Konica Hexanon 57mm f/1.4

Overview

The Konica Hexanon 57mm f/1.4 is a hidden gem among vintage normal lenses. Konica was always the underdog in Japan's camera wars, overshadowed by Canon, Nikon, and Minolta, but their Hexanon lenses often exceeded their rivals in optical quality. The unusual 57mm focal length gave slightly more working distance than a typical 50mm, making it subtly better for portraits. Introduced in the early 1970s for the Konica Autoreflex series, it earned a cult following among those who discovered its exceptional rendering.

Verdict: One of the best-kept secrets in vintage glass. Optically superior to many more famous competitors, yet often half the price. If you want a sharp, characterful normal lens and don't mind the less common AR mount, this is a steal. Perfect for mirrorless shooters with cheap adapters.

Optical Character

Community Insights

Summary: The Konica Hexanon AR 50mm f/1.7 lens is praised by users for its excellent optical performance, particularly its sharpness, as well as its sturdy and well-built construction. The Chinon Multi-Coated 55mm f/1.7 lens is also viewed positively for its character, flare, and bokeh, though it may not be the sharpest wide open. Sentiment: Mixed Top Praised: - Excellent optical performance, especially sharpness - Sturdy and well-built construction - Character, flare, and bokeh of the Chinon lens Top Complaints: - Slight increase in minimum focus distance for the updated Konica lens - Lack of aperture half-stops on the updated Konica lens - Softness wide open on the Chinon lens Use Cases: - Street photography with the Konica lens - Video use with the Chinon lens, where softness is more forgiving - General purpose shooting with both lenses Disagreements: None noted Confidence: 0.8

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