There is no 500mm f5.6! Only f5 and f4.5 if you lived closer to Denmark I would loan you my Takumar 500 f4.5. I am lucky to own a mega rare Carl Zeiss modified version.
U sure? Seems to me all you want is a Tair 3 300 F4,5 "Photo sniper" ;) Seems you have nice weather over there, even this late. Here in Sweden I'm @ 57°12" Latitude same ish ? Nice video of course, and useful to have talented second camera operator in house :)
@@daniel635biturbo I'll need a spotter for the 500 ;). The weather is pretty nice still ya. One weekend it was cool, the next weekend was short and t-shirt weather. This up-coming weekend is a long weekend for us and we're going to hit 21 degrees and sunny ;)....all this before the LONG WINTER sets in.
You are Gonna make my wife mad again huh... well a guys gotta do what a guys gotta do!!! Great video , I wish my daughter would come out and have some fun with me like that !! Great video !
If you're looking for your own copy of this lens, be sure to know that there are 3 different versions of the Takumar 300/4. The two earlier versions have a tripod ring, and are larger and heavier with a simpler optical design. The earliest has the aperture near the front of the lens, and has 18 blades. It makes great bokeh, but has even worse chromatic aberrations and is even softer wide open thanks to the more primitive design.
But ALL full frame 300mm primes are huge. The Canon 300mm f4 is ginormous, the hood is as big as a five gallon pail. But I want this Takumar, the Fuji 100-400 costs about $2500 Canadian, so for under $200 I can get the Takumar. Good deal
awesome video, loved the hi-8 shenanigans. Totally agree with your thoughts on using primes and paying attention to how they behave and feel. they all do something different, this one does it very differently!!!
Thanks! Shenanigans are he best lol. Eventually after so much use you just start seeing possible subjects with lenses in mind and I think that will make you a better photographer/DP. Saves time trying to figure it out and you can just look at something and be like "pass me the 85".
Recently got a sony mirrorless and it has opened up a whole world of vintage lenses that I've had sitting on selves for years attached to old cameras. Turns out I've a Takumar 200mm. I've also really found new creativity in vintage primes. Being restricted to one focal length really makes you work and create better. Especially on the longer range 105mm and 135mm. Will be trying the takumar 200mm next
I have the K mount version. It is great with film but not so much with (crop sensor) digital as it has the typical chromatic aberration issues. The A 300* f/4 is not only more compact but has much better performance with digital. At least that has been my experience. The M 300* f/4 is the same as the A 300* f/4 but no Auto feature. Of course, your experience might be different. I will be curios to see what you have to say, regarding this lens.
I have been coming around to this lens and it's big brother the 400mm. They have a little chromatic aberration wide open but stopped down they do very well. Great color, contrast and sharpness. Yes, more modern lenses have advantages but not on price and beauty!
I have the 400mm FA* F5.6 ED lens. It’s a wonderful lens. The colours and sharpness and bokeh is fantastic! For what it is it isn’t a heavy lens which is perfect for hikes and moving around on foot in the outdoors.
@@bonghungk7544 Yes! It is reported to be a very nice lens. All the Pentax 400mm lenses are fantastic. I have the early versions, including the 6x7 version which is built like a tank and cost very little these days.
I have collected Takumar lenses for years I own about 25 unique lenses, and yes the 300/4 is a good lens but to be honest I found the Canon 300/4 from the same era to be the better of the two lenses.
I’ve seen the canon one it’s nice for sure. fD lenses generally miss the mark for me in build quality Vs the takumar. I’d have to compare the two side by side to get a real picture but I’m totally Takumar bias lol.
it's inspired by saving private ryan ;) but ya not for everybody, also didn't last very long, it was only while we were hunting the bald eagle and I asked her to follow me. The rest of it is STEADY as she goes. So maybe YES?
Got this lens for dirt cheap at a garage sale. Sharpness is meh wide open and doesnt really improve stopping down. The biggest downside of this lens is the abysmal 5.5m (18 ft) mfd. Completely unusable for me so i will probably sell it for a small profit. I have the super tak 50 f1.4 and performs so much better.
Telephotos are meant to be used at distance, especially ones at this age. I didn’t find the sharpness to be an issue at all stopped down. Maybe it’s your unit? The 50 is a portrait lens, the 300 is meant for a completely different style of photography. Not really a great apples to apples comparison. Totally understand if it doesn’t work for you, but it’s not designed to be used in such a way I guess is how I’m trying to package it :) Glad you love the 50
@Mark Holtze So i decided to give this lens another shot at a local regional park. I got some pretty sharp shots of wildlife up close. That 5.5m mfd is still a pain in the ass considering my 70-200 is much better at only 1.2m but i can work around it. IQ wide open is nearly unusable for me, F5.6 could be used for some b&w shots, at F8 it is pretty sharp with no CA. This is a true 300mm F8 lens for me. I have to mention that im using this on a mirrorless body and manual lenses are much more forgiving with mirrorless as opposed to dslr's. Focus peaking and digital zoom to confirm focus are life savers.
Great video. I think built in lens hoods are a concept that should be revived in modern lenses. My Minolta Rokkor 200mm f/2.8 has a built in lens hood and it's a wonderful feature to have. I know I'll never lose it.
Agreed, like carrying around a lens hood is a pain because you don't need it MOST of the time, but when you do it's right there. No somewhere in your bag or closet at home.
Yo Mark. Just come across you. Nice video. Nice muscles! I want a Pentax 300mm for my 100s like yours, as the GF one costs a bomb. What is the difference between the SMC or 67 lenses, stumped as to which I should get? Extra question, what would the focal translation be to the GFX roughly? Ta... gonna watch a couple more of your vids now :)
You can try TAIR 300/4.5 , amazing looking clunky tank of a lens . Make sure to take Tair 3S , like i did , no reason other then looks , others dont exactly look the same , Just look at it , its about 1500grams without camera . Just look at it , what a gem drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NLB486pSXLyn7RKbXf1Br2AIHytiNiFi?usp=sharing And yes it got me hooked to these old lenses that im going to buy the Takumar as well , as well as its 400mm variant given an opportunity .
Try shooting with a 400mm 4.5 FD. Talk about weight!! I also, have a 300mm 5.6FD from my film days. I do not use the 300mm much. Now looking for a 35mm for landscape. I like all your video's.
