Makinon Makinon 24mm f2.8 Heritage

Overview

The Makinon 24mm f/2.8 was introduced in the late 1970s by Makina Optical Co. of Japan, a company founded in 1967 that built its business making OEM lenses for distributor brands like Vivitar, Hanimex, and Toyo Optics. In 1974 Makina began selling under its own 'Makinon' brand, pursuing a strategy of affordable but high-performance optics. This 24mm was sold under various brands—the same optic appears as Hanimex and Toyo Optics USA versions, with the Hanimex being the easiest to find on the used market, while the Makinon-branded version is relatively rare and often overlooked. Makina Optical ceased operations in the 1980s as consumers moved to autofocus systems. The lens has developed a modest cult following among vintage-glass and cinemod enthusiasts largely for its swirly bokeh, which reviewers compare directly to Helios lenses—notably filling a gap since the Soviet lineup never produced a 24mm swirl lens. People love it for its extremely low cost (often around $15-$20), its solid all-metal build, and its distinctive character. No established nicknames are evidenced in the reviews.

Verdict: The Makinon 24mm f/2.8 is a bargain-priced, characterful vintage wide-angle best suited to cinematographers and creative shooters who want Helios-style swirl in a focal length the Soviets never offered. Accept its soft edges, warm haze, and flare tendencies as part of its charm, tame it with a matte box and by stopping down, and it delivers sharp centers, pleasing color, and a distinctive anamorphic-like look for very little money. It's not a corner-to-corner performer, but for artistic close-ups and cinematic framing it punches well above its price.

Optical Character

Bokeh

Swirly bokeh comparable to Helios, most pronounced in close-ups, with round central highlights and large oval bokeh at closest focus.

Color

Warm rendering with praised color saturation, as flares and haze add a warming effect.

Sharpness wide open

Sharp in the center wide open with soft edges, improving significantly when stopped down to f/5.6.

Flare resistance

Suffers from strong flares and haze, especially in backlit scenes, with a warm tint; a matte box is recommended.

Contrast

Contrast improves significantly when stopped down to f/5.6; backlit haze reduces contrast wide open.

Vignetting

Present wide open with brighter center, largely gone by stopping down to around f/4.

Community Insights

What people love

Swirly bokeh comparable to Helios lenses, filling the gap of a 24mm swirl lens that the Soviet lineup never made
Sharp center wide open with pleasing color saturation
Anamorphic-like background texture, especially when the footage is letterboxed to scope aspect ratio
Solid all-metal construction with smooth focus and aperture rings
Very low cost (often around $15-$20), making it an affordable alternative to famous 24mm lenses
Close minimum focus of 25cm allows extreme close-ups with big oval bokeh and creative near-subject shots

What people dislike

Strong flare and haze susceptibility, particularly in backlit scenes
Soft edges wide open
Noticeable vignetting until stopped down
No auto/manual aperture switch, complicating use on digital adapters
Barrel distortion visible on straight-line subjects

Pro Tips

Move close to your subject to maximize the swirly bokeh—the swirl really appears in close-ups, while medium shots show only a hint
Use a matte box to control the strong flares and haze in backlit or night scenes
Stop down to f/4 to eliminate vignetting and to f/5.6 for a significant boost in sharpness and contrast
Frame or letterbox to a scope aspect ratio to exploit the anamorphic-like background texture for cinematic shots
Avoid aiming at brick walls or straight lines to hide the barrel distortion
For cinemod: the focus ring is ~62mm and takes a Tilta 59-61mm seamless gear ring; the 55mm filter thread accepts a 55-77mm step-up ring

Sources (1)

Web-grounded synthesissecondary

The Makinon 24mm f/2.8 was introduced in the late 1970s by Makina Optical Co. of Japan, a company founded in 1967 that built its business making OEM lenses for distributor brands like Vivitar, Hanimex, and Toyo Optics. In 1974 Makina began selling under its own 'Makinon' brand, pursuing a strategy of affordable but high-performance optics. This 24mm was sold under various brands—the same optic appears as Hanimex and Toyo Optics USA versions, with the Hanimex being the easiest to find on the used market, while the Makinon-branded version is relatively rare and often overlooked. Makina Optical ceased operations in the 1980s as consumers moved to autofocus systems. The lens has developed a modest cult following among vintage-glass and cinemod enthusiasts largely for its swirly bokeh, which reviewers compare directly to Helios lenses—notably filling a gap since the Soviet lineup never produced a 24mm swirl lens. People love it for its extremely low cost (often around $15-$20), its solid all-metal build, and its distinctive character. No established nicknames are evidenced in the reviews.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/makinon-24mm-f28.htmlhttps://www.chungdha.nl/?p=26682https://www.lomography.com/lenses/3457-makinon-24mm-f2-8/photos