN of $75.

And last is a Flektogon auto 2.4/35 MC Carl Zeiss Jena DDR, buy it if you can find it cheap enough....it is a very fine lens.

One last note: If you own a Pentax-F 1.7X AF Adapter you can turn some of these M42 lenses (f2.8 or less) into autofocus by shorting out the pins on the Pentax-F 1.7X AF Adapter with some foil or a very thin piece of metal. See the thread at
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=16559227

--

Ron ~ Retired, just taking it easy with life, and not getting bothered much by these brain excercises. GMT - 7 http://www.ancientman.com/brandc/Ron 's_Web_Album/

My SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 is probably my favorite lens right now. It takes these fantastic shots with rich, warm color and lots of contrast. It makes everything look a little bit film-like, and a little bit like the '70s.

I highly recommend it.

brandrx said:

El_Gimpster said:

How do the older Pentax branded M42 lenses stack up against the
Pentax M, A, & FA lenses in terms of optical quality?

Click to expand...

I would recommending that you look for the SMC Takumars only. In
many cases they are just as good as the later lenses IMO.

Click to expand...

I have both SMC Takumars and Super-Takumars (and Auto -Takumars!) and honestly, I can't tell a lick of difference between them. I've read that in some of the later Super-Takumars Pentax started using the Super-Multi-Coating, so maybe I'm getting lucky, but I doubt it. I think we're talking about such a minor difference in almost all shooting conditions that the extra cost of SMC lenses isn't worth it to me.

brandrx said:

brandrx said:

Are there any disadvantages with M42 lenses compared with M lenses,
ie. are they any more difficult to use or anything?

Click to expand...

You can use the M42 lenses in the Av mode. In good light I just set
my aperture, and as long as I can see to focus, just focus and
shoot. Sometimes I can focus at f16 with no problem.

Click to expand...

I almost never focus stopped down like this, unless it is a hyper-focal situation. To make it easier for me I just memorize the aperture clicks.

brandrx said:

...With M lense you use them in M mode and
then have to remember to press the AE-L button (on the DS) to
meter, then take the shot. I sometimes forget the AE-L button and
my image is a total bust.

Click to expand...

Amen!

brandrx said:

Buy the SMC 85mm f1.8 over the 85mm f1.9

Click to expand...

Really? I had a chance at either and chose the 1.9. My copy is just as good as the 77 Limited. (OMG - That is heresay in this forum, so I'm going to substantiate it: the 77 has better color and contrast, the 85 is sharper and has better bokeh - so it's a tie in my book, especially since the differences are incredibly minor for all categories.)

brandrx said:

...I have been seeing the
non-SMC 35mm f2 going for as much as $250....the one on ebay has
some engraved initials so it is going for a BIN of $75.

Click to expand...

CRAZY!

To expand on Ron's list, I particularly like the 50/1.4, 35/2, and 105/2.8. After the 85, I put them 2nd-3rd-4th. I'd also recommend checking out local shops - I've gotten many of mine (2 copies of the 35/2, 50/1.4, 28/3.5, etc.) at local shops for next to nothing.

One more request: don't go telling all your Can*n and Nik*n friends about them because then they'll flood the market.

Later,
Sean

brandrx said:

--
Ron ~ Retired, just taking it easy with life, and not getting
bothered much by these brain excercises. GMT - 7
http://www.ancientman.com/brandc/Ron 's_Web_Album/

Click to expand...

The old Takumars were the best of the best, and still are. Just make sure you get the ones with the SMC designation, the coating was Pentax's outstanding difference.

FWIW, Zeiss is going to offer their obscenely overpriced status symbols (oops, I meant lenses) in the M42 mount, so anyone with any camera can be a Zeiss snob.

Personally, I'll take the SMC Takumars, thanks.
--
'We have met the enemy, and he is us! - Walt Kelley

Thanks for the replies everyone, I think I'm going to spring for some ebay M42 glass for my *ist DL

carpents said:

brandrx said:

El_Gimpster said:

How do the older Pentax branded M42 lenses stack up against the
Pentax M, A, & FA lenses in terms of optical quality?

Click to expand...

I would recommending that you look for the SMC Takumars only. In
many cases they are just as good as the later lenses IMO.

Click to expand...

I have both SMC Takumars and Super-Takumars (and Auto -Takumars!)
and honestly, I can't tell a lick of difference between them. I've
read that in some of the later Super-Takumars Pentax started using
the Super-Multi-Coating, so maybe I'm getting lucky, but I doubt
it. I think we're talking about such a minor difference in almost
all shooting conditions that the extra cost of SMC lenses isn't
worth it to me.

Click to expand...

This could be true but for me I will stick with the SMC.

carpents said:

carpents said:

carpents said:

Are there any disadvantages with M42 lenses compared with M lenses,
ie. are they any more difficult to use or anything?

Click to expand...

