a suggestion about Konica AR lenses

versanteest · Joined: 13 Jan 2013 Posts: 137

Hi ,

I frequently read your posts in mflenses.

I have a Olympus EPL3 with standard lenses (14-42) and I want start to use fixed lenses.
Unfortunately, I haven't large budget, so I'm thinking at these two lenses:

- Konica Hexanon 24/2.8 ( for street)

- Konica Hexanon AR 40 mm / F1.8 (for portrait)

I have some dubt about konica 24, because with crop factor (x2) I'll have an 48 mm ...little anonym measure.

So what do you think about these two lenses ? are good ? Have you some suggest about streets/large angle lens ? Rolling Eyes

Thank you for support.

Regards

Pasquale

yinyangbt · Expire: 2012-12-27

Not the best solution for MF lenses wide angle to use 2xcrop ,if you're on a tight budget . Very good lenses both those Konicas , heve them and like them both ( but on 1.5 crop)
For the EPL the 14-42 is a very good wide budget option .
wide primes ?
Pana 14 , Zuiko 17 , Sigma 19mm .If you want MF , the prices in this focals will be qite high for the brand lenses .
Try to find a Vivitar 17mm/3.5 . Very good and usually cheaper than the Tokina or Tamron 17. Maybe a 19mm Vivitar ?
But if you're really on the Oly body and wide angles I'd suggest to check the 9-18 mm Zuiko . Very, very good lens for m4/3

SXR_Mark · Joined: 12 Jun 2010 Posts: 506 Location: England

The Konica 40mm f1.8 would not be my first choice for portraiture. Old and fast 35mm lenses when used on digital cameras often show low contrast and a diffuse glow around edges when used wide open. This makes them look very soft indeed. The Konica 40mm is particularly bad in this regard (I have had three samples all the same so I don't think it is down to a poor copy). It is really excellent at f2.8, but I would never use it wide open. You should view it as a 40mm f2.8 lens, and I think you should aim for something that can be used at f2 for portraiture.

The Helios 44-2 58mm f2 can be used wide open with only slight loss of contrast. It makes a very nice portrait lens on 4/3 and is very, very cheap (but you may have to try a couple to get a really good one). I prefer the preset 44-2, but there is no reason not to go for a later 44M-x

If 58mm is too long for you, the I would look at the Mir 24-H (aka 24-N) 35mm f2. This lens is nice and sharp wide open and has great colours.

All the 50mm f1.4 lenses I have tried are not great when used wide open due to the diffuse glow issue mentioned above. The OM Zuiko 50mm f1.4 is amongst the best I've tried at f1.4 and is useable. It is much, much better at f2 and is an alternative sitting between the Mir and Helios.

If you really want something in the 40mm range, I would save up for the m.Zuiko 45mm f1.8. A truly superb lens. No issues using this at f1.8 at all.

To get true wide angle on 4/3, I think you are best sticking with the true m4/3 lenses like the Panasonic 14mm f2.5, which is really very good and is pretty cheap as well.

I do not do street photography, but my hunch is that you don't really need wide angle for that. A 24mm might be a good choice on 4/3. The Konica is not very cheap in my experience and I do not have it. Cheap alternatives include the Sigma Ultra-Wide 24mm f2.8 (which I do have) and the Ensinor (aka Clubman) 24mm (which I do not have but many people speak highly of). The Sigma only loses out (when used on 4/3) to highly rated 24mm lenses like the Nikon f2.8 (which I also have) at the very edges when used wide open. (I'm sure its a different story when used on full frame).