Konishiroku Hexanon 52 mm / 1:1.4

Konishiroku Hexanon 52 mm / 1:1.4

Hexar 52 mm / F1.4 Revue version

Hexar 52 mm / 1:1.4
Revue version

Konishiroku Hexanon 52 mm / 1:1.4
Hexar 52 mm / 1:1.4

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The Hexanon / Hexar 52 mm / 1:1.4 was the fastest standard lens for the cameras with the old internal linkF bayonet – and with its speed of 1:1.4, it was Konica's fastest lens for this lens mount at all.

It will also be Konica's oldest SLR lens, because it came as a standard lens with Konica's very first SLR body – the Konica F; for this model with its fully cross-coupled light meter, no other standard lenses were available. The slower and cheaper standard lenses Hexanon 50 mm / 1:2 and internal linkHexanon / Hexar 52 mm / 1:1.8 came later together with the following camera models without cross-coupled light meter.

The lens was not taken over to the newer internal linkAR bayonet, but has been discontinued with the bayonet change and replaced by the internal linkHexanon / Hexanon AR 57 mm / F1.4.

On the bodies that have been marketed in Germany under the Revue brand and in the USA under the brand name Wards, the lens only has the marking Hexar, without a manufacturer's name. On the normal Konica marked bodies, the lenses of this type wear the marking Konishiroku Hexanon. Right from the start and in all variations it had an automatic aperture, the camera body automatically closes the aperture to the value set on the lens prior to exposure. This was nothing to be taken for granted back in 1960.

Image quality is decent, the Hexanon / Hexar 52 mm / 1:1.4 renders sharp and contrasty images with neutral colour rendition, distortion-free and without obvious vignetting.

The difference in speed over the two budget standard lenses with 1:2 and 1:1.8, respectively, is about 2/3 and one full f-stop – this is nowhere near as important as it used to be in the days when the fastest colour film available was Kodachrome 64. Somtimes, the shallower depth-of-field when used wide open is desirable, especially for portraits. In low-light situations, it still can be the small difference that decides whether or not hand-held images can be made without blur caused by camera shake.

Like all lenses for the old F bayonet, the Hexanon / Hexar 52 mm / 1:1.4 is not very common. The best way to get one is together with a matching body, the lenses are scarcely offered on their own. Despite this, only the extremely rare version with the coupling for the light meter of the Konica F has a collector's value.

Variations
Lens data
Angle of view: 45°
Construction:  
Aperture: Automatic, smallest aperture 16
Closest focusing: 0,6 m (1 ft 115/8")
Filter thread: 49 mm (version with coupling for light meter of Konica F)
55 mm (other versions)
Length (at ∞): 41 mm (15/8")
Weight: 290 g (101/4 oz)
Lens hood: Metal, 49 or 55 mm, respectively, round screw-in
More pages on the Konica Hexanon and Hexar lenses:

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