Chinon 50mm f1.7 .... Not bad..

[Xpres]

I picked up this unassuming Chinon lens, like so many, as part of a kit. I wandered around the garden snapping a few flowers and was pleasantly surprised.
Quite sharp wide open and lovely bokeh - well to my eye anyway. I thought the later Chinon stuff was a bit third rate but maybe not?

All wide open but the last which was at f4.








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Film... and sometimes SD14, 5D2 and some other suff!

[Attila]

Very , very nice ! I especially like the last one! I never seen any bad Chinon lens or camera. They are always above avarage or excellent lenses.
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Attila - admin
Items on sale on Ebay


35mm: Konica A4, Konica IIIA, Konica FC-1
MF: Konica Pearl I,II,III 6x4,5 Konica Semi Pearl
Film: Foma,Kodak, Fuji DIY development C41, FOMA LQR
Scan: Epson V500, scanassist (http://www.scanassist.org)
Shutter tester: LCD tester from member vfmoto
Digital: Panasonic G1, Sony Nex-3, Samsung NX100
Lenses: Konica Hexanons,Carl Zeiss,Carl Zeiss Jena,Meyer-Optik,Minolta MD,Yashica ML,Nikon,Olympus OM
DIY E-6,C41 and B&W

[luisalegria]

Ditto on the third one ! Outstanding !

Though all are excellent.
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I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work.

[Farside]

That third one has punch.
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Dave - Moderator
Camera Fiend and Biograph Operator
If I wanted soot and whitewash I'd be a chimney sweep and house painter.
The Lenses of Farside (click)

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[patrickh]

#3 is truly excellent.


patrickh
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DSLR: Nikon D300 Nikon D200 Nex 5N
MF Zooms: Kiron 28-85/3.5, 28-105/3.2, 75-150/3.5, Nikkor 50-135/3.5 AIS // MF Primes: Nikkor 20/4 AI, 24/2 AI, 28/2 AI, 28/2.8 AIS, 28/3.5 AI, 35/1.4 AIS, 35/2 AIS, 35/2.8 PC, 45/2.8 P, 50/1.4 AIS, 50/1.8 AIS, 50/2 AI, 55/2.8 AIS micro, 55/3.5 AI micro, 85/2 AI, 100/2,8 E, 105/1,8 AIS, 105/2,5 AIS, 135/2 AIS, 135/2.8 AIS, 200/4 AI, 200/4 AIS micro, 300/4.5 AI, 300/4.5 AI ED, Arsat 50/1.4, Kiron 28/2, Vivitar 28/2.5, Panagor 135/2.8, Tamron 28/2.5, Tamron 90/2.5 macro, Vivitar 90/2.5 macro (Tokina) Voigtlander 90/3.5 Vivitar 105/2.5 macro (Kiron) Kaleinar 100/2.8 AI Tamron 135/2.5, Vivitar 135/2.8CF, 200/3.5, Tokina 400/5,6
M42: Vivitar 28/2.5, Tamron 28/2.5, Formula5 28/2.8, Mamiya 28/2.8, Pentacon 29/2.8, Flektogon 35/2.4, Flektogon 35/2.8, Takumar 35/3.5, Curtagon 35/4, Takumar 50/1.4, Volna-6 50/2.8 macro, Mamiya 50/1.4, CZJ Pancolar 50/1,8, Oreston 50/1.8, Industar 50/3.5, Sears 55/1.4, Helios 58/2, Jupiter 85/2, Helios 85/1.5, Takumar 105/2.8, Steinheil macro 105/4.5, Tamron 135/2.5, Jupiter 135/4, CZ 135/4, Steinheil Culminar 135/4,5, Jupiter 135/3.5, Takumar 135/3.5, Tair 135/2.8, Pentacon 135/2.8, CZ 135/2.8, Takumar 150/4, Jupiter 200/4, Takumar 200/4
Exakta: Topcon 100/2.8(M42), 35/2.8, 135/2.8
C/Y: Yashica 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 135/2.8, Zeiss Planar 50/1.4, Distagon 25/2.8
Hexanon: 28/3.5, 40/1.8, 50/1.7, 52/1.8, 135/3.2
P6 : Mir 38 65/3.5, Biometar 80/2.8, Kaleinar 150/2.8, Sonnar 180/2.8
Enlarg: Rodagon 50/5,6, 80/5,6, 105/5.6, Vario 44-52/4, 150/5.6 180/5.6 El Nikkor 50/2,8,63/2.8,75/4, 80/5,6, 105/5.6, 135/5.6 Schneider 60/5.6, 80/5.6, 80/4S,100/5.6S,105/5.6,135/5.6, 135/5.6S, 150/5.6S

[Richard_D]

Yes the third shot really stands out.