I haven't either! lol. You ready my mind mate, I got a new adapter that works better than my old one and figured using it to capture this stuff would be a good field test. How to transfer VHS is still my biggest video and it's time for an updated version of it.
I wonder one thing, I have a vintage Vivitar lens and infinity focus does not work :/ I wonder if its because of the adapter (vivitar pk to my eos canon 700d) :/shame because I wanted to buy telephoto lens and use it for stars, moon etc or even clouds but if adapter makes infinity focus disappear? Hmm
You need an adapter that has a glass element built in to Achieve infinity focus on a DSLR with that lens. What adapter are you using? Mirrorless camera’s don’t have this issue.
@@paulinap-k8409 That is why. Adapters are cheap generally, but I would go with name brands because there is some science behind the design of them. You'll want something that has the glass element for infinity focus to get that sorted.
Thanks for your review! I have this lens also, and I love it. I took it out to shoot some dirt track racing, and I was amazed at the performance (shooting on Sony crop sensor). The colors were amazing. Even in raw I sometimes had to lower saturation.
Have you ever used the Nisi 77mm diopter? I think it would pair well with this lens...bring in the minimum focus quite a bit...losing infinity of course. But the lens could prove a worthy up close contender.
I have a Pentacon 300mm f/4 and its bigger and heavier and probably sharper and more bokehlicious (because it has about 21 rounded apeture blades so even when you stop down you don't get bokehgons) and its incredible, probably my favourite vintage lens It does literally weight almost 3 times as much as this lens though lmfao
Love this video. I just ordered a S-M-C Takumar 300mm f/4 (1971-76ish?). Can't wait to try it on my K-S2. Your video gave me some good ideas for getting started with it!
I have this lens but my version has a rotating tripod collar and that makes a massive difference. It is too heavy for the mount to put it on a tripod and puts a strain on the mount and adds camera and lens shake. Get one with the tripod collar and see the difference. Amazing lenses.
thank you sir. i was checking ebay for the prices of this lens and stumbled on MINT Canon FD 300mm f4 L w/ original case. It was a steal but my wife doesnt understand it..
Thanks Tyler! Gerald undoes his process so much I can only accept that as a huge compliment. Thanks for the kind words and vote of confidence. Motivated by the love of it, so totally doesn't feel like work! :)
I have used the Super Tak 200/4 on my X-T3, never the 300mm though... 🤤📸 Fantastic glass for the price, I don't even mess around with anything but vintage glass now. Since I started watching this channel I have collected (see: hoardered) some 50 lenses.
It's a real problem isn't it, me too...when will it stop? I can't possibly shoot with all these all the time, but there's something about them. I'm not even a collector by nature, at least not until now.
@@MarkHoltze Oh I have sold some off, don't keep all of them... I managed to pay for a full frame with the proceeds. Nevertheless, I think I have like seven too many 50mm lenses right now... The Pentax-M 50/1.4 and 1.7 are so close but I have been taking the 1.7 version out for the smaller size; that might make an interesting comparison video. Keep up the good work!
I didn’t comment previously because I would have simply expressed a desire to own one. Well, as you saw over at Takumar Lens Collector, I managed to find a minty copy with box, paperwork, caps and case. Due to ill health I’ve been cooped up but hopefully I’ll be able to get out there and use it soon. Thanks for the entertaining and informative video.
Great review and shots Mark, focusing the eagle shot must've been pretty tricky I imagine haha also loved the hi8 story! I have a question tho how the f do you get this nice backdrop gradient without youtube totally messing it up with its compression?
Eagle shot was a fluke. Had it on multi shot and had to zoom and crop the image to give it a nice comp. I also missed focus on the other 20 but it flew into my range. The bigger question is what the heck is it doing in Southern Ontario lol. Rare here
Hey Mark, in your gear list you don't have the adapter used to mount it to your S1H. I recently got a few old taks of my grandfathers, the 300mm f4 SMC being one and will most likely get the lumix s5 in the future, so wanting to know the best option for adapters to L-mount. Cheers
Hi Colin, I acutally use the Sigma 21 EF to L adapter. I have a few EF primes I still use and the M42 to EF adapter is clean so that just snaps on. I'm thinking more dedicated L adapters will be made soon, but this has been my workaround.
Awesome mate , love your work as always! Glad you like d the old girl photos looked great and that hi 8 footage was a great compliment still the master vintage lens guru .
I not even mine is a Takumar f/4 300mm, Asahi Opt. Co. Made in Japan. The lens focus is ribbed not scalloped as yours. Just curious when both were produced. Mine is tack sharp on my Nikon Z6ii body with its FTZ adapter. It is heavy as you say. I am working through my collection of early range of Pentax lenses, which is an interesting project. Thanks for sharing your experience. Greetings from Tasmania Australia.👍😁🇦🇺🦘
Damn, great job man. Picked up my first takumar about a week ago. Got it in a lot of 3 lenses from an estate sale for 20 bucks. 55mm F1.8 I was almost done finishing a set of FDs but you keep making these takumars out look so fantastic. My little 7 dollar 55mm is creeping up to be my fave. Appreciate you making all these videos and sharing your philosophy and experiences, it has opened up a whole new side of video and photography for me.
Love your videos about the Takumar lenses! Of all those Takumar lenses you have used, which would you feel is the softest with the aperture wide open? Which is the sharpest, wide open?
Thanks mate. Softest wide open is prob the 35 F2, prob more because it’s a wider focal length, the sharpest wide open is the 85 1.8. Although the macro F4’s are very sharp wide open; but it’s not that hard with an F4 vs a 1.4 or 1.8
@@MarkHoltze very good indeed, currently infatuated with tokina lenses sold by Vivitar Porst, Sears.. JCPenney and Miranda.. these are also built to the same tank like standard as the takumar. The ones I use have continuous f3.5, and like your takumar they are much larger than many in their focal range. Huge chunks of glass and steel!! I'm using them to put together a cinematic documentary about my recently deceased dad, who worked as a contractor to the CBC for years producing animated titles and graphics etc.
I have the Super Takumar 200mm F/4. Bought it about a year ago in mint condition for $65. It is a beast of a lens. I love it. Wouldn't mind having the 300mm if I can find a good deal.
