@@MarkHoltze Much worse. Thorium is primarily an alpha emitter, though it's decay chain produces betas and gammas, too. Alpha is mostly harmless outside the body, gets blocked by your skin, but can be very damaging when inside. I'm not sure how much thorium dust would be required for a harmful effect, but it's safer not to test this...
That’s the key, volume. It’s a very small amount overall and it’s also a very slow rate of decay, gamma is more potent when mixed with elements with a much shorter half life.
I'd love to hear what you guys think of thoriated lenses. Do you feel safe using them? What might be some of your favourites be and most importantly, do you reverse the color casting? GO!
I have no problem with the radioactivity. The yellowing is a bit annoying however, although I only noticed it with my 50mm 1.4 so far. I might be reversing the lens at some point to get the clear colors of my other SMC Takumars. Nice to have a new video from you, btw.. Thanks for the effort!
I was never a fan of my takumar yellowing. There were certain times where It was sort of artistic or added the right degree of warmth, but generally speaking, I just went with the k mount versions. The only thoriated lens that I still own is the Canon FD55 mm 1.2 aspherical lens and maybe it has to do with the other coatings used, but that lens has a milder cast and it's more of an amber color that I think is wonderful. The 50 mm 1.4 carls ice has a much colder cast, and I find each of them useful in their own way.
I have the 7 and 8 element by luck in a local camera shop (Chuck's Camera Shop, Hampton, VA). I used the nuclear one for the past six months and haven't lost one loc of hair. I LOVE the yellow tint. Easily fixed in Lightroom if you don't like it 👍🏾 Honestly, one of the sharpest lens I've ever shot with RIGHT next to the Super Takumar 35mm f/3.5 🤌🏾
Thank you for another awesome review Mark. I am currently obsessed with the Pancolar 50mm 8 element Thoriated Lens. The colors that come from that lens is amazing.
As always love your video Mark! This is oddly perfect timing for me as I just got a Pentax 6x7 Super Takumar 105mm f2.4 that also has a thoriated rear element that is also yellowing. Went down the rabbit hole of research and didn’t really get a clear answer either. The general consensus is that they are safe to use unless you sleep with them 😂
Ya, not a lot of people are really qualified to say one way or another, ultimately that's why I leave it up to the individual. Part of my Independent Thinker slate at the top, I don't want to preach here, I want to have a conversation and attempt to provide some new info :).
I’ve no idea how I missed this but here I am now. Great video! Your explanation is clear and concise. I’m always giving my radioactive Takumars glowing reviews. I saw your review of the 35mm f2 super-multi-coated Takumar and you plus Mathieu Stern very strongly guided me into that lens. My copy has a very strong tint. I really enjoy the warmth it adds except when there’s white in the picture. It absolutely nukes anything white! I’m on the fence whether to attempt correcting it. As always I look forward to seeing more of your content. Thanks!
I just corrected my 35 F2, no regrets . TH-cam prob didn’t notify you, it does that or you just have a life and whatever the case no worries. Thanks for stopping by in any event.
...aaand he's back! Honestly, I don't care if a lens is radioactive, but I am currently trying to de-yellow my Takumar 50 1.4. As you said, it can be "corrected" in post, but I would like to see how it was supposed to render colors when it was new.
It's such a nice lens that the color cast can be a bit off an off put. The 8 element to compare it to was kind of my last resort, better light transmission to as it drops the exposure a bit because of the damage. So loads of reasons to still do it, ONE day! Or i'll just sell the radioactive 50 since I have the 8 element lol. My 35 needs correction regardless.
Buy a UVB Reptile CFL light at a pet store. The lens won’t get near my as hot as exposing it to sunlight. Wrap the bottom of the lens with aluminum foil. In a couple days 80-90 percent of the yellowing will be removed.
I just shot a roll of Cinestill 400D with a yellowed Takumar. Skin tones turned out a little bit to the orange tones but nothing LR can't correct. Beach photos turned out so moody tho.
I have a Kodak Aero Ektar 178mm f/2.5 that I use on my Speed Graphic. Due to its size it's even more radioactive than your typical thoriated lens. I don't worry about it. The worst that can happen is having it be permanently confiscated by airport security, which there have been multiple accounts of. Most prominently, I've heard Moscow airport security confiscating both the Takumar 105mm f/2.4 and the Aero Ektar from different photographers without ever giving them back.
Good to see you Mark! It's been far too long. Literally was watching a video by you on the Canon FD 50mm f1.2L (There is one listed on kijiji in Calgary btw) and wondering where you've been. Love your work sir.
@@MarkHoltze Its only $1100 CAD. And yeah I feel yeah I remember looking at FD L lenses in 2017. The cheapest was the 24mm at only $250. Sigh... I wish I was a sony shooter with a A7 and adapter. Id have bought the entire lineup. Especially the 85 f1.2L So cheap and not even that long ago.
@@classic.cameras Guys, check out the Canon FL 55mm f1.2, seems to have coatings on a par with the subsequent SSC coatings on the FDs and nicely sharp with a nice form factor and Takumar kind of styling and most pertinently of all cheap compared to the FD... interestingly I also nabbed an FL 58mm f1.2 at the same time, little more expensive and much softer but 'interesting' in other ways - flares like the 1970s!
@@henrysteadman963 I actually have the FD 55mm f1.2 Chrome Nose and recently bought a FD 55mm f1.2 S.S.C for $280 CAD. Figured it would either always be worth that or it too will go up in value.