I think they're an underated manufacturer.
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Richard

The interesting bit:

Nikkors: 20mm f2.8 AIS, 24mm f2.8 AIS, 28mm f2.8 AIS, 35mm f2 AIS, 50mm f1.4 AI, 50mm f1.48AI, 50m f2 AI,
55mm f3.5 AI'd, 105mm f4 AI, 135mm f2.8 AI'd, 135mm f3.5 AI'd, 200mm f4 AI'd .
Nikon E Series: 100mm f2.8 .
Soviet Nikon Mount: Zenitar 16mm f2.8, Arsat/arax/photex 85mm T&S f2.8 .
Other: Asahi Super Takumar 55 mm f2 (M42) ,Tamron 300mm f5.6 SP, Tamron 500mm f8 SP.

DSLR: Nikon D700. 35mm SLRsNikon FE, Pentax S1a.
TLR: Rolliecord II.
Sub-Minature: Pentax Auto 110, 18mm f2.8, 24mm f2.8, 50mm f2.8.

More to come...

[voytek]

It is hard to underestimate Chinon brand in situation when OM manufacturer Tomioka Optical Co, Ltd was making lens for Chinon. Several Chinon lenses could be true Tomioka's lenses.
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Cheers, Voytek

[montecarlo]

I had one, with K Pentax mount http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/mfl_club_members/cosmin/chinon_50mm_f1_7/ . Sell it and bought a Pentax-M with the same characteristics.
I still have a 28mm Chinon ( http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/mfl_club_members/cosmin/chinon_28mm_f2_8/ ) .
Yes, the Chinons are good lenses (and of course the same relabeled lenses, like AGFA, REVUENON - be aware that not all Revuenons are Chinons !!!).
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Canonet QL17 III
Zenit E , Helios-44 58mm f:2.0 , Tair-11A 135mm f:2.8, Jupiter-9 85mm f:2.0,
Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f:2.4
Chinon CM4, Petri MC 28mm f:2, smc Pentax-M 50mm f:1.7, Soligor T 135mm f:2.8
Minolta X500, Tokina 28/2.8, Rokkor 50/1.7, 80-205/4.5
Nikon F80, Nikon D90, Nikkor 35/2.0, Nikkor 50/1.8, Sigma 24/2.8, Nikkor 18-105 VR

[Helios]

I have the 1,4/55 M42 (Tomioka well-known 1,4/55 ?) an original chinon and a revuenon - physically very close - , the 1,4/50 K (Cosina ?) -very sharp- the 1,7/50 M42 , 28mm f/2,8 M42 and a K version which is different , + the 3,3/200, 2,8/135 . The 3 50mm are from very good to excellent , (the 1,4/55 is perhaps the best) The 28mm are of constant high quality from f/4 to f/16 , the 3,3/200 K is very soft and never reach other 200mm (Takumar, Rokkor ...) , the 135 is like other members of that endless list of 135mm (over 300 different brands ? ) , not bad , not "transcendent", perfectly usable
Chinon lenses are probably made by cosina for the most recent "K" range , and tokina, tomioka, panagor for the oldest M42 .

The third picture is perfect . Yet the first one demonstrate the ability of this lens to give an infinite range of colors due to his medium wide open contrast .

[Helios]

I have the 1,4/55 M42 (Tomioka well-known 1,4/55 ?) an original chinon and a revuenon - physically very close - , the 1,4/50 K (Cosina ?) -very sharp- the 1,7/55 M42 , 28mm f/2,8 M42 (2 differents copies) and a K version which is different from the two M42 , + the 3,3/200, 2,8/135 . The 3 50mm are from very good to excellent , (the 1,4/55 is perhaps the best) The 28mm are of constant high quality from f/4 to f/16 , the 3,3/200 K is very soft and never reach other 200mm (Takumar, Rokkor ...) , the 135 is like other members of that endless list of 135mm (over 300 different brands ? ) , not bad , not "transcendent", perfectly usable
Chinon lenses are probably made by cosina for the most recent "K" range , and tokina, tomioka, panagor, and cosina too for the oldest M42 .

The third picture is perfect . Yet the first one demonstrate the ability of this lens to give an infinite range of colors due to his medium wide open contrast .

[Xpres]

Thanks for all the comments guys.
This is a definate keeper for me - might be good for portraits. It surprised me as I'd bought it with a CE-5 just for the PK mounts as I'd associated the later chinons with dixon's own brand cheapy slrs from the 80's/90,s. I'll be sure to check all that comes my way from now on.
So designed by Tomioka and built by Cosina?


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Film... and sometimes SD14, 5D2 and some other suff!

[montecarlo]

[poilu]

very nice result
for me #2#3#4
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T*

[Helios]

Tomioka worked as a design office and a manufacturer (Tominon lenses, Yashinon, Yashikor) , was integrated in the Kyocera group (Yashica-Contax) yet you have over 50% of chances that cosina , with Hoya , Goyo, Sun glasses and other were the real mfg of chinon lenses, on tomioka design ... The major part of japanese M42 lenses came from this kind of "business" . Cosina , the today leading lens designer and mfg work on customer specs , then you can have cheap brands which are on the poor spec's side , and on other side Voigtländer, Zeiss, even Leitz brands (on vidcams) , on a very high level specifications . And all the stuff beetween ....
It is very tricky to know who made what , this business started in the late sixties and is the common way today ..., but with a restricted number of designers and mfg's , its more easy nowadays.