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Chinon MC 28mm F2.8 - maybe a Tomioka lens?
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 8:48 pm    Post subject: Chinon MC 28mm F2.8 - maybe a Tomioka lens? Reply with quote
Got the following lens from Ebay because it looked like it may be a Tomioka lens. For £33 I figured it was worth a punt.


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Does anyone know if it really is a Tomioka lens? The following site thinks so but with only 2 reviews I'm not convinced. http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/chinon-tomioka-28mm-f2-8-mc.html

Anyway. Had a quick go with it on my Canon 5D and it impressed. Flares a bit into the sun but does not lose much contrast so did well for an old lens imo. Seems very sharp and little in the way of c.a. The corners were a bit iffy but I was getting a slight vignette from the lens hood I used. I look forward to testing it on my Pentax K-3 - just as soon as I can locate my M42 adapter!

Here's a few favorites taken today on the Canon 5D.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 11:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
This line of Chinon lenses was made by Tamron. I saw 24mm, 28mm, 135mm and 200mm primes as well as several zooms. Most chances also 35mm exists.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The 35mm 2.8 existed indeed in this outfit.
I have one of these Laughing


PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 12:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've had the 200 and 300mm lenses in this series of Chinons, and liked them a lot. They do have a distinct style that some people might not like, but optically they are above above for third party lenses of this era. For some reason I sold the 200 and now wish I hadn't. Rolling Eyes
I've seen the 24 and the guy who had it loved it, and wouldn't sell it. Interestingly, he also thought this series of tapered Chinon's were Tamron's as well, and that's the way I would think as well. Whoever made it, I think it will be a great lens for what you paid for it.


PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice output! And a very handsome lens. Distinct indeed, and I do see some Tamron character in the body.


PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 10:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
This series of tapered design Chinon's is very distinctive, as this 300 / 5.6 shows. They are very well built lenses, they might look like 1980's 'plastic fantastic' lenses but they are all metal lenses, very light and superbly smooth. This 300 is under half the weight of the Tair 300 and a lot smaller. It is slower, but the weight and ease of handling make it a far better lens than the Tair.
This series of Chinon's should be snapped up when you see them, they might surprise you.



PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:09 pm    Post subject: Chinon MC 28mm F2.8 Reply with quote
I'm okay with it being a Tamron and thanks for correcting me. I did have my doubts but its performance was a nice surprise and it's a keeper for sure.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
If this is indeed a tamron then the point of comparison would be the CW28 (albeit in its fixed mount Tamron-F version):

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.tamron.co.jp/data/old-lens/cw28.htm

certainly that metal badged cap is very tamron (of that era)!

Update just spotted this chinon 85-210mm. Certainly a tamron, the features are distinctive.



PostPosted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The lenses shown in the thread are all M42 mounting. Which follows Chinons' line of cameras.

I just found and won a 28mm f2.8 like the OP's lens, BUT, it is not M42. I suspect it's Konica Hexanon AR bayonet.
Note the AE, and button. And a slight flange around the mount area.

Did Chinon sell lenses for other camera brands? Or was there an obscure camera that used Konica's mount?




The 300mm f5.6 Lloydy owns above, is similar in design to Tamron's f5.6 CT-300. Have one, it's very light, and pretty good resolution-wise.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 7:39 pm    Post subject: Alpa Chinons Reply with quote
Chinon apparently made\marketed a series of lenses for Alpa after Pignons gave up on the prototypes they got from Rollei in Singapore. They are named Auto Alpa and look a bit like the ones here.

Did not sell very well because the customers were used to Angenieux, Kinoptic, Kern and Schneider + the adapted M42 Takumars.

p.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 12:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Tamron link is interesting, I have a Auto Tamron 670AU 300 / 5.6 that I've just compared to the Chinon 300 / 5.6.

On first inspection they appear to be very different, the filter size is Tamron 62 and Chinon 58mm. The Tamron is longer, has a larger diameter rear element and different spacing of all the elements, it's also slightly heavier; but it is an older lens that's built more robustly.

