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Fujinon 2.2/55 - a Unique and Unusual lens.
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 2:01 pm    Post subject: Fujinon 2.2/55 - a Unique and Unusual lens. Reply with quote


The Fujinon 2.2/55 is one of the stranger lenses to come out of Japan. At first glance it may appear to be a triplet with an additional element, or a tessar derivative with the rear group split into separate, air spaced elements (not unlike some of Kodak's Anastigmat Specials) - but it's a bit more exotic than that. The front element is the leftmost one in this diagram and immediately behind it is the aperture. So if anything it is more like the 3.5/50 Elmar than a common tessar or triplet. This is a unique design amongst SLR lenses so far as I know.

This lens is known for two things primarily - 1: being rather soft wide open. 2: producing distinctive sparkling bokeh wide open.
Interestingly stopped down to f/2.8, less than a full stop down from max aperture the lens becomes immediately sharp in the center. Stop down to f/4 and it becomes sharp all over except in the very extreme corners, also the OOF areas become remarkably smoothly rendered in contrast with the lenses wide open effects.



Wide open - OOF is distinctive, specular highlights are loud, in focus highlights flare.



Above two at f/4.

Above at f/2.8

Apparently there are two different versions of this lens in M42, but I don't think they vary optically. Mine is the later version with the tab on the aperture ring that engaged the original Fujica SLRs meters for open aperture metering. I'm impressed by how sharp this lens is given all of the mediocre reviews it gets online. I also quite like both the smoothness of rendering at middle apertures and the sparkly rendering WO. It gives a very Meyer-ish character I think.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'd rather call that a modified Cooke triplet. But indeed, it has a unique bokeh.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting. Good article. I was wondering about this lens.
Seems odd that Fujica went with it but I guess it was an economy measure.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That is interesting, feel free to post more pictures.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've had a couple of copies of this lens, didn't like it, soft until f4, wierd colours.

Basic Ernostar of 1924:



The lens is sort of an Ernostar, there is a similar lens to be had - the Prakticar 2.4/50 which is an Ernostar and is a better lens than the Fujinon imho.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I've had a couple of copies of this lens, didn't like it, soft until f4, wierd colours.

Basic Ernostar of 1924:



The lens is sort of an Ernostar, there is a similar lens to be had - the Prakticar 2.4/50 which is an Ernostar and is a better lens than the Fujinon imho.


It is sort of like a reverse ernostar I guess. I have no complaints about the sharpness, it is no worse really than most fast 50s - it is comparable really in terms of sharpness to the Vivitar 1.4/55 I have, and by f/4 it is sharp enough that at least on the web nothing in my collection will appear noticeably sharper.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 12:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I found this lens very interesting. The problem is that most copies in M42 has plastic barrel that always disintegrates after the first used. I think Fuji-mount is okay but I have only seen one.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 12:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
The lens is sort of an Ernostar, there is a similar lens to be had - the Prakticar 2.4/50 which is an Ernostar and is a better lens than the Fujinon imho.



More like an Unar to me.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Unar and most other 4/4 designs place the aperture in the center of all of the elements, whereas here it is placed immediately behind the first element.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Right, but the specular highlight is pronounced wide-open where the aperture location is irrelevant. Very Happy


PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
tao wrote:
Right, but the specular highlight is pronounced wide-open where the aperture location is irrelevant. Very Happy

+1

We like special lenses.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nothing special about this one.


PostPosted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Maybe not special, but pretty interesting. I'm a fan now, but I've got to see how it performs on film yet.


PostPosted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


Here's my copy of the lens, part of a $3 camera. Someone has been chipping away at it.

Thank you for posting that interesting article on the design, I had no idea. I kind of like it, especially my copy...

Some samples from the above combo, CVS 400 film, agfa minilab scan

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 2:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have this one in M42. It isn't in great shape, but I will have to play with the Bokeh.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 6:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
kenetik wrote:
I have this one in M42. It isn't in great shape, but I will have to play with the Bokeh.


I have only two in Fuji (?) mount, which is not easy to adapt to Canon.
Have bought it some time ago for the soap buble bokeh and special lens design, but not used yet :-/


PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kenetik wrote:
I have this one in M42. It isn't in great shape, but I will have to play with the Bokeh.


I have one as well, and I rarely used it. I'll try it again and see why I rarely used it.


PostPosted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 4:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nesster wrote:
Here's my copy of the lens, part of a $3 camera. Someone has been chipping away at it.


Thank you for sharing. That was $3 well spent.
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