Pentax K1000 w/ Super-Takumar 50mm f/1.4

[Bingley]

Really nice pix, OP. I got an ME Super and the Super Tak 50/1.4 recently after reading about how great this lens is. I have to say I'm very impressed so far.

 

[CMur12]

Of course, the point is that, in the hands of a good photographer, the most basic SLR body and a good lens can produce the finest of images. Our OP has demonstrated this most effectively.

Some might disparage the lack of a stop-down button on the K1000, and though all of my own SLRs have stop-down diaphragms for DOF assessment, to tell you the truth, I have never been able to discern DOF in this manner. Rather, I rely on the DOF scales on the lens barrel, which one can also do on the K1000.

I like this kind of thread. Thanks to the OP for starting it.

- Murray

 

[oftheherd]

Thanks all for the responses. I am curious why not many are fond of the K1000? I have a first-gen Spotmatic and love them both.

The absence of the on-off switch can be a little annoying, I agree there. I do believe it is a very powerful tool that too many people overlook because of it's reputation as a "student" camera. In a way I kind of like how extremely stripped down it is, with no on-off switch or self timer, less stuff to break on it. 😉

I actually need to get my Spotmatic in for repair, the light meter is pretty inaccurate and the film back takes a lot of pressure to get it closed and locked properly.

Glad to see many more Pentaxian's though. 🙂

I never owned a K1000, nor to my recollection, ever had one in my hands. But I never thought of it as a serious camera for some of the reasons mentioned in the thread. But as others have mentioned, a really good photographer can use just about any light tight box and a good lens to get really great photos. Khunyapan, you have done just that. Thanks for showing examples and reminding me.

 

[Dwig]

There's nothing wrong with the K1000, but it just doesn't feel as nice and smooth as the Spotmatic.
The Pentax MX is still my favourite K series camera.

The MX is K-mount but it is not a K series. It is, instead, one of the "miniature" M series.

My favorite pure mechanical Pentax was the somewhat rarely seen KX

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

I have to defend the K1000 as it was a very simple and straight forward camera. It was rather neutral in that it didn't get in the way of taking the picture but was overtaken by more smart cameras several times. But a lot of students cut their teeth on it and a lot of people appreciated its simplicity. It also had a long production run and took the "new" K bayonet.

The Spotmatic was a different class of camera (it felt much smoother) but on paper they look very much the same. FWIW, I've had both and miss the K1000 from time to time. OTOH, the M series Pentax line made both seem old and slow and dim.

There were/are some very nice lenses out there for all the Pentax SLR's. Some to kill for but not at silly (high) prices.

Regards, David

 

[GarageBoy]

Is the Super Tak sharper than a Nikon AIS 50 1.4 wide open?

 

[Jerevan]

I found a Chinon Memotron CE3 that works for me. M42, Split screen focus, 1/1000 of a second, and AE setting that works pretty well. Very reasonable.

Great, I have to look into this - thanks! 🙂

 

[oltimer]

I have a split focus screen in my SP1000, but I cannot remember 50 years ago were it came from. I do remember ordering it. I just checked and it came from Pentax; so they are around.

 

[Swift1]

Hello all,

While I am also a Leica owner, the bulk of my photographs have come from my K1000 with a Super-Takumar 50mm f/1.4 using a genuine Pentax M42 to K-mount adapter.

I always have tried to show people that it truly is not the tools that count, but the photographers eye that make the photographs. Many people will look down at the K1000, but it is a powerful and simple camera. And the Super-Takumar is an extremely powerful lens that I would rate up there with the Summilux's and Noctilux's (both of which I've used). I actually did a little story on Steve Huff's site a few years back with this combo:

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2013/...-k1000-super-takumar-50mm-f1-4-by-khunya-pan/


Anyway, I wanted to share some more recent photos that I've taken with that setup. If anyone else wants to share their Pentax pictures, please do!

Great work with 2 great tools.
I've owned 4 or 5 K1000s, and they're great cameras. I think my favorite was a black and chrome K1000 SE.
I've used quite a few S-M-C Takumar 50/1.4 as well as a SMC Takumar 50/1.4, but I've never used a Super Takumar 50/1.4
I know they are all basically the same lens though.
Of the 50 or so normal (50mm ish) lenses that I've used, the SMC Takumar 50/1.4 was by far my favorite.

Pentax SP-F, SMC Takumar 50/1.4, Arista Ultra EDU 100 pushed to 200

 

[Pioneer]

Is the Super Tak sharper than a Nikon AIS 50 1.4 wide open?

Sure! But why?

They are both terrific lenses but my Super Tak won't fit on your Nikon and your Nikkor 50 1.4 won't fit my Spottie.

 

[p.giannakis]

I was using this combo for some time

Here are some pics taken with it:

 

[GarageBoy]

Sure! But why?

They are both terrific lenses but my Super Tak won't fit on your Nikon and your Nikkor 50 1.4 won't fit my Spottie.

The AIS Nikon 50 1.4 is too low contrast for me wide open

 

[Pioneer]

A lot of the fast 50s produce low contrast photos when used wide open. Just increase your development time. Or add in some when you print.

Actually I love what the new Rollei RPX 25 does with low contrast shots. Really soups up my shots without going overboard when I'm using my Tomioka 55/1.2 lens wide open.

 

[littleearth]

The Nikkor 50mm 1.4 Ais was one of the worst lenses I've tried (sharpness wise).
The SMC 50mm 1.4 is one of the best, but the M42 Pancolar 50mm 1.8 is still my favourite.

 

[Pioneer]

Here are some pics taken with it:

Love these photos. The last two look like they could have come from Vivian Maier. Good work. Thanks for posting.

 

[Fixcinater]

In my experience (15+ Pentax 50mms (not counting macros and 55/1.8s), 4-5 Nikkor pre-AIs), the Pentax lenses have a significant amount more contrast across the board wide open whereas the Nikkors really lose contrast at f/1.4 vs f/2.0. Resolution seems to be there on both lenses across the board but contrast really drops off which makes it look unsharp/soft.

Just depends what you prefer, I do suppose.

 

[nongfuspring]

Some really nice shots, I'm loving the rendering too. There seems to be some fairly heavy vignetting on some of the photos, is that done in post or natural light falloff from the lens?

 

[mfunnell]

Thanks all for the responses. I am curious why not many are fond of the K1000?

My assumption has been that this is because later-manufacturered versions of the K1000 weren't built to the same standards as the early ones. I have an early-production K1000 (paired with an SMC Pentax 50/1.4 with 52mm filter size) which I find quite well built and smooth in operation. It certainly keeps chugging away and has caused me not the slightest problem. While my MX is no doubt a better camera in many ways, I remain rather fond of my K1000.

...Mike

 

[p.giannakis]

I am curious why not many are fond of the K1000?

I had a K1000 and i liked it. I felt that it was an excellent camera to learn photography with and an excellent back up camera. But for a day-to-day basis, i had other cameras that I felt more comfortable with therefore i sold the K1000. I fetches quite a lot of money on e*ay too.

 

[Khunyapan]

Some really nice shots, I'm loving the rendering too. There seems to be some fairly heavy vignetting on some of the photos, is that done in post or natural light falloff from the lens?

That was done in post. I had attached a long lens hood to try and get natural vignetting, but I rather like the post rendering of it, and I always felt it really draws you in, especially on shallow DOF. Thanks!