Can I use old Pentax Lenses with 35mm adapter - are they any good?

LeoLeo

LeoLeo

Member
Hi everybody,

I'm (almost) a complete newbie to film making and thus have a whole host of questions - epsecially pertaining to purchasing setting up my first deck / rig (whatever you guys call it)

I'm going to get a 35mm adapter - probably letus35 extreme due to only .5 stop loss and built-in flip...

I've got the following asahi pentax lenses but I've got no idea if these are any good / compatible with the letus35 or if I should jump on the "buy nikon prime / AI AIs" bandwagon...

asahi pentax

f1.4 50mm "Super-Multi-Coated Takumar" 5721675
f2 35mm "Super-Takumar" 1254019
f3.5 135mm "Super-Takumar" 3206528

I don't really know much about these lenses other than they are super old... I used to use them with my SLR but haven't dabbled in photography for years... that's all the info printed on the front of each lense, I think the 35mm is wide angle

I adore internet forums for the community of support / information and expertise that is available so readily, I thank you in advance for your advice!!

Leo
 
I use Super-Takumars on my Letus Extreme.

The 135mm is too slow for a vibrating GG adapter, however.
 
thanks for the reply man!

is it the f3.5 that impacts the speed or is the fact that its 135 make a difference as well?

also, I take it the pentax K mount will fit these lenses?

seeing as they are the only lenses I currently own, would you advise I get one or two more of those or should i get a nikon adapter as well and grab some old nikon lenses?

I understand the difference between macro, telephoto, wide and normal but I'm not sure what difference each size (mm) lense makes to a shot - with the exception that I read using a telephoto zoomed in as much as possible will get a shallower DOF....

Cheers,

Leo
 
Also, are all the 35mm adapters "vibrating gg" - aren't any "spinning gg" or is that the same thing?
 
Letus Extreme is a Vibrating Ground Glass: It has a motor that vibrates the ground glass fast enough to make the grain "vanish" before the Camera's eye. A vibrating ground glass will only let you stop the taking lens down (Super Takumar 501.4 for example) to F4, 5.6 if you have a lot of light. The upside is that you only lose .5 stops of light to begin with. This is why you don't want a 3.5 lens.

SGpro is a Spinning Ground Glass: It has a motor that spins the Ground Glass at a very fast rate. Spinning ground glasses allow you to stop down the taking lens (Super Takumar in this case) beyond F5.6 safely, the trade-off being more light loss.

I love my 35/2 Takumar and the 50/1.4 Super Multi Coated. I also have a Nikon 50/1.4 but I haven't done any scientific testing with the two.

I would say get a Nikon mount as well as an M42 Screw mount for your existing lenses so that you can test the M42 when your adapter arrives, then better judge what might suit your needs.

I own a Nikon, m42, and PL mount and having the option really has helped.
 
Thanks for the reply!

why would you want a closed aperture? I thought the rule is shoot wide open where poss (using nd filters etc) - to help get the filmic shallow DOF. How do the different light losses relate to my 135mm? If I've got the letus35 which only loses .5 stop and I'm using a f3.5 wide open, would that not be usable in bright light? please forgive my naievity.

Oh and what is an M42 Screw mount? is that for the SGpro to use pentax lenses? I'm probably gonna go with the letus35 extreme because of only the .5 stop loss and the built-in flip, so would I not just get the Pentax K mount and the Nikon mount?

Thanks,

Leo
 
1) Shooting Wide Open: Shooting Wide open is a misconception. At an F4 on your taking lens you still have a shallow field, so is the same for 5.6. Most of us try to shoot between 2.8 and 5.6. SGpro and M2 owners have the Luxury of going to F16 (so I've read and experienced myself) to better control their DOF. Again, at the cost of light loss.

2) F3.5: The Lens would be useless indoors, as you would have to light JUST to use the lens since it's widest aperature is 3.5. It's very slow. If you only plan to use the 135mm outdoors in Broad daylight then you may not run into trouble.

3) The M42 Mount is a standard mount for older Film Cameras. It's a Screwmount or Pentax Screwmount, which is what your Takumars are I believe.. I am not sure if SGpro/Wayne Manufacturers an M42 mount but I do know for sure that Letus does.

If your lenses aren't screwmount, then get the one that you need. My Takumars are screwmount.
 
Thanks for the info man!

Can I first clear up the term "taking lens" I gather you mean the lens at the front because the built-in lens will just be used to focus on the GG?

1) In response to this, am I right in thinking that you want flexibility to shoot using different aperture's because you obviously don't always want the extremely shallow DOF in every shot...

2) as for this point, I may as well keep the 135mm seeing as I already have it! If I end up rarely using it even outside, I guess I'll sell it on! - Are there any reccomendations for something to compliment my 35mm and 50mm lenses? perhaps a 70mm or a macro?? - I'm not really sure what would be a nice range of lenses to work with...

3) yeah my Takumars are screwmount - what are lenses usually? bayonet? Just clocked the M42 on the Letus website, I'm sure I read somewhere a guy used the Pentax K mount for his Takumars!? Is the Pentax K mount a bayonet or something? - To clarify, for my current screwmount Takumars, I'd need the M42, NOT the Pentax K mount - plus I should think about getting a Nikon mount too for future lenses, right?

Thank you so much for your help clearing all this up!
 
Taking Lens - The Nikon or Takumr Lens specifically.

1) Yes. And controlling exposure in general.

2) 85mm is very common. 135mm is fun. I have two Cheap 2.8 135mms. One is a Macro, he's fun to play with. You should also consider wider lenses, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 28. Not ALL of those, but perhaps a 17, 22, 28. You'll want the wide stuff. It's purdy.

3) You need M42 mount. That's what I use. It's fun.
 
cool, I'll keep my eye out for some wideboys... any idea of good places to look other than ebay?

Just had a look, there's these three on ebay right now, think I should grab one to be a useful tool in my arsenal??

105mm f2.8
120mm f2.8
135mm f2.5


Thanks,

Leo
 
You probably won't need (or even use) all of those.

17, 24, 35, 85, 135

That's about what a set would look like to cover everything. Course, everyone else has their preferences.
 
lol, I wasn't planning on grabbing all three!

Is there a good place to learn things like what sort of shots 135's vs 17's get used for? or is it just the kind of think I should creatively play around with?
 
thank you for all your help on this... I wish I had some useful knowledge to give back to the community but hey, that will come with time....
 
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