Ok, every now and then someone has to ask a question about an off-beat lens. Does anyone have any guesses as to the performance of Komura SW lenses. Especially image circle? I have a 210 Komura Commercial (tessar design) which performs very well for B+W, so I'm wondering if the Super Wides are worth purchasing as well.

Thanks in advance.

-- Kevin Kemner (kkemner@tatesnyderkimsey.com), September 22, 2001

Answers

The 75mm SW Komura isn't very good, if my sample is typical. It'll cover 5x4, with a bit of movement, but the corner definition is very poor once the lens is moved off-centre. The corners suffer from bad lateral colour, so a yellow filter helps a lot with B&W.
The only good thing I can say about it, is that within its limited image circle there's only slight falloff, and a centre filter isn't needed. If I could afford the SW Nikkor, Grandagon or SA, then I'd replace it without looking back. Still, it only cost me £75, thirty years ago, so I can't really complain too bitterly.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), September 25, 2001.