T a k u m a r 1 : 1.9 / f = 83
Produced Dec. 1957 - Dec. 1959. SN range 144xxx - 217xxx. AOCo Product No.322. Honeywell Pentax Cat.No.735. Updated Jan. 2024.
Produced Dec. 1957 - Dec. 1959. SN range 144xxx - 217xxx. AOCo Product No.322. Honeywell Pentax Cat.No.735. Updated Jan. 2024.
(Research Note: Since 2010 I have seen 6.24% (62 copies) of the total estimated 1000 copies made.)
INTRODUCTION
A fast portrait lens made with 7 elements in 4 groups (Sonnar). It was first designed for Asahiflex cameras in 1953 and given an all chrome body then black and chrome in 1955. When the Asahi Pentax (AP) arrived in 1957 this lens attracted a further makeover but the optical formula remained unchanged. It was available for Asahi Pentax S and K cameras and produced in 8 modest batches until late 1959. It became the second long focal length lens to be decommissioned (and third accessory lens overall, following discontinuation of the Takumar 1:4/35mm) after 6 new lenses; some semi-automatic had been introduced.
It is the more complex of the three short tele-photo lenses carried over from the Asahiflex period and converted to M42 as an interim measure (including the Takumar 1:3.5 / 100mm and popular 1:3.5 / 135 ). It was among the first Takumars to be discontinued in such innovate and challenging times. It was discontinued midway through the life of two available alternatives; the 105 mm lenses (one preset and the other semi-automatic) on offer at the time.
A fast portrait lens made with 7 elements in 4 groups (Sonnar). It was first designed for Asahiflex cameras in 1953 and given an all chrome body then black and chrome in 1955. When the Asahi Pentax (AP) arrived in 1957 this lens attracted a further makeover but the optical formula remained unchanged. It was available for Asahi Pentax S and K cameras and produced in 8 modest batches until late 1959. It became the second long focal length lens to be decommissioned (and third accessory lens overall, following discontinuation of the Takumar 1:4/35mm) after 6 new lenses; some semi-automatic had been introduced.
It is the more complex of the three short tele-photo lenses carried over from the Asahiflex period and converted to M42 as an interim measure (including the Takumar 1:3.5 / 100mm and popular 1:3.5 / 135 ). It was among the first Takumars to be discontinued in such innovate and challenging times. It was discontinued midway through the life of two available alternatives; the 105 mm lenses (one preset and the other semi-automatic) on offer at the time.
DESCRIPTION
A popular pre-set lens designed with 7 elements in 4 groups (Sonnar) in 1953 and reproduced with new styling. Externally, lenses are black and chrome. The threaded filter ring is 49mm in diameter and the diaphragm has ten blades. (The original (M37) diaphragm has 20 blades!) The barrel is made of black nickel alloy or anodised aluminium.
The Asahi Pentax (AP) Instruction Guide (EN) states the viewing angle as 29° and (inaccurately) the weight as 440 grams and the minimum aperture as f 16. The following Asahi Pentax (K) Instruction Guide (J) alters this data to 29°, 305 g and f 22 respectively. Emanuel (1960) accords with the latter and gives the weight as 11 ozs (311 g). My copy weighs 306 grams. The uncertainty in the published data would have been caused by changes in construction, materials used and the timing of publications.
Collaring the barrel is a focusing ring with a distance scale on the trailing edge. Turning this ring anti-clockwise through the maximum 230 degrees moves a helical mechanism to focus at the minimum distance of 3.5m. The focus ring, threaded nameplate and aperture locking ring are black with fine white lettering. Nameplate style and print font are uniform throughout production with serial numbers placed after the name.
Scalloped into and equally-spaced around the circumference of focusing rings are 12 finger grips. Each has 10 or 11 parallel grooves cut sharply into the metal (F 10/12). Regular spaces remaining between finger grips form rectangles.
Distance scale units are marked on the left, either in “Meter”, "Feet" or both in the earliest batches (for export and domestic markets); spelling chosen to suit initial marketing in USA. The first lens to introduce dual scales (in the first batch) with capitals having the new square font in “Meter” and "Feet". Dual scales alone were used in the last 7 batches (from SN 150000). Distance scales begin with the infinity symbol and attenuate to the RHS with the following series of numbers.
A popular pre-set lens designed with 7 elements in 4 groups (Sonnar) in 1953 and reproduced with new styling. Externally, lenses are black and chrome. The threaded filter ring is 49mm in diameter and the diaphragm has ten blades. (The original (M37) diaphragm has 20 blades!) The barrel is made of black nickel alloy or anodised aluminium.
The Asahi Pentax (AP) Instruction Guide (EN) states the viewing angle as 29° and (inaccurately) the weight as 440 grams and the minimum aperture as f 16. The following Asahi Pentax (K) Instruction Guide (J) alters this data to 29°, 305 g and f 22 respectively. Emanuel (1960) accords with the latter and gives the weight as 11 ozs (311 g). My copy weighs 306 grams. The uncertainty in the published data would have been caused by changes in construction, materials used and the timing of publications.