Convincing post, footage, and images, Mark! They don’t build tanks like that today at that fl. “Organic sharpness” not to be confused w/“free range, non-GMO, gluten-free, fair trade” rendering😁.
Mark… wonderful that you are using your daughter to shoot stuff! Love it when parents encourage their daughters to do stuff usually reserved for “males”… girls CAN do so many more things than people normally expect. Good for you!!!
Wow, what a super account of this lens. Had one for years, having built a collection of Takumars for my APS-C Canon, now have the option of slapping on my new S/H 5D3, and after watching this, cannot wait to get out there. With you all day about Takumar colours. Great effort, just one of the most entertaining vids I've seen in a while, thanks
I have a question: if I stop it down then obviously it gets sharper. If I use a teleconverter it technically gets stopped down de facto too. Does using a 2x converter at f4, effectively f8, STILL have that increase in sharpness? I've never thought about it and the concept is messing with my head a bit.
Hey Mark. Great review. If you're getting a Tak 300mm I can only recommend the f6.3 version. It's the sharpest in the 300mm lineup. I've had ver.1 and 2. for extreme macro before finally finding the 6.3
Finally a new video from you Mark!! I discovered your channel a few weeks ago and binge watched your content - thanks to you I dived in the vintage lens world, started with the Canon FD 50mm 1,4 and Canon FD 70-210mm f4, based on your amazing review videos 🙂
Mark Holtze I like them very much, since the 50mm f1,4 I found in my fathers closet (including a Canon AE1 he bought ca. 30 years ago😀) and got the 70-210mm for about 40$. Very nice builds and like the physical touch of these lenses. But since I started photography recently and still am a total newbie I’m having a hard time to get sharp images, although I use focus peaking and watched your tutorial several times 😅 Need to practise more to get that manual focus skill 😇
I'm a takumar fanboy, but you should definitely try and get a hold of a Canon FD F4 L lens, I scored that in a box full of lenses for 10 euros in 2016. That box also included the 135 takumar.
@@MarkHoltze Im a lucky fucker, that's all. Haha. i.postimg.cc/9fy59n07/IMG-20170923-WA0098.jpg This is how I found it. Canon 300 F4 FD L, Super Takumar 135 (the very best version) super multi coated takumar 35 3.5 (sold it) Canon FD 50 1.4, Supertel 135 3.5 and a bunch of cameras that weren't worth that much.
Have the CZ Jenna variant, also in M42; tons of CA, weights a ton, but it does not vignette too much wide open and it's reasonably sharp. The best thing about it, it was dirt cheap. A joy to use, apart of weight of course...
too good, that ilk you ride with on twitter ain't got nothing you kid, maybe just numbers, but your craft and presentation are on a whole new level of sophistication. each video is so different which shows you have style and range. thank you for keeping me youtube invested.
I have the same gut about the 300mm f/4 AF-S NIKKOR I bought. No VR, no plastic glass, a HEAVY mother, and yet it just works. Doing what I can to try and use it atop a monopod. 1442g with tripod collar (over 3 pounds). The term "organic" sharp is a very good perspective.
@@MarkHoltze ?!?!?!? WHAT?? they made a 1000mm version? I'm looking this up ASAP. No Mark, you're not crazy for wanting it.....you'd be crazy if you DIDNT want it. Btw, I've acquired some interesting lenses recently. U have an Orion 15 28mm f6 coming which produces incredible black and white images that looks straight out of a 30s horror movie, just got an auto takumar 85mm 1.8 (I wish it was the smc version), got a 17mm canon fd, and an industar 61 l/z. Got a few others but those are the ones worth noting.
I agree with your assessment. I have a couple of similar 300's. The behemoth M42 Tak 300 F4 (model ll), 4 elements, 82mm filter @ 1575 g, and I have the K mount SMC Pentax 300 F4, 7 elements, 77mm filter @ a more svelte(??) 1020 g. The monster Tak has 18! aperture blades, and the K mount has 8. I find it a tossup which is sharper, but at least the Tak has a tripod foot, where as the SMC doesn't.
You're tempting me! I had such good resolutions after getting my Super Multicoated Takumar 28mm f3.5 a while ago ... But I think I'll let go for now with Tele Lenses. Even my pictures with the 200mm turn out blurred. I'm not really able to keep the camera still with it on.
Heh Thank you very much for such a lovely video and Kudos to your daughter for being the light of your camera, so cheerful and supportive. It was a joy to watch. I have been keen on buying these takumars but rn very confused between 300 200 and 135.. could you guide?:)
The 135 and 200 are good portrait lenses, the is more useful for wildlife because of the weaker close focus. (You need more space) It’s tricky because they all have strengths but just depends what you mainly want to shoot with it. The 135 generally is the more useful focal length all around. Again it depends on your intentions
I always love your videos Mark and this was no exception. One thing this one left me wondering though was why might I want this lense over the cheap canon 55-250 STM IS lens I have which cost around the same amount of money? I bought the 6 element f/2.5 135mm lens after watching your video (got a lovely copy for a steal) and that is amazing because it's so much faster. However, with this one, the advantages are less clear since it's f/4 and my modern zoom at that range is f/5.6, is light and has image stabilisation.
Simple answer, it’s not a Takumar ;) m42 works so easily adapted to mirrorless cameras. Also focus by wire vs mechanical focus. It’s also not really this over that, it’s just this is what you get with this lens. Never used that canon lens, never even heard of it so def don’t have a preference either way. Might have to look into it
@@MarkHoltze Haha, well you've definitely got me sold on the Takumar thing in general. I have a couple of them now and another on the way from Japan (The f/4 macro). I might leave the longer lenses though, I've just come to like image stabilisation too much! :-D
Since you seem to have experience with takumar and commend its sharpness, I will proceed to ask: Right now I'm using a Sigma 150-600 C, but a manual prime would be so muche easier to carry on trips or maybe hazardous locations. Would you recommend this, or maybe a longer focal length takumar prime to me as a travel alternative, that is still reasonably sharp?
