ipernity: Chinon 55mm f/1.4 Lens by The Limbo Connection

Chinon 55mm f/1.4: (1)

27 Jun 2017

113

I bought an old Chinon CX camera from a seller on eBay. I didn't want the camera, I wanted the fast 55mm lens on it. In 1976, when this Chinon model was being sold for around £70, you could pay an extra tenner for a slightly faster lens (f/1.4 instead of f/1.7). Normally that's not a difference worth paying a premium for, but in this case the f/1.4 was almost certainly manufactured for Chinon by the Tomioka company. All these years later the lens is a bit compromised by dust and opacity inside the optics, yet is capable of turning in a decent performance.

Chinon 55mm f/1.4: (8)

27 Jun 2017

1

135

I bought an old Chinon CX camera from a seller on eBay. I didn't want the camera, I wanted the fast 55mm lens on it. In 1976, when this Chinon model was being sold for around £70, you could pay an extra tenner for a slightly faster lens (f/1.4 instead of f/1.7). Normally that's not a difference worth paying a premium for, but in this case the f/1.4 was almost certainly manufactured for Chinon by the Tomioka company. All these years later the lens is a bit compromised by dust and opacity inside the optics, yet is capable of turning in a decent performance.

Chinon 55mm f/1.4: (7)

27 Jun 2017

1

111

I bought an old Chinon CX camera from a seller on eBay. I didn't want the camera, I wanted the fast 55mm lens on it. In 1976, when this Chinon model was being sold for around £70, you could pay an extra tenner for a slightly faster lens (f/1.4 instead of f/1.7). Normally that's not a difference worth paying a premium for, but in this case the f/1.4 was almost certainly manufactured for Chinon by the Tomioka company. All these years later the lens is a bit compromised by dust and opacity inside the optics, yet is capable of turning in a decent performance.

Chinon 55mm f/1.4: (6)

27 Jun 2017

1

138

I bought an old Chinon CX camera from a seller on eBay. I didn't want the camera, I wanted the fast 55mm lens on it. In 1976, when this Chinon model was being sold for around £70, you could pay an extra tenner for a slightly faster lens (f/1.4 instead of f/1.7). Normally that's not a difference worth paying a premium for, but in this case the f/1.4 was almost certainly manufactured for Chinon by the Tomioka company. All these years later the lens is a bit compromised by dust and opacity inside the optics, yet is capable of turning in a decent performance.

Chinon 55mm f/1.4: (5)

27 Jun 2017

1

126

I bought an old Chinon CX camera from a seller on eBay. I didn't want the camera, I wanted the fast 55mm lens on it. In 1976, when this Chinon model was being sold for around £70, you could pay an extra tenner for a slightly faster lens (f/1.4 instead of f/1.7). Normally that's not a difference worth paying a premium for, but in this case the f/1.4 was almost certainly manufactured for Chinon by the Tomioka company. All these years later the lens is a bit compromised by dust and opacity inside the optics, yet is capable of turning in a decent performance.

Chinon 55mm f/1.4: (4)

27 Jun 2017

1

132

I bought an old Chinon CX camera from a seller on eBay. I didn't want the camera, I wanted the fast 55mm lens on it. In 1976, when this Chinon model was being sold for around £70, you could pay an extra tenner for a slightly faster lens (f/1.4 instead of f/1.7). Normally that's not a difference worth paying a premium for, but in this case the f/1.4 was almost certainly manufactured for Chinon by the Tomioka company. All these years later the lens is a bit compromised by dust and opacity inside the optics, yet is capable of turning in a decent performance.

Chinon 55mm f/1.4: (3)

27 Jun 2017

1

116

I bought an old Chinon CX camera from a seller on eBay. I didn't want the camera, I wanted the fast 55mm lens on it. In 1976, when this Chinon model was being sold for around £70, you could pay an extra tenner for a slightly faster lens (f/1.4 instead of f/1.7). Normally that's not a difference worth paying a premium for, but in this case the f/1.4 was almost certainly manufactured for Chinon by the Tomioka company. All these years later the lens is a bit compromised by dust and opacity inside the optics, yet is capable of turning in a decent performance.

Chinon 55mm f/1.4: (2)

27 Jun 2017

1

136

I bought an old Chinon CX camera from a seller on eBay. I didn't want the camera, I wanted the fast 55mm lens on it. In 1976, when this Chinon model was being sold for around £70, you could pay an extra tenner for a slightly faster lens (f/1.4 instead of f/1.7). Normally that's not a difference worth paying a premium for, but in this case the f/1.4 was almost certainly manufactured for Chinon by the Tomioka company. All these years later the lens is a bit compromised by dust and opacity inside the optics, yet is capable of turning in a decent performance.

Ready to Write

01 Aug 2018

136

Photographed with a Canon EOS 30D with an old Chinon 55mm f/1.4 lens from M42 screw thread days, when it was sold with a Chinon CX camera.

R Ready

01 Aug 2018

146

Photographed with a Canon EOS 30D with an old Chinon 55mm f/1.4 lens from M42 screw thread days, when it was sold with a Chinon CX camera.

Photography Shelf

18 Nov 2015

2

232

You can't read too much about photography and secondhand book shops abound with useful material. Despite the coming of the digital revolutuion, many of the old lessons hold good. Photographed with a Canon EOS 40D (since sold) and a Chinon 55mm f/1.4 screw-thread lens from the 1970s era of M42 cameras and lenses. Mounted on the Canon by way of a cheap lens adapter.

February - Chinon 55mm f/1.4

17 Feb 2017

1

2

248

On my way home this made a suitable subject for the 55mm f/1.4 Chinon lens which had been the sole optic for that outing. Shooting with the equivalent of an 88mm lens presents particular challenges, but at least you don't break your back carrying a full bag. The camera used was a Canon EOS 30D.

Toast

14 Nov 2015

3

5

355

Available light. Canon EOS 40D at 1600 ISO. Chinon 55mm f/1.4 lens at f/3.3. 1/250th.

Chocolate Buns

02 Dec 2015

6

359

Shortly after taking this photograph, this bun, and two of its companions, were consumed by a glutton operating a Canon EOS 40D camera with a Chinon 55mm f/1.4 lens on an extension tube. f/4; 1/90th; 1600 ISO. Johannes Berger of Zeiss invented a 55mm f/1.4 Planar lens in 1957. But the design wasn't used for Zeiss lenses, because Erhard Glatzel invented a 50mm f/1.4 Planar lens, which was better. Berger's Planar, an asymmetrical double-Gauss scheme, similar to Nikon’s Nikkor-S Auto 50mm f/1.4 lens of 1961, was licensed to other manufacturers. Amongst these was Tomioka, a Japanese glass manufacturer. Chinon, who made cameras but not lenses, went to Tomioka for a standard fast lens. They got the 55mm f/1.4 (there was also a 55mm f/1.2 supplied in smaller numbers). In appearance, the 55mm f/1.4 closely resembles the more usual offering of a 55mm f/1.7 lens which came with Chinons of that period. Notably, the barrel is all-metal with a strip of thin leather glued on for a focussing grip. The standard of construction is good without equalling Leitz or Nikon quality. Because of the similarity in appearance, some suspect that the f/1.7 version was also a Tomioka product, but that is not proven, whereas the Tomioka involvement in the 1.4 55mm lens is pretty clear. Some of them even have the Tomioka name engraved at the front. Others are identical except for the absence of that information. The versions with the Tomioka name are appreciably more expensive to buy secondhand.