Komura 400 mm Telephoto Lens

[neil_poulsen1]

I've seen a couple of Komura 400mm f8 telephoto lenses recently, and I'm curious as to their quality. I don't need this focal length very often, but there are those occasions when nothing else will do.

 

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Does anyone have experience with this lens for 4x5? Is it good quality? Does it have decent contrast, and is it sharp? At this focal length, I wouldn't expect to need much in the way of camera adjustments. For example, how might it compare with the Schneider 360mm f5.5 telephoto of recent manufacture? (Or not so recent.)

[ron_shaw]

I think I remember someone saying that the Komura lenses are Congos.

If so, you can find info on it here, as well as a sample shot.

 

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http://www.cosmonet.org/~congo/index_e.html

 

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Images I have seen taken with Congo lenses have been very good.

[kcrisp]

I did own a 360 Schneider, an old one from the 50's in compound

shutter. The glass on mine was gorgeous. The negatives were very

disappointing, fuzzy enough that they looked fuzzy just holding them

up after taking them out of the fixer. Maybe some samples do better,

but this is my experience. I'd make sure you get a return priviledge

if you get one of these used.

[pete_andrews]

I think it's more likely that Congo lenses are made by Komura, than

the other way round.<br>Komura have been making lenses for many years,

and their lenses are generally very good, but they've never had the

wide recognition they deserve.<br>They made a nice 50mm wide-angle for

the Bronica S2a, and an excellent range of enlarging lenses. They also

made an extensive range of LF lenses from the late 1960s to the

mid-1970s, including a 300mm f/2.8 for 5x4!<br>I'd say from past

experience with komura lenses that you could expect decent quality

from this brand.

[david_goldfarb]

I picked up a Komura 300mm/f:5 tele cheap for my Bronica S2A and was

quite pleasantly surprised. Build quality is excellent and quite a

sharp lens.

[duane_kucheran]

Komura is quite a top notch lens manufacturer but is surely not in

the same league as Nikon. They make broadcast quality TV camera

lenses that are in the $$$ range as well as Komuranon enlarging

lenses. They also made 35mm and medium format lenses for various

mounts.

 

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Congo is made by Yamasaki: http://www.cosmonet.org/~congo/index_e.html

They are not as highly regarded as Komura. I've never seen any

lenses from them other than the Congo for LF.

 

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Cheers,

 

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Duane

[bob_mccrea]

one word sums it up-JUNK !

[alpshiker]

Yamasaki makes Congo and Osaka lenses.

[stephen_poe1]

I've used a 300 f6.3 Komura. I thought it was good - a sharp lens that

seemed to work as well as the 300 f5.6 Symmar-s that the studio also

had but at 1/2 the weight and 1/3 the cost. If I found a good clean

sample of the 300 and I had the cash, I'd try it. Based on my

experience of the 300, I'd be inclined to give the 400 a try.

[jim_bancroft]

Hi-

 

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I have the Komura f8 400mm telephoto and find it to be a very good

lens for 4X5 use. It seems to have about the same image circle and

film to flange distance as the Fuji T f8 400(about 5X7 coverage and

260mm respectively). I like mine a lot.

 

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jim