Sigma’s are known for their clinical sharpness, Takumars by comparison don’t perform the same. They’re great if you’re okay with that “vintage look” but they won’t hold up next to a sigma. I would also go for zooms on hazardous conditions since swapping out lenses is both a pain and could expose the censor to elements further compromising a photo. Versatility is key and vintage zooms def don’t hold a candle to the modern ones. This lens is massive and gives you one focal length, so for trips I would go for versatility over fixed primes.
lovely review!, great perspective with this lens. I own a legendary 55mm 1.8 takumar - amasing old vintage radioactive lens. I was thinking about 300mm takumar but these are very expensive in Poland people are selling these at approx 250-300 USD and honestly i think all in all despite the focal and "fast" apeture these are quite overpriced . Great piece of tank/lens none the less :) This lens like other telephotolenses give unique perspective to the photos. and you can go very creative with it!. btw.this old vintage 420p camera was a good companion ;D
Kind words Antal. I think I need to be an empty headed marketer to get a million subs unfortunately. Which is why I won’t chase the sub count. It’s destructive to the creative expression behind it
Hi mark thanks for your video I had little doubt on this lens And one more query I'm not able to perfectly focus with fd lenses witha d canon 5d view finder Any tip
What adapter are you using? it's a tricky one, can you use LIVE VIEW? Optical viewfinder focusing with these vintage lenses is very tricky because all the manual focusing aides have been stripped of modern DSRL cameras because "nobody uses manual focus anymore".
@@MarkHoltze 😊 Thank you for your reply I am using fotodiox for m42 screw mount And for fd lens with infinity lens I love to use manual focus but through viewfinder but almost failing to focus only view finder I could sharply focus
“No more Takumar lenses! (Whispering: for now) “ LOL, you did really OK fore some time ;-). I just saw a SMC Takumar 1000mm f8 for sale. Just saying.......
Did I mention it weighs 5500 grams?? It will be both a work out and a review.The big question is if this f8 behemoth will tempt you to keep it after testing.
I just went on Ebay and searched for 'Takumar 1000'. First result was one in PK mount. My first thought? 'I've got a tele converter for that mount somewhere...'. I'm not sure what's worse. The fact that I'd even consider such lens or the fact that I would probably try to shoot portraits with it...
Just bought this lens. Love it. It instantly gives my cat a creamy, cinematic background. 🐱 Thanks for making me a takumar fan! Keep up the great videos.
Clearly, the next logical step is to test out the 500MM F/5.6. Check the video chapters in the scroll bar if you want to jump to a certain section.
There is no 500mm f5.6! Only f5 and f4.5 if you lived closer to Denmark I would loan you my Takumar 500 f4.5. I am lucky to own a mega rare Carl Zeiss modified version.
U sure?
Seems to me all you want is a Tair 3 300 F4,5 "Photo sniper" ;)
Seems you have nice weather over there, even this late.
Here in Sweden I'm @ 57°12" Latitude same ish ?
Nice video of course, and useful to have talented second camera operator in house :)
@@71janas EVEN better!!!! She will be mine, oh yes....she will be mine!
@@daniel635biturbo I'll need a spotter for the 500 ;). The weather is pretty nice still ya. One weekend it was cool, the next weekend was short and t-shirt weather. This up-coming weekend is a long weekend for us and we're going to hit 21 degrees and sunny ;)....all this before the LONG WINTER sets in.
You are Gonna make my wife mad again huh... well a guys gotta do what a guys gotta do!!! Great video , I wish my daughter would come out and have some fun with me like that !! Great video !
The amount of cinematic techniques I’ve learned from just watching and analyzing your videos - let alone your tutorials - is insane :O
If you ever have any questions, let me know mate. Happy to help!
If you're looking for your own copy of this lens, be sure to know that there are 3 different versions of the Takumar 300/4. The two earlier versions have a tripod ring, and are larger and heavier with a simpler optical design. The earliest has the aperture near the front of the lens, and has 18 blades. It makes great bokeh, but has even worse chromatic aberrations and is even softer wide open thanks to the more primitive design.
Actually, there are four versions. A SMC version superceded the one featured here in 1971. I just bought an example of the SMC model.
But ALL full frame 300mm primes are huge. The Canon 300mm f4 is ginormous, the hood is as big as a five gallon pail. But I want this Takumar, the Fuji 100-400 costs about $2500 Canadian, so for under $200 I can get the Takumar. Good deal
awesome video, loved the hi-8 shenanigans. Totally agree with your thoughts on using primes and paying attention to how they behave and feel. they all do something different, this one does it very differently!!!
Thanks! Shenanigans are he best lol. Eventually after so much use you just start seeing possible subjects with lenses in mind and I think that will make you a better photographer/DP. Saves time trying to figure it out and you can just look at something and be like "pass me the 85".
Recently got a sony mirrorless and it has opened up a whole world of vintage lenses that I've had sitting on selves for years attached to old cameras. Turns out I've a Takumar 200mm. I've also really found new creativity in vintage primes. Being restricted to one focal length really makes you work and create better. Especially on the longer range 105mm and 135mm. Will be trying the takumar 200mm next
what's the matter... the CIA got you pushing too many pencils?
Love that line lol
I have the K mount version. It is great with film but not so much with (crop sensor) digital as it has the typical chromatic aberration issues. The A 300* f/4 is not only more compact but has much better performance with digital. At least that has been my experience. The M 300* f/4 is the same as the A 300* f/4 but no Auto feature. Of course, your experience might be different. I will be curios to see what you have to say, regarding this lens.
I have been coming around to this lens and it's big brother the 400mm. They have a little chromatic aberration wide open but stopped down they do very well. Great color, contrast and sharpness. Yes, more modern lenses have advantages but not on price and beauty!
I have the 400mm FA* F5.6 ED lens. It’s a wonderful lens. The colours and sharpness and bokeh is fantastic! For what it is it isn’t a heavy lens which is perfect for hikes and moving around on foot in the outdoors.
@@bonghungk7544 Yes! It is reported to be a very nice lens. All the Pentax 400mm lenses are fantastic. I have the early versions, including the 6x7 version which is built like a tank and cost very little these days.
I loved that you brought out the old camcorder, perfect scenerio with how you set that up
Thanks mate! Always a pleasure to shoot with the camera that helped make me fall in love with video making. :)
Feels like Fall was just made for this lens. So many good shots in the video!
Totally! Winter could get some nice results as well.
I'm interested in your opinion on Jupiter 21m
Seems like Jupiter 21 was somewhat based/plagiarized on this Takumar
There was a lot of that going around st the time. Jupiter 9 is based off the Zeiss Sonnar. I’ll look into it, thanks John!