I am sitting near my Takumar 50mm and feel at ease right now, apart from my third eye which is appearing in the centre of my brow. I do not stare at it, or cuddle it, but it does come out of the bag to be used like any other lens. I even put it in the garden in the summer to get a few rays.
I have have UV treated my 35 mm f2, and my two 50 mm 1.4. I have not been able to remove the tint 100%, even after 5 days under an led lamp. But I have gained 2/3 of a stop on each lens, without loosing, the charming warm tone they renders. And thanks for a great channel, very inspiring to watch.
I'm not sure what LED lamp you're using, but most LEDs sold as emitting UV are actually lying and emit virtually no UV whatsoever. Actual UV LEDs are rather expensive. That being said, just photons of light, even non-UV, can help reverse yellowing. But for the best results, direct sunlight outdoors (no windows in the way) can work wonders.
I exposed mine directly to sunlight it’s often not advised because they can get very hot and melt the grease inside which can drop onto the lens elements. My 38 hour sunbath didn’t have much of an impact either color wise, Vs those i know who use direct UV light.
@@MarkHoltze oh, yeah, sitting out in the sun on a really hot summer day would not be advised. Same with having it somehow set up to focus sunlight on something flammable. Gotta try to anticipate all the ways it could go badly!
Enjoyed this video Mark, quite informative always wondered why Thorium was used, however my other half isn't happy as I've gone and bought another lens....another Takumar but a ☢️ 50mm f1.4👍
i set my white balance manuallyx with a modern lens attach. then i change,to my yellowed takumar lens and use thesame white balance to keep the brown yellow tint most ppssibl3 on my photos, it looks lovely...i have heard that yellow brown tint called minolta colour look
Fascinating presentation Mark, I have several vintage thoriated lenses and I must admit have slightly mixed feelings about the 'risk factor' despite any reassuring data I hear to balance the concern there's always that 'yeah but...' thought, and I suppose that although I'm happy to have, use and enjoy these lovely old optics myself, if you asked me to encourage my children to use them over non-thoriated options I'd probably steer them away... do as I say not as I do :)
Eventually they will be phased out I think. I mean it’s the core of that mixed feelings is exactly why I didn’t want to spend a second trying to convince one way or the other. Too many great options that aren’t.
I do want to get and use one eventually, but I'd definitely treat it differently than my other lenses. like not leaving it on the camera when I'm not using it, or keeping it in the same room I sleep in.
Hey Mark First of all It´s great to hear from u again I have no Problem with Radioactivity I am using a Takumar 55mm F1.8 (Multi-Coated) Bought it together with a Yashica TL Electro X for only 20€ and use it often on my A7III it is a great little Lense and if u know how to use it it´s a lot of Fun :)
I keep the rear away from facing me unless there's a camera body between us. Plus, I keep my adapter on it permanently, as I do with all my vintage lenses, as they're so amazingly cheap. Thank you Fotasy.
Great video on an interesting topic. I don't worry about my SMC 55mm other than not holding up the rear element to my eyes. Sounds like you may have adapted GW Bush's butchering of the pronunciation, however. Repeat after me.. NOO-clee-Ur (not NOO-cue-Lur).
Been waiting to see Oppenheimer and you didn't mention Twin Peaks S3 Ep8, the Birth of Bob : D Have to admit, even with all the safety confirmation, it's still scary, but it feels good to have something radioactive at home : D I do happen to have one old lens, its almost completely yellow and dirty too and I haven't tried to fix it. Can Any lamp do, or direct sunlight or some special setup? Also I have to collect all the lens repairing tools
thanks for your video. You have been missed. good information. I dont have a problem with hot glass. I have some takumar lenses with it and i'm sure other lenses too. I dont sleep with my gear, I keep it in a wooden dresser. I think i'm alright.
Long time no see, Mark. Not too bad pronunciation on Jakob Berzelius, but to no surprise the ö in Jöns was a bit weird. Trying to come up with something that sounds Ö in English, but I really can't... our Swedish Å Ä Ö are a bit weird I guess 😅 Sidenote, you showed Thoriated Tungsten electrodes, they are probably more dangerous for me. They are used in TIG welding, and I do some of that, grinding them down causes dust that are radioactive. These days Lanthanum oxide tungsten electrode is more common though, enough chemistry for this time, cheers Mark !
Ya needed to show the electronics skipping lol. Definitely a much more dangerous mix, but animation felt cheap. I could prob have gotten it had I heard the proper pronunciation a few times right before I said it; but it was cold out and recorded this whole outputting a network cut lol. Those accented O’s lol. Thanks for the help, next time! ✊
@@MarkHoltze Just for fun, I typed in Jöns in google translate, and put language to Swedish, and pressed the speaker, I must say, not half bad actually, might be usable for directions in pronunciation.
Accents are hard. Do I force a terrible pronunciation of the foreign language and butcher it, or make it super English…it’s always awkward lol. I mean no disrespect obviously. 😆
So I have been using vintage lenses for the last three years. I never see the "colors" and such of the lenses. I have tried using the "set your own K" in white balance but I find I get more the ambiance of the lights then any colors from the glass. I am wondering what settings to use my camera (A7iv) to make me see the true colors of the lens in the camera. Is there something I have been missing because all I have really determined is AWB messes it up.
Thank you for another interesting video, very much appreciated. The radioactivity is what stops me from using my Konica 57mm f1.2. I keep fearing an impact on the sensor. Any thoughts on that particular aspect?
As long as you don't leave the lens on the camera indefinitely it should be fine, that's based on my research generally with radioactive lenses, not that lens specifically.
