Thanks to a cheap adapter I’m now using my old Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 1:1.4/50 lens on my new camera. The lens is older than me. It may have belonged to my dad, actually. He did photo-journalism work around the time it was made. This is the lens I used throughout high school and college. It has sat, unused, since I stopped shooting 35mm.
I’m glad to have this lens back! I love its weight and hard metal edges. And the photos look good too. On my camera it’s got an effective focal length of 100mm, making it more of a short telephoto lens. I can use it to get close up shots without having to get right up next to my subject. And with a 1.4 apeture it’s great for low light or fast-moving subjects.
Hmm. What fast-moving thing do I like to take close-up photos of? Bees!
The lens’ shallow and manual focus make bee photos a bit of a challenge. But it’s a good challenge; forcing me to practice quick focusing and exposure. This is where I’m most thankful for digital photography. I can take as many blurry, underexposed bee photos as my memory card will allow.
