Komuranon enlarging lens

I was cleaning out a darkroom cabinet the other day and found a Komuranon-E 75mm f5.6 enlarging lens. I can not recall why I bought it or how long I have had it. It appears to be well made and is in good condition. I did an internet search which was not that helpful. Opinions ran from it being a piece of crap to it being better than Leitz, Schneider, Rodenstock or Nikkor. Some said it was the worst lens they ever used and some said it was the best lens they ever used. Has anyone here ever actually used one?

Not used the 75mm f/5.6 version, but for years I used a Komuranon E 50mm f/3.5. It replaced a Minolta 50mm f/4.5 (which itself got very good reviews), and was a definite step up. I later bought a Schneider 50mm f/2.8 Componon-S, and for the life of me could detect no improvement between it and the Komuranon. The wider aperture made focusing and framing easier though.

 

Based on my sample, I'd put the Komuranon up there with Componons and Rodagons. At least in the 50mm focal length.

 

Having said that, any lens is only as good as the particular sample you have. The acid test is to make a reasonably sized print with the lens in question.

any lens is only as good as the particular sample you have.

 

Few truer words were ever written.

 

The lens was made by Sankyō Kōki - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia

in Tokyo who made a wide variety of camera and other lenses.

 

They supplied lenses for some fairly sophisticated cameras.

 

However, the prognosis is good, so give it a try and see how it works (and we'd appreciate hearing back):)

It seems to be a six element enlarging lens and on the basis that if someone had set out to make a piece of crap, three elements would probably have sufficed, I'd say it's at least worth looking at.

throw it away

Coincidentally, I recently came across a 75mm Komuranon-S (same as the 'E' I believe) and got it among some other bits and pieces for a silly-cheap price.

 

I don't have a darkroom set up at the moment, but I do have bellows and a whole drawer full of enlarging lenses that I use for macro.

 

Judging by its performance as a macro lens, this 75mm Komuranon is quite good at around 1:4 to 1:1 RR. At 'normal' distances, >1:10, it's pretty poor, so I guess as an enlarging lens it'll be fine for up to maybe 5x enlargements - say a 12" print from a 6x6 neg, or maybe a bit bigger.

 

The rather drastic change in performance with conjugate focii might well account for its mixed reviews. Anyhow, for the few UK£ I paid for it, I can't complain. It's no competition for an Apo-Rodagon, agreed, but then again it didn't cost much, and I didn't already have a 75mm focal length enlarging/macro lens.

Edited August 3, 2018 by rodeo_joe|1

throw it away

Or put it on the shelf with those old film cameras you’ve been hanging on to unused for 10 years.....