MFlenses - A new life in a digital age
MFLenses 2026

Manual Focus Lenses Forum

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.
DiskFreeVault safely moves Mac apps and data to external storage.
Spotlight

Featured partner placement for the forum front page.

testing my lenses - part 112 - Konica Hexanon 40mm/1.8
Post new topic Reply to topic
View previous topic :: View next topic  


Post
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 12:20 am
Post subject: testing my lenses - part 112 - Konica Hexanon 40mm/1.8
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 12:20 am
Post subject: testing my lenses - part 112 - Konica Hexanon 40mm/1.8
Reply










Post
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 7:32 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 7:32 am
Post subject:
Reply
You show this lens well, in fact I think you can make an Osawa 28mm look good Wink For me on a film camera, with two of these lenses, it just misses out in being "razor sharp" compared to some of it's Hexanon brothers.


Post
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 12:15 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 12:15 pm
Post subject:
Reply
It's a good lens but one of the least good Hexanons, all the 50-ish ones are better, the 1.7/50 is a lot better.


Post
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 1:21 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 1:21 pm
Post subject:
Reply
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
It's a good lens but one of the least good Hexanons, all the 50-ish ones are better, the 1.7/50 is a lot better.


Totally agree with this. Main reason to own the lens is its small size, IMO ofc.


Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 12:08 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 12:08 pm
Post subject:
Reply
WolverineX, I'll summarize 2 quotes in your thread Wink

Phenix jc wrote:

(...DANTE STELLA...
2 capture sreens : )


#1

#2


Nesster wrote:
Konica lenses tested by Popular Photography in 1979

Konica Hexanon AR 40mm f/1.8
Konica UC Hexanon 28mm f/1.8
Konica Hexanon AR 100mm f/2.8



Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:05 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:05 pm
Post subject:
Reply
If anyone is interested you can get all the details of this lens from the patent filed in 1978....I found it on the net in pdf format


Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:13 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:13 pm
Post subject:
Reply
A bit strange they called it the sharpest 35mm lens ever. I've had three of them and none could rival the 1.7/50 for sharpness.


Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:36 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:36 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Phenix jc wrote:
WolverineX, I'll summarize 2 quotes in your thread Wink



Great post! Thank you for those excellent, authoritative, references.

This is a remarkable lens with high utility and wonderful resolution. Even more so when you consider our modern employment of the lens, on digital cameras, uses only its "sweet" regions! I have had this lens under accumulation for a while. No regrets, but prices have been escalating.


Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:48 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:48 pm
Post subject:
Reply
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
A bit strange they called it the sharpest 35mm lens ever. I've had three of them and none could rival the 1.7/50 for sharpness.


That could be explained by the stupidity of some magazines accepting a lens from a maker (to be tested) that has been selected to be their best copy...from then on it's parroting.


Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 7:15 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 7:15 pm
Post subject:
Reply
"parroting" - Excellent ! New vocabulary. The exact characterization of someone who I think. Thanks.


Post
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 4:42 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 4:42 am
Post subject:
Reply
Hi, does anyone know if the hexanon 40mm is radioactive?


Post
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:01 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:01 am
Post subject:
Reply
I don't recall it being called radioactive, it won't hurt you, well unless you eat it or do something non typical with it.


Post
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:20 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:20 am
Post subject:
Reply
Jazzman wrote:
Hi, does anyone know if the hexanon 40mm is radioactive?


Could you tell us why radioactive lenses worry you? Do you fly on planes?


Post
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:58 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:58 am
Post subject:
Reply
This is a very good lens in my experience.
I have had the exact opposite results from some others here vis-a-vis the 1.7/50
I have owned both, but the 1.8/40 was every bit as good or better than the 1.7/50 so I sold it.
Here is a sample from the 1.8/40
OH



Post
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 12:51 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 12:51 pm
Post subject:
Reply
...just bought a 40/1.8 in good condition for £15 at a local antique shop. Tested this weekend on my Canon M3 (APS-C 1.6) and it's too soft! ...can't get any sharp subject @1.8 or @2.8. Do I need a tripod! Smile

The only good thing; it's light and very compact with the AR adapter. The focus ring is bit stiff in comparison to my other manual lenses; so I don't know if it needs a CLA (maybe not worth it) or it's normal for this model.

So I don't know if it's a due to a semi-stiff focus ring, the lens is too light or a bad lens! Rolling Eyes


Post
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 11:49 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 11:49 am
Post subject:
Reply
Very nice lens
If I don't remember it bad, some warm rendering

Hoy do you compare this lens (almost 42 mm ones) With the rokkor x 45/2?
Nice to read the members opinión.


Post
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:06 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:06 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Phenix jc wrote:
WolverineX, I'll summarize 2 quotes in your thread Wink



Well, you cut quickly to the core issue. Much credit to you for that.

This is one of the very first MF lenses I acquired after getting into the MF lens craze. I had no clue what I was doing more than ten years ago. I though I could adapt the lens to be used on any camera. Rolling Eyes

Of course I learned differently eventually, but I still acquired several more of these for various reasons, halting my buying four or five years ago. Still, I have continued to follow this lens and can tell you:

This is a very popular lens and it has excellent buyer support. You don't find people turning up their noses on this one. This lens also receives, generally speaking, rave reviews . . . which probably accounts for the buyer support.

All in all this is a pretty neat and special lens, and with the advent of mirrorless cameras it has really come into its own.


Post
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:24 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:24 pm
Post subject:
Reply
cedricb wrote:
...just bought a 40/1.8 in good condition for £15 at a local antique shop. Tested this weekend on my Canon M3 (APS-C 1.6) and it's too soft! ...can't get any sharp subject @1.8 or @2.8. Do I need a tripod! Smile

The only good thing; it's light and very compact with the AR adapter. The focus ring is bit stiff in comparison to my other manual lenses; so I don't know if it needs a CLA (maybe not worth it) or it's normal for this model.

So I don't know if it's a due to a semi-stiff focus ring, the lens is too light or a bad lens! Rolling Eyes


H'mm well on a film camera it's very good, maybe a bit soft wide open like many lenses.....but stopped down and IMO it's just slightly less sharp compared to say Hexanon 50mm f1.7 but you would have to pixel peep to see the difference which wouldn't show in say an A4 print (with no crops).


Post
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 9:43 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 9:43 pm
Post subject:
Reply
I had an outing yesterday with some friends, and while I shot mostly film (Fomapan 100) I did snap this quick piccie at the end of the day.
Hexanon 1.8/40 on X-E1
Cheers
OH


#1


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:16 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:16 am
Post subject:
Reply
Oldhand wrote:
I had an outing yesterday with some friends, and while I shot mostly film (Fomapan 100) I did snap this quick piccie at the end of the day.
Hexanon 1.8/40 on X-E1
Cheers
OH


I am curious because you mentioned shooting film on a couple of threads,
what camera are you using?


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:24 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:24 am
Post subject:
Reply
uddhava wrote:
Oldhand wrote:
I had an outing yesterday with some friends, and while I shot mostly film (Fomapan 100) I did snap this quick piccie at the end of the day.
Hexanon 1.8/40 on X-E1
Cheers
OH


I am curious because you mentioned shooting film on a couple of threads,
what camera are you using?


Sigh ..... thought you'd never ask Smile
Pentax 67 - although you can see from my avatar that I also Use a Bronica ETRs - and so far - mostly Fomapan 100, although I had some wonderful images with some out of date Agfa Variopan XL.
Since this is the lenses forum, my most commonly used lenses thus far have been 45mm, 150mm and 300mm - in that order.
Did I mention how heavy these are Smile
OH


Post
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 6:02 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 6:02 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Here are a few 100% crops from the corner (left column) and the center (right column) of images taken with the Konica AR 1.8/40mm, using the 43 MP Sony A7RII. Apertures used are indicated on the images.

That should give a pretty good idea about the performance of the lens at different apertures.



RAW data converted using Photoshop; no CA or vignetting corrections applied. Standard sharpening as suggested by Photoshop (set to "40" arbitrary units).

Overview of the entire image:


S
Post new topic Reply to topic
Page 1 of 1