SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.8
Most f/1.8 Takumars are 55mm lenses, which makes a 50mm f/1.8 an odd one. It doesn't appear in the lens lists we could check, including Asahi's January 1975 catalog, which has the multi-coated 50mm f/1.4 and 55mm f/1.8 but nothing in between. Copies do exist. A 35mmc contributor found a Spotmatic in an antiques shop wearing a Takumar 50mm f/1.8 and praised its silky focusing and snappy aperture. Since we can't confirm its formula, its dates or which markets got it, treat this page as a pointer. Check the engraving on the front ring first, then judge it like any other multi-coated Takumar for haze, oily blades and focus feel. On a plain M42 adapter, set the Auto/Manual switch to M, if it has one, so the aperture ring stops the lens down. If you just want a multi-coated f/1.8 Takumar, the 55mm is the well-documented one.
Spec at a glance
- Maker
- Pentax
- Mount
- M42 screw mount
- Focal length
- 50mm
- Widest aperture
- f/1.8
On a mirrorless camera
Which adapter, and what it becomes
It’s a M42 screw mount lens, and its mount sits 45.46 mm from the film. Every mirrorless mount below sits closer than that, so a plain adapter ring fills the gap and the lens still focuses to infinity. On a smaller sensor it frames tighter, like a longer lens.
- M42 to Sony E →27.46 mm adapter · 50mm on Full frame · like 75mm on APS-C
- M42 to Fuji X →27.76 mm adapter · like 75mm on APS-C
- M42 to Micro Four Thirds →26.21 mm adapter · like 100mm on Micro Four Thirds
- M42 to Nikon Z →29.46 mm adapter · 50mm on Full frame (FX) · like 75mm on APS-C (DX)
- M42 to Canon RF →25.46 mm adapter · 50mm on Full frame · like 80mm on APS-C
Versions
Which SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.8 is it?
We couldn't pin this lens down. Asahi's January 1975 catalog, as listed on Japanese Wikipedia, has a 50mm f/1.4 and a 55mm f/1.8 among its standard lenses but no 50mm f/1.8, and the lens lists on English Wikipedia and camera-wiki don't include one either. The Spotmatic was sold with the 55mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.4, and the SP500 and SP1000 with a 55mm f/2. The only first-hand mention we found is a 35mmc contributor's Spotmatic with a Takumar 50mm f/1.8, which a reader identified from the photo as an SMC Takumar. Compare any listing against the well-documented SMC Takumar 55mm f/1.8.
What to check
We found no lens-specific faults on record. Expect the usual age faults for a Takumar: haze or fungus inside, oily aperture blades and focusing grease that has dried or stiffened.
- 01Engraving: Ask for a sharp photo of the front ring. It should read 1:1.8/50 with Takumar, and SMC or Super-Multi-Coated if it's the multi-coated version.
- 02Haze and fungus: Ask for a photo with a flashlight shining through the lens from the back. The glass should look clear, with no milky fog, branching threads or spots.
- 03Aperture blades: Ask for a photo of the blades stopped down to f/8. They should be dry and matte, with no shine or oil spots.
- 04Aperture on an adapter: Ask the seller to set the switch to M, if it has one, and turn the aperture ring. The blades should close at each click, because a plain adapter never presses the aperture pin.
- 05Focus ring: On arrival, turn the focus ring from close focus to infinity. It should move smoothly with even resistance and no grinding or dry spots.
New to old glass? How to check a used vintage lens covers haze, fungus and the rest in detail.
Find one on eBay
We haven’t been through this lens’s listings yet. Search eBay and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for a photo through the lens toward a bright light, and pass on any seller who won’t send one.
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