I've got the 7 element Super-Multicoated-Takumar 50mm f1.4, when she starts to yellow I use an Alonefire 365nm 3W torch to remove it. As for the radioactivity, never bothered me. I think I would be disappointed if, of my passions (photography and my motorbike) it turned out to be the Takumar that killed me. Not nearly as exciting as a high speed fiery death. 😁
Hmmm, I don’t think any of the Helios lenses are radioactive. I could be wrong but I have a few and non of them are radioactive. Maybe that had a few batches that were. Going to have to look into this.
It’s never come up as radioactive in any forums I’ve seen discussing those, also the soviets had the full plans and people to make these lenses so I think they kept that going. The Germans didn’t use radioactive materials much of at all, and it’s got German DNA . Let me know if you find anything different.
@@MarkHoltze I'm just helping people work on legacy clean-up in the UK, US and Japan, it is an inspiring sector. I like you was influenced by Chernobyl incident in Ukraine, but at the same time inspired back in 1991 by the advances on the JET Fusion reactor. Luckily enough I ended up working with the guys a decade or so back and they sent me a great photo of inside of the tokamak. For me it shows how little we really know about anything, as they say there's enough energy in a kilo of hydrogen to power the world for a year... tricky bit is getting it out!!! More importantly your videos are slick, well informed and inspiring. I know you focus on the art, but I think there are a lot of big technical corporations who would pay good money for your skills, there are few creatives who car really get under the skin of technology and bring it to life. In the mean time, I still only have my one Takumar, my grand fathers Auto-Takumar1:1.8/85 serial number 302966. It is a lovely lens, mint in fact, but needs servicing as its focus ring is stiff and I've not yet managed to find anyone here in the north of England who can do the job. But the images are still great. I must get a Takumar 50 F1.4 ... one of these days.
My Pentax 50mm 1.4 is probably radioactive. Doesn’t bother me, but I try not to stare directly into it ( eyes being particularly porous to … sciencey waves and stuff).
I thought I understood a quite a bit about this Thorium lens stuff but I learned a lot from your vid. Well done and thank you. Like you, I am completely unconcerned about these lenses but I support people’s right to be terrified of innocuous things for no reason whatsoever. ;)
Ya I’ve always kind of surface understood but then wanted to go a bit deeper without going too deep. Good to see you again mate. Been awhile, hope you’re doing well!
Helios 44-2 isn’t thoriated no. Based on German optics and they didn’t use thorium in their lens formulas. Good old fashion knowledge and mathematics ;) all that went to the soviets once they took East Berlin…east
There are a few, but most of the slower lenses. It’s the F2 F1.4 ones that were mainly thoriated to reduce optical imperfections. The Super Takumar 50 1.4 8 element isn’t radioactive. I can’t say for sure what lenses beyond that one are not. The auto Takumars were mostly if not all non thoriated. They’re solid lenses by the way.
I have a few Kinoptik lenses, one lens, a 5.7mm, has almost no coating, worn off by cleaning no doubt. So, I contacted D*cl*s Lens, those guys. They told me my lens could not be re-coated because their Lens guy said it's radioactive. I'm still a bit angry as they wouldn't give me a reference for that conclusion. Anyway, I don't think it's radioactive.. Just venting here, in that I love vintage, no doubt I'll acquire some thoriated lenses.
-Takumar 50mm f1.4 "Thorium": check! -GQ GMC-500+ geiger counter: check! -Peli 1200 case lined with 6mm lead sheets: check! (The last one is overkill... but my wife is the boss!)
Hey ! Is there a way to identify by SN if a Super Takumar 50 1.4 is radioactive ? I do see a yellow tint on pictures, but I don't have access to a Geiger counter 😅
If it's the 7 element Super Takumar 50 it MIGHT be, but i'm not 100% Not sure you can tell by serial easily enough, but I'm sure a forum out there somewhere would have the answer. A lot of people know a lot more than I do on these lenses specifically. I wish I could help, but I am going to go searching!
Clearing the amber haze from a thoriated lens does not require "extended exposure" to UV light. It only takes two to four hours of 365nm UV-A light shined through the lens, both from the rear element and from the front element. So the "extended period" is four to eight hours max. I use a uvBeast V3 365nm Black Light Flashlight that I got through amazon. I currently only have one set of 18650 Li batteries for the flashlight so my lens erasure time is about 24 hours for 8 hours worth of flushing, which is overkill. The lenses turn out crystal clear and the improvements in the image quality are stunning. It is dumb to be putting up with the color balance issues and loss of contrast in your pictures. Self proclaimed TH-cam experts who do reviews of these lenses and ooo and ahhh about the quaint vintage appearance of the yellowed images are clueless maroons. /|\ Gp
The basic research I’ve done has me mainly concerned with exposure to the radiation at the eye as it’s one of the concerning exposure points. As someone who’s had eye issues I’m extra careful. Currently I own a few vintage lens and bought a Geiger counter to verify each is not radioactive. I hated spending the $70 for the tester but it’s a small investment for peace of mind.
Ya seen something similar. It’s why pilots have such a high rate of skin cancer, they’re getting blasted for many more hours than regular travellers are. It’s much more dangerous to be a commercial pilot when it comes to radiation exposure ;)
I'm a puss. I have the 50 1.4 and for a while I was OK because of the whole "a sheet of paper can block alpha particles" argument... then I started going down the youtube rabbit hole and the Gamma Rays these suckers can give off which is the stuff that destroys DNA, so I stopped shooting with it. It currently sits in a lead film bag in the farthest corner of my house, and I purchased the 8-element non-thoriated version instead. I probably should sell the thoriated lens, but I've had too many bad ebay experiences, so I've just let it sit in its little led-lined sarcophagus.