You can use the M42 lenses in the Av mode. In good light I just set
my aperture, and as long as I can see to focus, just focus and
shoot. Sometimes I can focus at f16 with no problem.

Click to expand...

I almost never focus stopped down like this, unless it is a
hyper-focal situation. To make it easier for me I just memorize
the aperture clicks.

Click to expand...

I also memorize the clicks but in "good light" this is not necessary.

carpents said:

carpents said:

...With M lense you use them in M mode and
then have to remember to press the AE-L button (on the DS) to
meter, then take the shot. I sometimes forget the AE-L button and
my image is a total bust.

Click to expand...

Amen!

carpents said:

Buy the SMC 85mm f1.8 over the 85mm f1.9

Click to expand...

Really? I had a chance at either and chose the 1.9. My copy is

Click to expand...

I don't own either the f1.8 or f1.9 but I am just going by what I have read and heard over the past six months or so. The only thing I do know is the 85/1.9 has 5 elements and the 85/1.8 has 6 elements. Good? Bad? I don't know. I will just continue to believe that the later model 85/1.8 is the better of the two.

carpents said:

just as good as the 77 Limited. (OMG - That is heresay in this
forum, so I'm going to substantiate it: the 77 has better color and
contrast, the 85 is sharper and has better bokeh - so it's a tie in
my book, especially since the differences are incredibly minor for
all categories.)

carpents said:

...I have been seeing the
non-SMC 35mm f2 going for as much as $250....the one on ebay has
some engraved initials so it is going for a BIN of $75.

Click to expand...

CRAZY!

To expand on Ron's list, I particularly like the 50/1.4, 35/2, and
105/2.8. After the 85, I put them 2nd-3rd-4th. I'd also recommend
checking out local shops - I've gotten many of mine (2 copies of
the 35/2, 50/1.4, 28/3.5, etc.) at local shops for next to nothing.

Click to expand...

I have only the 50/1.4 and I agree it is a stunner of a lens. I want to get the 105/2.8 also some day. arrrgh....damn LBA!

carpents said:

One more request: don't go telling all your Can*n and Nik*n friends
about them because then they'll flood the market.

Later,
Sean

Click to expand...

--

Ron ~ Retired, just taking it easy with life, and not getting bothered much by these brain excercises. GMT - 7 http://www.ancientman.com/brandc/Ron 's_Web_Album/

brandrx said:

carpents said:

brandrx said:

Buy the SMC 85mm f1.8 over the 85mm f1.9

Click to expand...

Really? I had a chance at either and chose the 1.9. My copy is

Click to expand...

I don't own either the f1.8 or f1.9 but I am just going by what I
have read and heard over the past six months or so. The only thing
I do know is the 85/1.9 has 5 elements and the 85/1.8 has 6
elements. Good? Bad? I don't know. I will just continue to believe
that the later model 85/1.8 is the better of the two.

Click to expand...

That's OK - you just made me post some pictures.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=16778928

brandrx said:

I have only the 50/1.4 and I agree it is a stunner of a lens. I
want to get the 105/2.8 also some day. arrrgh....damn LBA!

Click to expand...

I think we've all seen them, but back before Christmas I saw an 85/1.8 go for under $100 and then I saw your cherished SMC 105/2.8 go for $60! Oh well, I already had those focal lengths...no reason to collect something I'm not going to use...
--Sean

carpents said:

brandrx said:

carpents said:

brandrx said:

Buy the SMC 85mm f1.8 over the 85mm f1.9

Click to expand...

Really? I had a chance at either and chose the 1.9. My copy is

Click to expand...

I don't own either the f1.8 or f1.9 but I am just going by what I
have read and heard over the past six months or so. The only thing
I do know is the 85/1.9 has 5 elements and the 85/1.8 has 6
elements. Good? Bad? I don't know. I will just continue to believe
that the later model 85/1.8 is the better of the two.

Click to expand...

That's OK - you just made me post some pictures.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=16778928

Click to expand...

Those images are so very great. They are the kind of images that started me thinking about an 85mm lens in the first place. I do have the FA*85 f1.4 that I just got yesterday but I still want an M42 85mm and now your images have caused me to re-think my f1.8 versus f1.9 bias. I may just pick up either of them that comes along cheap enough. Thanks for the debate on this issue Sean. You've convinced me.

carpents said:

carpents said:

I have only the 50/1.4 and I agree it is a stunner of a lens. I
want to get the 105/2.8 also some day. arrrgh....damn LBA!

Click to expand...

I think we've all seen them, but back before Christmas I saw an
85/1.8 go for under $100 and then I saw your cherished SMC 105/2.8
go for $60! Oh well, I already had those focal lengths...no reason
to collect something I'm not going to use...
--Sean

Click to expand...

--

Ron ~ Retired, just taking it easy with life, and not getting bothered much by these brain excercises. GMT - 7 http://www.ancientman.com/brandc/Ron 's_Web_Album/