Sonnar2
Well-known
Since the original Ernostar was an 80/1.8 as well, I am assumining the Komura 80/1.8 to be of the same design.
Me too. Also for the 100/1.8 vs. 105/2. They should have the same basic design. In the late 60's -early 70's even Zeiss Oberkochen launched a lot of Ernostar designs for Contarex, Rollei QBM and later Contax-Yashica mount. And even patented them. Why should they had pay the patent fees when it wasn't pretty hot stuff?
V
varjag
Guest
I got two Komura 200mm lenses: the 4.5 in RF coupled mount, and 3.5 in Visoflex mount. They are OK for their age, but not stellar performers. The 3.5 is mushy in corners at all apertures, the LTM one is quite low in contrast wide open.
tooffy
Established
Two test shots with Komura80mmf1.8 LTM both taken @f1.8 with M8


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raid
Dad Photographer
I bought today a Komura 105mm 3.5 LTM.
Who has any information on such a lens? Roland said that it is a triplet. It may be my only tele with a triplet design.
Who has any information on such a lens? Roland said that it is a triplet. It may be my only tele with a triplet design.
jmilkins
Digited User
Komura 28/3.5 LTM
Komura 28/3.5 LTM
Here's a shot from my Komura 28mmm 3.5. Came with the case, hood and finder which make a great little package. The finder is neat - you can dial in parallax correction. Vignettes noticably even at 5.6 which I think this is. I don't mind.
It is a physically wide lens - won't fit with adaptor on the Hexar RF as the frame selector gets fouled. Fine on the Canon P.
Komura 28/3.5 LTM
Here's a shot from my Komura 28mmm 3.5. Came with the case, hood and finder which make a great little package. The finder is neat - you can dial in parallax correction. Vignettes noticably even at 5.6 which I think this is. I don't mind.
It is a physically wide lens - won't fit with adaptor on the Hexar RF as the frame selector gets fouled. Fine on the Canon P.

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johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Old thread, time to revive since something new is to be reported.
I purchased this from www.leicashop.com yesterday evening:
It's a Sankyo Kohki Komura 80mm f3.5 lens. Four-digit serial number, very early production. Could not find a thing on the internet about it. And I kinda like that, imagine if it turns out to be a very good lens!
Glass is said to be mint, minimal wear of use on the lens. No viewfinder, nothing known on lens caps.
I plan to use the lens on my Leica M3 on a regular basis, with Fomapan 100 Classic and Rodinal it might provide a very nice portrait rig.
Anyone who can tell me something about this lens? Any data on it would be greatly appreciated!
Oh, anyone got an original Leitz 90mm adapter for sale? Or possible other accessories to this lens?
I purchased this from www.leicashop.com yesterday evening:
It's a Sankyo Kohki Komura 80mm f3.5 lens. Four-digit serial number, very early production. Could not find a thing on the internet about it. And I kinda like that, imagine if it turns out to be a very good lens!
Glass is said to be mint, minimal wear of use on the lens. No viewfinder, nothing known on lens caps.
I plan to use the lens on my Leica M3 on a regular basis, with Fomapan 100 Classic and Rodinal it might provide a very nice portrait rig.
Anyone who can tell me something about this lens? Any data on it would be greatly appreciated!
Oh, anyone got an original Leitz 90mm adapter for sale? Or possible other accessories to this lens?
Attachments
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dberger
Established
Old thread, time to revive since something new is to be reported.
I purchased this from www.leicashop.com yesterday evening:
It's a Sankyo Kohki Komura 80mm f3.5 lens. Four-digit serial number, very early production. Could not find a thing on the internet about it. And I kinda like that, imagine if it turns out to be a very good lens!
Glass is said to be mint, minimal wear of use on the lens. No viewfinder, nothing known on lens caps.
I plan to use the lens on my Leica M3 on a regular basis, with Fomapan 100 Classic and Rodinal it might provide a very nice portrait rig.
Anyone who can tell me something about this lens? Any data on it would be greatly appreciated!
Oh, anyone got an original Leitz 90mm adapter for sale? Or possible other accessories to this lens?
