What Camera Body Can You Use For Konica Lens

Bayonet versions: F bayonet AR bayonet
Variations | Production codes | Hexar AR lenses

Introduction

A list of Konica lenses for the SLR system can exist found on the lens overview. From there y'all can get to the informations on specific lenses.

You won't find informations about third-party lenses for the Konica mount on this folio, as this would overstretch its limits. For informations about third-party lenses, a glance at the Medium Format Photography Megasite is always worthwile.

Over the years, Konica had extended their lens line-up to run into professional person demands. From fisheye to extreme long telephoto lenses everything what a photographer desires was available in the mid-70s – most of the lenses in outstandig quality, optically and mechanically akin.

When the new AR bayonet was introduced with the Auto-Reflex in 1966, things were different. The available range of lenses was not broad enough to run into professional person demands back so. This might take been one of the reasons why Konica chose to stick with the small-scale 40.five mm flange-film register of the F bayonet when designing the AR bayonet, thus having the possibility to mountain lenses of other manufacturers to the Konica bodies with elementary, mechanical adapters. From Konica, such adapters where available for the widely used M42 thread mount, for Nikon, Exakta, and the onetime Konica F bayonets. Lenses for these systems tin can exist used on Konica bodies from the Motorcar-Reflex on, but the aperture has to be closed manually prior to exposure.

Sadly, this decision for the small flange-motion-picture show annals had the effect that Konica lenses simply be used on very few camera bodies of other manufacturers with unproblematic, mechanical adapters – or at least cannot be focussed to infinity (∞) on these bodies. As almost all other SLR systems – autonomously from the early discontinued Miranda organization and the rather exotic Alpa system– accept a longer flange-picture register than Konica, the Konica lenses can almost exclusively exist used on Konica bodies. Despite the outstanding mechanical and optical quality of virtually Konica lenses it was therefore nearly impossible to sell the lenses to users of other systems.

The lens line-up has been continually developed over the years. New lenses were introduced, others were discontinued, lenses were redesigned, dissimilar coatings were used and so on. Due to this, there is a big diverseness of models and variants. A crude division can be made with the bayonet versions and the exterior characteristics.

Most of the Konica lenses have a fiter thread diameter of 55 mm, so that filters are needed only in 1 size. There are a few exceptions, however, especially with fast telephoto lenses.

Bayonet variations

F bayonet (until 1965)

• Diameter: 40 mm
• Flange-film register: xl.v mm

The coupling elements of the F bayonet
(35 mm / F2.8)

The coupling elements of the F bayonet
(Revue SR (Konica FP))

Lenses for the F bayonet fit the bodies prior to the introduction of the Motorcar-Reflex. They don't fit all later camera bodies and can merely exist used with the respective adapter on those. In that location are two variations of the F bayonet – one with a coupling for the aperture assault the lens to the light meter of the Konica F and one without this coupling for all other Konica SLR bodies of the F series. Every bit far every bit I know, lenses for each variation can be used on the other variation as well, merely I'm not absolutely certain about this. Certainly the coupled calorie-free meter of the Konica F will not piece of work properly with lenses that don't have the coupling lever for the aperture value.

All standard lenses and afterwards versions of near other lenses have a and then-called fully automatic aperture, meaning that the photographic camera body closes the aperture just before exposure automatically to the value that has been set manually on the lens before. Many of the early lenses still have a fully manual or preset aperture, the aperture has to be closed manually prior to exposure. Preset ways that the aperture value tin exist predefined on the lens – the aperture ring has only to exist closed as far every bit it goes, so afterward focusing you lot practise not need to accept the camera off the eye one time once again to fix the aperture correctly. Fully manual means that the correct aperture value has to be set exactly on the lens just prior to exposure.

AR bayonet (from 1965 onwards)

• Bore: 47 mm
• Flange-pic register: forty.5 mm
• Aperture value coupling from camera to lens (some exceptions with long telephoto lenses)
• Coupling for EE / AE position (automatic exposure) to the camera torso
• From approx. 1968 onwards (Autoreflex T) additional coupling for the widest discontinuity of the lens to the photographic camera body (for TTL metering)

The coupling elements of the AR bayonet
(28 mm / F3.5)

The coupling elements of the AR bayonet
(Autoreflex T2)

With the Motorcar-Reflex, the new bayonet with a larger bore was introduced in 1965. The Auto-Reflex does not yet meter through the lens (TTL metering), then the photographic camera'south low-cal meter does not demand to know the widest aperture of the lens mounted. For all after camera bodies with TTL metering this is important though, otherwise the light meter cannot give correct values.