I love the Blair Witch style footage. I half expected it to end with you in the dark going "I am so...sorry."
I have collected Takumar lenses for years I own about 25 unique lenses, and yes the 300/4 is a good lens but to be honest I found the Canon 300/4 from the same era to be the better of the two lenses.
I’ve seen the canon one it’s nice for sure. fD lenses generally miss the mark for me in build quality Vs the takumar. I’d have to compare the two side by side to get a real picture but I’m totally Takumar bias lol.
And the price difference.
Hi 8 yes, still have mine. 300 is a start. Check out the others, 400, 500, 600 insanely huge.
She can’t take anymore captain, I’m giving er all she’s got
Do you review older lenses? I have a 58mm F2 Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar you can play with.
Hi mate, I actually reviewed that lens last year. Great lens!
No... the vomit-cam cinematography really doesn't help. :/
it's inspired by saving private ryan ;) but ya not for everybody, also didn't last very long, it was only while we were hunting the bald eagle and I asked her to follow me. The rest of it is STEADY as she goes. So maybe YES?
When will you ever try out a Canon FD 400mm f4.5?
I have one, and I just want to feel that giddiness of someone I trust to reviewing it.
once my very long backlog is finished up lol.
Aaand it's off to ebay...
That’s my go to always lol
Got this lens for dirt cheap at a garage sale. Sharpness is meh wide open and doesnt really improve stopping down. The biggest downside of this lens is the abysmal 5.5m (18 ft) mfd. Completely unusable for me so i will probably sell it for a small profit.
I have the super tak 50 f1.4 and performs so much better.
Telephotos are meant to be used at distance, especially ones at this age. I didn’t find the sharpness to be an issue at all stopped down. Maybe it’s your unit? The 50 is a portrait lens, the 300 is meant for a completely different style of photography. Not really a great apples to apples comparison.
Totally understand if it doesn’t work for you, but it’s not designed to be used in such a way I guess is how I’m trying to package it :)
Glad you love the 50
@Mark Holtze So i decided to give this lens another shot at a local regional park. I got some pretty sharp shots of wildlife up close. That 5.5m mfd is still a pain in the ass considering my 70-200 is much better at only 1.2m but i can work around it. IQ wide open is nearly unusable for me, F5.6 could be used for some b&w shots, at F8 it is pretty sharp with no CA. This is a true 300mm F8 lens for me.
I have to mention that im using this on a mirrorless body and manual lenses are much more forgiving with mirrorless as opposed to dslr's. Focus peaking and digital zoom to confirm focus are life savers.
DILAN!!!
THE BEST lol
Your daughter is a superstar! I see a young videographer in her.
She’s pretty proud of herself ;) she might have the same “bug” as her daddy 😆
Great video. I think built in lens hoods are a concept that should be revived in modern lenses. My Minolta Rokkor 200mm f/2.8 has a built in lens hood and it's a wonderful feature to have. I know I'll never lose it.
Agreed, like carrying around a lens hood is a pain because you don't need it MOST of the time, but when you do it's right there. No somewhere in your bag or closet at home.
Hello, I currently have a photosniper 300mm tair f4.5 and I would like to know if the super takumar 300mm is a better option for my mirrorless camera.
I had the later SMC-K-Versoin some years ago. On a DSLR it was quite difficult to get in-focus pictures and the CAs of that lens were extreme.
Yo Mark. Just come across you. Nice video. Nice muscles! I want a Pentax 300mm for my 100s like yours, as the GF one costs a bomb. What is the difference between the SMC or 67 lenses, stumped as to which I should get? Extra question, what would the focal translation be to the GFX roughly? Ta... gonna watch a couple more of your vids now :)
You can try TAIR 300/4.5 , amazing looking clunky tank of a lens . Make sure to take Tair 3S , like i did , no reason other then looks , others dont exactly look the same ,
Just look at it , its about 1500grams without camera . Just look at it , what a gem drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NLB486pSXLyn7RKbXf1Br2AIHytiNiFi?usp=sharing
And yes it got me hooked to these old lenses that im going to buy the Takumar as well , as well as its 400mm variant given an opportunity .
Try shooting with a 400mm 4.5 FD. Talk about weight!! I also, have a 300mm 5.6FD from my film days. I do not use the 300mm much. Now looking for a 35mm for landscape. I like all your video's.
I have an old Tokina 400mm f5.6 in a Canon FD mount. I might have to buy an adapter. Love the Blair witch vibe, your daughter is a natural!
Thanks John! She is lol. Be curious to know how that Tokina works for you :)
@@MarkHoltze I just bought an adapter for my RP. Now I have to figure out how to use it 😱
Two weeks, you’ll be a pro!
I haven't even been on RUclips since you've been gone Holtze. Thanks for bringing me back. Next video - "How to hi-8 in 2020" Make it so
I haven't either! lol. You ready my mind mate, I got a new adapter that works better than my old one and figured using it to capture this stuff would be a good field test. How to transfer VHS is still my biggest video and it's time for an updated version of it.
I wonder one thing, I have a vintage Vivitar lens and infinity focus does not work :/ I wonder if its because of the adapter (vivitar pk to my eos canon 700d) :/shame because I wanted to buy telephoto lens and use it for stars, moon etc or even clouds but if adapter makes infinity focus disappear? Hmm
You need an adapter that has a glass element built in to
Achieve infinity focus on a DSLR with that lens. What adapter are you using?
Mirrorless camera’s don’t have this issue.
@@MarkHoltze oh, ok! I have a cheap adapter from amazon. Just a metal adapter called Kecay PK to Eos.
@@paulinap-k8409 That is why. Adapters are cheap generally, but I would go with name brands because there is some science behind the design of them.
You'll want something that has the glass element for infinity focus to get that sorted.
are you using a techart pro when you shoot with your vintage lens?
On the S1H sigma 21 EF to L and a small EF to M42 adapter on the Takumar
Thanks for your review! I have this lens also, and I love it. I took it out to shoot some dirt track racing, and I was amazed at the performance (shooting on Sony crop sensor). The colors were amazing. Even in raw I sometimes had to lower saturation.
don't be like me and accidently buy the 6x7 mount lol
😂 might be an interesting accident ;)
Have you ever used the Nisi 77mm diopter? I think it would pair well with this lens...bring in the minimum focus quite a bit...losing infinity of course. But the lens could prove a worthy up close contender.
