...any opinions on this lens? I'm attracted by it's low weight and 49mm filter thread - but does this lack of bulk effect it's stability? Some of my m 42's are 'manual' so i'm not put off by the preset diaphragm.
If this is the same lens that was made in the 1990s, it had a very good reputation at the time. That said, I never used one because I had other 200mm lenses. I suppose stability depends upon you physical condition and degree of enlargement.
I was attracted to the Asahi 200mm f/5.6 Super Takumar lens (see lens D in image below) by the manufacturer's reputation for producing great lenses and by the low price of the lens. I was not disappointed.
I find the lens very useful when I do not want to put my more expensive lenses in harms way.
I find the very quiet pre-set diaphragm control very useful when shooting video.
I also like using this lens with adapter on my Olympus micro 4/3. The crop factor gives me an effective focal length of 400mm and the in-body image stabilization of the Olympus produces great images.