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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
Posts: 15685
Expire: 2014-01-07
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 Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:57 am Post subject: Komuranon 3.5/200 on NEX-3 |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I picked this up very cheap in mint condition, very nice looking lens, very well built. Sadly, performance-wise, it's a dog.
f3.5 - very poor, lot of glow and fringing, decent sharpness, decent contrast
f5.6 - poor, some glow, lots of fringing, quite good sharpness, quite good contrast
f8 - decent, a little glow on highlights, some fringing, good sharpness, good contrast.
Overall, it's usable at f8, but who wants a lens that is only good for f8 or smaller? Also, the min focus distance is a little over 3m which makes it useless for close subjects.
f3.5:
100% crop:
f5.6:
100% crop:
f8:
100% crop:
f3.5:
100% crop:
f5.6:
100% crop:
f8:
100% crop:
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I don't care who designed it, who made it or what country it comes from - I just enjoy using it! |
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
Posts: 15685
Expire: 2014-01-07
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:22 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Some less boring shots:
f8:
100% crop:
f5.6:
100% crop:
f8:
100% crop:
f5.6:
100% crop:
f5.6:
100% crop:
f8:
100% crop:
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 6627
Location: San Francisco, USA
Expire: 2018-01-18
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:24 am Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
later Komura. Rubber grip ?
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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. |
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
Posts: 15685
Expire: 2014-01-07
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:36 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Yup. This is it:
A couple of images it made I think are quite nice, first at f8, second at f11.
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
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Location: San Francisco, USA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:40 am Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
Pity. A handsome piece.
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
Posts: 15685
Expire: 2014-01-07
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:42 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
My thoughts too, very nice looking lens, very nicely built, feels high quality just doesn't perform very well.
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
Posts: 4060
Location: Charleston
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:13 am Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
As expected.
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Woodrim |
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
Posts: 15685
Expire: 2014-01-07
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 3:03 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
| woodrim wrote: |
| As expected. |
Why? Is your older copy crap too?
I tested a Kobori 28-200 zoom today as well, and it is a lot better at the 200mm end than this Komura, no fringing, no glow, about equal sharpness and contrast.
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
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Location: Charleston
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 3:27 am Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
No, in your earlier related post I predicted you wouldn't like it.
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
Posts: 15685
Expire: 2014-01-07
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 4:29 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
It's not a case of liking it or not, it's purely about the performance, and in this case, the performance is poor. Hard to like something that isn't very good. I like the aesthetics of the thing itself and the build quality, but the glass ain't upto much. Seems to have good coatings though.
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
Posts: 4060
Location: Charleston
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
So I was right, you don't like it.
I believe the later auto-aperture lenses like the Komuranon were not as good. Additionally, they didn't have the many bladed diaphragms. Still, the one I have isn't the easiest lens to use. It should be used where it performs best and not expected to do as well where it doesn't. I like it and get good results with it. I don't think you would.
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
Posts: 15685
Expire: 2014-01-07
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
A telephoto lens that doesn't perform adequately until closed down to f8 isn't much use really. Besides, even at f8 it's markedly inferior to my other 200mm lenses such as the Hexanon 3.5/200 and Topcon 5.6/200, so it isn't a lens I'll persevere with, I just picked up a Mamiya-Sekor CS 3.5/200 dirt cheap that I'm keen to try out.
The optical defects it displays - uncorrected spherical aberration and uncorrected chromatic aberration are to be expected on the one hand and quite surprising on the other.
Uncorrected CA is to be found in all non-APO telephoto lenses to some degree, APO lenses use exotic low dispersion glass to correct this, however this Komura is one of the least good 200mms I've tried as regards CA, the heavy purple fringing is something you see more often with old zoom lenses, the red and green fringing is really severe with this Komura too, most lenses display red and green fringing on out of focus areas but this Komura has it on areas that are in focus too.
Same place, same time , but Kobori 3.5-5.3/28-200, no fringing and sharer - the heat haze is apparent here whereas the Komura masks it due to lack of resolution:
What is surprising is the massive uncorrected spherical aberration that is so clear at full aperture and never fully goes away, even at f11. I suspect that this is due to poor QC and other copies would be better in this regard. Incorrect spacing of one or more elements is the probably cause. If you take a 4/3 tessar type and increase the spacing between the front two elements, you will get spherical aberration; portrait lenses with variable softness control add spherical aberration by varying the spacing of elements.
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
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Location: San Francisco, USA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
I think you are correct with the QC/spacing explanation.
I have been playing with fixing a Komura 500mm and I am getting better/worse results by changing spacing of the rear elements. Still looking for a "sweet spot".
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Good luck with the 500 Luis!
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
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Location: Charleston
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
| luisalegria wrote: |
I think you are correct with the QC/spacing explanation.
I have been playing with fixing a Komura 500mm and I am getting better/worse results by changing spacing of the rear elements. Still looking for a "sweet spot". |
I was hoping you would have better luck with that lens than did I.
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
I'm sure I could make my Komura look bad, but I prefer using it like this:
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
Posts: 15685
Expire: 2014-01-07
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I prefer to be honest about the capabilities of a lens than cherry pick examples in order to make it look like a good lens and pamper to my ego. 
A lens test is supposed to show what the lens does in a variety of situations and settings, both good and bad; only showing good examples is, quite frankly, being dishonest.
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
Sorry, Ian. I thought that picture was representative of what the lens could do. I don't keep my bad shots - out of focus, etc. I'm afraid that all these years of conditioning myself to take good pictures is a hard habit to break. However, to make amends, I just went through a little over 500 of my 3.5/200 Komura shots looking for one as bad as yours. I could only find this one that I didn't like much. Even has heat wave distortions.
If that one isn't honest enough, let me know and I'll go out and try to take a lousy shot.
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Last edited by woodrim on Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 6627
Location: San Francisco, USA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
The 200/3.5 preset is a different lens and very decent, or mine is anyway.
Komura did make bad lenses.
The 300/5 seems to be generally a turkey, as is the 200/4.5 preset.
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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. |
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
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Location: Charleston
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
| luisalegria wrote: |
The 200/3.5 preset is a different lens and very decent, or mine is anyway.
Komura did make bad lenses.
The 300/5 seems to be generally a turkey, as is the 200/4.5 preset. |
Correct. I've pointed out that mine is a different lens. I once mistaking bought one of the later lenses without realizing it wasn't a preset. And as you know, I couldn't get anything decent from the 500mm.
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Woodrim |
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Minolfan
Joined: 30 Dec 2008
Posts: 3437
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 12:06 am Post subject: |
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Minolfan wrote:
| iangreenhalgh1 wrote: |
| A lens test is supposed to show what the lens does in a variety of situations and settings, both good and bad; only showing good examples is, quite frankly, being dishonest. |
Yes, you can say so.
But on the end it is the most interesting how you can make the best pictures, using the lens from you collection that delivers the best under specific circumstances!? Otherwise we had better selected a small number of lenses with the most universal qualities and sold the rest. 
Part (most??) of the fun of searching nice (and cheap) lenses gone ...  |
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