I have a Pentacon 300mm f/4 and its bigger and heavier and probably sharper and more bokehlicious (because it has about 21 rounded apeture blades so even when you stop down you don't get bokehgons) and its incredible, probably my favourite vintage lens
It does literally weight almost 3 times as much as this lens though lmfao
Chocolate fudge......mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm lol
I've been wanting some ever since saying it on camera lol
Love this video. I just ordered a S-M-C Takumar 300mm f/4 (1971-76ish?). Can't wait to try it on my K-S2. Your video gave me some good ideas for getting started with it!
Such a fun lens! Let me know how you like it!
I am very envious of having this kind of lens, there are very few such manual old mechanical lenses in China.
I can not remember if I had the 4.0 or 6.3 . Most likely 6.3 which was a fine lens.
I have a few super takumars. I want this one. Like the heaviness, not meant for street photography anyway.
I have this lens but my version has a rotating tripod collar and that makes a massive difference. It is too heavy for the mount to put it on a tripod and puts a strain on the mount and adds camera and lens shake. Get one with the tripod collar and see the difference. Amazing lenses.
Thanks for the info Raymond! Appreciate it mate!
thank you sir. i was checking ebay for the prices of this lens and stumbled on MINT Canon FD 300mm f4 L w/ original case. It was a steal but my wife doesnt understand it..
Ya it's hard to help them see, just tell her it makes you happy! ;)
I love your videos, Mark! There is clearly a ton of time that goes into these! You're like the Gerald Undone of vintage lenses/cameras/etc.
Thanks Tyler! Gerald undoes his process so much I can only accept that as a huge compliment. Thanks for the kind words and vote of confidence. Motivated by the love of it, so totally doesn't feel like work! :)
It comes in at 947 grams
Laughs in pentacon 300mm f4
MmMmmM Chocolate fudge.
Yoink!
Great video. Love your approach and sense of humor.
Thanks for watching mate!
I have used the Super Tak 200/4 on my X-T3, never the 300mm though... 🤤📸 Fantastic glass for the price, I don't even mess around with anything but vintage glass now. Since I started watching this channel I have collected (see: hoardered) some 50 lenses.
It's a real problem isn't it, me too...when will it stop? I can't possibly shoot with all these all the time, but there's something about them. I'm not even a collector by nature, at least not until now.
@@MarkHoltze Oh I have sold some off, don't keep all of them... I managed to pay for a full frame with the proceeds. Nevertheless, I think I have like seven too many 50mm lenses right now... The Pentax-M 50/1.4 and 1.7 are so close but I have been taking the 1.7 version out for the smaller size; that might make an interesting comparison video.
Keep up the good work!
I have the Pentax-M 200/4 and its terrific. Not all that heavy either (unlike that 300mm Tak boat anchor Mark was lugging around).
@@pepeye yeah i use that one more often than my 200/4 super tak.
I didn’t comment previously because I would have simply expressed a desire to own one.
Well, as you saw over at Takumar Lens Collector, I managed to find a minty copy with box, paperwork, caps and case.
Due to ill health I’ve been cooped up but hopefully I’ll be able to get out there and use it soon.
Thanks for the entertaining and informative video.
Wow!!! I would love to see the paperwork!! Good for you mate, here is to your health.
Great review and shots Mark, focusing the eagle shot must've been pretty tricky I imagine haha also loved the hi8 story! I have a question tho how the f do you get this nice backdrop gradient without youtube totally messing it up with its compression?
Eagle shot was a fluke. Had it on multi shot and had to zoom and crop the image to give it a nice comp. I also missed focus on the other 20 but it flew into my range. The bigger question is what the heck is it doing in Southern Ontario lol. Rare here
Hey Mark, in your gear list you don't have the adapter used to mount it to your S1H. I recently got a few old taks of my grandfathers, the 300mm f4 SMC being one and will most likely get the lumix s5 in the future, so wanting to know the best option for adapters to L-mount. Cheers
Hi Colin, I acutally use the Sigma 21 EF to L adapter. I have a few EF primes I still use and the M42 to EF adapter is clean so that just snaps on. I'm thinking more dedicated L adapters will be made soon, but this has been my workaround.
Shooting on S1H now? Seems like a very nice camera.
Awesome mate , love your work as always! Glad you like d the old girl photos looked great and that hi 8 footage was a great compliment still the master vintage lens guru .
Thanks so much for the loaner mate! It was very generous of you and made some pretty great memories shooting this video with it.
I not even mine is a Takumar f/4 300mm, Asahi Opt. Co. Made in Japan. The lens focus is ribbed not scalloped as yours. Just curious when both were produced. Mine is tack sharp on my Nikon Z6ii body with its FTZ adapter. It is heavy as you say. I am working through my collection of early range of Pentax lenses, which is an interesting project. Thanks for sharing your experience. Greetings from Tasmania Australia.👍😁🇦🇺🦘
Are you looking at the auto Takumars? Or just the super Takumars?
wait till u use the 500mm - makes that one look like a cup holder
No doubt!! 😂
I just got a Tonika at-x 80-200mm f2.8 lens for 50 dollars instead of this takumar 300 f4, I'm super keen to see how it preforms :D
Ohhhh! More versatile for sure, let me know how you like it!
Damn, great job man. Picked up my first takumar about a week ago. Got it in a lot of 3 lenses from an estate sale for 20 bucks. 55mm F1.8 I was almost done finishing a set of FDs but you keep making these takumars out look so fantastic. My little 7 dollar 55mm is creeping up to be my fave. Appreciate you making all these videos and sharing your philosophy and experiences, it has opened up a whole new side of video and photography for me.
wow you got the 55 for $7???? I haven't come close to that good a deal on any of my Takumar's! Enjoy that one mate! It's a lot of peoples favourite!
Love your videos about the Takumar lenses! Of all those Takumar lenses you have used, which would you feel is the softest with the aperture wide open? Which is the sharpest, wide open?
Thanks mate. Softest wide open is prob the 35 F2, prob more because it’s a wider focal length, the sharpest wide open is the 85 1.8. Although the macro F4’s are very sharp wide open; but it’s not that hard with an F4 vs a 1.4 or 1.8
@@MarkHoltze awesome! Thank you for your quick reply! I might get a set of Takumars and cine mod them like you 😁
They’re so good for video. Nice small form factor as well!
