Hacker
黑客
I tried to find info on the M-Hexanon 50mm f1.2 and the 60mm f1.2 and usually, the info is in dribs and drabs. Compared to the other jewels like the UC-Hexanon 35mm f2 or the 50mm f2, information is scarce. So I decided to start a thread on these lenses and ask for everyone's input. Feel free to keep adding pictures, info, data, history or whatever you have.
With prices rising and sighs about soaring prices, especially the 50mm Summilux ASPH and the Noctilux, I think the M-Hexanons present good value a viable alternative.
A thread on the LTM 60mm is here: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53042
First off, size comparison:
L-R: Leica Noctilux f1, Konica M-Hexanon 60mm f1.2, Konica M-Hexanon 50mm f1.2, Leica Summilux 50mm f1.2 ASPH.
For the Konica M-Hexanon 50mm f1.2mm lens (62mm filter, 0.9m minimun focusing distance), it comes in a set together with the Millennium Limited Edition camera body. 2001 sets were issued to correspond with the year in which it was launched. According to the Wiki entry:
2001 Limited Edition
"Konica produced a chrome-finish Hexar RF camera, targeted for the year 2001 (the new millennium) in a limited release of 2001 units, supplied in a boxed set including a new M-Hexanon 50mm f1.2 lens and HX-18 flash [1]. The lens was only manufactured for this set, so examples are unavailable except in conjunction with the limited-edition kit or the (apparently few) occasions where components of the kit have been separated. This means that most are held by collectors or those willing to pay "collectible" prices."
One reference to the 50mm is from Chasseur d'Image: "Compared to the Noctilux, the 1.2 wins and here noticably at every aperture, vigneting and distortion". However, I'm unable to verify the source (edition date). The diagram below is from an older design in LTM, not the modern M mount version.
The Konica M-Hexanon 60mm (58mm filter, 0.8m minimum focusing distance, 7 elements in 6 groups, 10 aperture blades) was introduced in 1999 at a selling price of US$1,600 for the Japanese domestic market, and 800 were produced. The design as follows:
Reference from Erwin Puts:
http://leica-users.org/v10/msg02766.html
"Through the Hexanon 1.2/60mm at full aperure flows less energy than through the Noctilux 1.0/50mm. In fact the Hexanon at 1,2 is equal to the Noctilux at f/1.4. When comparing the two lenses at their full aperture, one should be aware of the fact that it is a f/1.0 against f/1.4 game.
On test the Hexanon at full aperture produced medium to high overall contrast with excellent on axis performance. Very fine detail is clearly recorded, but tangentially oriented structured are recorded very softly. The overall effect of both orientations would be a softening of the contrast of fine detail. In the field chromatic aberrations can be detected as color fringes around the edges of outlines. Some curvature of field is also noticeable. The on axis performance extends over a circle with a diameter of about 8mm. Beyond this circle, image quality rapidly falls away, and in a small zone beyond the 8mm area, fine detail has good visibility with a low contrast. In the outer zones and far edges the outlines of bigger objects are quite fuzzy.
At a focus distance of 1 meter, this general behavior holds, but contrast drops over the whole image field. Some of the lens-elements of the Hexanon are large and have very thin edges. I could note some decentring. The report is based on the correct centring."
A page from the past in 1956:
With prices rising and sighs about soaring prices, especially the 50mm Summilux ASPH and the Noctilux, I think the M-Hexanons present good value a viable alternative.
A thread on the LTM 60mm is here: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53042
First off, size comparison:
L-R: Leica Noctilux f1, Konica M-Hexanon 60mm f1.2, Konica M-Hexanon 50mm f1.2, Leica Summilux 50mm f1.2 ASPH.
For the Konica M-Hexanon 50mm f1.2mm lens (62mm filter, 0.9m minimun focusing distance), it comes in a set together with the Millennium Limited Edition camera body. 2001 sets were issued to correspond with the year in which it was launched. According to the Wiki entry:
2001 Limited Edition
"Konica produced a chrome-finish Hexar RF camera, targeted for the year 2001 (the new millennium) in a limited release of 2001 units, supplied in a boxed set including a new M-Hexanon 50mm f1.2 lens and HX-18 flash [1]. The lens was only manufactured for this set, so examples are unavailable except in conjunction with the limited-edition kit or the (apparently few) occasions where components of the kit have been separated. This means that most are held by collectors or those willing to pay "collectible" prices."
One reference to the 50mm is from Chasseur d'Image: "Compared to the Noctilux, the 1.2 wins and here noticably at every aperture, vigneting and distortion". However, I'm unable to verify the source (edition date). The diagram below is from an older design in LTM, not the modern M mount version.
The Konica M-Hexanon 60mm (58mm filter, 0.8m minimum focusing distance, 7 elements in 6 groups, 10 aperture blades) was introduced in 1999 at a selling price of US$1,600 for the Japanese domestic market, and 800 were produced. The design as follows:
Reference from Erwin Puts:
http://leica-users.org/v10/msg02766.html
"Through the Hexanon 1.2/60mm at full aperure flows less energy than through the Noctilux 1.0/50mm. In fact the Hexanon at 1,2 is equal to the Noctilux at f/1.4. When comparing the two lenses at their full aperture, one should be aware of the fact that it is a f/1.0 against f/1.4 game.
On test the Hexanon at full aperture produced medium to high overall contrast with excellent on axis performance. Very fine detail is clearly recorded, but tangentially oriented structured are recorded very softly. The overall effect of both orientations would be a softening of the contrast of fine detail. In the field chromatic aberrations can be detected as color fringes around the edges of outlines. Some curvature of field is also noticeable. The on axis performance extends over a circle with a diameter of about 8mm. Beyond this circle, image quality rapidly falls away, and in a small zone beyond the 8mm area, fine detail has good visibility with a low contrast. In the outer zones and far edges the outlines of bigger objects are quite fuzzy.
At a focus distance of 1 meter, this general behavior holds, but contrast drops over the whole image field. Some of the lens-elements of the Hexanon are large and have very thin edges. I could note some decentring. The report is based on the correct centring."
A page from the past in 1956:
Last edited:
