A gift! Do I want it????

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hd_Jack

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Well, an amazing thing happened today. Its not a rangefinder, but its still pretty interesting.....check it out.

My girlfriend asked me if I want her late fathers camera gear....After pulling it out of the basement, turns out that its a Pentax Spotmatic, with a bunch of Super Takumar lenses??? I dont know ANYTHING about this camera. I do know though, that there was radioactive lenses and eyepieces being used by camera makers in the past...

Does anyknow know anything about this model of Pentax, and the general quality of these lenses? Anyone know if these are the "hot lenses" that I've been warned about?

If it turns out that this camera is decent, and the lenses are decent, does anyone know where I can find support for it?

Cheers,

Jack
 
I've never used any, but I've heard very good things about Takumar gear.. no idea about the potential health risks, tho
 
Very good gear. Don't worry about the radio-activity of the lenses, just don't sleep with them every night, or carry them around constantly in your pants pocket.
 
The Super Takumars are some of the all time classic and best optics ever made. The M42 screw mount will fit a very large contingent of cameras by different makers. This was the universal mount before the camera companies all decided to have their own so lenses would not interchange. The spotmatic is also a classic camera to be used and cherished. You have an excellent example of a classic camera kit. Use it and enjoy.
As far as support, what do you mean. Like an instruction manual?
 
I think that only the 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar lens uses the radio active thorium glass. I have one. I have 3 Spotmatic bodies that all still work well except for the meters.
 
If the Spotmatic and lenses are in working order, the system is a joy to use. My meter got sticky, so I sent it in for repair, but, other than keeping a fresh meter battery on hand, there's not much else to worry about. Try it. You'll like it.
 
Great cameras, lazy shutters: every SV I have owned (3) has had a VERY slow shutter (1+ stops). Lenses very good for reflexes of the period but not in the Leica class.

Cheers,

Roger
 
There is an active Spotmatic group on Yahoo. Real nice stuff though with excellent lenses. My answer would be a real easy YES, THANK YOU DEAR!!!!!!
 
Super Taks are probably the best of the M42 mount lenses. Only _some_ of the 50/1.4's have radioactive elements, so I you look thru it and it's not yellow, then it's fine (don't be fooled by the coating reflecting yellow, that's normal).

As for health hazzards, only if you neglect your girlfriend and she throws one of those lenses at you... it'll hurt 🙂.
 
Be a hero, thank your girlfriend profusely, get over the presence of a mirror, get the Spotmatic checked out and go out and shoot with it. I love Takumar glass as much as I do Nikkor and Leica.
I have two Spotmatic bodies a 1a with no meter meaning no batteries to worry about and a 1000 with meter. I got both for stupid cheap, the CLA for both cost more than the bodies. They are relatively light compared to my M3 and my Nikon fleet so I can toss one in my briefcase and do some shooting before class. Your new Pentax Spotmatic will be a lot of fun to shoot with.

Bill
 
What everyone says. Pentax/Takumar were extremely good for their time. The one camera I regret trading in. Take the gift with profuse thanks and enjoy! 🙂

 
hd_Jack said:
Does anyknow know anything about this model of Pentax, and the general quality of these lenses? Anyone know if these are the "hot lenses" that I've been warned about?

If it turns out that this camera is decent, and the lenses are decent, does anyone know where I can find support for it?
Click to expand...

I used to have that very camera. I also had the 28mm wide angle and the 135mm tele. Great camera. I had it for several years until I traded up to the K1000 which I still use.

You can get all kinds of lenses for it. The mount is now called the M42 screw mount.

My only real gripe was that it was slow and kinda clumsy to change lenses.

As for support, I'm sure that Essex Camera will do any repairs on it.

All in all it's a great camera. 🙂 You will have fun with it. 🙂
 
Thanks all! Ok heres the scoop. I just got the setup and heres what i have:

Asahi spotmatic SP
Super Takumar 55mm f2.0
Super Takumar 28.. f3.5
Sun High-tele zoom lense 85-210mm f4.5 (anyone know anything about this lense?)
A bunch of Vivitar filters (a green one, a polarizer)
A few lense hoods
a leather case
a full lense case
tri pod
air trigger

Thats the kit!

Cheers,

Jack
 
FrankS said:
I think that only the 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar lens uses the radio active thorium glass. I have one. I have 3 Spotmatic bodies that all still work well except for the meters.
Click to expand...

Damn! That's the lens I like putting on my 350D. I gave the Spotmatic body to a friend but kept the 50/1.4 S-M-C Takumar. No wonder I feel funny when I'm using it on my DSLR. It makes me trigger happy. I wonder if I glow in the dark already. 😱
 
Jack, that sounds like a useful bunch of stuff. The 3.5/28mm is a legendary performer, outstandingly good. "Sun" brand lenses were inexpensive, low-end, but it might do you fine anyway. Some camera repair shops will test the accuracy of the shutter at no charge; might be worthwhile. Use it a bit, and you might decide to invest a little cash in a long-deserved clean/lube/adjust service for that fine machine!

FWIW, and if my count is accurate, of my 15 Pentax bodies, 5 are screw-mount dating from 1958-72. I like Pentax. 😀
 
Last edited:
The 28/3.5 is indeed a superb lens, but the 55/2 was allegedly somewhat inferior to the 55/1.8. I can't say because I've only owned f/1.8, three exampes, and quite honestly I wouldn't class any of them among the best lenses I have owned.

The problem with radioactive Takumars was apparently that some people used them as telescope eyepieces, where the alpha particle emission was a problem. The 'hottest' common lens was the Aero Ektar, which I found could fog Polaroid 3000 in less than 24 hours. You don't want to store those under your bed...

Cheers,

Roger
 
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