Over the years, I have acquired 2 versions of this lens: one all black and the other a mixed chrome/black art deco job (with alternating chrome and black wide knurling on the barrel). They are identical otherwize, with a simple triplet design. It is a pretty nice lens, especially stopped down to >= 5.6. It makes for an ideal small and lightweight kit in plenty-of-light situations. Take it to the park.
Your lens differs from mine in 3 ways, however.
1. I have never seen an all chrome version of the Komura 85/3.5. In fact, I have only seen 1 all chrome Komura lens in LTM (135mm f3.5).
2. The aperture ring on my copies of this lens is very forward, nearer the filter ring, with the aperture markings even more forward.
3. The mount on your lens looks funny. My 2 versions of this lens are more proportional overall, with the mount section no wider than the barrel. On yours, the mount section looks bigger, almost like an afterthought. Could it be a remount (Komura made lenses in M42 and Exacta mounts) or an early version? Is the lens rangefinder-coupled?
Anyway, enjoy it.
Cheers,
David
dberger
Established
David,
for a moment you had me startled, but yes, it is RF coupled!
The original ad still is in Googles' cache here
The lenses you describe I was able to find on the net, seems the optical design on this one is no different, but it does have a completely different barrel and mount!
Weird, huh? Well, maybe someone will find this thread in due time and enlighten me!?![]()
Coupled -- that is good.
Ahhh - the original ad you linked provides some clues. The lens is listed as Sankyo Optical and it has a 4-digit serial number. I have quite a few Komura lenses in LTM (> 15) and all of them are marked "Sankyo Kōki" (or "Kohki") and have 6- or 7-digit serial numbers…except one. My all chrome Komura 135mm f3.5 LTM lens is marked "Sankyo Optical" and has a 4-digit serial number.
So, perhaps Sankyo's all chrome Komura LTM lenses were from the same early period, and afterward they changed to lighter aluminum barrels. This chrome period also probably did not last too long, since now I have only seen 2.
Cheers,
David
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rlouzan
Well-known
Hi,
Any idea what size UV filter/lens hood fits a 35mm f3.5 W Acall Kyoei?
Thanks,
RLouzan
--------------------------------------------------------------------
WTB: 35mm f3.5 W Komura, W Acall Kyoei, Telesar or Accura ltm lens.
Please send PM with details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Any idea what size UV filter/lens hood fits a 35mm f3.5 W Acall Kyoei?
Thanks,
RLouzan
--------------------------------------------------------------------
WTB: 35mm f3.5 W Komura, W Acall Kyoei, Telesar or Accura ltm lens.
Please send PM with details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
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dberger
Established
Hi,
Any idea what size UV filter/lens hood fits a 35mm f3.5 W Acall Kyoei?
Thanks,
RLouzan
The filter diameter is 34mm, so 34mm screw-in filters and hood will work. You can also use 36mm clamp-on accessories, which would allow use of series filters.
Cheers,
David
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raid
Dad Photographer
Over the years, I have acquired 2 versions of this lens: one all black and the other a mixed chrome/black art deco job (with alternating chrome and black wide knurling on the barrel). They are identical otherwize, with a simple triplet design. It is a pretty nice lens, especially stopped down to >= 5.6. It makes for an ideal small and lightweight kit in plenty-of-light situations. Take it to the park.
Your lens differs from mine in 3 ways, however.
1. I have never seen an all chrome version of the Komura 85/3.5. In fact, I have only seen 1 all chrome Komura lens in LTM (135mm f3.5).
2. The aperture ring on my copies of this lens is very forward, nearer the filter ring, with the aperture markings even more forward.
3. The mount on your lens looks funny. My 2 versions of this lens are more proportional overall, with the mount section no wider than the barrel. On yours, the mount section looks bigger, almost like an afterthought. Could it be a remount (Komura made lenses in M42 and Exacta mounts) or an early version? Is the lens rangefinder-coupled?
Anyway, enjoy it.
Cheers,
David
My Komura 105mm 3.5 LTM is RF and is in black. Is the 85mm better/worse/rarer than the 105mm 3.5?
dberger
Established
My Komura 105mm 3.5 LTM is RF and is in black. Is the 85mm better/worse/rarer than the 105mm 3.5?
