The Big Sankyo Kohki/Komura Thread

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2539

Found a pdf with all of the earlier Komura's and what systems they will fit
https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/01662/01662.pdf

Doc Sharptail · Joined: 23 Nov 2020 Posts: 1216 Location: Winnipeg Canada

Interesting link!

It looks as if Komura sure wanted to compete, and win...

-D.S.

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2539

They didn't survive though. Tokina, Tamron and Sigma did but they made good stuff.

Phalbert · Joined: 17 May 2009 Posts: 384 Location: Namibia

Phalbert · Joined: 17 May 2009 Posts: 384 Location: Namibia

There seems to be a 36mm f1,8
https://m.facebook.com/j2camera/photos/%E5%B9%BB%E3%81%AE%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BA%E3%82%AF%E3%83%A9%E3%82%B9%E3%81%A7%E3%81%99%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AD%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%82%ABl%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%82%B3%E3%83%A0%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC36mm-f18%E3%81%A7%E3%81%99/1581251921914286/
The viewfinder seems to indicate a use with RF cameras.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7588 Location: Hong Kong

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7588 Location: Hong Kong

jmkmva · Joined: 25 Nov 2010 Posts: 78 Location: MidAtlantic US

http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/20224/big_1380_1960_1.jpg

Clearly no one was worried about thorium used in lenses in 1960. So much so it was a selling point! Not http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/20224/big_1380_1960_1.jpg a secret. Smile

Komura is not included on most lists of radioactive lenses. This - despite the large number of high speed lenses they produced. IMO, Komura is not likely the only omission.

Anyway, I prefer my thorium in Asahi and Canon.

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2539

The 80 and 100 had probably already been discontinued when the dealer flyer was made. The newer super-komuras aren't on there either.

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 4088 Location: Switzerland

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1275

There's a Super-Komura 100mm Prime F2.5 Nikkon NF from the seller conect2020 on ebay US, 150$ in new shape in case someone is interested.
Wonder is there's really any difference between the f1.8, f2 and f2.5 optics of komura

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7588 Location: Hong Kong

Oldhand · Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2022 6:10 am Post subject:

Sankyo Kohki Komura 105mm f2.5

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kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1275

The 1.8 that i have seems no coated at all. Maybe the versions 2.0 and 2.5 have some kind of coatings?

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Although slow to post in this thread, I thought I might have been one of the earliest posters of Komura lenses but I see Luis started back in 2008 while it took me until 2010 to discover them. I like the lenses, although I don't use them very much mostly due to having way too many other lenses. I like the 2.5/105 very much but will usually pick up my Nikkor P 2.5/105 instead. However, the Komura has the benefit of a more interesting iris when stopped down.

When I start wondering which lenses I like the best, I look at my usage as an indication. My Komura lenses are listed here, followed by the number of images taken with them.

4/24 (378)
2.5/105 (708)
2.8/135 (341)
3.5/135 (237)
3.5/200 (721)

I've found the 200mm to be more challenging but reasonably sharp at f/3.5 when the focus is nailed. The bokeh is the most pleasing.

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iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

All 200mm lenses have pleasing bokeh if the background isn't close to the subject.

hilltime · Joined: 17 Jul 2020 Posts: 13 Location: United States

Just ran into this long running topic on Komura lenses. Thought I'd send a pic of my collection, all in LTM which I
have accumulated over a 15 yr period. Obviously, the rarest piece is the 36MM/F1.8 which I search for many yrs
and ever since buying one about 5 ys ago, have only ever seen two offered for sale on Ebay.
I think the very first Komura I purchased was a Mint in the box, 100MM/F2 which was a super lens but I found it
much to large to use effectively on LTM cameras. It was every bit as good as a Canon 100mm/F2 which I also bought
and sold for the same reason. The 105mm/F2.5 is much easier to handle and only ever so slightly slower.

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Oldhand · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:47 pm Post subject: Re: My Komura Collection

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7588 Location: Hong Kong

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2539

Don't know if this was posted already. From allphotolenses.com A Komura catalogue:

https://allphotolenses.com/public/files/pdfs/9c85de281eee10b265e9aa77511316ab.pdf

Oldhand · Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2022 10:11 pm Post subject:

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2539

135mm 1:3.5 mede in Japan

Misprint? by The lens profile, on Flickr

cyberjunkie · Last edited by cyberjunkie on Sat May 20, 2023 6:41 pm; edited 4 times in total

I finally brought home some vintage lenses I had bought when I lived abroad. Some are Sankor-made (see "The Sankor lens thread") and some are Komura.
I didn't have enough room in my luggage for everything, so a few lenses were left behind. At least three were Komuras, a 135mm preset, plus a 5/300mm and a 3.5/28mm in UNI AUTO mount.
The others I could take with me are shown in this post.

