The Big Sankyo Kohki/Komura Thread

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1273

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: 7583 Location: Hong Kong

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

Sankyo Kohki Komura 105mm f2.5

#1

#2

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1273

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.

#1

#2

#3

#4

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.

#1

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

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7583 Location: Hong Kong

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2536

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: 2536

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"]

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1273

[quote="mrlizard"]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.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1273

If I'm right these komura lenses share the same threaded mount, but on top of it, they would mount the specific adapter ring for many mounts, so in fact your lens might be missing the mounting ring that fits to the camera (Minolta, Nikon, m42 etc)

mrlizard · Joined: 05 Mar 2024 Posts: 8

Thank you!
[/quote]

Your first post won't show the images, now you should be good[/quote]

Alun Thomas · Joined: 20 Aug 2018 Posts: 661 Location: New Zealand

I don't think they do all share the same thread. I am fairly sure that the large aperture tele lenses like the 85/1.4 and 135mm F/2 have a different threading. I'm not 100% sure about the 105mm F2. I tried to change the mount on a 100mm F/1.8 lens unsuccessfully using a mount from a cheaper 135mm F/2.8 lens. So, some care may be needed, it may be cheaper to try and find an M44 adapter for it, perhaps it was for Miranda camera mount.

mrlizard · Joined: 05 Mar 2024 Posts: 8

Thanks. Good to know. I was thinking to try changing the mount but haven't even been able to remove this one and don't want to risk too much force. I also have no experience modifying lenses :S

Is Uni 44mm mount a different thread to the Miranda M44 or is it the same thing?
I was wondering about trying a M44 to M42 adapter and then a M42 to EF. I suppose I'd lose infinity focus. Not to mention elegance.

https://kamerastore.com/products/novoflex-miranda-m44-m42-adapter-co-m42-2

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1273

[img]http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/
20243/10766_IMG_20240306_142209_1.jpg[/img]
I've just removed the Nikon mount ring and the threaded part measure 48mm

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1273

Wonder if there would be a ring from 48mm (dunno pitch) to m42 so I could use this lens on a helicoid, as minimum focus distance I think is way to long

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7583 Location: Hong Kong

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1273