Anyone have info re: Komura 90mm f/5.6 lens?

[ThinkDefyUnite]

I am about to acquire a very large (1.75 lb!) Komura Komuranon 90mm f/5.6 LF lens and cannot find ANY information about it at all. I have been able to find very limited information regarding an f/6.8 variation of this lens, but absolutely nothing regarding the f/5.6. I've searched through many, many forums and search engines and have consistently come up empty.

If anybody knows anything about this lens, please post a reply. It would be most appreciated.

Once I receive the lens I will post additional pictures, a full description, and my impressions of the lens in use.

Thanks all!!

Jim K.

[Joseph O'Neil]

I have one of these lenses, but the f6.3 (not 6.8 - or maybe i should double check) and have been using it for years now. Anything in particular you want to know about it? I used a large number of Komura lenses, and loved them all, save for the 210mm, a tessar type lens - which was sharp and lots of coverage - but was notorius for lens element seperation. This gave the whole line a bad name at one time.

But overall, save for that 210mm, I never met a Komura I didn't like. :)

The photograph attached below I took back in 1999, T-max 400 I think, using the Komura 90mm f6.3 lens. Enjoy

joe

[ThinkDefyUnite]

Love the smithy shop! Do you know the approximate coverage of this lens? How would you rate this lens for sharpness/contrast? Your photo looks plenty sharp and the contrast is beautiful from what I can see. Do you know when these lenses were made and how many were produced? Actually, any information at all would be fantastic, there's really nothing out there on the web that I can find. Thanks for the reply.

[B.S.Kumar]

I had one for a brief while, but sold it because it was a hassle to use on my Wista 45D. It is a nice, sharp lens, with loads of coverage. My post in the Buy/Sell forum is here:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=66457

Kumar

[ThinkDefyUnite]

I had one for a brief while, but sold it because it was a hassle to use on my Wista 45D. It is a nice, sharp lens, with loads of coverage. My post in the Buy/Sell forum is here:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=66457

Kumar

Thanks Kumar. For some reason I can't access that thread via your link.

Yeah, that lens is huge. I understand that in order to use it on the Wista you'd need to remove the rear hood on the lens and the GG on the camera, insert the lens on the front standard, then re-assemble the hood through the rear standard, correct?

[Philippe Grunchec]

I have a Super-W 6.3/75 (super sharp, but I think little movements) and a 3.5/152 (same).

It's difficult to find information about Komura lenses, I'm afraid.

[Joseph O'Neil]

I've never tried my 90mm Komura on my 8x10 (but now you got me thinking :D ), although I was told by somebody moons ago it would cover 8x10 straight on, but perhaps no movements in that size. But on a 4x5 I never ran out of room for movements. I've taken a number of church pictures with this lens, and contrast has been great. Below is another shot I did years ago, an old monorail 4x5 I had at the time, either delta 400 or t-max 400 (or maybe tri-x :) ), and I remember racking the front panel of that old 4x5 to the max to get the top of the steeple in, and still getting coverage to spare. yelllow filter used too. Stopped right down to F32 or 64 I think, but the coverage was there while I was focusing wide open.



the only "drawback" for that lens if you will is the large size. I'm the kind of guy who likes to back pack with a lightweight camera and a bunch of F8 or F9 lenses. This Komura reminds me of the "Holy Hand Grenade" (aka Monty python) in it's size. but on my monorail or my Zone V1, it's a great lens, as I never run out of coverage.

Oh yes, one more thing - i remember it having (or has) an odd size filter. I have some old WW2 aerial camera lens filters (yellow and red - although the yellow is more amber than yellow), and I just hang one off the front of the Komura when I use it

enjoy

:)

[B.S.Kumar]

I think you can't access the Buy/Sell forum because you haven't been a member for 30 days. This is what I wrote:
The end cap sizes are 100mm, and it won't fit into the 80mm opening on the Wista. The only way to use it is to unscrew the "hood" on the rear element, mount the lens, compress the bellows, remove the groundglass and screw in the hood. Reverse the procedure when removing the lens from the camera.

Kumar


Thanks Kumar. For some reason I can't access that thread via your link.