Ya it’s pretty complicated which is why I don’t want to try to convince people. Gamma rays are fine, we’re hammered by them quite a lot just in very very small Amounts. That’s why I mentioned half life as that help give a bit of additional context to additional rays alpha, beta, gamma and how much we should be concerned about them. 15 billion year half life is quite slow even by universe standards. All that said, I don’t store these anywhere near any of us either. Sarcophagus, another eerie word that goes in line with radiation….
Now you tell me. I opened up two lenses (sears 55 1.4, biometar 80 2.8) for CLA. 3 hrs later after being within 1 ft of my skull I tasted metal... Hehe oops.
Someone in a Facebook group told me to just put the lens on a mirror and blast a daylight balanced cob led through it with a fresnel or a reflector dish (with a fan on it). He said to leave it over night. I was skeptical, but I tried it, and it definitely helped. I did it for a couple of nights, and it's almost back to normal. It went from about 400K warm to 100K. Interesting.
Hmm, I think it needs to be UV, but I don't know 100%, but I've never heard daylight balance artificial light working. Sunlight "works" because it has UV rays, but again this is a first. Quite interesting!
@@MarkHoltze it doesn't really need to be UV - it can help speed things along, but really it's just about photons, not the specific wavelength, that matter. There's lots of misinformation getting repeated over and over on the internet!
i’m more concerned about the number of cigarettes i smoked in my youth. i handle super takumars etc almost daily. i could get run down by a bus tomorrow 😁👍🏼
got the smc takumar 50. i don't think i've ever heard of radiation contamination from a lens, so i'm cool w/ the lens. and it's nuclear and nucleus, not nucular or nuculeus. 😂😜
Mark, I need to confess. I have an M42 mount 50mm Super Takumar f/1.4. I did something awful. I ... *sob* scraped the rear element protective ring so it would clear the mirror of a canon 5D. Furthermore, I had to grind down the mirror as well to make it work. I am so sorry, vintage lens father. Jokes aside, I have given up correcting it and just shift it to a green cast and tell people it's radioactive. Oh, and a friendly note: it's pronounced new-klee-yur not new-kew-lur. Just a pet peeve lmao :)
Just don't eat the lens. Or break the lens elements and inhale or eat the dust. And you'll be fine. Also, don't sleep with the lens under your pillow.
That would be dangerous with any lens no doubt, but ya a little radiation decay would be a little worse....just a little ;)
@@MarkHoltze Much worse. Thorium is primarily an alpha emitter, though it's decay chain produces betas and gammas, too. Alpha is mostly harmless outside the body, gets blocked by your skin, but can be very damaging when inside. I'm not sure how much thorium dust would be required for a harmful effect, but it's safer not to test this...
That’s the key, volume. It’s a very small amount overall and it’s also a very slow rate of decay, gamma is more potent when mixed with elements with a much shorter half life.
The last one is the hardest part.
I'd love to hear what you guys think of thoriated lenses. Do you feel safe using them? What might be some of your favourites be and most importantly, do you reverse the color casting? GO!
My all time favorite is my super takumar 50mm F1.4 8 Blade , even normal photos look good somehow when i use it .
i wear them in my underwears, dont want more kids
Because of you, I built a set of Super Takumar lenses a year ago. The thorium doesn't bother.
I have no problem with the radioactivity. The yellowing is a bit annoying however, although I only noticed it with my 50mm 1.4 so far. I might be reversing the lens at some point to get the clear colors of my other SMC Takumars. Nice to have a new video from you, btw.. Thanks for the effort!
I was never a fan of my takumar yellowing. There were certain times where It was sort of artistic or added the right degree of warmth, but generally speaking, I just went with the k mount versions. The only thoriated lens that I still own is the Canon FD55 mm 1.2 aspherical lens and maybe it has to do with the other coatings used, but that lens has a milder cast and it's more of an amber color that I think is wonderful. The 50 mm 1.4 carls ice has a much colder cast, and I find each of them useful in their own way.
Got myself Super-Takumar 50 1.4 and i just love how yellow the glass is. It's always funny when i tell ppl "And yeah it's radioactive"
They give the camera back with the quickness 🤣
Exactly! It's such a strange concept.
There are few videos I click on faster than yours. Love to see it.
Appreciate it mate, i'll try not to exploit that privilege
I have the 7 and 8 element by luck in a local camera shop (Chuck's Camera Shop, Hampton, VA). I used the nuclear one for the past six months and haven't lost one loc of hair.
I LOVE the yellow tint. Easily fixed in Lightroom if you don't like it 👍🏾
Honestly, one of the sharpest lens I've ever shot with RIGHT next to the Super Takumar 35mm f/3.5 🤌🏾
Ya the 35 is a great lens, nice and small too
My first vintage lens with a Pentax SMC which was radioactive. So pretty happy to use them, love to include more if the opportunity presents them!
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Thank you for another awesome review Mark. I am currently obsessed with the Pancolar 50mm 8 element Thoriated Lens. The colors that come from that lens is amazing.
As always love your video Mark! This is oddly perfect timing for me as I just got a Pentax 6x7 Super Takumar 105mm f2.4 that also has a thoriated rear element that is also yellowing.
Went down the rabbit hole of research and didn’t really get a clear answer either. The general consensus is that they are safe to use unless you sleep with them 😂
Ya, not a lot of people are really qualified to say one way or another, ultimately that's why I leave it up to the individual. Part of my Independent Thinker slate at the top, I don't want to preach here, I want to have a conversation and attempt to provide some new info :).
