Pentax 55mm f2 Auto-Takumar Lens

NOTE: Some artifacts in between lens elements that may show in image.

The Pentax 55mm f/2 Auto-Takumar is a manual focus standard prime lens built for the M42 universal screw mount system, representing an early generation of Pentax’s respected Takumar lens lineup from before the introduction of Pentax’s later Super-Takumar and SMC Takumar coating advancements. As one of the earlier Auto-Takumar optics, this lens reflects the foundational engineering that helped establish Takumar lenses’ reputation for quality manual focus optics.

The 55mm focal length offers a natural, true-to-life field of view close to the classic 50mm standard perspective, making it a versatile choice for portraits, street photography, and everyday shooting where an immersive, unexaggerated perspective is desired. The f/2 maximum aperture provides solid low-light capability and the ability to achieve pleasing background separation, offering meaningful speed for a standard lens of its era.

The “Auto” designation refers to the lens’s automatic diaphragm mechanism, allowing the aperture to remain wide open for focusing and composing before automatically stopping down to the selected aperture at the moment of exposure, a convenient feature that streamlined manual shooting for photographers of the time. As an M42 screw-mount lens, it offers broad compatibility with a wide range of vintage film cameras that share this universal mount standard, extending well beyond Pentax’s own camera lineup.

Built with the all-metal construction characteristic of manual focus lenses from this period, the lens features a smoothly damped focus ring and a manual aperture ring for direct, tactile control over exposure. Its M42 mount allows it to be adapted to numerous modern mirrorless camera systems, giving it continued appeal for photographers interested in shooting with classic, early-generation Takumar glass and its characteristic vintage optical rendering today.

Specs:
– Focal length: 55mm
– Maximum aperture: f/2
– Lens mount: M42 universal screw mount
– Diaphragm: Auto (automatic diaphragm)
– Focus type: Manual focus
– Construction: All-metal barrel and mount