First there is a very nice Sankyo Kohki Komura f=500mm 1:7, in its original leather case.
It gets separated in two parts to be stored in its case. The large sun shade slides inside the front part of the lens, saving space.

CASE

Separated lens inside the case

LENS WITHOUT SHADE

LENS WITH SHADE

Lens on Pentax K-1

Here there is a group of three preset Komura lenses [from left to right]
Sankyo Kohki Komura f=105mm 1:2.5 Sankyo Koki Komura f=105mm 1:2.8 Sankyo Kohki Komura f=135mm 1:2.8

The older 105mm with the older looking font (The "K" of Komura looks like an "X") and with KOKI without "H", weights A LOT more than the other (faster, and very likely more recent) 105mm.
I believe that the f/2.8 has a lot more glass in it, or at least a much much heavier construction. I tend to believe that both things are true.
Interestingly, the serial numbers does not seem to have any relation to the age of the lens. The serial of the older 105mm starts with "334" while the serial of the f/2.5 version starts with "333".
One interesting observation: a few Komuras with the same barrel style of the 2.5/105mm are quite wobbly, and would benefit from a good CLA. The older ones, like the 2.8/105mm, feel better built and still in very good shape (though the focusing ring tends to be a bit stiff).

The 500mm has the old version of the UNI mount, that can be easily unscrewed and has no set screw. Unfortunately my example has a Minolta bayonet, so when I tried it I had to steal an M42 UNI mount from another Komura.
The performance is not too bad for a four element of such old vintage, but the fringing is quite strong in certain pictures.
The other three lenses have a native M42 screw mount.
I thought that the 2.8/105mm was not sold in rangefinder mount, but the previous post show the same lens in Leica M39 mount. The other two lenses were also available for rangefinder cameras, in Leica and possibly Contax mount. There was also a way to use the 500mm on Leica rangefinder cameras using the attachment ring dedicated to the proprietary Komura reflex box (a kind of Visoflex copy).
Of the three M42 lenses, I properly tried only the 2.5/105mm, with very satisfying results if I remember correctly. I'm a fan of portrait lenses with smooth rendering and great bokeh, and from what I remember that lens did quite well under that point of view. In the picture it looks badly scratched but it's just the filter. It didn't have its cap so the filter took all the damage Smile

Here are two examples of pictures taken with the Komura 500mm. There is some PP involved, but I'd say that it's not terrible at all:

WIDE OPEN

AT F/11

cyberjunkie · Posted: Thu May 18, 2023 6:54 pm Post subject: Other Komuras, preset and Auto

I found some images of the other Komuras I will bring home the next time, plus I add two interesting images of the attachment of the UNI AUTO mount (though I don't own that lens, don't remember how I got the pics)

Sankyo Kohki Komura f=135mm 1:3.5 UNI mount (maybe I already posted this picture, I don't remember)

Sankyo Kohki Komura f=200mm 1:4.5 fixed mount

Sankyo Kohki Komura f=300mm 1:5 UNI AUTO

Sankyo Kohki Komura f=135mm 1:2.8 UNI mount (almost identical to the f/3.5 version on top)

Sankyo Kohki Komura f=200mm 1:4.5 fixed mount (other picture)

Sankyo Kohki Komura f=135mm 1:3.5 fixed mount

Here are two pictures of an f/2.5 wide angle UNI AUTO without ring, that show the attachment on the lens. Not owning this lens, I have no idea if it uses the same UNI AUTO ring I have on my 300mm and 28mm Auto Komura, or a successive version

EDIT:
I beg your pardon if I already posted different pictures of a couple of lenses included in my last two posts.
I chose not to erase the pics cause I believe it might be useful to have a different perspective of the same lens.

mrlizard · Joined: 05 Mar 2024 Posts: 8

This is a 105mm f2 I just picked up for an ok price and was excited to use it, not knowing anything about this brand, and foolishly assuming it was a m42 mount. Interesting to learn better on this thread!
It seems like this lens has a 44mm thread mount and am guessing is perhaps not interchangeable?
It has the 3 grubs and 4 smaller 1mm screws by them.
I was hoping to adapt it to EF or RF mount and use it for shooting some stop frame experiments. The optional declicked aperture ring was a highlight for me. Also seeing some good reviews and results.

Is there any hope for me?

Reading the posts on here has got me even more hyped up on it.

[quote="cyberjunkie"]