Koni Omega 180mm Lens Question/Problem

[mwdake]

I just got me a 180MM KO lens for my Koni Omega 100.

At first I thought the shutter speed ring seemed very difficult to grip as it was partially covered by the front part of the lens.
Then when I went to slide out the lens hood I noticed the whole front lens group slides out kind of like a collapsible lens.
If anyone has this lens and can look I am talking about the ring with the blue line around it; if I pull on this the whole front of the lens slides out; I am not talking about the hood as this slides out separately.

This seems rather odd to me as even though the front elements don't move the middle ones closest to the shutter do move.
I am not sure if it is even supposed to do this and wonder if someone has been tinkering with the lens before I purchased it.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[ic-racer]

wonder if someone has been tinkering with the lens before I purchased it.

Seems like an ebay special

 

[mwdake]

Seems like an ebay special

I was wondering about that.
However, I found this on a Flickr post and this might be right as the inner barrel that slides out is lined with the same material as the actual lens hood.
I have never seen a lens with a 2 stage lens hood.

Koni-Omega Rapid rangefinder camera with f4.5 180mm Hexanon. The lens was introduced in March 1964 as part of the Koni-Omega System. There are two versions, with silver trim (and silver endcap) and a later version (from 1967) with black trim and end cap.

The lens has an in-built, two-stage lens hood. Here shown with first stage pulled out.

I mounted the lens and scotch taped the film plane to check focus and it seems to focus correctly whether the lens barrel is in or out despite the fact that the inner lens elements do move.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

I have a black 180mm for my KO Rapid M. It does have a two-stage lens hood. None of the lens elements move in or out on mine. Maybe there's a filter of some sort stuck in the inner part of the lens hood that you're mistaking for a front group? It's a long shot guess as the inner part of the hood isn't threaded for a filter. Here's a photo of my KO with the lens hood extended:

www.flickr.com/photos/rjbuzzclick/6078196809/

 

[mwdake]

Thanks Reid.

Your picture confirmed that the lens behaves as it should.
I think I was confused about any of the elements moving as it really is just an outer barrel that moves as a 2nd stage lens hood.
Interesting you have a silver and black camera and an all black lens while I have an all black camera and the silver and black lens.

My KO Rapid 100 is one of my favorite cameras as it never disappoints.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

The hood on mine is really snug. I didn't realize it was a two stage hood myself until I saw a photo of another camera with the hood all the way out.

My KO is the Rapid M (with interchangeable film magazines). I believe it's an earlier model to your 100. They are wonderful cameras.

I originally didn't want to get the 180mm as I usually don't like anything longer than a "normal" lens on a rangefinder. I came across one at a really good price, bought it on a whim, and was surprised at how much I liked it. It's only drawback is that you can't focus any closer than about 12' with it.

 

[bushpig]

My KO is the Rapid M (with interchangeable film magazines). I believe it's an earlier model to your 100. They are wonderful cameras.

The Rapid Omega 100 and 200 are the same as the Koni-Omega Rapid and Rapid M, respectively. The 100 and 200 were manufactured after the Rapids by Mamiya instead of Konica.