KONICA HEXANON AR 50mm f/1.4 | This Vintage Lens Is a Jewel

[@1kwords]

Sorry for the bad sound in this one. I'll do better next time.

[@reptilespantoso]

I noticed (by ear) it's clipping a bit (resulting in distortion), you may want to pull the levels down, use a compressor and to make sure, put some limiter on the channel in the video editing software. (Davinci Resolve's one is ok, but there's fancy ones too) But nothing that made me turn it off. (I'm a colleage YT maker (for a corporation) and audio professional, so I'm listening this in my studio. (while the rest of the world is having holliday fun outside lol) Thanks! I share your enthousiasm about this lens. It was my first Konica, but not my last! If you can find an reasonably priced one, try the 85mm. It's very simular to this 50mm in character. (some wild bokeh possible with water and light in the background). PS: I use this lens with an ND filter with a Sony FS100 video camera (super 35 sensor size) 1080p max. It's a perfect fit!

[@1kwords]

@@reptilespantoso yes, it does sound like distortion, actually more like overdrive... Which is odd because I wasn't clipping, meters never went into red and the waveform is never clipped. I also have a decade of experience in audio, I used to be a DJ qnd and electronic music producer so the fact that I have no idea why the sound is messed up in this one is even more shameful.

[@KimHojbergJensen]

I just ordered a Konica Autoreflex T3 on ebay, so now I will try it with film 😊 I am new to your channel and I like it a lot!

[@1kwords]

Thanks.

[@plannerjohn]

Nothing like a sweaty cold beer and some nice glass! Looks like a fabulous lens. I own the Konica 40 1.8 and will be looking for a 50 1.4!

[@1kwords]

Indeed. A wonderful combo, especially during hot summer days like these.

[@ModernVersusVintage]

Gotcha! At 7:08, "it weighs in at 265 degrees" 😂😂 Great clip man!🎉

[@1kwords]

Haha, really? I missed that.

[@RobiePunsalan]

Sick intro and great review! I have the 57mm 1.2, however there's no yellowing from the thorium. It's still radioactive but the elements haven't degraded. I've come to embrace (not literally) radioactive lenses.

[@1kwords]

Thank you, glad you're enjoying my work.

[@UNSCPILOT]

I mean, so long as you don't break I and inhale the dust, the radiation is so low as to be a non-issue, and if I remember right the yellowing is undone by UV light, so as long as it's not in storage for years the yellowing shouldn't manifest

[@MBroam]

I really like the look of those monochrome photos.

[@1kwords]

Thanks. I like them too.

[@prizepictures1]

Damn those images are exquisite. That’s exactly the way I want my pictures to feel. Character out the ying yang. I have the 50mm F1.8 version adapted to M4/3. How do you feel about the AE setting on the aperture ring? It gets locked if you accidentally go past F22 which gets on my nerves, LOL.

[@1kwords]

Yeah, the AE lock is annoying but I rarely ever get so closed down that it's an actual issue. Thanks for your comment.

[@prizepictures1]

@@1kwords preciate the solid review.

[@1kwords]

Happy to be of service.

[@seoulrydr]

tyvm for the review! appreciate you explaining the difference between the 2 variations. Or maybe I'm mad because now I will obsess over which to own like I did with the 24mm and the 28mm.

[@1kwords]

Expect a review of the Hexanon 3.5/28 later this year.

[@ChasWG]

This is the second time watching this video. I saw it a couple weeks ago when it came out, but now I have this lens coming to me. And I'm hoping its as good as you say. I paid $65 US (shipping included) for what looks like a very nice lens. I had to do some hunting around for this version, plenty of the older 6 blade versions. I also own the KH 57/1.4 and just love that lens. Its big, heavy and you know which one you have on the camera when using it. But lens weight doesn't bother me at all. I actually like a heavy lens. I'm sort of a big Konica Hexanon AR lens junkie. I own quite a few of them. The 40/1.8 is also one of my favorite vintage lenses all time. I have to make sure to not use it too much and give some of my other lenses some love. LOL! Excited for the KH 50/1.4!

[@1kwords]

It's not supposed to be as "magical" and "characterful" as the 1.4/57, but there's no doubt in my mind you will enjoy this lens. AFAIC, a package with the Konica 100mm f2.8 is to arrive later today and I'm pretty excited.

[@sclogse1]

I would say those with compromised immunity should steer clear of thorium. But imagine what it was like in the factories making these. I'd love to see any old company film showing the making of 60's lenses. With any questionable vintage lens, I leave it's adapter on it permanently. Here's a funny question... Will thorium kill fungus, or help turn it into one more annoying relative?

[@1kwords]

Once or twice I have wondered about what the effects of thorium might be on fungus, but I never did any actual research into it so I have no idea.

[@UNSCPILOT]

The radiation isn't nearly strong enough to be that risky, unless you make a habit of grinding up thorium glass into dust and inhaling it, remember that even fruit like Bananas are radioactive, if mildly And the fungus probably won't notice unless other factors are blocking it's growth, to have a noticeable effects it would need to be... dramatically more radioactive, like say the cobalt source for one of the Opportunity rover's spectrometers. Then again microbes have been found on the outside of the ISS in a vacuum, high radiation, limited food environment so life is just terrifyingly too stubborn

[@reptilespantoso]

Nice review. I own 2 copies of this lens.With brighter colours, more contrast and the bokeh is different too. To me this lens is more like a seventies popstar, instead of the 57mm being a sixties ballet dancer. Here's a short story: I was at a camera (lens) market in 2019. I noticed a Takumar 55mm f1.4 (radioactive) and it had a shattered back lens! I did bring my Geiger counter and quickly measured about 30 microSieverts uSv/hr while baseline is here about 0.07-0.1 uSv/hr. There was glass dust visible and it was a mess. The people selling the lens were a friendly couple, who had no idea what they were dealing with (a serious health hazard) and they didn't understand what I was telling them (put the lens in a bag right now, do not touch it!). I tried to explain the danger of radioactive dust (inhalation, ingestion) but they just blanked out, so I said goodbye. I had made a short video with my phone camera, and went out of the hall (gymnasium) where the market was, to go wash my hands and my face.

[@1kwords]

I definitely need to try the 57 at one point. And yeah, interesting story, that broken rear element is a real health hazard.

[@reptilespantoso]

@@1kwords also.. the old 35mm and 28mm. (white black paint not the newer ones with rubber) - IF you like character. and these are cheap, mostly. ssshh don't tell anyone. thanks for the videos. I should make some myself but do not have handsome looks. 😛

[@1kwords]

@@reptilespantoso I have the Hexanon AR 28 mm / F3.5 middle F16 version and I'll hopefully get arpund to reviewing that sometime in the next couple of months.