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Auto Rikenon 55mm f1.4 (Tomioka)
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 9:55 pm    Post subject: Auto Rikenon 55mm f1.4 (Tomioka) Reply with quote
Here is a photo of the Auto Rikenon 55mm f1.4 (Tomioka) compared with 2 popular fast 50's.
The tests below are straight out of the camera jpegs. No post processing. I did turn up the saturation and sharpening in camera though.
This big heavy lens has an online reputation for ugly bokeh that might be undeserved. (Depends on what you are shooting I guess.)
Some purple fringing. My best lens for dark cloudy days.











f2 hand held

f16 tripod


Last edited by Jeff Zen on Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:43 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think it looks very nice indeed. The first few pics I am assuming were taken at f/1.4 since the following one was at f/2.0.

I actually got a bargain on one of these supposedly "Tomioka-made" 1.4's which looks exactly like yours except the front ring reads Super Reflecta.





There are so many anyway..


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My friend tested few Pentax lenses and Rikenon and found later a bit sharper. Crops here: http://www.pentax-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=1296&p=11161&hilit=rikenon#p11161


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
My friend tested few Pentax lenses and Rikenon and found later a bit sharper. Crops here: http://www.pentax-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=1296&p=11161&hilit=rikenon#p11161


I am this friend of Pancolart Smile
And yes my Rikenon 55 f1,4 wide open has little more resolution than Pentax lenses that I have (2x Takumar 50 f1,4, SMC M50 f1,4 and SMC A50 f1,4). Pentax lenses have slight advantage from f2,8.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have same experience with "Tomioka" based 1.4/55s. They have higher resolution wide open and better field/corner sharpness than classic 7/6 designs (Planars, Takumars, Pentaxes) up to f2.8-f4, but due to poor coatings, they are more prone to flare and stopped down contrast is lower.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
dfujevec wrote:
Pancolart wrote:
My friend tested few Pentax lenses and Rikenon and found later a bit sharper. Crops here: http://www.pentax-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=1296&p=11161&hilit=rikenon#p11161


I am this friend of Pancolart Smile
And yes my Rikenon 55 f1,4 wide open has little more resolution than Pentax lenses that I have (2x Takumar 50 f1,4, SMC M50 f1,4 and SMC A50 f1,4). Pentax lenses have slight advantage from f2,8.


Thanks for information! I thought Rikenon might be sharper wide open. The link does not take me to your test crops but to log in page.
I wish I could see your crops.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
There are quite a few Tomoika made 55mm lenses by different brand labels. Can they all be considered the same? I have the Mamiya-Sekor, so have not felt compelled to purchase any others.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Jeff Zen wrote:
Thanks for information! I thought Rikenon might be sharper wide open. The link does not take me to your test crops but to log in page. I wish I could see your crops.


Working on it Smile.

woodrim wrote:
There are quite a few Tomoika made 55mm lenses by different brand labels. Can they all be considered the same? I have the Mamiya-Sekor, so have not felt compelled to purchase any others.


As for now two designs can be distinguished. Flat rear element and not-flat one. Early Tomioka lenses only flat exists i think.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
This lens is a keeper, don't sell it like I did! There's something "real" about the colours that I haven't found in about 20 other ~50mm primes tried. It's also built about as well as a Takumar and I'll agree that it's sharper wide open.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
There are quite a few Tomoika made 55mm lenses by different brand labels. Can they all be considered the same? I have the Mamiya-Sekor, so have not felt compelled to purchase any others.


That is very good question. Maybe someone who has several versions could at least give us an idea. I suspect that they are not all equal.
I've heard from friend Mamiya-Sekor version is excellent though.

Pancolart wrote:
Jeff Zen wrote:
Thanks for information! I thought Rikenon might be sharper wide open. The link does not take me to your test crops but to log in page. I wish I could see your crops.

Working on it Smile.

As for now two designs can be distinguished. Flat rear element and not-flat one. Early Tomioka lenses only flat exists i think.


Great! I look forward to your tests. Didn't know about rear element variation. Mine is flat. Thanks for info.
William wrote:
This lens is a keeper, don't sell it like I did! There's something "real" about the colours that I haven't found in about 20 other ~50mm primes tried. It's also built about as well as a Takumar and I'll agree that it's sharper wide open.

I won't. I almost sold it last year, but I decided not to after extensive tests. I bought it at a camera show in Grapevine, Texas for $30. US. A real deal.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Here are those crops. Lenses wide open and set to infinity, WB set to 5200K and no sharpening.

S-M-C Takumar 50 f1,4


SMC Pentax A50 f1,4


SMC Pentax FA50 F1,4


Ricoh Auto Rikenon 55 f1,4 (m42)


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
These kind of lens tests are very prone to focusing errors so be careful.

I found my Rikenon 55/1.4 very sharp in low light, but rubbish under now daylight due to fare.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Also note that this lens is completely different from the Tomioka 50mm 1.4 M42. I had a Chinon branded one, some say both Chinon and Tomioka on them. That lens is even softer wide open and the colours are completely different, a lot more vivid but unnatural. It's also not built as well (but definitely not badly.)


PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
William wrote:
Also note that this lens is completely different from the Tomioka 50mm 1.4 M42.


Is it? In fact CHINON is the only one keeping Tomioka flat rear design even to their last AGFA PK models. But coating, yes it's entirely different matter: M42 have that distinctive greenish reflection.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
William wrote:
Also note that this lens is completely different from the Tomioka 50mm 1.4 M42.


Is it? In fact CHINON is the only one keeping Tomioka flat rear design even to their last AGFA PK models. But coating, yes it's entirely different matter: M42 have that distinctive greenish reflection.


You are just adding to the mess Very Happy

First of all I hope we are still talking about 55mm and not 50mm as stated in William post.
And as you know there are several versions of Chinon 55/1.4 lenses, some of them have Tomioka label, some don't but identical to Tomioka lenses and some slightly different, including MC variation.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think different manufacturers (Cosina, Chinon, Mamiya, Ricoh, Yashica...) tried to upgrade or at least personalize initial Tomioka design. MC Chinon has the same optical scheme but crazy coating was added for instance.

I think the most puzzling for our "competition orientated" mind is to accept cooperation approach of those Japanese companies. Acting nearly as one organism when trying to win foreign markets. This cooperation seemed so tense sometimes one could unify them as Japan M42 group Smile.

PK 50mm versions and non-flat 55mm were probably Tomioka derived designs but could be considered already children of their own (kind).

Tomioka remains a place where technology and history meets philosophy and mysticism Mr. Green .


PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I also got one of these lenses, quite cheap. My looks the same as one on the first post, just the serial no. is higher (around 300000).
Some test shots can be seen on this link, all except the first two are raw jpeg: https://picasaweb.google.com/samosmrke/RikenonTest?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMv_9sK2ua7iIg&feat=directlink
I have mixed feelings about the lens... Sometimes it behaves very good, in some cases not so good. Especially coma is really really ugly wide open (even on the center of image), so wide open night shots with lights in the field are a no-go. Bokeh can also pleasant as on the last photo, but point sources look like rings with dots in the center Smile
I general i think it was well worth 30chf I paid for. I am not new with the MF addiction, but till now I just used the Carl-Zeiss I own and it is the first f/1.4 lens I am using so my opinions can't be comparative to other lenses.
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