For the TTL metering feature of the Autoreflex T, the new bayonet has once again been inverse two years after the introduction, an additional coupling for the widest aperture was added to the lenses.

Lenses which have this coupling fit on all Konica SLRs from the Automobile-Reflex onward, including the Auto-Reflex – whichever variation they may be.

Without coupling for
widest aperture
(Hexanon 52 mm / F1.8)

With coupling for
widest aperture
(Hexanon AR 52 mm / F1.8)

The early lenses congenital for the Auto-Reflex and missing that coupling are not suitable for bodies with TTL metering (all from Autoreflex T onwards), as the light meters of these camera bodies practise not provide correct exposure values with these lenses, so automatic exposure cannot be used. Stop-down metering is also impossible, as the EE lens'due south discontinuity is kept open up by the photographic camera body. The coupling can be retro-fitted, however – Konica themselves did this gratuitous of price for their customers back in the late 60s, which is i reason why there are so few lenses with the early version of the AR bayonet on the market present.

But from today's bespeak of view the retro-plumbing fixtures does not make much sense. The old lenses are probably more valuable if in original condition. The later lens versions already having the coupling are more easily found and tend to have ameliorate coatings, so that the purchase and retro-fitting of an former lens is not worth the endeavor – it is better to buy a newer version that does provide the coupling already.

On bodies with the sometime F bayonet, lenses with the newer AR bayonet cannot be used.

Variations

The lenses with the older F bayonet are almost all marked Konishiroku Hexanon. Only the 52 mm / F1.viii and 52 mm / F1.iv standard lenses that have been distributed in Germany by Foto-Quelle with photographic camera bodies under the Revue make are marked Hexar. The focusing ring is made of splined metal. The lenses take a chromed ring with the depth-of-field indices. The distance scales are on a separate metal band that is spanned effectually the lens and fastened to the lens barrel with a screw at each cease. The discontinuity ring is by and large on the front end cease of the lenses, not on the body side. They practice not have a mechanism for the transmission of the discontinuity value, the coupling just closes the aperture to the value manually attack the lens. Dissimilar from the afterwards AR bayonet lenses, the aperture stays completely open when the lens is taken off the camera torso with automatic discontinuity lenses. At that place are some preset or fully manual lenses without automatic aperture, that means the discontinuity has to exist airtight manually prior to exposure.

With the Auto-Reflex, the new AR bayonet was introduced in 1965. Externally, the matching lenses are quite like to the models for the older F bayonet, like these they have a splined all-metal focusing ring and a chrome band with the indices for depth-of-field. They are now marked Konica Hexanon instead of Konishiroku. Different from the predecessors they have a coupling for the aperture that allows for automatic transmission of the aperture value from the camera body to the lens and an EE position for automated exposure on the aperture ring without lock. There are some exceptions with long telephoto lenses that are preset and exercise non have the EE position, though. EE stands for Electric Eye.

With the introduction of through-the-lens metering (TTL) in the Autoreflex T in 1968, it became necessary that the widest aperture of the mounted lens is known to the camera body. The bayonet has been extended with a lever at the camera trunk that is actuated by a pin or metal fin on the back side of the lens. Early on specimens are marked Hexanon, later the lenses were marked Hexanon AR. The manner of the inscriptions has been changed, the blackness finishing is less sleeky than before. Apart from this, they expect like before, yet have the splined all-metal focusing ring, chrome ring and EE marking on the aperture ring, which now locks in EE position. Konica provided cost-free retro-fitting of the coupling, so fifty-fifty lenses from the Auto-Reflex era can take information technology today.

Hexanon
focusing ring
splined metal
with chrome ring
no EE lock
(52 mm/F1.8)

Hexanon AR
focusing ring
splined metallic
with chrome ring
(52 mm/F1.eight)

Hexanon AR
focusing ring
splined metallic
(28 mm/F3.v)

Hexanon AR
focusing ring
with rubber inlay
(50 mm/F1.7)

During the structure era of the Autoreflex T2 from 1970 to 1973 the chrome band has been dropped on the lenses. They are now all black, but still mostly take the splined, all-metal focusing ring and a xanthous EE mark on the discontinuity ring. The lenses are at present all marked Hexanon AR.

At the same time, the start lenses appear on which the splined, all-metallic focusing ring was replaced by the newer focusing band with rubber inlay with checky pattern. These new focusing rings could exist produced cheaper and were optically not equally stronly affected by employ as the blackened metal.

