Data sheet: Konica Hexanon AR 65-135 mm f/4

Pekka Buttler, 02/2024

Specifications

The table below summarizes the lens’ key specifications:

Brand:	Konica	Lens name	Zoom-Hexanon AR 65~135mm F4
Focal length(s) 1	65–135 mm	Angle-of-view 2	36 ° – 18 °
Maximum Aperture	f/4	In Production	1971–1978
Lens mount	Konica AR	Subfamily (if applicable)	––
Length 3	128,4 mm	Diameter 4	66,1 mm
Filter ring diameter	55 mm	Weight	617 grams
Lens element count	13	Lens group count	9
Aperture blades (S/R/C) 5	6 S	Focus throw	190 °
Minimum focusing distance	1,5 m	Maximum magnification	1:9,0
Has manual aperture ring	YES	Has Manual focus ring	YES
Aperture mechanism type	Automatic	Aperture click stops 6	4-5.6-8-11-16

Further notes:
• This lens is a relatively early exemplar of a Konica zoom lens, and it does not have a predecessor.
• The 65–135/4 has a rather odd focal length range, that is somewhat wider than customary tele zooms (75-150 or 80-200 mm). On the other hand, it perfectly covers portrait distances.
• It’s a one-ring zoom (you push/pull the ring to adjust focal length; you twist the ring to adjust focus) with a very broad grip. The direction of the push-pull ring is ‘normal’, meaning you push the ring forward to zoom in.
• The lens is not parfocal at portrait distances.
• The lens changes length both when zooming (it is longer at its 135 mm setting) and focusing (shorter when focused at infinity, longer when at MFD). The filter thread rotates when focusing.
• in 1978 this lens was replaced in the Konica lineup by the 75-150/4 – a lens that was significantly smaller and lighter and offered a focal length range more in line with the competition, but is not considered to be optically as good.
• The lens was originally offered with a dedicated lens hood for the 65-135-/4, many of which have sadly become lost. Users who need a lens hood for their 65-135/4 should have a look at generic standard or short tele hoods for 55 mm threads.

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

In its 7-year production span, this lens was modernised once, but the change was relatively minor. Also, the lens started its life with a yellow EE-label on the aperture ring, but on later models this was replaced by later-era green AE-label.

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.

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. ↩︎
6. Numbers equal aperture values on aperture ring; • intermediate click; – no intermediate click. ↩︎