Well, I am the very proud owner of a Konica Hexanon 57mm f1.2 AR lens. I just got it in the mail today and the first word I uddered was "WOW". What a lens, what BIG glass! Talking about how big the front glass lens element is it is close to 2 inches across!

For technical details on my lens (I remember there was a post a while ago for serial numbers etc) here they are:

Konica Hexanon AR 57mm f1.2 Black EE Ring S/N: 7505805

I have decided to take it in to a very good photography store in Calgary (Po Chang's Cameras) to be reconditioned to new. Po was trained 20 years ago at Konica to repair Konica lenses and bodies so I know it is in good hands. He said that in the 40 years of running a photography store this was the FIRST Hexanon 57mm f1.2 lens he has seen! He gets in Nikon 55mm f1.2 and Canon f1.2 lenses regularly. Wow, must be quite a rare lens indeed!

Mike

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

Answers

Reconditioned?

Mike.

How does one "recondition" a lens? What is done? Refinish the exterior?

-jwk-

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

Konica Lens Reconditioning

Hi -jwk- (and others reading this),

When I brought my Konica Hexanon lens into the shop Po Chang examined it, tested the focus, apateure blades, and working order of the lens. It has a little dust in it and the focusing grease (where the focus ring is) needs to be replaced too.

From what he said, the lens will be taken apart in two parts (not 3, because he stressed it is NOT wise to take apart the middle lens focusing group) so that is can be completely cleaned, oiled, refocused to specs and regreased too to make it Like New. I am not sure if more will be done.

Po Chang is probally only the very few left who has actually is certified in Konica (body and lens) repair so he asked what I would like done with the lens and I said "Make it like new" so, he wrote "recondition" on the invoice and will call me for a quote. He seems very honest and really knows his Konica stuff.

I will know in about a week how much it will cost to get this lens reconditioned and another week (if the price is OK) to be completed. I will write back then to let you know more.

If this works out for me, I will post his stores address and this will be a real GOLD MINE of a find for us Konica users to get our lenses fixed up like new again!

Mike

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

57/1.2

That's great Mike! Enjoy it!

I had one of those as my very first "normal" lens on my T3 in the late 70's... loved shooting B&W "street" photos with it! I absolutely wore that lens out! (Thus, helping increase the values of 57/1.2s today.)

p.s. You might need to hire someone to help carry it around, though! (lol)

Alan Myers San Jose, Calif.

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

Lens Caddy

Hi Alan,

Maybe I will just hire myself a "lens caddy" when I go shooting..haha.. The 17mm, 57mm, 135mm, 1000mm lens combo is killing me. hahaha.

Mike

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2001