These changes were not fabricated simultaneously on all lenses – on ane hand, there are many lenses which are all-black already, not having a chrome band, but which still accept the splined, all-metal focusing band (i.due east. with 21 mm / F4, 28 mm / F3.five, 35 mm / F2 and F2.8, 52 mm / F1.8, 57 mm / F1.two and F1.4). On the other hand, there are some lenses which still have a chrome ring, but already have the new focusing ring with checky safety inlay (i.e. can be found with Macro 55 mm / F3.5, 135 mm / three.2, 200 mm / F3.v and 300 mm / F4.5).

Some time in 1973, the colour of the EE marker was switched from yellowish to green on some lenses. Then, in early 1974, Konica started to supersede the EE marking on the aperture ring with AE (for Automatic Exposure). Greenish EE markings seem to be rare, still. I'grand non sure they exist on all lens types available at the time; I merely have seen it on 24 mm / F2.8 and fifty mm / F1.7 lenses so far. Others seem to have inverse from yellow EE to green AE markings direct. Most lenses are at present marked Hexanon AR, only a series of entry-level, cheaper lenses made by third-party manufacturers are marked Hexar AR.

EE mark xanthous

EE mark green

AE mark light-green

From 1976 onwards – with introduction of the Autoreflex TC – some lenses have been redesigned to become smaller and lighter. With this redesign, the click stops for half aperture values take been dropped considering Konica causeless the users to use more and more the automatic exposure. The index marks for depth-of-field on the lenses take been simplified, some values have been left out. The lenses are marked Hexanon AR now.

After the introduction of the FS-1 in 1979, a smallest aperture of 22 was integrated into many lenses. But non every lens has been reassigned accordingly, some kept their smallest aperture 16 until the end of Konica SLR production. On some redesigned and newly introduced lenses, the circular push for the AE lock has been replaced by a long, rectangular push. The index marks and scales on the lenses, that used to exist engraved and filled with ink, have been changed to printed only. The lenses are marked Hexanon AR.

Round AE lock
button

Rectangular AE
lock button

With the introduction of the FT-1 and the TC-X in 1983, some completely new lens designs were introduced. These were no longer made of metal, but entirely fabricated of plastic. This can be seen at the focusing ring, that is plastic with checkered pattern instead of the rubber inlay that was used before. These lenses are also marked Hexanon AR.

Production codes

Starting from approx. May, 1972, Konica Hexanon and Hexar SLR lenses were marked with a product code, showing the production fourth dimension of the individual lenses. It seems that at this time the change from chrome ring to all-blackness lenses was already completed. At least I have never seen a chrome ring lens having such a production code then far. The codes were originally printed on the back side of the lens, with white ink. In the last years, Konica used blackness ink instead.

The production lawmaking always consists of a unmarried digit followed by a single majuscule. The digit represents the yr of product, the uppercase letter shows the respective month. The decade is not mentioned explicitly, so a »2« tin signify 1972 or 1982, respectively.

Not all letters of the alphabet exist in the production codes. Only the 12 letters A, B, C, E, I, Yard, M, N, O, Southward, T and Y can exist found, as Jean-Jacques Granas found out with an extensive database collected by himself. With these letters, the words »MY BEST KONICA« tin can be formed, which supposedly correspond the time guild:

• M – January
• Y – February
• B – March
• E – Apr
• S – May
• T – June
• 1000 – July
• O – Baronial
• N – September
• I – October
• C – November
• A – Dec

In this era, the Konica camera bodies wear the same production codes, embossed into a Sakura Picture sticker, which was typically put on the inside of the camera back. With photographic camera bodies from Federal republic of germany, these are frequently covered by a sticker from the importer and sales partner Carl Braun Kamera-Werk.

Hexar AR lenses

In the second half of the 70s, Konica introduced a serial of lenses which were marked Hexar AR. These were basic models which were sold for a lower price than their Hexanon AR counterparts of the same focal lengths. These lenses were manufactured by 3rd-party manufacturers on behalf of Konica, rumours say they were manufactured by Tamron. The serial consisted of iii lenses in ofttimes-used focal lengths:

The Hexar AR lenses were of simpler structure than their respective Hexanon AR counterparts. They are very sturdily built, simply a lot larger and heavier than the Hexanon AR lenses. Optically they are decent performers, just they can't keep upwardly with the Hexanon AR lenses of the same focal lengths.

All Hexar AR lenses exist only in one version. They all have the focusing band with condom inlay, a greenish AE mark, no clicks for half aperture values, and a smallest aperture xvi.

More pages on the Konica Hexanon and Hexar lenses:

Main page | Lens overview | Top of page
Guestbook | Eastward-mail | Banner / data privacy

Source: https://www.buhla.de/Foto/Konica/eHexanonHaupt.html

Posted by: bryantheareather.blogspot.com

Share this post