Two Old 135mm Lenses

[Two manual 135mm Lenses]

For camera lenses, 135mm is a focal length that almost all the manufacturers can master.

I have two 135mm manual lenses. Pentax Super Takumar is on the left and Konica AR is on the right. Compared with modern 135mm lenses, they are so compact. When they are used on m43 system, they become 270mm lenses. With max aperture of f3.5 and under $100, they are just too good to be true.

I took these two lenses for a test. This is one thing I have been thinking since I got the Super Takumar. I set up the tripod and shoot the same object from the same distance. All set to f3.5, no compensation. The camera I used is Sony NEX 5N. Here is the test result.


[From Konica AR 135mm f3.5]


[From Pentax Super Takumar 135mm f3.5]

Both lenses are manual so I managed to make the focus right on. The images are all sharp but you can tell Super Takumar has a little edge on the contrast so the picture looks more dynamic. I personally also feel that the colors from Super Takumar are more pleasant under this shooting environment. I love both lenses and I still have film cameras from both Pentax and Konica so they both are keepers!