Raid,
Regarding the quality of their images, I would say they are about the same: very nice, especially when stopped down >= f5.6. The 90mm Tele-Elmarit and M-Rokkor are clearly better lenses than the Komura 80/3.5 and just as small, so I grab those much more often. The Color-Heliar 75mm is also certainly better than the Komura, but I have not used that lens too much. Similarly, the Canon 100/3.5 easily surpasses the 105/3.5 Komura in both image-making and size/weight.
Having written all that, the slow Komuras are worth the effort in finding, and they are definitely worth taking out on a nice sunny day.
Regarding rarity: Based on my experience, the Komura 80/3.5 is much (MUCH) harder to find than the 105/3.5, especially at a reasonable price. I do not know what counts for its relative rarity, but I would guess that Sankyo simply made many fewer of them.
Cheers and good hunting,
David
Al Kaplan
Veteran
Komura was always considered a third tier lens maker until Bronica switched from Nikon lenses to Komura.
rlouzan
Well-known
Hi,
Any third party 34mm screw in lens hoods?
Rats, someone just outbid me on a nice looking 35mm f3.5 LTM Komura
on Evilbay.
If you have one and don't use it, I'll give it a good home if the price is right!
Reards,
RLouzan
--------------------------------------------------------------------
WTB: 35mm f3.5 W Komura, W Acall Kyoei, Telesar or Accura ltm lens.
Please send PM with details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Any third party 34mm screw in lens hoods?
Rats, someone just outbid me on a nice looking 35mm f3.5 LTM Komura
If you have one and don't use it, I'll give it a good home if the price is right!
Reards,
RLouzan
--------------------------------------------------------------------
WTB: 35mm f3.5 W Komura, W Acall Kyoei, Telesar or Accura ltm lens.
Please send PM with details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
je2a3
je
Komura 36/1.8 LTM
Komura 36/1.8 LTM
Nice thread, finally I found some relevant information on Komura lenses, thanks!
A few years ago I picked up this obscure 36/1.8 lens at a flea market. I'm not an expert and just shoot for fun but I like it very much and the fastest WA lens I own in LTM.
Here's a shot wide open using a Bessa-R:
Komura 36/1.8 LTM
Nice thread, finally I found some relevant information on Komura lenses, thanks!
A few years ago I picked up this obscure 36/1.8 lens at a flea market. I'm not an expert and just shoot for fun but I like it very much and the fastest WA lens I own in LTM.

Here's a shot wide open using a Bessa-R:

Al Kaplan
Veteran
Nice! You lucky guy!
David Murphy
Veteran
I saw some scans of Komura catalogs on the Internet somewhere in the last year or two -- I'll try to find them again.
David Murphy
Veteran
Here's the link, or at least one of them - enjoy!:
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...ure&hl=en&sa=N&um=1&ei=8N__SqPvEoPOswP7y-iHCw
(scroll down a bit to see the Komura catalog page image and click it)
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...ure&hl=en&sa=N&um=1&ei=8N__SqPvEoPOswP7y-iHCw
(scroll down a bit to see the Komura catalog page image and click it)
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raid
Dad Photographer
Raid,
Regarding the quality of their images, I would say they are about the same: very nice, especially when stopped down >= f5.6. The 90mm Tele-Elmarit and M-Rokkor are clearly better lenses than the Komura 80/3.5 and just as small, so I grab those much more often. The Color-Heliar 75mm is also certainly better than the Komura, but I have not used that lens too much. Similarly, the Canon 100/3.5 easily surpasses the 105/3.5 Komura in both image-making and size/weight.
Having written all that, the slow Komuras are worth the effort in finding, and they are definitely worth taking out on a nice sunny day.
Regarding rarity: Based on my experience, the Komura 80/3.5 is much (MUCH) harder to find than the 105/3.5, especially at a reasonable price. I do not know what counts for its relative rarity, but I would guess that Sankyo simply made many fewer of them.
Cheers and good hunting,
David
Hi David,
I agree with you on your assessment. I have better lenses, but I like my two Komura lenses (35mm and 105mm). Using some Fuji Reala for color or some XP2 for B&W, the Komura lenses can give very nice looking results.
Thanks.
Sonnar2
Well-known
That 58mm filter size is obviously wrong as the lens on Joseph's Leica II shows.
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