Fujinon 55 2.2

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

There's been a flurry of discussions about the Fujinon lenses and how good they are, and I have never had one until this week when I found this old 'kit lens' in the local charity shop for �2. That made my weekly spend on lenses �5. Laughing

For that price I didn't expect much, although the lens I have is in unmarked condition with perfect glass - once I'd cleaned it.
But it surprised me.

All these were taken with a Sony NEX5 at ISO 800, I have adjusted the levels / colours ( Auto in Elements ), it was a very miserable day and the lens seems to be very muted with colour. I haven't sharpened them, and the 'Heart' picture is a large crop from a handheld picture taken at arms length in the rain. I'll go back to that and get a sharper picture.

this one impressed me greatly, it's a shot of a wonderful cast iron fountain depicting a boy riding a flying swan. And even on a grey and dreary day the water flowing over the surface, and shooting into the sky, will show up any CA straight away, and there's none I can see. It's also hard to get a sharp image with the water on the surface, but I have to say this is good.

I fully expected another lens for the cheap lens challenge, but this is a keeper. I've probably got sharper lenses, but on it's first outing in difficult conditions it did OK.

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

Can't complain for �2, but maybe the Nex is better than the lens Wink

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Not bad at all. The ladybird shot shows bokeh that reminds me strongly of a Tessar 2.8/50.

I have the X-Fujinon version and I must try it on my NEX-3 and on film in my AX-1. I also have the 1.9/50 so I will try that too, I loaded the AX-1 with Fujicolor 200, just waiting for the weather to improve.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

Being such a common lens there's plenty about it on the net, and most of that is fairly negative. But nearly everyone comments on the bokeh from this lens, which I'm interested in playing with. I think it might be a lens for certain occasions ?

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

You also read quite a few negative things about the Tessar, but it's a great lens.

These days I form my own opinions after trying things myself, horses for courses and such...

Fujinonuser · Joined: 06 Jan 2011 Posts: 128 Location: Germany

It's a truly sharp lens and it reminds me of a Tessar as well. I feel one has to experiment with it a little bit to find its strengths.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

One thing's for sure, I don't like the look of that bull!

Arkku · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 1416 Location: Helsinki, Finland

By the way, there may be two different M42 versions of this lens. At least there are two versions that differ in length, but I don't know if the optical formula differs as well� Strangely this most common M42 Fujinon is one of the very few that I don't have. =)

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

These were taken deep in the woods on a wet and murky day, hand held at ISO 400 and probably f4.
I've sharpened the fern picture slightly to get the stem a bit sharper, and I've adjusted the levels.
The tree stump might be f5.6 ? whatever it was, it's sharp.

I like the bokeh for this kind of picture, the background is still discernible, but it's blurred enough to not be a major part of the picture.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

I thought I'd sold this lens, I found it in a box again so I thought I'd give it another try. I'm glad I didn't sell it.

It doesn't like wide open, but it does like f3.5. It's actually seems better - sharper - one stop down than between f8 and f16 And this lens has some sharpness. It's a cheap, plastic, slow, 5 blade kit lens from some old Fujica, but apparently the 4 elements in 4 groups design is unusual - it's a 'unar' type lens, which I know nothing about. Whatever, using it today it's apparent that this lens delivers the much loved bubble bokeh with sharp highlights. It's also very free of CA / fringing.
All these shots have had some PP, just basic levels. f3.5 ISO 150 taken with the Sony A6000.

No bokeh, but it's a decent sharp picture with little distortion.

Not my picture but it has the optical plan.

Denkmusic · Joined: 21 Oct 2016 Posts: 1

Hi there,
I bought this lens with some oil on the aperture blades and I would like to clean it, but it has an unusual construction.
I've unscrewed back lens group and three small screws on the ring near the aperture ring, but after that I stopped cause there is nothing to unscrew anymore...
Does somebody know how to disassembly it?

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

I've never had mine apart, so I can't help. But, I honestly don't bother about oil on the blades of a lens UNLESS the oil is sticking the blades together and making it difficult to change aperture. With some lenses, certainly the bigger Pentacon lenses, it causes the blades to dislodge if the aperture is moved quickly. With my few oily lenses I just change the aperture slowly.

fks · Joined: 15 Oct 2015 Posts: 11

That was my first SLR lens, mounted on a Fujica ST605n. I wish I still had my old negatives. It was an OK lens on film from what I remember, but I mostly shot at f/5.6 or higher.

siudym · Joined: 27 Jun 2015 Posts: 73 Location: Poland

fujinon 55/2.2 (x fujica mount) , wide open, canon 450d:

#1

#2

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kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

siudym · Joined: 27 Jun 2015 Posts: 73 Location: Poland

a very characteristic background blur has this fujinon

#1 om zuiko auto-s 50/1.8

#2 x-fujinon

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

This lens could be called poor man's Domiron Smile

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siudym · Joined: 27 Jun 2015 Posts: 73 Location: Poland

wide open, 450d canon

#1

#2

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1658

I see here, as with another lenses, great jobs by the fotographers than a lenses with a real good IQ

The images posted here are well taken, knowing the particular character of the lens.

You use the lens in the right way, but not because the lens is very good.

Focusthrow · Joined: 12 Sep 2017 Posts: 209

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

I've missed these more recent posts on this topic, and that's a shame - there's some excellent pictures from this lens. I've still got mine, rarely used, but I wouldn't sell it, and I should use it more.

siudym · Joined: 27 Jun 2015 Posts: 73 Location: Poland

55/2.2, wide open, canon 450d

#1

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Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

Great images Siudym, I really like those. This old Fujinon certainly has character, it's a very useful lens. ( I think I bought another one recently, just because it was cheap Rolling Eyes

)

RnR · Expire: 2019-08-29

Very tidy work Siudym Like 1 small

/me adds another lens to the wish list... Rolling Eyes