Tomioka 55mm 1:1.2 & Chinon Memotron interesting question/advice

[matt_mitchell]

<p>Hi,<br>

I found this Chinon CEII memotron for sale which I wanted to use with my Pentax 50mm 1.8 takuma. Couldn´t see what lens it had on it in the photo where it was posted for sale. Anyway it happened to come with an Auto Chinon 1:1.2 Tomioka lens. No scratches or problems internally with the glass but as seen in the photos part of the rear glass has broken off.<br>

One of the photos shows the lens fully open aperture through the back of the camera, where the fault can be seen at the bottom. (However, looking at the top you can see the top line of the camara body also cuts out the top edge part of the lens which is normal)<br>

My question is will this affect the photos at open or other aperture? I am going to try it of course but I was hoping someone with more experience could tell me. <br>

Also any other info about the lens?<br>

The camera and lens cost me $20 by the way.</p>

<div></div>

[matt_mitchell]

<p>Photos of lens</p><div></div>

[matt_mitchell]

<p>front lens</p><div></div>

[matt_mitchell]

<p>view through back of camera, you can just see the angled parts of the lens defect at the bottom</p><div></div>

[Philipp500]

<p>I don't know this specific camera and lens combo, and it is not very clear where you see broken off glass. It may be that the lens' speed is more than what the camera has been designed for and that the lens has been build with that protruding thing to make it as round as possible wide open. At F 1,8 or F 2 it should look perfectly circular. <br>

The Hexanon 57 F1,2 had a similar problem. It doesn't affect picture quality at all.<br>

Should you not like that lens, please let me know, I'd be delighted to buy it from you if the price is right!</p>

[matt_mitchell]

<p>If you look at the photo of the back of the lens it is pretty clear near the aperture pin the glass is not rounded, it almost looks like it is meant to be like that,.... or thinking about it, is it actually meant to be like that?? I thought the glass should be a perfect circle?? If it was made like that then I am an idt, a very happy one tho lol!</p>

[matt_mitchell]

<p>Damn, it IS meant to be like that!<br>

not a bad score for the lens and camera for $20! anyone got an idea how much the lens is worth?</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>No half-way decent f/1.2 lens is ever that cheap!</p>

<p>Fascinating. Hope you'll show of some pictures taken with it.</p>

<p>You know, it was Chinon that got Butkus started on collecting old manuals. ;)</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Ooooh! 'Tis indeed meant to be like that... A very great score, <strong>Matt</strong>; I've seen the lens on auction sites with "Buy Nows" in excess of $800, but I don't have any recent sale figures. They're very definitely sought-after. Some people have all the luck...</p>

[fred_c1]

<p>Your real problem is the fingerprint on the glass. But I'll pay you $50 to rid you of the imperfectly shaped lens.</p>

[matt_mitchell]

<p>This is the second time I have picked up something special cheap here in Quito, Ecuador. I bought a perfect condition 55mm 1:1.2 olympus zuiko for $30 at an old photography shop, the saleman wrote on the receipt "Olympus 55mm 1.2 normal lens $30" !<br>

This Chinon lens really is in excellent condition except for the small fingerprint mark you can see which I assure you wasn´t me.</p>

[jay_de_fehr]

<p>I paid $10 for my Minolta XD11 w/ 58mm f/1.2, at a local thrift store. I can still remember how my heart rate soared when I found it! Congratulations, and use it in good health.</p>

 

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>The Tomioka fast lenses have garnered a fair bit of collector interest and the prices are very high these days. Some folks use them on their Digis, and like the soft effect that they give when used wide open. I've never seen one for $800.00, but I rekon that around $400.00 is what they seem to go for, anyway you got a really good deal!</p>

[matt_mitchell]

<p>Thanks for the info, on ebay there is one the same advertised buy it now at $864.98<br>

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160646464855?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649<br>

and a yashica yashinon version on auction at the moment it is at $415 with a few bids<br>

http://www.ebay.com/itm/250886803631?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649</p>

[tommyinca]

<p>This is normal for this lens. Look at it from the plus side, it cost much extra to cut the rear elements like that. If you ever look at the back side of a Canon EF85/1.2, it is also not circular due to the electrical contacts blocking part of the real element. </p>

[winfried_buechsenschuetz1]

<p>There seems to be a hype around Tomioka fast lenses - or, to be more precise around ALL japanese fast lenses whatever brandname they bear and whether they are actually made by Tomioka or not. Sellers even try to sell retailer-branded lenses with f/1.2 and f/1.4 for hundreds of EUR on german ebay. So it seems I was quite lucky to find a Revuenon f/1.4 55mm lens with damaged (and repairable) filter thread on a local flea market for just 10 EUR two years ago.<br>

So maybe you could sell just the lens for 10 times the price you paid for the combo :-)</p>