Pentax Super-Takumar 55mm f/1.8

We don’t have a vetted photo of this one yet. Own a copy? Send us a packshot and we’ll credit you.

The Spotmatic kit lens, made in enormous numbers and therefore the cheapest good vintage prime around. Six elements, sharper wide open than the 50/1.4 with a little less glow. Later Super-Takumar and all multi-coated copies carry a thoriated rear element and yellow with age; UV light clears it. Single coating on the Super-Takumar gives more veiling flare and ghosts than the S-M-C version, which many shooters want.

Key specs

Focal length

55 mm

Max aperture

f/1.8

Mount

M42 screw

Image circle

Full frame

Close focus

0.45 m

Filter thread

49 mm

Weight

215 g

Field of view by sensor

Full frame

36.2° horizontal · frames like 55 mm on full frame

Super 35

25.5° horizontal · frames like 79.5 mm on full frame

Micro Four Thirds

17.9° horizontal · frames like 114.5 mm on full frame

What it goes on

M42's 45.46mm flange means a cheap glassless ring puts it on EF and every mirrorless mount. A/M switch to M for manual iris. Small rear protrusion, so it is one of the safer Takumars on full-frame EF. A common first lens for de-clicking and cine-modding because a mistake costs very little.

• Canon EF camerasWith adapterALEXA 265, ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF, Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2 +14 more

  M42-EOS flanged ring. Cheap and common. Pick a flanged ring that presses the auto-aperture pin. On full-frame EF DSLRs a few lenses (Helios 44-2, some Takumars) can catch the mirror at infinity.

• Sony E camerasWith adapterRonin 4D-6K, Ronin 4D-8K, Alpha 1 II, Alpha 7 IV +13 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 27.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Canon RF camerasWith adapterEOS C400, EOS C50, EOS C70, EOS C80 +10 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 25.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• L-Mount camerasWith adapterCinema Camera 6K, PYXIS 12K, PYXIS 6K, Ronin 4D-6K +6 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 25.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Micro Four Thirds camerasWith adapterMicro Studio Camera 4K G2, Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, Lumix BGH1, Lumix GH6 +1 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 26.2 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Nikon Z camerasWith adapterKOMODO-X 6K S35, V-RAPTOR [X] 8K VV, V-RAPTOR XE

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 29.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Leica M camerasWith adapter· by flange mathsALEXA 265, ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF, Ronin 4D-6K +1 more

  17.7 mm of room for a plain ring. Check rear-element and mirror clearance before buying.

• LPL camerasWith adapter· by flange mathsALEXA 265, ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF, URSA Cine 17K 65

  1.5 mm of room for a plain ring. Check rear-element and mirror clearance before buying.

See every camera this lens fits →

Sources: allphotolenses.com, allphotolenses.com, allphotolenses.com