There are the "*" lenses of which there are several. All are of outstanding
quality. As with the difference between the K and M series, the * does not
indicate a different mount or functioning of the lens, but rather a
difference in some other parameter. In this case, the quality generally is
superior.
M* (1)
A* (9)
F* (3)
FA* (11)
Regards,
Bob...
--------------------------------------
"Those who say that life is worth living at any cost
have already written an epitaph of infamy,
for there is no cause and no person
that they will not betray to stay alive."
Sidney Hook
From: "Paul Jones" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> From: "Mike Johnston" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
> > Amita G. wrote:
> >
> > > Hi all, I have a newbie question. I was just wondering about the
> > > significance of the letter(s) before the focal length of a lens. For
> > > example, the A28-135. I checked Boz's page but I couldn't find
anything
> > > explaining it.
> >
> >
> > I think I'll answer this, since it also caused me a good deal of
confusion
> > at first. Here's a brief history of the basic 35mm Asahi Pentax lens
> names.
> > There are a number of specialty lenses with different designations that
> I've
> > omitted for the sake of clarity.
> >
> > 1952: Takumar lenses. Allegedly named after a man named Takuma Kajiwara,
> who
> > was either a Japanese painter [Comen], or "a Japanese photographer who
> lived
> > in New York in the 1950's [sic]...a personal friend of George Eastman,
the
> > founder of Eastman Kodak Co. It's reported Mr. Kajiwara designed the
early
> > Takumar lenses" [Jonkman]. These were M42 screwmount lenses. The M42
> > screwmount was a German invention that came to be known as "Pentax
> > screwmount" because Asahi made the most popular camera line to use it.
It
> is
> > distinct from the Leica screwmount, which Marc James Small dubbed "LTM"
> > (Leica Thread Mount). Many enlarger lenses still use Leica screwmount,
and
> > recent years have seen the first new Leica screwmount lenses in decades,
> > made by Cosina under the Voigtlaender name. There are no
> current-production
> > M42 screwmount lenses that I know of.
> >
> > 1958: a series of semi-automatic lenses called "Auto-Takumar." M42
> > screwmount.
> >
> > 1963: The "Super-Takumar" line. M42 screwmount.
> >
> > 1971: The "Super-Multi-Coated Takumar" line. M42 screwmount. Introduced
> with
> > the Spotmatic SPII. These lenses had early multicoating nearly identical
> to
> > Zeiss T* coating, and linkages for open-aperture metering with the
> Spotmatic
> > F. Early versions had metal knurled focusing rings and the words
> > "Super-Multi-Coated" spelled out on the front of the lens. Later
versions
> > switched to a rubberized focusing rings and were marked "SMC Takumar."
> >
> > Note that both "Super-Multi-Coated Takumar" and "SMC Takumar" lenses are
> > often both indiscriminately called "SMCT" and "SMC Takumar." People
should
> > really be specific and either spell out the name of the earlier lenses
or
> > else abbreviate it "S.-M.-C. Takumar" to distinguish earlier from later
> > versions.
> >
> > 1975: Pentax switched from M42 screwmount to the "K" bayonet mount. The
> > Pentax screwmount had been universal, with many manufacturers making
> lenses
> > that would fit any M42 camera; Pentax attempted to do the same with the
K
> > mount, leaving the patent open to anyone who wanted to use it--and
bucking
> > the trend towards proprietary bayonet mounts. Consequently, a number of
> > smaller manufacturers also used the Pentax K-mount. Despite this, it
never
> > really achieved universal status.
> >
> > The early Pentax K-mount lenses are called "SMC Pentax" lenses and are
> > briefly referred to as "K" lenses. Many carried over from the last of
the
> > M42 lenses and are very fine lenses optically and mechanically. They
were
> > contemporaneous with the first three Pentax K-mount cameras, called the
> KX,
> > KM, and K2.
> >
> > 1977: A lens line introduced for the compact M bodies. They are smaller
> than
> > the SMC Pentax lenses and are generally neither quite as good optically
> nor
> > quite as nicely built, although they are mostly still of very fine
quality
> > and very well-made. They are marked "SMC Pentax-M," abbreviated "SMCP-M"
> and
> > referred to briefly as "M" lenses.
> >
> > Although they are K-mount lenses, they are NOT "K" lenses, an
appellation
> > which refers to the SMC Pentax line.
> >
> > 1983: A line of lenses usable with program mode, marked "SMC Pentax-A,"
> > abbreviated "SMCP-A" and referred to as "A" lenses. Although they are
> > generally slightly better than the M lenses optically, they are
generally
> > not quite as well made. They are the first Pentax lenses that more or
less
> > lacked the legendary smooth focusing feel of the Super Takumars.
> >
> > 1987: F lenses. The first autofocus line. Compatible with the K-mount.
> >
> > 1991: FA lenses. The current autofocus line, also compatible with the
> > K-mount.
> >
> > 1997 (? someone correct me if I'm wrong): The Limited lenses. Designed
for
> > an autofocus rangefinder that was shelved. FA lenses with metal barrels
> sold
> > as premium, deluxe autofocus lenses with metal barrels, they are in fact
> NOT
> > "limited," but are regular stock items. There are now three, all with
> > unusual focal lengths: the 43mm, the 77mm, and the 31mm.
> >
> > So, to recap, it looks like this:
> >
> > M42 screwmount lens series:
> > ==================
> > 1952: Takumars
> > 1958: Auto-Takumars
> > 1963: Super-Takumars
> > 1971: Super-Multi-Coated Takumars, later ones marked SMC Takumar
> >
> > K-mount lens series:
> > ============
> > 1975: SMC Pentax lenses, also called K lenses
> > 1977: M lens line
> > 1983: A lens line
> >
> > Autofocus lens series:
> > =============
> > 1987: F autofocus lenses
> > 1991: FA autofocus lenses
> > 1997(?): Limited (FA) lenses
> >
> > Hope that's all clear. If I've made any mistakes in this, please, folks,
> > don't be shy about setting me straight (like I need to say that <g>).
-
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