I’ve no idea how I missed this but here I am now. Great video! Your explanation is clear and concise. I’m always giving my radioactive Takumars glowing reviews. I saw your review of the 35mm f2 super-multi-coated Takumar and you plus Mathieu Stern very strongly guided me into that lens. My copy has a very strong tint. I really enjoy the warmth it adds except when there’s white in the picture. It absolutely nukes anything white! I’m on the fence whether to attempt correcting it. As always I look forward to seeing more of your content. Thanks!
I just corrected my 35 F2, no regrets . TH-cam prob didn’t notify you, it does that or you just have a life and whatever the case no worries. Thanks for stopping by in any event.
My 9 blade f22 version of the pre ai Nikkor 35mm 1.4 is very yellow but also one of my favourite lens to use on my Fuji cameras.
...aaand he's back!
Honestly, I don't care if a lens is radioactive, but I am currently trying to de-yellow my Takumar 50 1.4. As you said, it can be "corrected" in post, but I would like to see how it was supposed to render colors when it was new.
It's such a nice lens that the color cast can be a bit off an off put. The 8 element to compare it to was kind of my last resort, better light transmission to as it drops the exposure a bit because of the damage. So loads of reasons to still do it, ONE day! Or i'll just sell the radioactive 50 since I have the 8 element lol. My 35 needs correction regardless.
Buy a UVB Reptile CFL light at a pet store. The lens won’t get near my as hot as exposing it to sunlight. Wrap the bottom of the lens with aluminum foil. In a couple days 80-90 percent of the yellowing will be removed.
I just shot a roll of Cinestill 400D with a yellowed Takumar. Skin tones turned out a little bit to the orange tones but nothing LR can't correct. Beach photos turned out so moody tho.
As an owner of a few thorium containing lenses I appreciate the background information. Nice video!
✊ thanks for being here mate.
I have a Kodak Aero Ektar 178mm f/2.5 that I use on my Speed Graphic. Due to its size it's even more radioactive than your typical thoriated lens. I don't worry about it. The worst that can happen is having it be permanently confiscated by airport security, which there have been multiple accounts of. Most prominently, I've heard Moscow airport security confiscating both the Takumar 105mm f/2.4 and the Aero Ektar from different photographers without ever giving them back.
Why? Do they fear, you scratch some metal off it and mix it into Putins morning Müesli 😂
Love some good thoriated glass. Amazing video as always Mark
Thanks dude!
Good to see you Mark! It's been far too long. Literally was watching a video by you on the Canon FD 50mm f1.2L (There is one listed on kijiji in Calgary btw) and wondering where you've been. Love your work sir.
How’s the price on that listing? $750-900? Its a great lens, wish I picked it up for $250 when I saw one a few years back.
@@MarkHoltze Its only $1100 CAD. And yeah I feel yeah I remember looking at FD L lenses in 2017. The cheapest was the 24mm at only $250. Sigh... I wish I was a sony shooter with a A7 and adapter. Id have bought the entire lineup. Especially the 85 f1.2L So cheap and not even that long ago.
@@classic.cameras Guys, check out the Canon FL 55mm f1.2, seems to have coatings on a par with the subsequent SSC coatings on the FDs and nicely sharp with a nice form factor and Takumar kind of styling and most pertinently of all cheap compared to the FD... interestingly I also nabbed an FL 58mm f1.2 at the same time, little more expensive and much softer but 'interesting' in other ways - flares like the 1970s!
@@henrysteadman963 I actually have the FD 55mm f1.2 Chrome Nose and recently bought a FD 55mm f1.2 S.S.C for $280 CAD. Figured it would either always be worth that or it too will go up in value.
I am sitting near my Takumar 50mm and feel at ease right now, apart from my third eye which is appearing in the centre of my brow.
I do not stare at it, or cuddle it, but it does come out of the bag to be used like any other lens. I even put it in the garden in the summer to get a few rays.
a third eye could also come in handy ;)
@@MarkHoltze I wish I had eyes in the back of my head sometimes. 🤣
😆
I have have UV treated my 35 mm f2, and my two 50 mm 1.4. I have not been able to remove the tint 100%, even after 5 days under an led lamp. But I have gained 2/3 of a stop on each lens, without loosing, the charming warm tone they renders. And thanks for a great channel, very inspiring to watch.
I'm not sure what LED lamp you're using, but most LEDs sold as emitting UV are actually lying and emit virtually no UV whatsoever. Actual UV LEDs are rather expensive. That being said, just photons of light, even non-UV, can help reverse yellowing. But for the best results, direct sunlight outdoors (no windows in the way) can work wonders.
I exposed mine directly to sunlight it’s often not advised because they can get very hot and melt the grease inside which can drop onto the lens elements. My 38 hour sunbath didn’t have much of an impact either color wise, Vs those i know who use direct UV light.
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@@MarkHoltze oh, yeah, sitting out in the sun on a really hot summer day would not be advised. Same with having it somehow set up to focus sunlight on something flammable. Gotta try to anticipate all the ways it could go badly!
Great to see more videos coming out! Love them!
Thanks for being here! ✊
I have a Takumar and old Olympus lens from that era I use with my Lumix S5 II. Love them both. Great vintage lenses.
S5II is a nice camera as well! 📸
Enjoyed this video Mark, quite informative always wondered why Thorium was used, however my other half isn't happy as I've gone and bought another lens....another Takumar but a ☢️ 50mm f1.4👍
Such a great video. Thanks for all the effort you put into these videos.
Thanks for popping by mate. Always appreciate it! The pods are still kicking ass, glad you’re keeping up with those as well!
