2nd base!!!

[richardHaw]

https://richardhaw.com/2021/05/25/shopping-2nd-base-akihabara/

takumar heaven!

[Dogman]

We have no more camera stores here in my town.  There were two big ones at one time, now all gone.  If this was local, I would spend a lot of my time there.  And way to much money.

Incidentally, a Pentax Spotmatic was the first adjustable camera I ever used.  But I've never owned a Pentax.  I've thought about it recently but, as it is, I have way too much Nikon and Fuji gear and not enough opportunities to use them.

[David H. Hartman]

I'm jealous of people who have walk in camera stores in their locations. I used to have open accounts at Gayson's Camera in Glendale, CA and Lee-Mac camera in Pasadena, CA. Also I was in easy driving distance for the major camera stores in Hollywood, CA. Now I live in the, "Land of the Dirt People" i.e. many miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Dave

[richardHaw]

theyre a bit expensive depending on the product though...you have to pay the hipster tax

[Akira]

I do know Nisshin Camera, but didn't know Sampou opened a subsidiary shop in Akihabara.  Thank you for the report.

[richardHaw]

most of what they have are cheap

[MEPER]

Regarding Takumar's:

Back then Pentax made a 35/3.5 lens which was produced for many years and was made in 5 different variants but with same optical formular with 5 lens elements.
When it was rumored that the lens design was very close to be a copy of the Voigtländer Skoparon 35/3.5 (for the Prominent) I got interested in getting the Takumar as I was very happy with the Voigtländer lens. It created very sharp slides. Then I decided to try to get all 5 variants of the lens as they are quite cheap. Even that prices has raised a bit.

The rumor is confirmed here and a little bit of info of the older Takumars:
http://www.klassik-cameras.de/Pentax_Takumar_Collection.html

First version is a Auto-Takumar with 46mm filter thread, then 3 x Super-Takumars and a Super-Multicoated-Takumar all with 49mm filter thread.
The first version seems to be the most rare but the one I got cheapest.....but none of them are really rare. They are quite good performers but I have shot very few images with the lenses.....so far.

[richardHaw]

i just overhauled the 35/3.5, i only bought it just because it has a bulbous front and i want to support Nitto camera which was closing when i bought it.

it looks like a lens was added in front of a tessar it does look like a japanese skoparon

[MEPER]

There are some similarities but of course the two lenses can't be 100% identical as flange distance is not the same and probably also difficult to find glasses with exact same properties.
Both lenses have a small rear lens element and front element looks quite similar.

Is the lens as well made as it feels?

There are many positive reviews which may have done that lens now is cheap instead of very cheap.

https://libraryoflenses.com/lens-reviews/m42/super-takumar-35mm-3-5/

First two version goes to f/22 and the later models to f/16.
Another difference is that the later versions have a more modern anti-reflective rear part of lens. This can be seen on picture.

[richardHaw]

for me the build of the super takumar version is typical of all of the super takumars that i have dismantled, typically good but not as tough as Nikkors, certainly built better than FD canons. the choice of materials are rather cheap so they oxidize which causes the parts to move sluggishly or rust overall i think the takumars reputation have been padded by people who actually do not repair lenses, calling them tanks when the earlier Zeiss and contemporary Nikkors were made to survive a nuclear war. to their merit I think they were made better than most stuff coming out of japan at that time specially canons which i still remember were considered to be built inferiorly even when i was young, repairmen even called the canon lenses disposable and praised Nikkors and Takumars, mirroring my findings now several decades after ive heard that statement.

[MEPER]

I think where the Takumars shine over the Nikkors are the "butter focus feel". I think this is one reason why many people praise the Takumars. Also the aperture clicks are very well defined. Probably because a steel ball is used instead of a spring.

I found this video where a 35/3.5 is dismantled and it is very obvious that one part of the helicoid is bass and this it probably the reason for the "butter like" focus feel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGpA0Kw0W64

If Nikkors was made with brass/alu helicoids the feel would be even better but it would add to the weight and probably also price.
Apart from this the Nikkors are probably better made in all other areas.

[MEPER]

I think the repair-guy in video is Danish......think I met him in a photo club in Copenhagen (Danish Nikon Club) and I may also have sold a lens to him many year ago.....funny.....

[richardHaw]

yes, he is Kenneth one of the people that inspired me

this is from the 35/3.5

[MEPER]

Yes, nice warm colors from that lens and sharp!

Think he bought my MTO 1000mm ....was it f/10....lens in a large wooden box with huge filters.........as I remember.

Think he is repair-guy at this shop in Copenhagen:
https://oneofmanycameras.com/pages/camera-repairs

Never been there but could be worth a visit......now I live only a few km from there.....

[Birna Rørslett]

I purchased a Df there once. A rush order as I was traveling to central Europe a day later and urgently needed another Df, and they managed to cut through the back-order list at the national Nikon headquarters and secure one for me.  Nice shop and very forthcoming and helpful people and I even got the camera with a rebate.