Oddball Lenses from Yamasaki

[moltogordo]

A couple of years ago, I bought a Calumet 4x5 with a couple of lenses, one of which was a tiny Commercial Astragon 180mm f6.3. It was mounted in an equally tiny Seiko shutter. I let it remain in the camera closet for a couple of years, and finally took it a few months ago. It is decently sharp, very compact, and I checked up on it, and it seems to be made by Yamasaki, whoever they are. Here is a shot I took with it on my Linhof Color, with HP5 at 1:50 and 12 minutes. This is an 800 dpi quickie for illustration . . . the actual negative is very sharp.

http://www.pbase.com/moltogordo/image/166008047.jpg


So I got interested. I picked up a spare for 70 bucks on Evil Bay. Then I found a 90mm Stablemate, a 90mm f6.3 Yamasaki Wide Angle Congo, and it just arrived. A delightful little thing that should pair up well on my forthcoming tiny Itrepid 4x5. It cost me 100 bucks including shipping.

Any information about these lenses would be appreciated. Not very much on line and they're fascinating, obscure little critters. Cheap, too. Thanks.

[AtlantaTerry]

Yamasaki made a line of "Congo" lenses of which I have a 75mm and 210mm. Very nice.

[Randy]

I had a 250mm Commercial Astrogon (f/6.3 I believe) a few years back - very sharp and Contrasty. I also had an older 180mm f/4.5 Yamasaki Congo that I used on 5X7. The only Congo that I currently have is a 360mm that I use on 8X10 - wonderful lenses all.

[Paul Ewins]

I've got a 210/4.5 Commercial Congo, a 250/4.7 Congo and a 150/4 Soft-Focus Congo.

[xkaes]

Here is a website that lists CONGO lenses:

http://www.jck.net/congo/index_e.html

The page was last updated in 2009, so who know? Lots of nice lenses but no mention of anything wider than 90mm. I suspect, and others confirm, that some of these lenses showed up under different name plates. Kyvyx sold lenses under the Kyvtar and Symmetrigon labels from 90mm to 480mm, for example. I would not be surprised if these were actually CONGO lenses. Maybe they were all made by Yamazaki.

[Mark Sampson]

The company no longer makes lenses, I believe. They were sold for many years in the USA by Bromwell Marketing in Pittsburgh. They sold them under the Osaka brand; I don't know what other brand names the company had.

[Dan Fromm]

Yamasaki LF lenses were alsp sold in the US as Prinz lenses. Years ago I bought a 210/6.3 Prinz for its shutter and asked Yamasaki whether they'd made it. I got a reply. "Yes."

[xkaes]

The company no longer makes lenses, I believe. They were sold for many years in the USA by Bromwell Marketing in Pittsburgh. They sold them under the Osaka brand; I don't know what other brand names the company had.

Yes, the Osaka lenses ran from 120mm f6.3 to 500mm f9.5 -- at least a dozen lenses overall -- and some, undoubtedly, sold under other names, such as Congo, Prinz, Kvytar, etc.

[Pfsor]

Here is a website that lists CONGO lenses:

Kyvyx sold lenses under the Kyvtar and Symmetrigon labels.


-- and some, undoubtedly, sold under other names, such as Congo, Prinz, Kvyvtar, etc.

Now take a deep breath and write 10x - Kyvytar.

[consummate_fritterer]

Hmm... I think I have one of those 180mm somewhere... but where is it??

[xkaes]

Now take a deep breath and write 10x - Kyvytar.

I have no idea what that means, but I have the sales brochures.

Out here in Colorado, we just take a deep puff.

[Pfsor]

Ok, I translate - the name is Kyvytar. Not Kvyvtar, not Kyvtar. Now take a deep puff and write 10x - Kyvytar. Colorado will be a better place to live in. Meanwhile keep your sales brochures.

[moltogordo]

Thanks guys!!! I've got enough now to keep myself informed and interested.

And this afternoon I now own the 210mm f6.3 Yamasaki Congo! Got it for $90 bucks US on Evilbay. I'll use this one on my 4x5 Intrepid. I think the 90, 180 and 210 make a nice set. The 210 covers 5x7 apparently!!! :)

[Maris Rusis]

I've used the Yamasaki Congo 210mm f6.3 lens on 8x10. Yes, the image usefully hits the corners, no movements though. At f22 or smaller corner image quality is (arguably) passable for contacts.