Konica Hexanon 300mm

FM2N · Apr 16, 2008

Hello All,
I have this lens and would like to know if it would work well with large format cameras? Also an idea on price$. The glass is perfect front and back. Blades are clean as a whistle. Comes with retaining ring

Thanks for the help
Arthur

freygr · Apr 16, 2008

Just install it on a lens board with a parkard shutter and try it out.

FM2N · Apr 17, 2008

I do not own a packard shutter and it is to large to fit in my speed graphic. Next

Dan Fromm · Apr 17, 2008

FM2N said:
I do not own a packard shutter and it is to large to fit in my speed graphic. Next

You may be mistaken on this. The trick is to mount the lens in front of the lens board.

Two ways to do the job. A cup-shaped adapter that accepts the lens and whose rear will pass through the lens board. An externally-threaded tube, stepped if necessary, that screws into the lens' rear filter threads (if it has 'em).

I have a couple of aerial cameras mounted this way on boards for my 2x3 Speed.

FWIW, I have a 210/9 GRII that I hang in front of a #1 via a cup-shaped adapter. Nice sharp lens, a little prone to flare (needs a hood, which can be improvised fairly easily). I believe this trick will work with a 300 on a 4x5 camera if movements aren't needed. That's your Speed.

scootermm · Apr 17, 2008

I used to use a Konica Hexanon GRII 300mm (this same lens) on a 7x17 camera.
These lenses cover really well.

Papageno · Apr 17, 2008

Adapter

Fitting this lens to a SG board may be quite challenging, but not impossible. Diameter of the lens is almost as big as the width of a lensboard. Therfore you will for sure need to connect it to the lensboard via some sort of an adapter. Since the rear lens will be larger than the opening in the board, some vignetting may be visible, but the effect of vignetting should not be significant at smaller apertures, I think. Some ideas you may get from attached photos. I used Home Depot plastic pipe fitting (fits Konica 300mm perfectly) to connect this lens to Wista lensboard. It required specialized tools like table drill, taps, adjustable circle cutter, etc. and some amount of time. I have just finished work on this adapter, did not put the lens on yet, so I can't tell how it performs.
SG vertical shutter is limited to 1/30, so in most cases you will have to use lens cover as a shutter (or similar technique).

Dan Fromm · Apr 17, 2008

Papageno, although Pacemaker Speed Graphics' lowest timed speed is 1/30, older Speeds go down to 1/10. Even so, your point is well-taken but I have doubts about its significance. My 210/9 GRII can be front mounted on a #1, so with it I have access to timed speeds down to 1 second. I rarely shoot it out-and-about at speeds slower than 1/30.

I must not have been clear. The approach you took is well-known. I have two TTH aerial camera lenses mounted that way by SKGrimes adapters on 2x3 Pacemaker Graphic boards. The big fat 12"/4's rear is larger than the board, so the adapter is stepped.

FM2N · Apr 17, 2008

Great ideas. Thank you all. I did not think of that type of a mount. Dan do you have pictures of the way you mount the lenses?
thanks
Arthur

Phillip P. Dimor · Apr 17, 2008

papageno, that is sweet. I've mounted a 10" Kodak Anastigmat and a 10" Kodak Copying Ektanon (both big barrel lenses) onto my 4x5 speed graphic.
Indeed, you need to mount the lens with retaining ring onto the front of the board. The ring is actually larger than the board, but there is enough clearance for the sliders on the front standard to hold the board in. Papageno's solution is better as you could probably a lot closer that way.

From what i've read, the hexanon process lenses are sharp as a tack.

paul ewins · Apr 17, 2008

The Hexanon 300 is a process lens from a reproduction (lith) camera. It is probably better suited to an 8x10 or larger camera than a Speed Graphic. You may well run out of bellows if you try anything other than landscapes. I've got a little soviet Lomo 300/f9 lens that stretches the bellows on my SG a long way out just to get infinity. There are much better options out there, but as you already have it there is no harm in trying the home depot style mounts. These should also give you a little more extension and take the stress off your bellows.

Valuewise, well there is one in an eBay store for $170 which seems to be too much as it hasn't sold yet. They are really of most interest to ULF shooters (as a wide angle lens) as there are plenty of other options for 4x5 or 8x10 shooters.

Papageno · Apr 18, 2008

I agree with the previous post remarks on Hexanon 300mm. 10 / 15 inch Tele Optar or Raptar would be a better choice for Speed Graphic. Similar price, and they fit SG lensboards without problems. At that focal length, sharpness is limited by so many factors (tripod, head, wind, etc.), that the resolution of the lens is very often of secondary importance. Konica process lens may be purchases sometimes very cheaply, but take in mind, that the amount of time and effort required to make them work with SG properly may be quite substantial.
I bought mine for not much more than $100$, intending to use it primarily on 5X7 camera. The big lensboard of my 5x7 camera can accept smaller Wista lensboard.

Dan Fromm · Apr 18, 2008

Papageno said:
I agree with the previous post remarks on Hexanon 300mm. 10 / 15 inch Tele Optar or Raptar would be a better choice for Speed Graphic. Similar price, and they fit SG lensboards without problems. At that focal length, sharpness is limited by so many factors (tripod, head, wind, etc.), that the resolution of the lens is very often of secondary importance. Konica process lens may be purchases sometimes very cheaply, but take in mind, that the amount of time and effort required to make them work with SG properly may be quite substantial.
I bought mine for not much more than $100$, intending to use it primarily on 5X7 camera. The big lensboard of my 5x7 camera can accept smaller Wista lensboard.

Good point, but I don't agree completely. This because what with the adapter's and shutter's thickness and the fact that the lens' rear node is near the diaphragm, a front-mounted lens can be given usefully more extension than the bellows alone will offer.

In several situations I rack my little 2x3 Graphics' bellows all the way out. Doing this makes some people, you for example, quite uncomfortable. I don't understand why it does. As far as I can tell I haven't damaged my cameras' bellows.

Its a real shame that people know about these lenses now. Its a long story, but my 210 cost somewhat less than nothing. At that price, having an adapter made wasn't such a bad idea. But at today's prices buying a decent lens in shutter is usually less expensive than buying a $100-200 "bargain" in barrel and having it put in shutter or adapted for front-mounting.

Cheers,

Dan

Konica Hexanon 300mm

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