Great, informative video Mark. I learned something new!
✊ thanks for stopping by!
i set my white balance manuallyx with a modern lens attach. then i change,to my yellowed takumar lens and use thesame white balance to keep the brown yellow tint most ppssibl3 on my photos, it looks lovely...i have heard that yellow brown tint called minolta colour look
It's a great look really! I think that is what's keeping me from reversing mine.
Fascinating presentation Mark, I have several vintage thoriated lenses and I must admit have slightly mixed feelings about the 'risk factor' despite any reassuring data I hear to balance the concern there's always that 'yeah but...' thought, and I suppose that although I'm happy to have, use and enjoy these lovely old optics myself, if you asked me to encourage my children to use them over non-thoriated options I'd probably steer them away... do as I say not as I do :)
Eventually they will be phased out I think. I mean it’s the core of that mixed feelings is exactly why I didn’t want to spend a second trying to convince one way or the other. Too many great options that aren’t.
Quality video, thanks..
Hey Mark, superb video! May I ask what experiment was done at 2:08?
And also what software for comparing at 3:55?
Thanks!
I do want to get and use one eventually, but I'd definitely treat it differently than my other lenses. like not leaving it on the camera when I'm not using it, or keeping it in the same room I sleep in.
I think it’s really hard to not follow these practices. I’m with you here mate! ✊
Why would you no leave it on your camera?
you do know that one room apartments exist?@@MarkHoltze
Forgot about this for a bit 😂 now remembering it as I sit next to my Canon FL 50mm 1.4 II 😬😂
Hey Mark
First of all
It´s great to hear from u again
I have no Problem with Radioactivity
I am using a Takumar 55mm F1.8 (Multi-Coated)
Bought it together with a Yashica TL Electro X for only 20€
and use it often on my A7III
it is a great little Lense and if u know how to use it
it´s a lot of Fun :)
The 55 Tak is one of the most well loved of all the Tak lenses I think. I've never seen one before first hand, but maybe one day!
@@MarkHoltze i think i could find one here in Germany for u if u want :)
I don't mind the radioactivity at all and personally like the color cast.
✊
I keep the rear away from facing me unless there's a camera body between us. Plus, I keep my adapter on it permanently, as I do with all my vintage lenses, as they're so amazingly cheap. Thank you Fotasy.
Right on!
Great video on an interesting topic. I don't worry about my SMC 55mm other than not holding up the rear element to my eyes. Sounds like you may have adapted GW Bush's butchering of the pronunciation, however. Repeat after me.. NOO-clee-Ur (not NOO-cue-Lur).
I blame French immersion 😆
Another great video, thanks!!
Thanks for watching!
my biggest concern is shipping them overseas. they do get filtered out and disposed of at shipping centres.
Most of my Takumar's came from Japan and had no issue, but that's Canada, I can't speak from experience to other countries.
Been waiting to see Oppenheimer and you didn't mention Twin Peaks S3 Ep8, the Birth of Bob : D
Have to admit, even with all the safety confirmation, it's still scary, but it feels good to have something radioactive at home : D
I do happen to have one old lens, its almost completely yellow and dirty too and I haven't tried to fix it. Can Any lamp do, or direct sunlight or some special setup?
Also I have to collect all the lens repairing tools
Oppenheimer, can’t wait. I haven’t seen the peaks unfortunately, so no memory to references it :(
Thank you! Great video!
You are welcome! Thanks for being here!
thanks for your video. You have been missed. good information. I dont have a problem with hot glass. I have some takumar lenses with it and i'm sure other lenses too. I dont sleep with my gear, I keep it in a wooden dresser. I think i'm alright.
I think so too! Thanks for stopping by!
Is the second gen radioactive ☢️ 37800 65 to 66 version?
Long time no see, Mark.
Not too bad pronunciation on Jakob Berzelius, but to no surprise the ö in Jöns was a bit weird.
Trying to come up with something that sounds Ö in English, but I really can't... our Swedish Å Ä Ö are a bit weird I guess 😅
Sidenote, you showed Thoriated Tungsten electrodes, they are probably more dangerous for me.
They are used in TIG welding, and I do some of that, grinding them down causes dust that are radioactive.
These days Lanthanum oxide tungsten electrode is more common though, enough chemistry for this time, cheers Mark !
Ya needed to show the electronics skipping lol. Definitely a much more dangerous mix, but animation felt cheap. I could prob have gotten it had I heard the proper pronunciation a few times right before I said it; but it was cold out and recorded this whole outputting a network cut lol. Those accented O’s lol. Thanks for the help, next time! ✊
@@MarkHoltze Just for fun, I typed in Jöns in google translate, and put language to Swedish, and pressed the speaker, I must say, not half bad actually, might be usable for directions in pronunciation.
Accents are hard. Do I force a terrible pronunciation of the foreign language and butcher it, or make it super English…it’s always awkward lol. I mean no disrespect obviously. 😆
How about UV on my teeth?
works very well, just need patience lol
So I have been using vintage lenses for the last three years. I never see the "colors" and such of the lenses. I have tried using the "set your own K" in white balance but I find I get more the ambiance of the lights then any colors from the glass. I am wondering what settings to use my camera (A7iv) to make me see the true colors of the lens in the camera. Is there something I have been missing because all I have really determined is AWB messes it up.
I love my Taks and love always carries some risk. So, there ya go.
Thank you for another interesting video, very much appreciated. The radioactivity is what stops me from using my Konica 57mm f1.2. I keep fearing an impact on the sensor. Any thoughts on that particular aspect?
