peterm1
Veteran
Over the past year or so I came to realize the Stirling reputation of Konica lenses - they were always a bit of a "sleeper" to me.
In any event some months ago, I had the opportunity to buy some Konica lenses due to a local camera store having a few on sale fairly inexpensively from a deceased estate.
Over a period of a few months last year and late the year before, I ended up buying their highly regarded Hexanon AR 135mm f3.2 (often said anecdotally to be one of the sharpest classic 135mm lenses ever ) and AR 50mm f1.7 plus a mammoth and weighty zoom - the Hexanon AR 28-135mm f4-4.6. All were inexpensive for me to buy, though to an obvious high standard. Konica's build quality seems second to none.
Both the 135mm and the zoom I find to be a bit too big to be comfortable on most mirrorless cameras, especially the latter which is not only big but heavy (the 135mm is not heavy - just relatively large and long) but I expect big things from the 50mm f1.7. I have read and been told that the Japanese 50mm f1.7 lenses of that era were all built to the Zeiss Planar design which were manufactured under licence in Japan, mostly by Yashica at their Tomioka plant for themselves and on behalf of other Japanese makers, though I suspect the Konica one may have been made by that company given its skills in the field. Not sure though. In any event being a "mere" f1.7 lens it is normally quite cheap to buy - the f1.4 which also has a high reputation is somewhat dearer.
The zoom, having an f4 maximum aperture can also be taxing apart from its weight, in that it does not seem to respond quite so well to use of focus peaking, making it a bit harder to focus quickly. Though its contrast is very good. (Normally I have focus peaking issues with low contrast lenses for obvious reasons). One unusual aspect of it apart from its size is the that its focus throw is exceedingly short. Only 90 degrees from nearest focus to infinity. This does not help with focus accuracy but I suppose its slow maximum aperture helps hit focus.
I have not had the chance to do any serious photography or even testing of them on my mirrorless kit - just a few random photos around the house but will do so in the near future. I would be interested in seeing other people's examples of pictures as well as hearing your impressions of the above or any other of their lenses.
In any event some months ago, I had the opportunity to buy some Konica lenses due to a local camera store having a few on sale fairly inexpensively from a deceased estate.
Over a period of a few months last year and late the year before, I ended up buying their highly regarded Hexanon AR 135mm f3.2 (often said anecdotally to be one of the sharpest classic 135mm lenses ever ) and AR 50mm f1.7 plus a mammoth and weighty zoom - the Hexanon AR 28-135mm f4-4.6. All were inexpensive for me to buy, though to an obvious high standard. Konica's build quality seems second to none.
Both the 135mm and the zoom I find to be a bit too big to be comfortable on most mirrorless cameras, especially the latter which is not only big but heavy (the 135mm is not heavy - just relatively large and long) but I expect big things from the 50mm f1.7. I have read and been told that the Japanese 50mm f1.7 lenses of that era were all built to the Zeiss Planar design which were manufactured under licence in Japan, mostly by Yashica at their Tomioka plant for themselves and on behalf of other Japanese makers, though I suspect the Konica one may have been made by that company given its skills in the field. Not sure though. In any event being a "mere" f1.7 lens it is normally quite cheap to buy - the f1.4 which also has a high reputation is somewhat dearer.
The zoom, having an f4 maximum aperture can also be taxing apart from its weight, in that it does not seem to respond quite so well to use of focus peaking, making it a bit harder to focus quickly. Though its contrast is very good. (Normally I have focus peaking issues with low contrast lenses for obvious reasons). One unusual aspect of it apart from its size is the that its focus throw is exceedingly short. Only 90 degrees from nearest focus to infinity. This does not help with focus accuracy but I suppose its slow maximum aperture helps hit focus.
I have not had the chance to do any serious photography or even testing of them on my mirrorless kit - just a few random photos around the house but will do so in the near future. I would be interested in seeing other people's examples of pictures as well as hearing your impressions of the above or any other of their lenses.