Mark, you’re video productions are amazing! BTW, I’m gonna pick up this Takumar beast myself today.
Nice!!! It’s such a great lens!
LOVE these Takumar Videos!! This is a stonkin' lens, wikked sharp!
My boy's WIKKED SMAAAT (sorry that's a bad quote from Good Will Hunting". Fantastic lens, TANKUMAR as someone put it lol. Hope you're well mate!
@@MarkHoltze very good indeed, currently infatuated with tokina lenses sold by Vivitar Porst, Sears.. JCPenney and Miranda.. these are also built to the same tank like standard as the takumar. The ones I use have continuous f3.5, and like your takumar they are much larger than many in their focal range. Huge chunks of glass and steel!!
I'm using them to put together a cinematic documentary about my recently deceased dad, who worked as a contractor to the CBC for years producing animated titles and graphics etc.
I have the Super Takumar 200mm F/4. Bought it about a year ago in mint condition for $65. It is a beast of a lens. I love it. Wouldn't mind having the 300mm if I can find a good deal.
patience is key, one will turn up.
Convincing post, footage, and images, Mark! They don’t build tanks like that today at that fl. “Organic sharpness” not to be confused w/“free range, non-GMO, gluten-free, fair trade” rendering😁.
😂 free range organic 😂
Mark… wonderful that you are using your daughter to shoot stuff! Love it when parents encourage their daughters to do stuff usually reserved for “males”… girls CAN do so many more things than people normally expect. Good for you!!!
✊
Wow, what a super account of this lens. Had one for years, having built a collection of Takumars for my APS-C Canon, now have the option of slapping on my new S/H 5D3, and after watching this, cannot wait to get out there. With you all day about Takumar colours. Great effort, just one of the most entertaining vids I've seen in a while, thanks
Thanks James! Glad you enjoyed it! I can’t help myself with these things 😂
I have a question:
if I stop it down then obviously it gets sharper.
If I use a teleconverter it technically gets stopped down de facto too.
Does using a 2x converter at f4, effectively f8, STILL have that increase in sharpness?
I've never thought about it and the concept is messing with my head a bit.
Not sure actually would have to experiment to see results.
Hey Mark.
Great review. If you're getting a Tak 300mm I can only recommend the f6.3 version. It's the sharpest in the 300mm lineup. I've had ver.1 and 2. for extreme macro before finally finding the 6.3
Good to know mate, I don't need F/4 and sharpness would a high priority for me!
Love your video
Thanks Felix!
Finally a new video from you Mark!!
I discovered your channel a few weeks ago and binge watched your content - thanks to you I dived in the vintage lens world, started with the Canon FD 50mm 1,4 and Canon FD 70-210mm f4, based on your amazing review videos 🙂
I know it's been too long! How are you liking those FD lenses?
Mark Holtze I like them very much, since the 50mm f1,4 I found in my fathers closet (including a Canon AE1 he bought ca. 30 years ago😀) and got the 70-210mm for about 40$. Very nice builds and like the physical touch of these lenses. But since I started photography recently and still am a total newbie I’m having a hard time to get sharp images, although I use focus peaking and watched your tutorial several times 😅
Need to practise more to get that manual focus skill 😇
I'm a takumar fanboy, but you should definitely try and get a hold of a Canon FD F4 L lens, I scored that in a box full of lenses for 10 euros in 2016. That box also included the 135 takumar.
Holy heck!!! $10 euro????????? for an L lens!?
@@MarkHoltze Im a lucky fucker, that's all. Haha. i.postimg.cc/9fy59n07/IMG-20170923-WA0098.jpg This is how I found it. Canon 300 F4 FD L, Super Takumar 135 (the very best version) super multi coated takumar 35 3.5 (sold it) Canon FD 50 1.4, Supertel 135 3.5 and a bunch of cameras that weren't worth that much.
Have the CZ Jenna variant, also in M42; tons of CA, weights a ton, but it does not vignette too much wide open and it's reasonably sharp. The best thing about it, it was dirt cheap. A joy to use, apart of weight of course...
I like all those things! BRING IT ON!!!!
too good, that ilk you ride with on twitter ain't got nothing you kid, maybe just numbers, but your craft and presentation are on a whole new level of sophistication. each video is so different which shows you have style and range. thank you for keeping me youtube invested.
thanks (I think?) lol.
Nice reviewing! Are you interested in mics reviewing?
اشتقنالك يا رجل , وينك , فيديو حلو ,
I have the same gut about the 300mm f/4 AF-S NIKKOR I bought. No VR, no plastic glass, a HEAVY mother, and yet it just works. Doing what I can to try and use it atop a monopod. 1442g with tripod collar (over 3 pounds). The term "organic" sharp is a very good perspective.
Ya mono would definitely help for sure!
@@MarkHoltze Yep. I'm just shy of 70 and shagging big glass around anymore just taint feasible like it was.
Super-duper Takumar - let the shenanigans begin...
LoL I should have named it thr Super Duper Takumar 300mm F4 lol
I have the same lens… Do you know what the diamond-shaped mark on the focusing ring between f4 and f8 is meant to represent?
It’s the infrared focus market i believe. But might be wrong. Need to look that up.
Love What you done here and all videos about takumar vintage lenses. You are one of my favourite person.
Thanks 🙏 mate, but the lenses made me do it ;)
Cool video. Thinking about getting this lens too
500mm and 1000mm are next, I presume 😁
The hit list for sure 😂
@@MarkHoltze you can use the 1000mm for bench press 😂
It's always a pleasure! Thank you for another great video!
My pleasure mate, thanks for coming back again and again ;)
👊🏽
I'm loving this too much, you're making buy lens I Don't need 😂
I’m so sorry ;) hope you enjoy them at the very least 😆
Big lens? No problem, it becomes a show-off lens, and I like it!
✊
Love the style of this one!! You've sold me on it. I have the 200mm f3.5 but goddammit id love to add this lens to my takumar family
Thanks mate! I want the 1000mm now. Tell me I’m crazy....because why? Lol
@@MarkHoltze ?!?!?!? WHAT?? they made a 1000mm version? I'm looking this up ASAP. No Mark, you're not crazy for wanting it.....you'd be crazy if you DIDNT want it. Btw, I've acquired some interesting lenses recently. U have an Orion 15 28mm f6 coming which produces incredible black and white images that looks straight out of a 30s horror movie, just got an auto takumar 85mm 1.8 (I wish it was the smc version), got a 17mm canon fd, and an industar 61 l/z. Got a few others but those are the ones worth noting.
