Chinon Chinon 135mm f2.8 Heritage

Overview

The Chinon Multi-coated 135mm f/2.8 is a Japanese-made telephoto prime from Chinon, a manufacturer that produced cameras and lenses from the 1960s up through the early 2000s. It exists as one of dozens of budget 135mm f/2.8 lenses that flooded the market during the SLR era, when this focal length was extremely popular. Chinon's optics were widely rebadged for European house brands: the Auto Revuenon 135mm f/2.8 sold under Foto-Quelle's Revuenon label (a German camera retailer's house brand) is a rebadged Chinon design, with at least some examples reportedly manufactured in Korea (possibly Samyang). No established nickname or community jargon is documented for this lens, though reviewers repeatedly describe it as a 'sleeper' and an 'El Cheapo' overachiever. Its cult following is grounded in its remarkable value: reviewers on Pentax Forums rate it near-universally (100% recommended, average user rating 8.60), praising sharpness and '3D pop' from a lens that can be bought for pocket change. It is one of a family of vintage M42/PK 135mm lenses adored by video shooters and adapted-lens photographers for their long-throw focus rings and cine-like handling.

Verdict: The Chinon Multi-coated 135mm f/2.8 is a genuine budget sleeper: in its proper multi-coated form it delivers sharp, contrasty images with pleasing bokeh and a surprising 3D pop for pocket-change money, earning near-universal praise from adapted-lens and video shooters. Buyers should be aware that rebadged variants (like the Auto Revuenon) can be softer and hazier, and all versions demand care with flare due to the lack of a hood. For anyone wanting an inexpensive, well-built manual telephoto for a mirrorless or DSLR body, the multi-coated Chinon is an easy recommendation.

Optical Character

Bokeh

Praised as a strong point with smooth rendering, rated 8.9 average on Pentax Forums.

Color

Lovely, pleasing color rendering with contrasty, well-saturated images on multi-coated versions.

Sharpness wide open

Multi-coated versions are sharp at all apertures, while the Revuenon rebadge is soft in center wide open and very soft in corners.

Flare resistance

Some flare on the multi-coated version, and very poor flare control on the Revuenon variant, worsened by lack of a hood.

Contrast

Contrasty with good micro-contrast on multi-coated versions, but hazy and low-contrast on the Revuenon rebadge.

Vignetting

On the Revuenon variant vignetting is not bad wide open and disappears by f/4; multi-coated Chinon vignetting unknown.

Community Insights

What people love

Exceptional value - repeatedly called a 'sleeper' and 'El Cheapo' that punches far above its price (average around $42, some bought for as little as $2.50)
Sharpness and contrast in the multi-coated versions, described as sharp across all apertures
A notable '3D effect' and pop giving strong subject separation
Pleasing, smooth bokeh
Solid metal build with grippy rubber rings and easy-turning focus and aperture; the rebadged versions feel weighty and remarkably well made
Long-throw manual focus ring well suited to video and precise focusing (as with vintage 135mm lenses generally)

What people dislike

Chromatic aberration reported by several users, especially in the center on some examples
Some flare, worsened by the lack of an integrated lens hood
On the Revuenon rebadge: soft center wide open, very soft corners that never fully sharpen, and hazy low contrast
A bit heavy and a bit stiff according to some users
Manual focus only (no autofocus)

Pro Tips

Stop down to f/4 to sharpen the center and, on some examples, clear up chromatic aberration and vignetting
Use a lens hood or shade the front element, since the lens (especially the Revuenon variant) handles flare poorly and lacks an integrated hood
Exploit the long focus throw for precise manual focusing and video work
On a 1.5x crop body it becomes roughly a 200mm equivalent and on Micro Four Thirds around a 270mm, making it a very affordable fast telephoto
Favor the genuine multi-coated Chinon over rebadged versions for the best sharpness, contrast and 3D pop

Sources (1)

Web-grounded synthesissecondary

The Chinon Multi-coated 135mm f/2.8 is a Japanese-made telephoto prime from Chinon, a manufacturer that produced cameras and lenses from the 1960s up through the early 2000s. It exists as one of dozens of budget 135mm f/2.8 lenses that flooded the market during the SLR era, when this focal length was extremely popular. Chinon's optics were widely rebadged for European house brands: the Auto Revuenon 135mm f/2.8 sold under Foto-Quelle's Revuenon label (a German camera retailer's house brand) is a rebadged Chinon design, with at least some examples reportedly manufactured in Korea (possibly Samyang). No established nickname or community jargon is documented for this lens, though reviewers repeatedly describe it as a 'sleeper' and an 'El Cheapo' overachiever. Its cult following is grounded in its remarkable value: reviewers on Pentax Forums rate it near-universally (100% recommended, average user rating 8.60), praising sharpness and '3D pop' from a lens that can be bought for pocket change. It is one of a family of vintage M42/PK 135mm lenses adored by video shooters and adapted-lens photographers for their long-throw focus rings and cine-like handling.

https://www.vintagelensesforvideo.com/135mm-lens-test-part1/https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/chinon-135mm-f2-8-multi-coated.htmlhttps://stephend.photo/auto-revuenon-135mm-f28