Heads-Up Hexanon 60/1.2 LTM

[foto_fool]

Noriaki at MatsuiyaStore is selling one of these rare beasties:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=150133044305&rd=1&rd=1

(Note all the usual disclaimers - no interest, relation to seller, etc.)

On his site Stephen notes that this lens sold for about $1600 new. A Hong Kong seller has another listed with BIN of $3000.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Konica-60mm-f1-2-limited-fit-LEICA-Noctilux-50mm_W0QQitemZ320129559935QQihZ011QQcategoryZ30063QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

More lens than the Canon 50's but less than the Noctilux? Somebody buy these before I make a fool of myself again :bang: .

 

[charjohncarter]

Don't post stuff like this, it's too hard to resist. If I don't know about it, then I won't want to buy it.

 

[JohnM]

What camera was that lens made for?

60mm seems like an odd focal length.

 

[peter_n]

It's a Leica thread mount lens.

 

[CameraQuest]

get a used Noctilux for about the same price
faster & a better performer.

Stephen

 

[ferider]

get a used Noctilux for about the same price
faster & a better performer.

Stephen

It would be great to see some photos documenting this, Stephen.

Due to the additional focal length the DOF is very similar.

Here are some photos taken with the Hexanon 50/1.2:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41611

Outstanding, IMO.

Roland.

 

[Trius]

60 does seem like an odd focal length, but it's in a range that fascinates me. The common step up from 50 is 90 or 100, especially in the SLR world, with 75 being a standard in the RF world. But for isolation, e.g. candid portrait when one is near the subject, 100 is too long about 90% of the time. I don't have a 75, so can't comment. I do have a Helios 44-M in M42 mount, and it is 58mm, close enough for jazz to 60mm. My first trip out with it I found I really liked that focal length. The next thing is to try it for candid portraiture.

Earl

(OT: I sold my M42 body, so now am looking for a replacement.... looking for an Olympus FTL or perhaps a Fujica ST-801.)

 

[peter_n]

get a used Noctilux for about the same price
faster & a better performer.

Stephen

The last 6 used Noctilux lens sold on eBay averaged out at $3438/per. One of them ("like new condition") sold for $4300. 😱 This Hexanon is at $1425 with 9 hours left. Let's see if it gets near the Noctilux average.

 

[Spider67]

60 does seem like an odd focal length, but it's in a range that fascinates me. The common step up from 50 is 90 or 100, especially in the SLR world, with 75 being a standard in the RF world. But for isolation, e.g. candid portrait when one is near the subject, 100 is too long about 90% of the time. I don't have a 75, so can't comment. I do have a Helios 44-M in M42 mount, and it is 58mm, close enough for jazz to 60mm. My first trip out with it I found I really liked that focal length. The next thing is to try it for candid portraiture.

Earl

(OT: I sold my M42 body, so now am looking for a replacement.... looking for an Olympus FTL or perhaps a Fujica ST-801.)

Same with me! I loved the older model of the Helios 58mm as it was between norma- and telelens and with it minimum range of 0,5 mm even somthing like a Makro lens for me. I used it with an adapter on my Nikon FG (as the FG had no DOF control button). I even used it on my FM. With time i learned that i also had been extremely lucky with thge adpter I had as other adpters of the same compyn simply did not work

 

[foto_fool]

get a used Noctilux for about the same price
faster & a better performer.

Stephen

I sure haven't seen any Noctiluxi going for less than $3k lately - and certainly not a 50mm/f1.2 Noctilux. I'm with Roland on this one, Stephen - do you have comparison photos?

I don't know why I'm even THINKING of bidding! I have the Canon 50/0.95 and a Zuiko 50/1.2 - both of which I love dearly. And this IS a weird focal length...

But 50mm framelines should be OK - kind of like using the 35mm framelines with the 40mm Nokton. It is just such a beautiful piece of work! And the Hexanon 50mm/2 is so good. And it would work out to a 90mm on the R-D1 (where my Canon front-focuses). AAAARGH!

Nah, not going to do it :angel: .

- John

 

[alan davus]

Yeah, I've been watching this auction for a few days salivating, but having just bought one of Matsuiya's 35UC Hex's two weeks ago, I can only watch with some regret. Yes 60mm is an unusual focal length but I could find heaps of work for it to do. Notice it comes with it's own viewfinder, lenshood, Konica filter and leather bag. Konica really did things well. By the way, anyone out there in possession of the 50 2.8 collapsible Konica put out in the same series with the 35 and 60 LTM's?.

 

[venchka]

It's a good thing I changed my ebay password to something hard to remember, a dollar bill serial number, and left the dollar bill in my office. I can't sign on to bid. The last time one of these L mount Konica lenses was mentioned here I ended up buying one.

Now I just have to sit and watch. That's a good thing. That's a bad thing.

 

[venchka]

The Hong Kong seller also has the Hexar RF-50/1.2 set new for $4k.

 

[peter_n]

Konica really did things well.

Yes they did. Konica has always been about the highest quality. During their production heyday years the Hexanon lenses were used by the Japanese Ministry of Industry as the reference standard by which the quality of all other manufacturers' lenses were judged. Quality was always of the utmost importance to Konica and its a tragedy they bit the dust.

 

[akptc]

The Hong Kong seller also has the Hexar RF-50/1.2 set new for $4k.

This one (330138797213) looks like new and is a bit cheaper...

 

[venchka]

$1,800 and change. I think the last one went for a little over $2k. Either way less than a Noctilux or WAY more than a Canon 50/1.2. I don't get out at night enough to justify that.

 

[Doug]

$1,800 and change.

Yep, I was watching. I did faintly consider bidding, but would not have won it anyway. And that's just as well, nice as it would be; I just don't use such wide apertures, and one has to be so very careful about precise focusing. I do have 40 f1.4 and 50 f1.5 and those are sufficient.

 

[foto_fool]

Well I'm glad that's over and done. The winning bidder sniped in in the last two seconds of the auction, and $1,900 is probably a deal. With only 800 of this lens produced, at least there probably is NOT a next time.

- John

 

[venchka]

This is the second time this year. Maybe the second time in less than 6 months. There will be another time. Anybody have a feel for how big the lens is? What size filters? The Konica 50/1.2 uses 62mm filters. That's big by RF standards. Just curious. I wouldn't buy one of these lenses.

 

[peter_n]

Member StuartR has (or had) this lens and could tell you about it. I think it has a bit of a short focus throw for a lens this fast and it looks big too, but maybe it is a real value if you have LTM cameras. Stephen was a bit off in his pricing; that price was only 54% of the Noctilux eBay average. A used Noctilux has gone up around 75% in the last year. 😱