RE: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses
Hey, so did I, but it was a very funny typo. I was more amazed that it didn't go unnoticed. It also strikes me as odd that your spell checker wouldn't catch "aposite". :) Len --- -Original Message- From: mike wilson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 2:45 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses Hi, I assumed it was a typo - d & e are close on the k'board. Just struck me as aposite, with the photography connection. Not being picky... mike - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses
Hi, I assumed it was a typo - d & e are close on the k'board. Just struck me as aposite, with the photography connection. Not being picky... mike Steve Larson wrote: > > That`s an interesting bit of trivia. Too bad I didn`t get it right. > Steve Larson > Redondo Beach, California > - Original Message - > From: "Paris, Leonard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 7:51 AM > Subject: RE: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses > > > I wondered if anyone, besides me, would notice that. > > "No holds barred" used to be a wrestling term. > > > > Len > > --- > > > > -Original Message- > > From: mike wilson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 8:23 AM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses > > > > > > Hi, > > > > Steve Larson wrote: > > > > > some no holes barred equipment. > > > > Especially pinholes. > > > > > > mike > > - > > This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, > > go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to > > visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . > - > This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, > go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to > visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses
As I've noted several times here, I did a little research a few years ago and arrived at an "informed consensus" among several experts that if the Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 50/1.4 were to be built and marketed today, it would have to retail for between $800 and $1600 somewhere, probably in the neighborhood of $1,200. Not bad for a lens you can get for $50 on eBay. I recently got a fine chrome ES II and have been very pleased with it. It's a beautiful camera (I never thought they looked very good in pictures, but I like it in person better) and easy and convenient to use compared to the stop-down Spotties. Of course the true Spotmatic is an SP with no hot shoe, but the ES has maybe 70% of the SP's charm and a bit more convenience. I've made a change in my M.O. for the sake of the old dog, though--for years I've been carrying my camera "exposed" on just a strap, but for the sake of preserving my beauty I'm going to carry it in a small padded camera bag. It deserves it Does anyone know of a source for a good wrist-strap? Thanks for the Spotmatic talk--it's gratifying to the soul. --Mike * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Pentax Spotmatics, Macs, stick shifts, jazz on vinyl, hardback books, Tri-X in D-76, and the home darkroom forever! > Very well said Bob. I knew there had to be more to it, regarding the > competition > with the German lens makers. Everytime I wind, change ASA settings, or > set film type with the Spotmatic, I`m amazed at the workmanship that went > into that camera, and the S.-M.-C. Takumars optical and mechanical > construction. It was the same kind of thing with the early Vivitar Series > 1 lenses. We need another no-name company to come out and produce > some no holes barred equipment. > > Steve Larson >> Mike, >> Thanks for the overview. Most of us "screwheads" already know about > the >> mistique of the Spotmaitcs and their fantastic lenses. >> I have heard reports that Pentax lost money on each lens they sold and >> that they were hand polished. Test reports in the late 60's by both Modern >> and Popular confirmed the fact that their normal lenses were a cut above > the >> rest. It was unfair to Leitz that their lenses of normal lenses of that > era >> were very ordinary compared to the rest. It was a low point in their lens >> developement. >> Pentax was trying to gain market share from the Germans and to do so >> they must produce a superior product - and they did. Canon had their >> rangefinder and no SLR and Nikon had their rangefinder and the F and later >> Nikormat. Pentax, almost by them selves, saw to it that the prior lengends >> from Germany would soon see their demise in the SLR field. >> Meanwhile, in Japan, every manufacturer wanted a piece of the action. >> They started producing "Pentax" Compatible cameras and lenses - at a > cheaper >> price to erode Pentax'x market share. >> To produce cameras and lenses today to the standards of the Spotmatics >> and Taukmars, the price of the MZ-S and Limited lenses would appear the be >> bargins. >> I do love my Spotmatics, but I have extended my love afair with Pentax >> to include the later lenses and bodies. However, when I feel like spoiling >> myself, out come the Spotmatics and lenses. >> For the "Breach Locks" in the list, I suggest that you obtain an oldie >> and spend a little time with revisiting a very unique and wonderfull era. > I >> know that the magic returns when I lift the Spotmatic to my eye. >> >> Bob - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses
I wondered if anyone, besides me, would notice that. "No holds barred" used to be a wrestling term. Len --- -Original Message- From: mike wilson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 8:23 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses Hi, Steve Larson wrote: > some no holes barred equipment. Especially pinholes. mike - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses
Hi, Steve Larson wrote: > some no holes barred equipment. Especially pinholes. mike - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses
