Asahi Super Takumar 55mm f/2.0 Vintage Lens Review

Asahi Super Takumar 55mm f/2.0 Performance

With older lenses, not telecentric in design, the actual performance on digital can be quite variable, but this design has no need to make any apologies for its age. Sharpness both centrally and at the full frame edge is of a very high standard, being very good at all apertures and all over the image field. It is also worth noting that the results are very even right across, with the actual figures for centre and edge being within a whisker of being identical.

CA is often a downfall of older lenses, but in this case, central CA is extremely low at all apertures. The edges beyond f/4 are pretty much the same. This is a superb result and it is unlikely that software would be needed to reduce CA further. No doubt this explains the very “clean” look that these lenses showed on transparency film.

Distortion measures -1.07% barrel, pretty much what we would expect for a fast 50mm and a relatively modest value. Correction can be undertaken in software, but again for most subjects is unlikely to be needed.

Bokeh is a relatively new term, but the out of focus areas in images are indeed very smooth and images shot with the lens have a really good “look”.

Flare is not a problem either, whether or not the lens has conventional or multi-coating. In fact, many lenses had multiple layer coating even before Pentax launched the concept of Super Multi Coating, now abbreviated to SMC.

For more options have a look at the Top 26 Best Pentax Lenses. 

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