Konishiroku Hexanon 135 mm / 1:3.5
Konica Hexanon 135 mm / 1:3.5
Konica Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.5
Lens data | Variations | Lens overview
The Konica Hexanon / Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.5 is the most common telephoto lens in the Konica SLR line. Strictly speaking, there are different lenses with different optical construction.
It was available quite early – it supplanted the earlier Hexanon 135 mm / 1:2.8 while the early F bayonet was still in use. There is no version of this lens for the coupled light meter of the Konica F, however. The Hexanon 135 mm / 1:3.5 was first offered as a preset lens, later it was also available in an auto-aperture version. Both versions were sold simultaneously for some time. Both Preset and Auto versions for the F bayonet are optically identical.
Both Preset and Auto variations for the F bayonet were supplied with a metal cap, a screw-in lens hood, and a leather case. The lens hood can be put onto the lens vice-versa for storage, the lens cap is then put onto the screw thread of the hood. In this way, lens, hood, and cap fit into the leather lens case.
This optical construction was carried over into the newer AR bayonet. In the new AR mount, there still were both preset and – optically identical – auto-aperture versions of the lens available. With the AR bayonet, the EE versions with automatic aperture can be used for shutter-priority auto-exposure. Both preset and auto versions were offered parallel until the times of the Autoreflex T2.
These early variations for the AR bayonet did not have a built-in lens hood either, but were supplied with a metal screw-in hood and a metal lens cap as well as a leather case. The lens hood can be put onto the lens vice-versa for storage, the lens cap is then put onto the screw thread of the hood. In this way, lens, hood, and cap fit into the leather lens case.
The lens was taken out of the line-up and replaced by the newer and slightly faster Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.2 at the end of the time of the Autoreflex T2. The new F3.2 lens was built more complex with 5 elements in 4 groups and is visibly sharper. Up to this point, there already were a lot of different variations of the Hexanon 135 mm / 1:3.5, but all had the same optical formula, only the coatings had been improved.
Some years later, at the time of the Autoreflex T4, the Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.2 was again replaced by a new construction. This new lens again has a widest aperture of 1:3.5 and consists of 4 elements in 4 groups, but is optically different from the earlier variations. The new Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.5 is much more compact and more leightweight than the older variations. Different from the older variations, it has a built in hood, which is a bit too shallow and does not prevent stray light in many situations. The use of a deeper screw-in accesory hood can improve results quite frequently.
This last variation of the Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3,5 still came with a matching leather case, but it had a standard Konica lens cap, not the metal cap of the earlier variations.
Both constructions of the Hexanon / Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3,5 provide good image quality and make sharp images with high contrast and good colour rendition. No barrel or pincushion distortions are visible. Image quality of both constructions is very similar.
Like with most telephoto lenses and their big and not recessed front elements, the consequent use of a lens hood is recommended to avoid loss of contrast due to stray light. This is especially true for older versions that have coatings not as good as the newer ones.
The faster Hexanon AR lenses of the same focal length, the Hexanon AR 135 mm / F2.5 and the Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.2 are preferred by many users. The large maximum aperture of the 135 mm / F2.5 is more suitable in low-light situations and offers a shallower depth-of-field when used wide open, which is good for portraits. The 135 mm / F3.2 has a shorter closest focusing distance, so you can do better close-ups of your subject. Both, espicially the Hexanon AR 135 mm / F2.5 are bigger and heavier than the Hexanon / Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.5 – in addition, they are much more expensive, so the Hexanon / Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.5 has its justification, especially when size and weight savings are important as with travel photography for example.
Beside the Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.5 there is a lens from the Hexar AR series with the same focal length and speed. The two lenses were not offered at the same time. The Hexar AR lens has a smallest aperture 16 and is much bulkier and heavier than the later Hexanon AR version with smallest aperture 22. The Hexar AR lenses were a series of inexpensive entry-level lenses offered in the mid-1970s. These lenses were not manufactured by Konica themselves, rumours say they were probably made by Tamron. The following lenses were available from the Hexar AR series:
The Hexanon / Hexanon AR 135 mm / F3.5 for the newer AR bayonet is very common and is frequently being offered for sale – as most of the left-over Konica SLR users already have one, they are mostly very inexpensive. A real bargain for the prices it is usually being sold for. For the earlier F bayonet, all lenses are rare.
Variations
- (Uppermost image above)
F bayonet without light meter coupling
Hexanon
Splined metal focusing ring
Chrome ring
Preset, smallest aperture 22 - (Second image above)
F bayonet without light meter coupling
Hexanon
Splined metal focusing ring
Chrome ring
Auto, smallest aperture 16 - AR bayonet
Hexanon
Splined metal focusing ring
Chrome ring
Shiny finish
Preset, smallest aperture 22 - (Third image above)
AR bayonet
Hexanon
Splined metal focusing ring
Chrome ring
Shiny finish
Yellow EE mark
No EE lock
Smallest aperture 16 - (Fourth image above)
AR bayonet
Hexanon
Splined metal focusing ring
Chrome ring
Mat finish
Yellow EE mark
No EE lock
Smallest aperture 16 - (Lower image above)
AR bayonet
Hexanon AR
Rubberized focusing ring
Green AE mark
AE lock
Smallest aperture 22
Lens data
Angle of view: | 18° |
Construction: | 4 elements in 4 groups |
Aperture: | Preset, smallest aperture 22 (first F bayonet variation), Auto, smallest aperture 16 (later F bayonet variation), Preset, smallest aperture 22 (early AR bayonet variation) Fully automatic AE, smallest aperture 16 (later AR bayonet variation), Fully automatic AE, smallest aperture 22 (latest AR bayonet / AE / f22 version) |
Closest focusing: | 1,5 m (4 ft 111/4") |
Filter thread: | 55 mm |
Length (at ∞): | 92 mm (35/8") (F bayonet / f22 preset version) 92 mm (35/8") (F bayonet / f16 auto version) 92 mm (35/8") (AR bayonet / f22 preset version) 92 mm (35/8") (AR bayonet / AE / f16 version) 82 mm (31/8") (AR bayonet / f22 version) |
Weight: | 395 g (137/8 oz) (F bayonet / f22 preset version) 425 g (15 oz) (F bayonet / f16 auto version) 350 g (123/8 oz) (AR bayonet / f16 version) 315 g (111/8 oz) (AR bayonet / f22 version) |
Lens hood: | 55 mm round screw-in (early versions) built-in (AR bayonet / f22 version) |
Lens diagram: |
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