Ofunar Enlarging Lens

[Univer]

Hi All,

I recently came across what I take to be a fairly uncommon lens: a 7.5cm/3.5 E-Ofunar enlarging lens made by the Ofuna Optical Instrument Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Ōfuna Kōgaku-Kikai Seisakusho). I'd guess at an early/mid-1950s date of manufacture.

There isn't a lot of information out there about this company; the name rang a bell, for me, because I had a dim recollection of an Ofunar normal lens offered with one of the rare early Mirandas. It turns out that Ofuna made cameras as well as lenses (and binoculars, too). Two of their camera models - a 120 folder and a 120 TLR - were fitted with lenses of the same specification as this enlarging lens (7.5cm/3.5), and those are reputed to be Tessar designs, so I assume this enlarging lens is a Tessar design as well.

Here's a link to a Camerapedia article on the company; note that there's a suggestion of a Tomioka connection. The "footnote" links at the bottom of the article are worth following.

This is a beautifully made lens, heavy chrome over brass. My specimen is in essentially new-old-stock condition, and came to me in the original "Ofuna" branded lens bubble. It's standard LTM.

No photos of the lens itself at the moment, but here are a couple of photos taken with it, using an M39->M42 adapter and a helicoid extension tube. No pretense of artistry, but I hope availability of sample images will extend our collective knowledge about an obscure lens. The first photo was taken wide-open; the second (same subject) and the third were taken somewhere around f5.6. No sharpening (other than whatever default sharpening flickr may apply); just a very, very slight contrast boost and a bit of cropping. (Note that the largest of the pink flowers is about 12mm across.)

1.


2.


3.


Thanks for taking a look!

Cheers,

Jon

[Bruce]

You got to show us the lens and it mounted to dslr if possible

[luisalegria]

I have seen these, but I did not realize that they made camera lenses also. Another company to add as a potential maker of "mystery" Japanese lenses of the 1950's-60's.

[Orio]

These results are very pleasing, moderate contrast but quite good detail.

[indianadinos]

I really like the second one, found the color rendering really fine ...

[mo]

Nice ...love them!

[Scheimpflug]

[martinsmith99]

Jon

I've never heard of this brand, but the results look very good.

It's amazing what some of those old enlarger lenses can do.

[Univer]

Hi All,

Thanks very much for the kind words.

As requested: the Ofunar, in all its diminutive glory, mounted on my K20D (with an old Accura helicoid extension tube). The Ofuna-branded lens bubble is in the background.



Cheers,

Jon

[indianadinos]

The Accura focuser looks fine, too ...

[Univer]

Hi indianadinos,

Thank you! The Accura is certainly a handy little gizmo. In terms of appearance, though, I have the distinct feeling that I must have been a comical sight, tottering around in the garden carrying this camera/focuser/lens combination, tripod and macro rail (not to mention my homemade black-paper lens hood), trying to time my shots between puffs of wind, with two energetic terriers getting underfoot the whole time.

Cheers,

Jon