Yeah, that lens is huge. I understand that in order to use it on the Wista you'd need to remove the rear hood on the lens and the GG on the camera, insert the lens on the front standard, then re-assemble the hood through the rear standard, correct?

[ThinkDefyUnite]

I have one of these lenses, but the f6.3 (not 6.8 - or maybe i should double check) and have been using it for years now. Anything in particular you want to know about it? I used a large number of Komura lenses, and loved them all, save for the 210mm, a tessar type lens - which was sharp and lots of coverage - but was notorius for lens element seperation. This gave the whole line a bad name at one time.

But overall, save for that 210mm, I never met a Komura I didn't like. :)

The photograph attached below I took back in 1999, T-max 400 I think, using the Komura 90mm f6.3 lens. Enjoy

joe

Yes, you are correct re: f6.3. That is the only Komura 90mm lens that I have been able to get any information on.

[ThinkDefyUnite]

I think you can't access the Buy/Sell forum because you haven't been a member for 30 days. This is what I wrote:
The end cap sizes are 100mm, and it won't fit into the 80mm opening on the Wista. The only way to use it is to unscrew the "hood" on the rear element, mount the lens, compress the bellows, remove the groundglass and screw in the hood. Reverse the procedure when removing the lens from the camera.

Kumar

Yep, thanks Kumar. I am a newb to this forum, still waiting out my 30-day "sentence"! I don't blame you for selling that Komura, it's way too much of a hassle for the Wista. Cheers!

[ThinkDefyUnite]

I've never tried my 90mm Komura on my 8x10 (but now you got me thinking :D ), although I was told by somebody moons ago it would cover 8x10 straight on, but perhaps no movements in that size. But on a 4x5 I never ran out of room for movements. I've taken a number of church pictures with this lens, and contrast has been great. Below is another shot I did years ago, an old monorail 4x5 I had at the time, either delta 400 or t-max 400 (or maybe tri-x :) ), and I remember racking the front panel of that old 4x5 to the max to get the top of the steeple in, and still getting coverage to spare. yelllow filter used too. Stopped right down to F32 or 64 I think, but the coverage was there while I was focusing wide open.



the only "drawback" for that lens if you will is the large size. I'm the kind of guy who likes to back pack with a lightweight camera and a bunch of F8 or F9 lenses. This Komura reminds me of the "Holy Hand Grenade" (aka Monty python) in it's size. but on my monorail or my Zone V1, it's a great lens, as I never run out of coverage.

Oh yes, one more thing - i remember it having (or has) an odd size filter. I have some old WW2 aerial camera lens filters (yellow and red - although the yellow is more amber than yellow), and I just hang one off the front of the Komura when I use it

enjoy

:)

Nice shot of the church. Which 90mm Komura did you use? 6.3? 5.6? Other?

[ThinkDefyUnite]

I have a Super-W 6.3/75 (super sharp, but I think little movements) and a 3.5/152 (same).

It's difficult to find information about Komura lenses, I'm afraid.

Thanks Philippe! Yes, it's very difficult coming up with any kind of info on the Komuras, no docs, no specs, no pictures, nothing. Just nice lenses and satisfied users, I guess that's the bottom line, no?

[ThinkDefyUnite]

Okay, here is whatever info that I did manage to dig up on Komura in general and the 90mm in particular:

From a Japanese Blog translated into English:


Super-W-Komura 90mm F6.3
Wide-angle lenses for large format camera in the 1970s, 90mm F6.3 Supawaidokomura arrived. This lens is not well known.
- Key Specifications;
- Lens construction: 8 elements in 5 groups
- Comprehensive angle: 106 °
- Image Circle: 240 mm
- Screen Size for: 5x7 inches
- Shutter: COPAL No. 0

From film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk forum (user Numnutz):


Here is the Komura entry from the Lens Vade Mecum 2nd edition, edited to just show large format stuff, which isn't much.

Komura (Sankyo Kohkei), Japan.
Later in 1975 as Komura Lens Manufacturing Ltd, 17-3, Kasuga 2-chome, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan.

