Komura lenses ?

[Luddite Frank]

I just a got a box-lot from eBay, containing a Komura 35mm f 3 (?) lens, in LTM.

It is black and chrome, and has a scalloped focusing ring, a la Exakta, and click-stop diaphragm. And coated glass.


I've never run across a Komura lens ... anybody else have one ?

Are they "any good" ?


Luddite Frank

 

[M. Valdemar]

Some of them very good. Some of the faster ones go for big money in LTM.

Google "Sankyo-Kohki lens".

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I have a 200mm F4.5 Komura in LTM. It is RF coupled. It's a decent lens, certainly not many RF coupled 200mm lenses around.

 

[John Shriver]

They were a reputable Japanese third-party lens manufacturer. Good enough to be imported by EPOI, who also were Nikon's importer.

They made a lot of interchangeable mount SLR lenses as well (Unidapter and Uni-Auto mounts). But they never made a meter-coupled interchangeable mount, so they fell by the wayside when T4, TX, and Adaptall mounts came out. They hung on making view camera lenses, Bronica mount lenses, and fixed-mount zooms. Then Bronica changed lens mounts, etc...

 

[dberger]

I just a got a box-lot from eBay, containing a Komura 35mm f 3 (?) lens, in LTM.

It is black and chrome, and has a scalloped focusing ring, a la Exakta, and click-stop diaphragm. And coated glass.


I've never run across a Komura lens ... anybody else have one ?

Are they "any good" ?


Luddite Frank

You got a Komura 35mm f3.5 lens. This is probably their most numerous lens, and it shows up on ebay fairly regularly. It is not a bad lens at all; as good as most other 35/3.5's from that time. The lens was rebadged by other companies, including Kyoei (Acall).

Sankyo Kohki was the manufacturer, and aside from Leitz, Canon, and Nikon, they probably made the greatest range of coupled LTM lenses -- from 28mm to 200mm; in 2 or more speeds for most focal lengths. They never made a 50mm (too bad).

Among their many lenses were some higher-end jobs, including in LTM:

36mm f1.8
80mm f1.8
105mm f2.0
135mm f2.8
200mm f4.5

As mentioned earlier, the first 3 are hard to find and priced accordingly. I have or have used each of these lenses, and the 36mm, 80mm, and 105mm compare well against similarly specified lenses from other makers. I have also used a Komura 85mm f1.4 SLR lens on a Minolta, and was impressed.

Cheers,

David

 

[rogue_designer]

I have a very good Komura large format lens as well. 210mm f6.3 - my favorite portrait lens, actually. It performs very well for the focal length. The only one better in that length I've seen is the big Rodenstock.

 

[peter_n]

They also make a 2x teleconverter kit for Leica M that includes a finder. I've heard they are pretty poor but I picked one up on eBay cheap a while back and I'm planning on seeing if DAG can do anything with it.

 

[venchka]

I bought the 28/3.5 new in 1970. Last year I came to the conclusion that it was not right from day one. Shame on me for not checking it carefully when I bought it.

 

[payasam]

Komura made a variety of lenses, though not in large numbers. I had an LTM 135/3.5 which was quite adequate. In the 1970s the Komura Telemore tele-converter for 35 mm SLRs was considered one of the better ones.

 

[Paul C. Perkins MD]

As a teeneager in the late 1960's I had the Komura sales brochure for both rangefinder and SLR glass. . . they had some delectable stuff. The one from Canon - however - just about made me frantic.

 

[raid]

I just got a Komura 35mm/2.5 in Exakta mount as a gift. It looks very impressive.

 

[zeitz]

No one mentioned the Komura reflex housings for LTM. Lenses were 200, 300, 400, 500 and 800mm. I've used the 300 and 400mm lenses, but they are not as good as the equivalent Telyt's. Dah. I've found Komura lubs to gum up over time and result in stiff focusing.