As long as you don't leave the lens on the camera indefinitely it should be fine, that's based on my research generally with radioactive lenses, not that lens specifically.
@@MarkHoltze thanks for sharing your thoughts
Great content!
Thanks for being here!
I've got the 7 element Super-Multicoated-Takumar 50mm f1.4, when she starts to yellow I use an Alonefire 365nm 3W torch to remove it.
As for the radioactivity, never bothered me. I think I would be disappointed if, of my passions (photography and my motorbike) it turned out to be the Takumar that killed me. Not nearly as exciting as a high speed fiery death. 😁
Brilliant! ✊
@@MarkHoltze I'm here all week 😋
Love the video !
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by!
I have a Helios 44-2 which is apparently radio active. It’s in such small quantities that there is no risk so I’m told. So yep, not bothered by it
Hmmm, I don’t think any of the Helios lenses are radioactive. I could be wrong but I have a few and non of them are radioactive. Maybe that had a few batches that were. Going to have to look into this.
@@MarkHoltze I was told it is by the person I bought it from but haven’t checked this out, and they may have been wrong. I’ll look it up now.
It’s never come up as radioactive in any forums I’ve seen discussing those, also the soviets had the full plans and people to make these lenses so I think they kept that going. The Germans didn’t use radioactive materials much of at all, and it’s got German DNA . Let me know if you find anything different.
From someone working in the nuclear industry, a superb explanation
Your work fascinates me!
@@MarkHoltze I'm just helping people work on legacy clean-up in the UK, US and Japan, it is an inspiring sector. I like you was influenced by Chernobyl incident in Ukraine, but at the same time inspired back in 1991 by the advances on the JET Fusion reactor. Luckily enough I ended up working with the guys a decade or so back and they sent me a great photo of inside of the tokamak. For me it shows how little we really know about anything, as they say there's enough energy in a kilo of hydrogen to power the world for a year... tricky bit is getting it out!!!
More importantly your videos are slick, well informed and inspiring. I know you focus on the art, but I think there are a lot of big technical corporations who would pay good money for your skills, there are few creatives who car really get under the skin of technology and bring it to life.
In the mean time, I still only have my one Takumar, my grand fathers Auto-Takumar1:1.8/85 serial number 302966. It is a lovely lens, mint in fact, but needs servicing as its focus ring is stiff and I've not yet managed to find anyone here in the north of England who can do the job. But the images are still great. I must get a Takumar 50 F1.4 ... one of these days.
My Pentax 50mm 1.4 is probably radioactive. Doesn’t bother me, but I try not to stare directly into it ( eyes being particularly porous to … sciencey waves and stuff).
Yes for sure, luckily not a lot of reason to stare into the back of a thoriated lens with the naked eye. At least for prolonged periods of time ;)
I thought I understood a quite a bit about this Thorium lens stuff but I learned a lot from your vid. Well done and thank you. Like you, I am completely unconcerned about these lenses but I support people’s right to be terrified of innocuous things for no reason whatsoever. ;)
Ya I’ve always kind of surface understood but then wanted to go a bit deeper without going too deep. Good to see you again mate. Been awhile, hope you’re doing well!
@@MarkHoltze Really has been a while. I’m gonna give you a follow over on Insta. Will try to stay in touch. Hope you and the gang are well.
As long as it doesn't mess up my Sony a7 or my SanDisk sd card, I love the look of these lenses.
Is the Helios 44-2 radioactive?
Helios 44-2 isn’t thoriated no. Based on German optics and they didn’t use thorium in their lens formulas. Good old fashion knowledge and mathematics ;) all that went to the soviets once they took East Berlin…east
@@MarkHoltze you are a wealth of knowledge! Thank you
love it!
Hi, what about the radioactivity of the latest model - SMC Takumar whit M42 mount? Are you familiar with it?
Hmmmm, is that the one with the rubber grip. Pretty sure those aren't thoriated.
@@MarkHoltze Yes, the model from 1972
Ya those are clean. Any yellowing?
what if it gets smashed in your house? is it dangerous
i would just treat it like any other glass, just make sure to clean the area well, dust and vacuum.
what super takumar is non radioactive?
There are a few, but most of the slower lenses. It’s the F2 F1.4 ones that were mainly thoriated to reduce optical imperfections.
The Super Takumar 50 1.4 8 element isn’t radioactive. I can’t say for sure what lenses beyond that one are not. The auto Takumars were mostly if not all non thoriated. They’re solid lenses by the way.
I have a few Kinoptik lenses, one lens, a 5.7mm, has almost no coating, worn off by cleaning no doubt. So, I contacted D*cl*s Lens, those guys. They told me my lens could not be re-coated because their Lens guy said it's radioactive. I'm still a bit angry as they wouldn't give me a reference for that conclusion. Anyway, I don't think it's radioactive.. Just venting here, in that I love vintage, no doubt I'll acquire some thoriated lenses.
hi mark do you know, if the takumar 35mm 2.3 is radioactive
The auto Takumar 35mm 2.3 is not radioactive. No thoriated elements
@@MarkHoltze cool my next lens
-Takumar 50mm f1.4 "Thorium": check!
-GQ GMC-500+ geiger counter: check!
-Peli 1200 case lined with 6mm lead sheets: check!
(The last one is overkill... but my wife is the boss!)
Can’t be too careful!!! Check
Mark, they are radioactive, because it makes them easy to find in the darkness.. it makes them glow😂
Exactly lol!