I agree with your assessment. I have a couple of similar 300's. The behemoth M42 Tak 300 F4 (model ll), 4 elements, 82mm filter @ 1575 g, and I have the K mount SMC Pentax 300 F4, 7 elements, 77mm filter @ a more svelte(??) 1020 g. The monster Tak has 18! aperture blades, and the K mount has 8. I find it a tossup which is sharper, but at least the Tak has a tripod foot, where as the SMC doesn't.
Pssst... Tamron 300mm F2.8
✊
You're tempting me! I had such good resolutions after getting my Super Multicoated Takumar 28mm f3.5 a while ago ... But I think I'll let go for now with Tele Lenses. Even my pictures with the 200mm turn out blurred. I'm not really able to keep the camera still with it on.
hmmmm, curious. The 200 i hear is a beast, but any vintage lens can be a bit tricky to pop off.
@@MarkHoltze certainly not the Takumars fault 😉 More a question of myself not holding it steady enough...
Heh Thank you very much for such a lovely video and Kudos to your daughter for being the light of your camera, so cheerful and supportive. It was a joy to watch. I have been keen on buying these takumars but rn very confused between 300 200 and 135.. could you guide?:)
The 135 and 200 are good portrait lenses, the is more useful for wildlife because of the weaker close focus. (You need more space) It’s tricky because they all have strengths but just depends what you mainly want to shoot with it.
The 135 generally is the more useful focal length all around. Again it depends on your intentions
Yes i was especially enthralled by 135 f2.5.. in my view would be better all round sharp option.
Love the lens. Bought one in 1966. It was stolen. Have another one now.
The person who stole it must have regretted it 200 meters into the dash lol. Sorry you lost it ,but glad you did get another one!
I always love your videos Mark and this was no exception. One thing this one left me wondering though was why might I want this lense over the cheap canon 55-250 STM IS lens I have which cost around the same amount of money? I bought the 6 element f/2.5 135mm lens after watching your video (got a lovely copy for a steal) and that is amazing because it's so much faster. However, with this one, the advantages are less clear since it's f/4 and my modern zoom at that range is f/5.6, is light and has image stabilisation.
Simple answer, it’s not a Takumar ;) m42 works so easily adapted to mirrorless cameras. Also focus by wire vs mechanical focus. It’s also not really this over that, it’s just this is what you get with this lens. Never used that canon lens, never even heard of it so def don’t have a preference either way.
Might have to look into it
@@MarkHoltze Haha, well you've definitely got me sold on the Takumar thing in general. I have a couple of them now and another on the way from Japan (The f/4 macro). I might leave the longer lenses though, I've just come to like image stabilisation too much! :-D
Since you seem to have experience with takumar and commend its sharpness, I will proceed to ask:
Right now I'm using a Sigma 150-600 C, but a manual prime would be so muche easier to carry on trips or maybe hazardous locations.
Would you recommend this, or maybe a longer focal length takumar prime to me as a travel alternative, that is still reasonably sharp?
Sigma’s are known for their clinical sharpness, Takumars by comparison don’t perform the same. They’re great if you’re okay with that “vintage look” but they won’t hold up next to a sigma. I would also go for zooms on hazardous conditions since swapping out lenses is both a pain and could expose the censor to elements further compromising a photo.
Versatility is key and vintage zooms def don’t hold a candle to the modern ones. This lens is massive and gives you one focal length, so for trips I would go for versatility over fixed primes.
@@MarkHoltze Thank you for the feedback!
lovely review!, great perspective with this lens. I own a legendary 55mm 1.8 takumar - amasing old vintage radioactive lens. I was thinking about 300mm takumar but these are very expensive in Poland people are selling these at approx 250-300 USD and honestly i think all in all despite the focal and "fast" apeture these are quite overpriced . Great piece of tank/lens none the less :) This lens like other telephotolenses give unique perspective to the photos. and you can go very creative with it!. btw.this old vintage 420p camera was a good companion ;D
You
are
lovely! 💖
A character!
Not just an empty headed marketer, a RUclipsr influencer 🤭
New sub and I wish you a mil subs!
Kind words Antal. I think I need to be an empty headed marketer to get a million subs unfortunately. Which is why I won’t chase the sub count. It’s destructive to the creative expression behind it
@@MarkHoltze
Just keep your soul! 👍
WHAT ABOUT THE 300mm f/4 67 medium format ?
Probably a complete howitzer 😆
I’m late to this but did you end up getting it?
I'm about to buy this one now :D thanks for the video!
My pleasure! Enjoy!!!
thanks for your job, its a best lens) me need it now))
✊
Hi mark thanks for your video I had little doubt on this lens
And one more query I'm not able to perfectly focus with fd lenses witha d canon 5d view finder
Any tip
What adapter are you using? it's a tricky one, can you use LIVE VIEW? Optical viewfinder focusing with these vintage lenses is very tricky because all the manual focusing aides have been stripped of modern DSRL cameras because "nobody uses manual focus anymore".
@@MarkHoltze
😊 Thank you for your reply
I am using fotodiox for m42 screw mount
And for fd lens with infinity lens
I love to use manual focus but through viewfinder but almost failing to focus only view finder I could sharply focus
“No more Takumar lenses! (Whispering: for now) “ LOL, you did really OK fore some time ;-). I just saw a SMC Takumar 1000mm f8 for sale. Just saying.......
Did someone say, 1000mm?!?!?!
Did I mention it weighs 5500 grams?? It will be both a work out and a review.The big question is if this f8 behemoth will tempt you to keep it after testing.
I just went on Ebay and searched for 'Takumar 1000'. First result was one in PK mount. My first thought? 'I've got a tele converter for that mount somewhere...'. I'm not sure what's worse. The fact that I'd even consider such lens or the fact that I would probably try to shoot portraits with it...
wow!!!!!!!!!!!amazing!!!
Just bought this lens. Love it. It instantly gives my cat a creamy, cinematic background. 🐱
Thanks for making me a takumar fan! Keep up the great videos.