 

[raid]

No one mentioned the Komura reflex housings for LTM. Lenses were 200, 300, 400, 500 and 800mm. I've used the 300 and 400mm lenses, but they are not as good as the equivalent Telyt's. Dah. I've found Komura lubs to gum up over time and result in stiff focusing.

How much is a Komura 400mm 5.6 worth for SLR systems? $100? More?

 

[raid]

You got a Komura 35mm f3.5 lens. This is probably their most numerous lens, and it shows up on ebay fairly regularly. It is not a bad lens at all; as good as most other 35/3.5's from that time. The lens was rebadged by other companies, including Kyoei (Acall).

Sankyo Kohki was the manufacturer, and aside from Leitz, Canon, and Nikon, they probably made the greatest range of coupled LTM lenses -- from 28mm to 200mm; in 2 or more speeds for most focal lengths. They never made a 50mm (too bad).

Among their many lenses were some higher-end jobs, including in LTM:

36mm f1.8
80mm f1.8
105mm f2.0
135mm f2.8
200mm f4.5

As mentioned earlier, the first 3 are hard to find and priced accordingly. I have or have used each of these lenses, and the 36mm, 80mm, and 105mm compare well against similarly specified lenses from other makers. I have also used a Komura 85mm f1.4 SLR lens on a Minolta, and was impressed.

Cheers,

David

David,

You seem to know about such lenses. What about a Komura 35mm 2.5 in Exakta mount? Is it relatively rare or very common. The other 35m.25 I know about is the expensive Angenieux.

 

[zeitz]

Raid, the 400mm I have is f:6.3. I don't know about any other 400mm. The 6.3 has a 39mm mount, requiring a Uni adapter for anything other than the Komura reflex housing. The adapters are harder to find than the lens itself.

 

[dberger]

David,

You seem to know about such lenses. What about a Komura 35mm 2.5 in Exakta mount? Is it relatively rare or very common. The other 35m.25 I know about is the expensive Angenieux.

Raid,

Most of my experience with Komura lenses is with their LTM's. I have used the Komura 85mm f1.4 in Minolta SR mount, and I found it to be very good, even wide open. In Exakta mount, I once borrowed a Komura 135mm f2.3 (yes, 2.3) that I used on Topcons. That lens too was quite good, but very big, not convenient (it had a preset aperture), and not as good as the RE-Topcor 135mm f3.5; so, I gave it back. So, based on my small experience with Komura SLR lenses and my larger experience with their LTM fair, I generally expect all Komura lenses to perform well, including your new one.

Your lens is pretty fast for an early 1960's lens, but Komura seems to have been pretty successful in their higher-end designs. I would not be surprised if your lens suffers from distortion wide open, as many older wide angle SLR lenses do.

I have an old Komura catalog from 1963 that contains your lens. It is retrofocus, of course, with 7 elements in 5 groups. According to the catalog, the lens came with a screw-in hood. Komura indeed had a pretty advanced stable of lenses at the time (not to mention their medium- and large-format lenses); that catalog lists the 85mm f1.4 and a 135mm f2.0 for SLR's, along some of the fancy-pants LTM lenses I described earlier.

Cheers and Happy New Year,

David

 

[eia41]

I have two LTM Komuras: a 28/3,5 with both caps and lenshood, in a black leatherette velvet lined case, all original. Also a 105/2 with both caps. I bought these about 15 years ago (condition Exc+) for something like £110 (c.$150) and had very satisfactory results, especially from the 28mm one.

 

[raid]

David,

Thanks for the explanations.
My 35/2.5 was a freebie from Johan. I used it mostly at F 22 yesterday. Once I develop the film,I will share with RFF the results.

 

[ZorkiKat]

How about the 105/2,8? I'm waiting for one to arrive.

It's also listed above that there is a 105/2. Is this less common?

 

[raid]

Frank,
Is the current market value of such Komura LTM lenses lower/similar/higher to Nikkor LTM lenses?