Oddball 55/1.7 Auto-Flex

[larsr]

Hi all,

just registered because I need a little help in identifying with this one.. I recently bought a 55mm f/1.7 M42 lens which looks like this:

(excuse the quality of the pic, not taken by me..)

go to -> www.noname00.org/media/autoflex-55-1.7.jpg

I've tried searching hi and lo, but no real results. All I know it's japanese, and that it *might* be a Konica-manufactured piece of glass but there doesn't seem to be any pointers as to whether this is the case or not. So either it's really rare or I'm just out of luck..

So.. is it a copy of another lens, who is it made by etc. Any clues would be helpful

TIA,

-lars

EDIT: the forum is breaking the links - even though the post preview looks right, after submitting it's broken. so just copy+paste that url or drag it onto your address bar... *sigh*

[estudleon]

[larsr]

The forum software is really breaking the image linking and I can't seem to get it right..

so just copypaste this onto the address bar:
www.noname00.org/media/autoflex-55-1.7.jpg

[casualcollector]

Looks like it came out of the Mamiya-Ricoh-Chinon-Cosina-Yashica-Sears-Porst mold. The universal Japanese normal.

[ManualFocus-G]

I've seen these as standard lenses on Chinons. It also looks identical to the Auto Chinon 55/1.7, so it may well be just that, but rebranded.

[aoleg]

Looks just like my Hanimar 55/1.7, which in turn is a re-branded Chinon. Single-coated, resolution falls off quickly towards the edges. A Japanese Helios-44 in all respects.

[larsr]

Thanks guys, this cleared a lot. Now if only one could distinguish who or what the original manufacturing factory was..

Cross-reference: http://forum.mflenses.com/3-x-auto-chinon-55-1-7-compared-t17626.html