But, the aperture and blades mechanism look identical to both lenses, and it's distinctive enough to make that judgement. I would happily say the aperture in the Chinon is the same as the Tamron.

The Chinon is a lot newer than the early 1970's Tamron, so that explains the many differences. It would be interesting to compare a later Tamron with the Chinon.





PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
WNG555 wrote:
I just found and won a 28mm f2.8 like the OP's lens, BUT, it is not M42. I suspect it's Konica Hexanon AR bayonet. Note the AE, and button. And a slight flange around the mount area.

It's obviously a lens with an AE function, but not in Konica AR mount. The aperture scale on K/AR lenses is in the opposite direction. This may be a Mamiya mount. They also had a similar shutter-priority AE system like Konica's, but it's hard to tell at this angle.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lloydy,

I believe you have there an Adaptall model, not the CT-300, which came with a fixed mount and no tripod mounting collar. It's also 58mm filter diameter. And shorter.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
konicamera wrote:
WNG555 wrote:
I just found and won a 28mm f2.8 like the OP's lens, BUT, it is not M42. I suspect it's Konica Hexanon AR bayonet. Note the AE, and button. And a slight flange around the mount area.

It's obviously a lens with an AE function, but not in Konica AR mount. The aperture scale on K/AR lenses is in the opposite direction. This may be a Mamiya mount. They also had a similar shutter-priority AE system like Konica's, but it's hard to tell at this angle.


Excellent eyes! I missed that detail! That would stink if it's not Konica. I will update once it arrives.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
WNG555 wrote:
konicamera wrote:
WNG555 wrote:
I just found and won a 28mm f2.8 like the OP's lens, BUT, it is not M42. I suspect it's Konica Hexanon AR bayonet. Note the AE, and button. And a slight flange around the mount area.

It's obviously a lens with an AE function, but not in Konica AR mount. The aperture scale on K/AR lenses is in the opposite direction. This may be a Mamiya mount. They also had a similar shutter-priority AE system like Konica's, but it's hard to tell at this angle.


Excellent eyes! I missed that detail! That would stink if it's not Konica. I will update once it arrives.


Actually, it still might be Konica AR – it certainly looks like it. The fact that the aperture ring rotates the wrong way doesn't matter in this fitting, as there's no meter coupling. The auto/manual switch on the body is moved by a tab on the rear of the aperture ring, and this could be done from either direction.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
heritagecameras wrote:

Actually, it still might be Konica AR – it certainly looks like it. The fact that the aperture ring rotates the wrong way doesn't matter in this fitting, as there's no meter coupling. The auto/manual switch on the body is moved by a tab on the rear of the aperture ring, and this could be done from either direction.


You're right! I think it is, as last night I found these indeed were made for KAR on flickr's Chinon group, and I dug out an Adaptall2 KAR mount and inspected it and installed it on one of my Tamrons. Direction is independent. That's a relief. Wink


PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
WNG555 wrote:
Lloydy,

I believe you have there an Adaptall model, not the CT-300, which came with a fixed mount and no tripod mounting collar. It's also 58mm filter diameter. And shorter.


This lens has been just about impossible to hang an identification on, it is an Adaptall, and it looks as though it was made during the transition and has traits from old and newer models.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
WNG555 wrote:
The lenses shown in the thread are all M42 mounting. Which follows Chinons' line of cameras.

I just found and won a 28mm f2.8 like the OP's lens, BUT, it is not M42. I suspect it's Konica Hexanon AR bayonet.
Note the AE, and button. And a slight flange around the mount area.

Did Chinon sell lenses for other camera brands? Or was there an obscure camera that used Konica's mount?




The 300mm f5.6 Lloydy owns above, is similar in design to Tamron's f5.6 CT-300. Have one, it's very light, and pretty good resolution-wise.


