Konishiroku Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset variation for F bayonet

Konishiroku Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset for F bayonet

Front Konishiroku Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset variation for F bayonet

Konishiroku Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset for F bayonet

Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset variation for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon 200 mm 1:3.5
Preset for AR bayonet

Front Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset variation for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon 200 mm 1:3.5
Preset for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 first EE variation with chrome ring and metal focusing ring

Konica Hexanon 200 mm 1:3.5
first EE variation for AR bayonet

Front Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 first EE variation with chrome ring and metal focusing ring

Konica Hexanon 200 mm 1:3.5
first EE variation for AR bayonet
chrome ring with metal focusing ring

Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 early EE variation with chrome ring and rubber focusing ring

Konica Hexanon 200 mm 1:3.5
early EE variation for AR bayonet

Front Konica Hexanon 200 mm / F3.5 early EE variation with chrome ring and rubber focusing ring

Konica Hexanon 200 mm F3.5
early EE variation for AR bayonet
chrome ring with rubber focusing ring

Konica Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 black with EE marking

Konica Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5
middle EE variation for AR bayonet

Front Konica Hexanon 200 mm / F3.5 black with EE marking

Konica Hexanon 200 mm F3.5
middle EE variation for AR bayonet
black

Konica Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 black with AE marking

Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5
late AE variation for AR bayonet

Front Konica Hexanon 200 mm / F3.5 black with AE marking

Konica Hexanon 200 mm F3.5
late AE variation for AR bayonet
black

Konishiroku Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5
Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5
Konica Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5

downLens data | downVariations | internal linkLens overview

The Hexanon 200 mm / F3.5 lens was already available for the early internal linkF bayonet as a preset lens without automatic aperture. There was no version for the coupled light meter of the Konica F, however.

The Preset lens for the F bayonet came with a big metal cap, a metal, screw-in lens hood, and a leather case. The lens hood can be put on the lens vice-versa and the lens cap fits the back of the lens hood, so everything can be stored quite compact together.

Cap Konishiroku Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset for F bayonet

Konishiroku Hexanon
200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset F bayonet
Lens cap

Hood Konishiroku Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset for F bayonet

Konishiroku Hexanon
200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset F bayonet
Lens hood

Konishiroku Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset for F bayonet with hood and cap

Konishiroku Hexanon
200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset F bayonet
with lens hood
and lens cap

Case Konishiroku Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset for F bayonet

Konishiroku Hexanon
200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset F bayonet
leather case

When Konica switched to the newer internal linkAR bayonet, the Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 was still being offered as a preset lens fitting the new bayonet for a short while. Apart from the new mount, some small cosmetical changes were made, but the optical formular – 5 elements in 5 groups – remained unchanged.

The Preset lens for AR bayonet exists in slightly different variations of the aperture rings. With some specimen, f-stops on preset and aperture rings are both marked in white, with others, f-stops are white on preset ring and red on aperture ring.

aperture rings white Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon
200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset for AR bayonet
white aperture rings

aperture rings white-red Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon
200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset for AR bayonet
white-red aperture rings


The preset lens for AR bayonet also came with a big metal cap, a metal, screw-in lens hood, and a leather case. As with the F bayonet predecessor, the lens hood can be put on the lens vice-versa and the lens cap fits the back of the lens hood, so everything can be stored quite compact together. Lens cap, lens hood, and leather case have a different design as compared to the F bayonet lens.

cap Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon
200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset for AR bayonet
Deckel

hood Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon
200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset for AR bayonet
Lens hood

case Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon
200 mm / 1:3.5
Preset for AR bayonet
Leather case

Approximately contemporary to the introduction of the internal linkAutoreflex T2, an auto-aperture EE lens was offered parallel to the Preset lens.The optical formula of the new auto-aperture 200 mm / F3.5 is different from that of the Preset lenses, the EE/AE lenses all have 5 elements in 4 groups.

Preset and EE/AE lenses were offered parallel for some time to come, approximately until the introduction of the internal linkAutoreflex T3. After the T3 appeared, only the EE/AE lenses were being offered. These were constantly changed cosmetically over time, but their lens formula remained unchanged.

The first EE variation as a chrome ring, a splined metal focusing ring and a lens tube which is protruding quite a lot over the front element. So the front element is deeply recessed in the tube. All later EE/AE variations are built shorter, the front element not being recessed so much as in the first variation. All EE/AE variations have a built-in lens hood.