Hey ! Is there a way to identify by SN if a Super Takumar 50 1.4 is radioactive ? I do see a yellow tint on pictures, but I don't have access to a Geiger counter 😅
If it's the 7 element Super Takumar 50 it MIGHT be, but i'm not 100% Not sure you can tell by serial easily enough, but I'm sure a forum out there somewhere would have the answer. A lot of people know a lot more than I do on these lenses specifically. I wish I could help, but I am going to go searching!
Awesome!! Thanks!!! ✊
Clearing the amber haze from a thoriated lens does not require "extended exposure" to UV light. It only takes two to four hours of 365nm UV-A light shined through the lens, both from the rear element and from the front element. So the "extended period" is four to eight hours max. I use a uvBeast V3 365nm Black Light Flashlight that I got through amazon. I currently only have one set of 18650 Li batteries for the flashlight so my lens erasure time is about 24 hours for 8 hours worth of flushing, which is overkill. The lenses turn out crystal clear and the improvements in the image quality are stunning. It is dumb to be putting up with the color balance issues and loss of contrast in your pictures. Self proclaimed TH-cam experts who do reviews of these lenses and ooo and ahhh about the quaint vintage appearance of the yellowed images are clueless maroons. /|\ Gp
Good to know. I’ve seen various periods of time mentioned.
Just wear a mask.😊
not like we're a strange to that these days lol. ;)
I don't mind using them. I just don't sleep with them under my pillow like i do with my Zeiss lenses. lol
My Zeiss lenses are under my pillow too 😆
The basic research I’ve done has me mainly concerned with exposure to the radiation at the eye as it’s one of the concerning exposure points.
As someone who’s had eye issues I’m extra careful.
Currently I own a few vintage lens and bought a Geiger counter to verify each is not radioactive. I hated spending the $70 for the tester but it’s a small investment for peace of mind.
I read somewhere that you are more exposed to radiation during a flight than when using these lenses. Supposedly.
Ya seen something similar. It’s why pilots have such a high rate of skin cancer, they’re getting blasted for many more hours than regular travellers are. It’s much more dangerous to be a commercial pilot when it comes to radiation exposure ;)
I'm a puss. I have the 50 1.4 and for a while I was OK because of the whole "a sheet of paper can block alpha particles" argument... then I started going down the youtube rabbit hole and the Gamma Rays these suckers can give off which is the stuff that destroys DNA, so I stopped shooting with it. It currently sits in a lead film bag in the farthest corner of my house, and I purchased the 8-element non-thoriated version instead. I probably should sell the thoriated lens, but I've had too many bad ebay experiences, so I've just let it sit in its little led-lined sarcophagus.
Ya it’s pretty complicated which is why I don’t want to try to convince people. Gamma rays are fine, we’re hammered by them quite a lot just in very very small
Amounts. That’s why I mentioned half life as that help give a bit of additional context to additional rays alpha, beta, gamma and how much we should be concerned about them.
15 billion year half life is quite slow even by universe standards.
All that said, I don’t store these anywhere near any of us either. Sarcophagus, another eerie word that goes in line with radiation….
Now you tell me. I opened up two lenses (sears 55 1.4, biometar 80 2.8) for CLA. 3 hrs later after being within 1 ft of my skull I tasted metal... Hehe oops.
If you taste metal.....DUCK and COVER ;)
Someone in a Facebook group told me to just put the lens on a mirror and blast a daylight balanced cob led through it with a fresnel or a reflector dish (with a fan on it). He said to leave it over night. I was skeptical, but I tried it, and it definitely helped. I did it for a couple of nights, and it's almost back to normal. It went from about 400K warm to 100K. Interesting.
Hmm, I think it needs to be UV, but I don't know 100%, but I've never heard daylight balance artificial light working. Sunlight "works" because it has UV rays, but again this is a first. Quite interesting!
@@MarkHoltze I didn't expect it to work either. I don't know why it helps, but it seems to for some reason.
It’s so interesting, I feel like I’ve been lied too before this 😆 thanks again! ✊
@@MarkHoltze it doesn't really need to be UV - it can help speed things along, but really it's just about photons, not the specific wavelength, that matter. There's lots of misinformation getting repeated over and over on the internet!
Understood, thanks! ✊
Hanno sui cellulari dei dispositivi per attivare l'IA
i’m more concerned about the number of cigarettes i smoked in my youth. i handle super takumars etc almost daily. i could get run down by a bus tomorrow 😁👍🏼
Well, I own 9 of them.
💥
I assure you as a happy owner of such a lens. they are safe. I put the sixth finger of my right hand on it!
A sixth finger could definitely come in handy sometimes lol.
got the smc takumar 50. i don't think i've ever heard of radiation contamination from a lens, so i'm cool w/ the lens.
and it's nuclear and nucleus, not nucular or nuculeus. 😂😜
Ya don’t know why I said it like that 😆
@@MarkHoltze hahaha! all good man.
Mark, I need to confess. I have an M42 mount 50mm Super Takumar f/1.4. I did something awful. I ... *sob* scraped the rear element protective ring so it would clear the mirror of a canon 5D. Furthermore, I had to grind down the mirror as well to make it work. I am so sorry, vintage lens father.
Jokes aside, I have given up correcting it and just shift it to a green cast and tell people it's radioactive. Oh, and a friendly note: it's pronounced new-klee-yur not new-kew-lur. Just a pet peeve lmao :)
I blame french immersion lol...
I want to use radioactive lenses just for the coolness factor of telling people my cinema lens set is radioactive.
😆 it will turn some heads for sure ;)
If you dont lick them, its fine!!
Don’t use them as bio
Binoculars either 😝
Many people are more radioactive than these lenses
no doubt lol.