Koni omega rapid quality ?

bluerough

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
6
Location
Viet Nam
Format
Analog
Hi everyone, I'm newbie in film photography. I just have a 6x7 Koni omega rapid with 90mm f3.5 lens. I've read some discussion about lens quality of Koni omega, they said these lenses have sharp, quality as hasselblad ??? Is it true ?? ( i don't have hasselblad to check =(((( )
And the owner of this camera talked to me this lens more suitable for bnw film than color --How can we know it, it depends on what factors ??( ignore the case I check bnw film and color film)

Thanks a lot, sorry for stupid questions I'm just a newbie
 

halfaman

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
1,481
Location
Bilbao
Format
Multi Format
90 mm and other Omega Rapid lenses are single coated. This kind of coatings adds some cast to color images, normally a yellow cast. Because of this some people say they are not recommended for color photography, only multicoated lenses should be used.

I don't find single coatings so terrible, at least for color negative, it could be even attractive and easy to correct. Try it and judge by yourself.
 
Last edited:

Dan Fromm

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2005
Messages
6,880
Format
Multi Format

Interesting. Why do you believe that?

OP, I can't speak to your 90/3.5 'cos I don't have one. I do have 58/5.6 (8 elements in 4 groups) and 60/5.6 (6/4), both reshuttered so I can use them on 2x3 Graphics. They're outstanding and render colors accurately.
 

PFGS

Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
282
Location
NC USA
Format
Digital
I had a Koni-Omega Rapid for a while. The 90mm lens is quite good. There are a lot of factors that go into making a sharp photo (there are also a lot of photos out there with little going for them besides sharpness, but that's another thread), the Koni lenses are unlikely to be the limiting factor. I can speak to any color cast as I only shot b&w in mine.
 

Paul Howell

Subscriber
Joined
Dec 23, 2004
Messages
9,948
Location
Scottsdale Az
Format
Multi Format
While in the Air Force I used a Koni-Omega on occasion, the lens are quite good, Konica made some of the best lens. The rachate advance is very quick, unlike a Mamiya Press the shutter is cocked as the film is advanced. We shot both color and B&W, not sure about the color cast, if there is any it was corrected during printing, it was favorite of wedding shooters, who shot color. The Koni-Omega is rugged, but after decades of use the rachate advance is prone to wear, the lens set is limited to 5, the Air Force kit had 3, a wide, normal and long the 180. As long as the film advance is working a solid performer, I bought a Mamiya Universal as it was part of a larger system with a wider range of lens, backs, and accessories.
 

Sal Santamaura

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Messages
7,535
Location
San Clemente, California
Format
Multi Format
Here's the lens comparison you seek:


Multicoated, single-coated, uncoated, color balance is not directly related.

As someone who owned and used that camera after purchasing it new in the 1970s, the most valuable advice I can offer is to be gentle with the film advance. That's the design's Achilles heel. Treat it kindly and it might not fail.
 

halfaman

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
1,481
Location
Bilbao
Format
Multi Format
Dan Fromm said:
Interesting. Why do you believe that?
Click to expand...

Single layer anti-reflective coatings work well just around a single wave length so light tranmission is uneven across the whole spectrum. To achieve a neutral response you need several layers optimized for several wave lengths... multilayered coating or just multicoating.

I have an Iskra with a single coated Industar-58 and I use it always with color film, there is some yellow cast but it can be corrected easily during editing or printing. Besides that it gives beatiful rendering and it is sharp lens closing down a bit (very sharp at f/8).
 
Last edited:

mshchem

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Messages
15,399
Location
Iowa City, Iowa USA
Format
Medium Format
I know a guy that made a good living back in the day shooting weddings with that camera. He would use one for a couple years and trade it in for a new one. People were on a waiting list for his used cameras. Be careful with the film advance, smooth and deliberate is the best way. I have some 6x9 Ektachrome I shot in the 70's somewhere.
 

Paul Howell

Subscriber
Joined
Dec 23, 2004
Messages
9,948
Location
Scottsdale Az
Format
Multi Format
As I understand the history the Air Force replaced the Graflex XL with Omega, although the XL bodies were made in the U.S to say the build quality was poor is a kindness. The Omega had overall much better build quality, the GIs tended to abuse the pull push advance, one guy who out ranked me would hold the film advance lever in one hand and flip it down then back up for a really quick film advance, he was quite proud of his technique. If you really like your Omega I would think about finding a beater body for parts.
 

