I would like to welcome myself to the “Old School All Manual” club. Yes, thank you, thank you…

We all know that the hardest method is usually the most fun method, and that goes for photography too! I have been wanting an old, fully manual lens for a while now, and I finally have it. I have worked my way into a 60’s Pentax Asahi Super-Takumar 50/1.4 with an EOS adapter. It mounts to my 40D just fine, and as is preferred, everything is completely manual (aperture, focus, exposure, etc). This is not only complex settings wise, but it is NOT easy to nail focus manually @ F/1.4. The focused area is so shallow wide open, it’s hit or miss and extremely hard to do, which makes it so much more fun. I. Am. In. Love…. So, on to the lens…

Pentax Asahi Super-Takumar 50/1.4 (pics taken w/ the 40D and 85/1.8)

And here are 2 quick shots with the new lens at my desk at work. The first is wide open @ F/1.4, and the second is stopped down a little to F/2.8 (if I remember correctly).

And just for fun, this is what it looks like mounted on the gripped 40D (taken w/ my phone). It’s so little!

*edit*

I couldn’t help but play with the lens some more. Here are two more, both wide open @ F/1.4. The desaturation was done on purpose (mainly on #2), kind of for a B&W w/ a splash of color feel. I have to say, I am pretty impressed with the performance wide open, especially for a lens made in the 60’s! Anyway, here ya go…