This is an old thread, but I got hold of two lenses with the brand "Expert" made for an electronics chain in Sweden, now shut down, one was a 28mm and another 35mm and they look exactly like yours and one of the sellers had an interesting story as he had been in Japan on business. He had met with sales representatives for Kino Precision Industries, the manufacturer behind the brand Kiron in the USA. And the sales rep confirmed that those lenses was indeed manufactured by Kino Precision industries as he was keen on hearing his opinion about those lenses as he also explained he had brokered the deal with the Expert stores in Sweden.
Here are pictures of one of the lenses:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/156630-please-help-us-out-expert-lenses.html#post4605468

As the seller had a plausible first hand information I don't doubt it and it looks very possible that it wasn't Tomioka but Kino Precision industries supplied Chinon too.

Regards,


PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2019 10:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's very interesting MrKodak. Certainly that Expert 35mm looks identical to the Chinon 35mm (which I have), and other Expert lenses are also identical looking to the Chinons. Several of them have been reviewed by Bengt Sandberg. There is a thread discussing the origin of the chinon "tapered barrel" 35mm, which was an oddity in terms of a tamron attribution for these chinons because there is no tamron adaptall 35mm prime! I would be perfectly prepared to credit that kino made the 35mm, and if they made that then why not other lenses in the range, or even all of them. However the similarity of a number of the lenses in the range to the corresponding tamrons eg the 135mm, 200mm, the 300mm, the 85-210mm, is also quite convincing.

(I'll look for the thread I mentioned). This is also about this lens:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/351091-diagram-found-m42-chinon-multi-coated-35mm-f-2-8-a.html

It's also worth noting that BKS reviews two quite different expert 135mm lenses, one of which is a "tapered barrel". Which suggests Expert sourced from different manufacturers at different times.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 6:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
That's very interesting MrKodak. Certainly that Expert 35mm looks identical to the Chinon 35mm (which I have), and other Expert lenses are also identical looking to the Chinons. Several of them have been reviewed by Bengt Sandberg. There is a thread discussing the origin of the chinon "tapered barrel" 35mm, which was an oddity in terms of a tamron attribution for these chinons because there is no tamron adaptall 35mm prime! I would be perfectly prepared to credit that kino made the 35mm, and if they made that then why not other lenses in the range, or even all of them. However the similarity of a number of the lenses in the range to the corresponding tamrons eg the 135mm, 200mm, the 300mm, the 85-210mm, is also quite convincing.

(I'll look for the thread I mentioned). This is also about this lens:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/351091-diagram-found-m42-chinon-multi-coated-35mm-f-2-8-a.html

It's also worth noting that BKS reviews two quite different expert 135mm lenses, one of which is a "tapered barrel". Which suggests Expert sourced from different manufacturers at different times.


Indeed very interesting, thank you for these links and information.
Yes, looking at the different lenses Expert was offering it is quite obvious they sourced lenses from different manufacturers, while the 28mm and 35mm (I haven't got my hands on the 135mm yet) were very good and both cosmetically and the level of workmanship of the internal workings of the lens makes them siblings and as an engineer I can fairly well nail them down as made by the same company; the other offerings like the 400mm and 500mm telephoto lenses are miles apart and results, at least for the 400mm as the 500mm I've seen so far has been to expensive for me to be willing to invest, quite horrible and that is putting it mildly.
The CA is of the latitude that you actually can see it in the EVF with your own eyes! I took pictures of people at a distance of maybe 70 yards or so and they all had a purple aura around them, maybe for that funky 1980's music video that would work.
Sharpness, well I took some pictures of the moon with tripod and self timer and even though it was twice the focal length of my old Minolta zoom 35-200, the Minolta delivered sharper images when blown up compared side by side...
So the Expert 400mm is just for curiosity, nothing else, and not even worth £30 in my eyes (although I got two more lenses and a Konica Autoreflex camera for that included).


PostPosted: Fri May 10, 2024 7:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Has any more been discovered about these Chinon 28/2.8 lenses? I recently came across one for sale listed as Konica AR mount. It looks like it has an early adaptall but not sure how one IDs that (this is still new to me). How do they fair against the more common 28/2.8s?


PostPosted: Fri May 10, 2024 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
in the same line there was a 50 1,7 macro, also labeled as ALPA, I dont know the maker though
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