Manual Lens Konica 50/1.7, AR-Mount

Brian

Product of the Fifties
If someone were to ask for a short list of "must-have" manual focus lenses for under $50, the Konica 50/1.7 in AR mount would be first on the list. This lens compares well with the much more expensive Leica 50/2 Summicron. The Konica AR mount is a "dead system", no Digital SLR was ever made to shoot them. The system never made it into the "Autofocus SLR Age". If you shoot film- Konica cameras tend to be reliable, I have an FT-1 and T-3 in good working condition. If you shoot with a Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera- adapters are cheap. I use a Konica Adapter with my u43 Olympus. For my 50/1.7 Konica... I made a Rangefinder coupling to use on the Leica.
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Wide-Open at F1.7.

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Best under $50: this lens cost me $20 on Ebay. Metal construction, rubber inset focus ring. Much more heavily made than the 50/1.8 Konica lens that replaced it. I also had the latter, not as good as this one.

Most Konica lenses are worth looking at. I also have the 50/1.4 and 40/1.8. The 50/1.7 nudges them out.

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Don't believe the EXIF. This Konica 50/1.7 is SO GOOD that the Leica thinks it is a Summilux. At less than 1% of the cost.

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