Pekka Buttler, 08/2022 (Updated 01/2024)
Specifications
The table below summarizes the lens’ key specifications:
Brand: | Konica | Lens name | HEXANON AR 57mm F 1.2 |
Focal length(s)1 | 57 mm | Angle-of-view2 | 42° |
Maximum Aperture | f/1.2 | In Production | 1967–1987 |
Lens mount | Konica AR | Subfamily (if applicable) | –– |
Length3 | 50,5 mm | Diameter4 | 71,4 mm |
Filter ring diameter | 62 mm | Weight | 467 grams |
Lens element count | 7 | Lens group count | 6 |
Aperture blades (S/R/C)5 | 6 S | Focus throw | 180 ° |
Minimum focusing distance | 45 cms | Maximum magnification | 1:5,7 |
Has manual aperture ring | YES | Has Manual focus ring | YES |
Further notes:
• To make room for the lens’ huge back element, a bracket holding the indicator pin partially covers the back element (see below). This bracket will show up in out-of-focus highlights.
History of Konica AR lenses
Konica is one of those names that will not ring any bells to those who’ve only recently started photographing, but for many years Konica was one of the ‘Great Japanese camera companies’.
After a short-lived and only moderately successful line of SLR cameras known as the Konica F-line (1960-1965), Konica hit pay dirt with the introduction of the Konica Auto-Reflex in 1965 and its new, Konica AR mount. The Auto-Reflex was at the time the first affordable system camera with integrated auto-exposure (albeit the exposure metering was not yet TTL). The Auto-Reflex was followed by a two lines of successful cameras – the more ambitious Autoreflex T-line and the more pedestrian Autoreflex A-line – before Konica (along with the rest of Japanese camera companies) stepped up the automation of their SLR cameras with the 1-series (FS-1, FC-1, FP-1, and FT-1).
But while Konica had often been at the forefront of automation (first shutter priority auto-exposure system, first SLR with integrated winder), Konica’s star had been waning, and Konica decided to not compete against the likes of Minolta, Nikon, Canon, and Pentax in autofocus technology. Instead Konica withdrew from SLR and SLR lens manufacture and focused on compacts and other optoelectronics. Two decades later Konica merged with Minolta to form KonicaMinolta, which subsequently sold its camera business to Sony. So, after a fashion, the DNA of Konica’s camera business lives on in Sony’s camera division.
Relevantly, the Konica AR mount had a relatively good and long (1965–1987) run, and stayed remarkably unchanged throughout. Hence, while Konica changed the design of their AR lenses during those years – moving towards lighter constructions, rubber focus rings, and a more modern look (for more detail, look here) – all AR lenses are physically entirely compatible with all AR-mount bodies.´
Versions
The 57 mm f/1.2 is the brightest SLR lens ever manufactured by Konica. It was originally introduced in 1967 and remained in production until 1987. There are 4 versions of the lens, and while the overall recipe (7 elements, 6 groups) stayed unchanged, the lens’ casing was changed in every version.
Version 1 (1967–1970) [this lens]
• Splined metal focusing ring
• Chrome ring
• Yellow EE mark
• Radioactive (certainly)
Version 2 (1970–1973)
• Splined metal focusing ring
• All black
• Yellow EE mark
• Radioactive (according to this source)
Version 3 (1973)
• Focusing ring with checkered rubber inlay
• All black
• Green EE mark
• Radioactive (according to this video)
Version 4 (1973–1987)
• Focusing ring with checkered rubber inlay
• All black
• Green AE mark
• Radioactive (most likely)
The lens pictured above (my sample) is of the first (oldest) type, meaning it was likely manufactured between 1967 and 1970.
Radioactivity:
At least the first three versions (all those that have EE on the aperture ring) of the Konica Hexanon AR 57 mm f/1.2 are radioactive due to using a glass-mixture containing thorium. While radioactive lenses generally pose no health threat (see more here), the radioactivity can lead to some yellowing of the glass elements themselves, leading to both a yellow-orange-brown tint and a loss off transmission.
Adapting
n.B! The following applies to all Konica AR mount lenses.
This lens cannot be used natively on any current SLR or dSLRs. To use it in its native environment, you will need a Konica AR-mount film body. I’ve personally enjoyed my 57/1.2 on my Konica FC-1.
Thanks to being a fully manual lens (manual aperture, manual focus), the lens can be adapted to all mirrorless cameras using a suitable adapter. Moreover, Konica AR lenses are so uncomplicated that a simple ‘dumb adapter’ will do the job perfectly. However, due to Konica AR lenses not being among the most numerously manufactured, special adapters (helicoid adapters, tilt/shift adapters) are not easy to come by and speed boosters are currently unavailable.
Using Konica AR lenses on dSLRs is possible, but difficult. Due to the exceptionally short flange focal distance of the Konica AR mount (at 40,5 mm, a lot shorter than that of any full-frame dSLR mount), any adapter will necessitate some optics to achieve anything near infinity focus.
Footnotes
1 Focal length is (unless stated otherwise) given in absolute terms, and not in Full-frame equivalent. For an understanding of whether the lens is wide/tele, see ‘Angle-of-view’.
2 Picture angle is given in degrees (based on manufacturers’ specs) and concerns the diagonal picture angle. Rule of thumb:
> 90 ° ==> Ultra-wide-angle
70–90 ° ==> Wide-angle
50–70 ° ==> Moderate wide-angle
40–50 ° ==> ‘Standard’ or ‘normal’ lens
20–40 ° ==> Short tele lens
10-20 ° ==> Tele lens
5-10 ° ==> Long tele lens
< 5 ° ==> Ultra-tele lens
3 Length is given from the mount flange to the front of lens at infinity.
4 Diameter excludes protrusions such as rabbit ears or stop-down levers.
5 S=straight; R=rounded; C=(almost)circular at all apertures.