This brand was sold in the UK in the 1960-1970 period, in M39x26 and rather later SLR mounts. It often offered
rather high speed designs in mounts of excellent appearance. They are relatively heavy and have brass
focusing helices. Note how relatively near the serial numbers are. Review Camera 35, Dec 1966, p48 for a
mixed set of M39 and SLR lenses.) There were also a few Contax fit lenses such as the f3.5/135mm listed
below.
[The B.J.P. 08/05/1981 p464 mentions the insolvency of Komura in 1980 and the probability that a binocular
maker would adopt the plant.]
There seem to be a parallel set of large format lenses as Commercial Komuras as a:
Commercial Komura f6.3/210mm No210,55x was noted fitted to a Hasselblad 500C at auction.

Komura lenses for reflex housing and SLR's was made in longer sizes such as:
f3.5,200mm; f3.5, 300mm; f6.3, 400mm; f7.0, 500mm; f8.0, 800mm; in c.1961-1968.
Some of these match Viso 111. These are in a shortened tube and adaptable to most SLR's. One seen was a
500mm f7.0, at Nr 1,238,83x, as a short head, which had been removed from the focusing unit. It is a 2+i+2
tele, covering a fairly large field. Sharpness was really good and 6x9cm was covered.
An impressive but undated unit had a focussing mount with scales for 300, 400, 500mm lenses which were
supplied to fit the front interchangably. It was relatively bulky and may have been for 6x6cm as well as 35mm
use. The lens head at Komuranon f7/500mm No501001x resembles the f7/500mm above, but the unit looks
later in date and the front curve is flatter.


"Komura Fish" A large format fish lens has been mentioned at say 30mm but no details are known. It will be
scarce or rare.
Komura f6.8 47mm This was 8 glass in 1972 for 95° in Copal MXV shutter.
Komura f5.6 75mm "Super Wide"
Komura f5.6 90mm
Komura f6.3 90mm "Super Wide"
Komura f2.8 152mm in Copal No3.
Hexanon f4.5 180mm This seems to be a large format lens under the Hexanon name.These were of
6-glass design
Komura f6.3 210mm in Copal No1.
Komura f5.0 300mm.
Komuranon f8.0 400mm


That's pretty much all I've been able to find. I can only assume that the specs for the 90mm f5.6 are similar to the f6.3 but I may find that to be incorrect.

Pictures of Komura 90mm f6.3 below.

[Philippe Grunchec]

Don't forget Seth's page!
http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/komura_1.html

[ThinkDefyUnite]

Don't forget Seth's page!
http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/komura_1.html

Nice!!! But curiously no 90mm....

Thanks Philippe!

[Joseph O'Neil]

Nice shot of the church. Which 90mm Komura did you use? 6.3? 5.6? Other?

Hi;
it was / is the F6.3.
joe

[Joseph O'Neil]

Nice!!! But curiously no 90mm....

Thanks Philippe!

..and no 210mm either, and i know they existed, I used to own one.
joe

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

As mentioned, there are two different versions of the 90mm Komura. The 90mm f6.3 is the older of the two and is a retrofocus design, which has both its benefits and its consequences.

The f5.6 version is a 7/5 design with a 220mm image circle and is not a retrofocus design - which means shorter bellows draw for infinity focus, but better performance, particularly in the corners when using movements. It was made during the early 1980s (~1980 - 1984). It was also sold briefly (1980) by Calumet as part of their Caltar-Pro series. The 7/5 construction and 220mm image circle spec I listed are from a 1980 Calumet catalog.

Kerry

[ThinkDefyUnite]

As mentioned, there are two different versions of the 90mm Komura. The 90mm f6.3 is the older of the two and is a retrofocus design, which has both its benefits and its consequences.

The f5.6 version is a 7/5 design with a 220mm image circle and is not a retrofocus design - which means shorter bellows draw for infinity focus, but better performance, particularly in the corners when using movements. It was made during the early 1980s (~1980 - 1984). It was also sold briefly (1980) by Calumet as part of their Caltar-Pro series. The 7/5 construction and 220mm image circle spec I listed are from a 1980 Calumet catalog.

Kerry

Thanks Kerry! Very useful information indeed. Cheers!