Konical

Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2003
Messages
1,824
Good Afternoon, Bluerough,

As the previous responses have indicated, the film advance/spacing can be a problem. I have a couple of magazines which work perfectly and several which may have been mal-treated or just heavily used and have defects. The lens quality for the 90mm Koni, as well as for the 58mm and 180mm, is high, as long as no obvious problems are present. The image quality from my much newer Fuji 6 × 7 RF(90mm lens) is better--but by just a very small margin. Your 90mm Koni should give you very good prints, at least up to 16 × 20.

Konical
 

Dan Fromm

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2005
Messages
6,880
Format
Multi Format

Who are you quoting and why do you believe this bilge? Some lens manufacturers publish their lenses' measured transmission by wavelength. All of the charts I've seen are pretty flat across the visible spectrum regardless of the lenses' coatings.

Lenses are coated to improve transmission and reduce veiling flare, not to correct transmission by wavelength.
 

Bormental

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2020
Messages
622
Location
USA
Format
Multi Format
Kodachromeguy said:
+1. Billions of color photographs have been taken with single-coated lenses.
Click to expand...

In theory, single-coated lenses must introduce color distortions because they alter contrast within a narrower part of the visible light spectrum. The question is: can one notice the difference and whether one is bothered by it.

Millions of photographers couldn't possibly change the laws of physics by using single-coated lenses. What kind of argument is that? Millions of surgeries were performed by doctors without washing their hands because they didn't know any better.
 

mgb74

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 24, 2005
Messages
4,780
Location
MN and MA US
Format
Multi Format
Unless you have a bad sample or camera/lens in need of repair, the results should be just fine. Don't get hung up in comparisons or theoretical limitations. Just make photographs and enjoy.
 

halfaman

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
1,481
Location
Bilbao
Format
Multi Format

I read some years ago in a pdf that I can't find, I think it was by Zeiss but I can be wrong. It explained what a single coating does and why multicoating is needed. Multicoating improves transmission evenly in all visible spectrum, single coating do it just in some part of it.

That is the reason why some people belive that single coated lenses are not for color photography. As I said before, I don't think like that.
 

Dan Fromm

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2005
Messages
6,880
Format
Multi Format
You believe marketing fluff? Oh, dear.

You don't believe marketing fluff and repeat it? Oh, dear again.
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
54,307
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
Bormental said:
Millions of surgeries were performed by doctors without washing their hands because they didn't know any better.
Click to expand...
And how many of their patients are still with us?
These were popular wedding cameras and they were happily used by many colour photographers for a long time.
I owned a couple for a while, but mostly used them with black and white panchromatic film. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if colour film were to be deleteriously affected by single coating, to the most part so would panchromatic black and white.
The cameras can take photos like this (the 60mm lens I think):
This enlarges very nicely to 12 x 16.
I sold mine because their ergonomics didn't suit my very left handed self, but I enjoyed the results I got with them.
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
54,307
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
OP
OP

bluerough

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
6
Location
Viet Nam
Format
Analog
halfaman said:
And now you are only offensive. Oh, dear.

End of the conversation. Oh, dear again.
Click to expand...
Dear halfaman and Dan Fromm
I think this discussion is to confirm what I know is true or not.
Every debate is interesting, many different opinions. but calm down, don't be offensive
 

Deleted member 88956


Well, never heard of single coatings doing color cast. They surely are below multi-coatings in flare control.They may have some visible effect in digital capture, especially since those are scrutinized all too often down to pixel level, but using old lenses in digital is just a trendy experimentation, so unlikely to be a factor here.

I can't speak for any Koni-Omega lenses, but surely Konica lenses had great reputation in their film days so you should expect nothing but high grade that will not hold anyone back, at any level, from capturing outstanding images.
 

Deleted member 88956

Sounds a bit too dramatic for what it's worth. We can all focus on making photographs or ... marketing BS, even if deep down some technical claims may be of scientific value .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…