All EE/AE variations of the lens came with a big metal cap and a leather case. With the first EE variation having the spliced metal focusing ring, the case was a bit longer and made of a more shiny leather than with later variations.

cap Konica Hexanon / Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 AE variations for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon AR
200 mm / F3.5
EE/AE for AR bayonet
lens cap

case Konica Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 EE variation with chrome ring and splined metal focusing ring for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon AR
200 mm / F3.5
EE variation
with splined metal focusing ring
Leather case

case Konica Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 EE/AE variations with rubber focusing ring for AR bayonet

Konica Hexanon AR
200 mm / F3.5
EE/AE variations
with rubber focusing ring
leather case

Alongside the Hexanon / Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5, the 4-element Hexar AR 200 mm / F4 was being sold as a cheaper alternative for some time, but this lens cannot keep up optically with the superior Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5. The Hexar AR series were a series of entry-level lenses sold for a smaller price in the mid-1970's. These lenses were not manufactured by Konica themselves, rumours say they were probably made by Tamron. The following lenses were offered with the Hexar AR series:

In the early 80s, both Hexar AR 200 mm / F4 and Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 lenses were supplanted by the new internal linkHexanon AR 200 mm / F4 lens. Optical performance of this 5 element in 5 groups lens is somewhere between its both predecessors, but it is substantially smaller and lighter than both.

Because the Hexanon / Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 was part of the lens line-up for such a long period, many different downvariations of the lens do exist.

The image quality of the Hexanon / Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 lenses is superb, images are razor-sharp, contrasty and free of distortions. Of all 200 mm lenses from Konica, it has the best optical performance. Image quality is quite similar between the Preset and the EE/AE variations, the EE/AE being a little bit sharper. Comfort in operation is much better with the EE/AE variations compared to the Prest ones, the Preset setting being quite cumbersome and allowing for match-needle metering only.

Draw-backs against the other 200 mm lenses are its big size and heavy weight. In addition, it uses a bigger filter size of 67 mm as compared to the 55 mm of the Hexanon AR 200 mm / F4 and Hexar AR 200 mm / F4 lenses.

Like with most telephoto lenses and their big and not deeply recessed front elements, the consequent use of a lens hood is recommended for the Hexanon / Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 to avoid loss of contrast due to stray light. The EE/AE variations all have a built-in lens shade that is sufficient in many situations. With a deeper accessory lens hood, better results can be achieved frequently, however. The screw-in lens hood of the Preset variations is deeper and offers better protection than the built-in, slide-out hood of the EE/AE variations.

The Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 is neither as common as the 135 mm lenses, nor is it rare. It is offered once in a while – therefore it is not an extremely expensive lens, but is not as inexpensive as the ubiquituous 135 mm lenses. It certainly is worth the moderate prices that have to be paid for it.

Size comparison of different 200 mm lenses

Size comparison of different 200 mm lenses
(from left to right):
Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 Preset
Hexanon 200 mm / 1:3.5 EE (first version)
Hexanon AR 200 mm / F3.5 (EE/AE versions)
Hexanon AR 200 mm / F4
Hexar AR 200 mm / F4

Variations
Lens data
Angle of view: 12°
Construction: 5 elements in 5 groups (Preset variations)
5 elements in 4 groups (EE/AE variations)
Aperture: F bayonet: Preset, smallest aperture 22
AR bayonet: Preset, smallest aperture 22
AR bayonet: Fully automatic AE, smallest aperture 16
Closest focusing: 2.5 m (8 ft 23/8")
Filter thread: 67 mm
Length (at ∞): 156 mm (61/8") (F bayonet Preset version)
158 mm (61/4") (AR bayonet Preset version)
147 mm (53/4") (early AR bayonet metal EE version)
143 mm (55/8") (later AR bayonet versions)
Weight: 855 g (1 lb 141/8 oz) (F bayonet Preset version)
825 g (1 lb 131/8 oz) (AR bayonet Preset version 880 g (1 lb 15 oz) (early AR bayonet metal EE version)
870 g (1 lb 143/4 oz) (later AR bayonet versions)
Lens hood: 67 mm round screw-in (F bayonet Preset version)
67 mm round screw-in (AR bayonet Preset version)
built-in (AR bayonet EE/AE versions)
Lens diagram:
lens diagram Hexanon 200 mm / F3.5 (Preset)

Preset variations

lens diagram Hexanon 200 mm / F3.5 (EE/AE))

EE/AE variations
More pages on the Konica Hexanon and Hexar lenses:

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