I am a New Leica M6 TTL with M28/2.8 latest lens User. I have read some article about comparison Leica vs. Konica lens from Japanese Magazine. According to the magazine lens test, new Konica Hexanon lenses are almost same quality as Leica lens. BTW, I want to know more practical user report about Konica RF lens like Hexanon 28/2.8 and Hexanon 90/2.8 lens. If the quality of Konica lens is really good as Leica lens, I think there's no reason to buy 2~3 times expensive Leica lens. If you have any information about Lens Test of Konica M-Hexanon Lens or Comparison between Konica and Leica lens, please share with me. Thanks. < www.welcome.to/studionaki >

-- NHP (sn4396@prodigy.net), September 21, 2000

Answers

Popular Photography of June 2000 has a test of the camera and the lenses. The 28/2.8 Hexon did not fair too well as light fall off was a problem until f8. The 50 and the 90 came through with flying colours.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), September 21, 2000.

This fellow here

http://www.photoshot.com/articles/hexartest.html

wasn't happy with the 50, although one of the contributers at this site has one and loves it. I have seen several contradicting tests on the Konica lenses, and that tells me part of the cost savings over the Leica lenses is paid for in lack of the stringent "every lens a great one" standard that Leica is known for. You just don't hear people complaining they got a bad new 35mm aspherical Summicron. It is very costly to make sure there is almost no sample variation on your lenses, and that is factored into the cost of the Leica optics. Why buy the Konica ones (which by the way may or may not sync of with the Leica rangefinder cam 100% according to Konica)when you can find used clean Leica lenses for about the same price.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 21, 2000.

I'm someone that has actually used the Konica lenses, at least the 50 (which comes from the camera) and the 28 (which I got grey market/Ebay for a very good price). I've used the 50 a lot, and it is capable of extremely high quality images, I've used the 28 occasionally and it seems good. Unfortunately, I don't think most reviewers have any idea what they are doing.

I'm a heavy user, I average 10-15 rolls a week, and I have lots of negatives over a number of cameras I can look at. When you search out opinions, look for people who shoot a lot and don't have brand bias.

Oddly enough, I'm not all that thrilled with the Leica 35/2ASPH, it is only marginally better than the 35/2 on my Konica Hexar AF.

The Message, copyright 2000 Jeff Spirer, 50mm Hexanon

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), September 22, 2000.

"Unfortunately, I don't think most reviewers have any idea what they are doing"."look for people who shoot a lot and don't have brand bias." Gee whiz Jeff, if your stance isn't a brand bias FOR Konica, I can't imagine what is. No one is trying to bad mouth something you like here, just offering up information from different sources as requested by the poster-- "If you have any information about Lens Test of Konica M-Hexanon Lens or Comparison between Konica and Leica lens, please share with me." Because it doesn't jive with your expeience doesn't mean it is irrelevent or that the reviewers must be wrong because you don't agree with them.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 23, 2000.

Hi, I do not have much technical knowledge of lens testing proceedures.

I shoot slides most of the time and view them with my trusted Kindermann projector.

I have compared under real life conditions two Leica M 50/2 with the Hexanon 50 which came with the Hexar RF camera. One is the old Dual Range Summicron and the other is 50/2 Summicron made in Canada. I used Kodak 100VS slide film and Hexar RF camera mounted on Linhof tripod. Viewing was done with a Kindermann slide projector on large sized screen.

At close range all three lenses were identical in all respect. Hexanon produces colours more punchy than the other two. A little contrasty too. DR with little more shadow detail. You cannot really say which is superior. At infinity the Summicron (Canada) and the Hexanon are much sharper than the old DR lens. Then again Hexanon with more life to colours than either of the Summicrons. I found the corner sharpness of the DR at wide F2 apeture is poorer than the other two lenses. In my opinion if you have bought the Hexanon 50 with your HEXAR RF camera you unlikely need the Leica 50 . Hexanon is every bit as good as Leica 50/2. I am saying this as a user of these lenses. Lens reviewers will have different opinion. I had the Newer Summilux 35/1.4 ASPH and the 50/1.4 both silver chromed versions. I viewed some of my slides taken about two years ago with these lenses . The film was Provia 100. I really made a mistake selling my 35/1.4 ASPH. The images are superior in every way. It just blows any of the Leica M lenses I have used so far.

Currently I am also trying out a Contax G2 camera with 4 lenses.

regards Thiru

aathma46@hotmail.com

-- THIRUGNANAM (aathma46@hotmail.com), April 08, 2001.