Very well said Bob. I knew there had to be more to it, regarding the competition with the German lens makers. Everytime I wind, change ASA settings, or set film type with the Spotmatic, I`m amazed at the workmanship that went into that camera, and the S.-M.-C. Takumars optical and mechanical construction. It was the same kind of thing with the early Vivitar Series 1 lenses. We need another no-name company to come out and produce some no holes barred equipment. Steve Larson Redondo Beach, California - Original Message - From: "Bob Rapp" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 2:36 AM Subject: Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses > Mike, > Thanks for the overview. Most of us "screwheads" already know about the > mistique of the Spotmaitcs and their fantastic lenses. > I have heard reports that Pentax lost money on each lens they sold and > that they were hand polished. Test reports in the late 60's by both Modern > and Popular confirmed the fact that their normal lenses were a cut above the > rest. It was unfair to Leitz that their lenses of normal lenses of that era > were very ordinary compared to the rest. It was a low point in their lens > developement. > Pentax was trying to gain market share from the Germans and to do so > they must produce a superior product - and they did. Canon had their > rangefinder and no SLR and Nikon had their rangefinder and the F and later > Nikormat. Pentax, almost by them selves, saw to it that the prior lengends > from Germany would soon see their demise in the SLR field. > Meanwhile, in Japan, every manufacturer wanted a piece of the action. > They started producing "Pentax" Compatible cameras and lenses - at a cheaper > price to erode Pentax'x market share. > To produce cameras and lenses today to the standards of the Spotmatics > and Taukmars, the price of the MZ-S and Limited lenses would appear the be > bargins. > I do love my Spotmatics, but I have extended my love afair with Pentax > to include the later lenses and bodies. However, when I feel like spoiling > myself, out come the Spotmatics and lenses. > For the "Breach Locks" in the list, I suggest that you obtain an oldie > and spend a little time with revisiting a very unique and wonderfull era. I > know that the magic returns when I lift the Spotmatic to my eye. > > Bob > > Note - due to my over loaded schedule, I must leave the list for a short > time. By all means, "have fun and do good". > - > This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, > go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to > visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses
Mike, Thanks for the overview. Most of us "screwheads" already know about the mistique of the Spotmaitcs and their fantastic lenses. I have heard reports that Pentax lost money on each lens they sold and that they were hand polished. Test reports in the late 60's by both Modern and Popular confirmed the fact that their normal lenses were a cut above the rest. It was unfair to Leitz that their lenses of normal lenses of that era were very ordinary compared to the rest. It was a low point in their lens developement. Pentax was trying to gain market share from the Germans and to do so they must produce a superior product - and they did. Canon had their rangefinder and no SLR and Nikon had their rangefinder and the F and later Nikormat. Pentax, almost by them selves, saw to it that the prior lengends from Germany would soon see their demise in the SLR field. Meanwhile, in Japan, every manufacturer wanted a piece of the action. They started producing "Pentax" Compatible cameras and lenses - at a cheaper price to erode Pentax'x market share. To produce cameras and lenses today to the standards of the Spotmatics and Taukmars, the price of the MZ-S and Limited lenses would appear the be bargins. I do love my Spotmatics, but I have extended my love afair with Pentax to include the later lenses and bodies. However, when I feel like spoiling myself, out come the Spotmatics and lenses. For the "Breach Locks" in the list, I suggest that you obtain an oldie and spend a little time with revisiting a very unique and wonderfull era. I know that the magic returns when I lift the Spotmatic to my eye. Bob Note - due to my over loaded schedule, I must leave the list for a short time. By all means, "have fun and do good". - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Brief overview of the Spotmatic lenses
Hi, Mike, Nice post. I agree with everything in it. Except the word "essentially" as used to modify "the best selling SLR's of the period". They were in fact "the" best selling SLR's of their time. They outsold Nikon, Canon and Minolta - combined. At their peak in the late '60's, I think they were producing somewhere around 30,000 units a month (!). One of my favourite lenses of all time is the Super Tak 2.0 55mm. Not sexy in terms of looks, focal length or speed, they are none the less built like tanks, and sharp as hell. And, as you alluded to, super cheap on todays' used market - like $10 or so. I don't think there's a better bargain around. regards, frank Mike Johnston wrote: > Bob, > That's the series just before the Super-Multi-Coated Takumars. Roughly, > there were three series of Spotmatic lens: > > --The Super Takumars, which were contemporaneous with the original Spotmatic > known as the SP (1964); > > --The Super-Multi-Coated Takumars, roughly contemporaneous with the SPII > (1971), but made with light-meter coupling pins for the SPF and ES series > that immediately followed; > > --The SMC Takumars, more often found on the Spotmatic F and ES. > > Takumars and Auto-Takumars are earlier and generally pre-date the Spotmatic. > > Although "SMC" is an abbreviation of "Super-Multi-Coated," for the purposes > of lens identification the two terms are NOT interchangeable. The > Super-Multi-Coated Takumars (which I abbreviate "S.-M.-C.") have metal > focusing rings whereas the SMC Takumars have rubberized focusing rings. The > two series were almost simultaneous, with the S.-M.-C. coming before the SMC > by only a couple of years. > > Collectors generally prefer the Super Takumars, whereas users (marginally!) > tend to prefer the SMC variants. There is NOT any huge difference in > performance, as the Super-Takumars are generally wonderful lenses. > Super-Takumars were well-coated for the era, and later ones sometimes > actually had multicoating without being marked as such. > > If you're interested in this stuff, we are EXTREMELY fortunate to have a > most excellent book on the subject--a book that is both well-researched and > attractively presented--_The Ultimate Asahi Pentax Screw Mount Guide > 1952-1977_ by Gerjan van Oosten. A must-have, in my biased opinion. > > I'm of the rather partisan persuasion that every Pentax aficionado ought to > have a Spotmatic with a Super-Takumar lens. I don't have to tell you that > they are a remnant of a bygone era in camera manufacture, when a level of > mechanical quality that is now almost unobtainable was virtually routine. > Plus, since they were essentially the best-selling SLRs of the period, > they're extremely cheap on the used market; and as a further bonus the > Spotmatic is one of the most hard-wearing cameras ever made, with used > cameras in excellent or better condition being the norm instead of the > exception even though they may be approaching 40 years old! > > Hope this helps-- > > --Mike > -- "The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true." -J. Robert Oppenheimer - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