Collaring the barrel is a focusing ring with a distance scale on the trailing edge. Turning this ring anti-clockwise through the maximum 230 degrees moves a helical mechanism to focus at the minimum distance of 3.5m. The focus ring, threaded nameplate and aperture locking ring are black with fine white lettering. Nameplate style and print font are uniform throughout production with serial numbers placed after the name.
Scalloped into and equally-spaced around the circumference of focusing rings are 12 finger grips. Each has 10 or 11 parallel grooves cut sharply into the metal (F 10/12). Regular spaces remaining between finger grips form rectangles.
Distance scale units are marked on the left, either in “Meter”, "Feet" or both in the earliest batches (for export and domestic markets); spelling chosen to suit initial marketing in USA. The first lens to introduce dual scales (in the first batch) with capitals having the new square font in “Meter” and "Feet". Dual scales alone were used in the last 7 batches (from SN 150000). Distance scales begin with the infinity symbol and attenuate to the RHS with the following series of numbers.
Feet ∞ 100 50 30 20 15 12 10 8 7 6 5 4 3.5
Meter ∞ 30 15 8 5 4 3 2.5 2 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.1
Meter ∞ 30 15 8 5 4 3 2.5 2 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.1
Two chrome rings complete the lens’ external appearance. Two adjacent rings near the front move independently and have uniform fine-knurled edges. The aperture setting ring is chrome. The rear aperture locking ring is black and together they operate the preset diaphragm. On the barrel just forward of the chrome ring is a red dot used for selecting the aperture. Eight aperture stops in black numerals decorate the chrome ring; an increase of one over the earlier version. No available half-stops or markings (such as dots) lie between these stops.
2216 11 8 5.6 4 2.8 1.9
The second chrome ring fitted at the rear carries the M42 screw thread camera mount. On the perimeter is a bi-lateral depth of field (DOF) gauge with five numbered f stops on either side of a centre to engage the distance scales on the focusing ring above. A forward-pointing red triangle marks the central point of the gauge just above a single numeral 1.9. Flanking this triangle are two black vertical lines to indicate the depth of field as read from the distance scale. The remaining set of black lines indicate 4 lesser aperture settings either side. These lines are bent to diverge away from the central point.
depth of field guide
▲
22 16 11 5.6 1.9 5.6 11 16 22
(16 11 8 5.6 1.9 • 1.9 5.6 8 11 16)
Asahi-Kogaku (Asahiflex M37)
▲
22 16 11 5.6 1.9 5.6 11 16 22
(16 11 8 5.6 1.9 • 1.9 5.6 8 11 16)
Asahi-Kogaku (Asahiflex M37)
VARIATION
- Dual distance scales alone were used on all copies in the last 6 batches (from SN 150000).
- Finger grips on focussing rings of early copies may have 11 grooves; later copies consistently contain 10 grooves.
NOTES
- G. van Oosten (1999) says AOCo had no plan to continue production for longer than necessary. Commonly furnished with caps and cases wholly belonging to the Asahiflex era.
- Dual distance scales on the DOF guide were introduced for the first time (exclusively from batch 3) on this lens (with the new square font) despite it being a legacy lens of Ashahiflex times. Early single distance scale copies can have either "Feet" or "Meter" with the updated font adopted on dual scale Asahi Pentax M42 lenses
- As with Takumars of this period the minimum available aperture stop is f=22 whereas the minimum aperture for all M37 Asahi-Kogaku lenses is f=16. On the early (M37) version of this lens the centre of the depth of field gauge has "1.9" to both LHS and RHS sides of a red dot (above).
LENS PRODUCTION (∑ lenses) ∑n = 62 Serial Numbers (SN) observed in 8 batches covering 824 SN min.< ∑ lenses < 1,164 SN max.
SN min. = accumulated total of serial numbers observed within 8 batches.
SN max. = accumulated total of serial numbers observed between adjacent batches of other lenses.
Styles: ▼ SN prefix "No" ▲
SN min. = accumulated total of serial numbers observed within 8 batches.
SN max. = accumulated total of serial numbers observed between adjacent batches of other lenses.
Styles: ▼ SN prefix "No" ▲
▼ 144951 to 145016 (6/ 65) 145471 to 145675 (17/ 204) 153230 to 153552 (16/ 322) |
Serial Numbers in 8 Batches
(n /SN range) Collection 167388 to 167438 (3/ 50) 167472 to 167640 (15/ 168) 167523 |
167678 to 167691 (3/ 13) 211141 (1/ 1) 217716 (1/ 1) ▲ |
MARKETING
It is advertised in Instruction Guides for the Asahi Pentax (AP) S and K cameras (J,EN). Data provided may refer to Asahiflex (M37) versions unless updated in these publications.
It is advertised in Instruction Guides for the Asahi Pentax (AP) S and K cameras (J,EN). Data provided may refer to Asahiflex (M37) versions unless updated in these publications.
LITERATURE
Sherfy F. C. (1994) accurately asserted "slightly less than 1,000 units of this lens may have been produced".
Sherfy F. C. (1994) accurately asserted "slightly less than 1,000 units of this lens may have been produced".