Lens Auto Rikenon 55mm f/1.4

Welcome to our Community
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Feel free to sign up today.
Join now!
The member want's to discuss about the lens specified in the topic.

panos_adgr

New Member
1 2
Apr 23, 2020
825
2
1,284
735
Auto Rikenon 55mm f/1.4 (Ricoh)
(Singlex / Nikkorex Version)

As you all know I'm a bit addicted to vintage glass...
The Auto Rikenon 55mm f/1.4 (also known as Auto Sears or Tomioka Auto Revuenon 55mm f1.4) is a standard lens built for first time in the 1960's.
Made in Japan built like a tank with metal and glass, is considered one of the best old glass nifty fifties.
Its basic characteristics are excellent sharpness, great colour rendition and contrast. But mostly is known for it's bokeh!

Below some samples of photos taken with this lens.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=Auto Rikenon 55mm f1.4

I have been searching for a long time a 50mm lens with a bokeh similar of trioplan formula lenses. The Auto Rikenon 55mm f/1.4 is not a trioplan formula lens (that means it is not a lens of 3 elements) but it renders bokef almost like a Trioplan lens.

As many of the lenses built in 50's - 60's the Auto Rikenon 55mm f/1.4 has Thorium added in its glasses. That means it is radioactive, emitting Alpha, Beta and Gamma radiation particles.
It is not that hazardous of course, although it is considered to be one of the most radioctive lenses with some models like a few Takumars of that time.
For the knowledge vintage lenses that have thorium in the glass tend to have a yellow brownish, tint on the glass that is caused of the radioactive thorium. Thorium was added in the glass mass as an element and not as a coating and thus it cannot be removed.

In the Auto Rikenon 55mm f/1.4 thorium is added in the rear 3 elements of the lens.
Before becoming worried about radiation, the use of these lens for about three hours per day for lets say a week or two it will be like making an x-ray.

But why Thorium.
Thorium, when added to glass gives excellent properties of light transmission through the elements that, it is said, that cannot be matched with the best coatings.
This is why lenses like the Takumars, or Rikenon, or other lenses of that time had excellent colour rendition, saturation and contrast.

Auto Rikenon 55mm f/1.4 was basically produced in M42 mount as well as Yashinon, Ricoh and early versions with Singlex/Nikkorex Mount. The last was a mount created by Nikon and Ricoh for the Singlex TLS ricoh camera system. The Singlex mount is 95% the same as nikon F with the only difference in on of the phalanges of the mount, that is a bit smaller. This results in being able to mount a Nikon F mount lens to a Ricoh Singlex camera but not the opposite. In order to mount a Singlex mount to a Nikon camera it is needed a slight mod that is to remove a small part on the edge of mount 'tooth'. Most Auto Rikenon 55mm f/1.4 with singlex mount are already adapted and do fit to nikon f mount cameras.

And know lets get to the point.

I'm waiting for mine!
I bought a copy and I'm waiting it to arrive from France. It was abit expensive though because it is a nikon mount version. And usually vintage lenses with rare nikon f mount versions do cost more, in addition with the M42 versions. The reason also for being more expensive is that due to the different flange distance of lens / focal plane, you can use m42 lenses to nikon cameras but for a certain distance range (depending on the lens design, and focal lenght) and with no infinity focus. There are adapters (I have quite a few) with and element to correct the problem (usually called infinity glass) but it deteriorates the IQ.

Anyway.
Here is my copy, that I'm waiting for.
Auto Rikenon 55mm f1.4.jpg

Auto Rikenon 55mm f1.4  (1).jpg

Auto Rikenon 55mm f1.4  (2).jpg

Auto Rikenon 55mm f1.4  (3).jpg
 

panos_adgr

New Member
1 2
Apr 23, 2020
825
2
1,284
735
As always, when buying from ebay, I have an agony of the lens i'm about to receive. I hope it performs nice. The seller sent my some image sample taken with a nikon d5300 and they look fine.
Before I use it I will surely test it on an old nikon film body with Bulb and backplate open to see how and if it mounts ok.

It is not and AI version compatible lens, but when I will receive it I will check the rear part to see if it has enough space to install a dandelion chip with digital contacts. If it does then I'll buy one.
 

Baenki

New Member
1
Sep 9, 2020
182
247
452
The example pics look great. I'm also very interested in vintage lenses. The one problem I have is that due to me using a Mft camera I would never get the full effect of a vintage lens because it's cropping in the center of the image circle, so most of the bokeh will be lost.

If you want to see more interesting, weird and vintage lenses I can recommend this site: Weird Lens Museum
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jack and panos_adgr

panos_adgr

New Member
1 2
Apr 23, 2020
825
2
1,284
735
The example pics look great. I'm also very interested in vintage lenses. The one problem I have is that due to me using a Mft camera I would never get the full effect of a vintage lens because it's cropping in the center of the image circle, so most of the bokeh will be lost.

If you want to see more interesting, weird and vintage lenses I can recommend this site: Weird Lens Museum

There are countless users using MFT cameras with vintage lenses. Why do you believe that you will loose the bokeh effect? Bokeh circles and blur has to do mostly with the position of your subject to background in relation with aperture and focal length of whatever lens.

I use my vintage lenses with my crop Nikon (D7200) as well as with my FF Nikons (D610/D850)
Bokeh is great with both sensor types. The only diference I've noticed is with mey Helios's swirly type bokeh wich is more circular in my FF bodies because the DX sensor is smaller and the sides where the swirly effect is more intense is cropped. But bokeh blur and balls are great in both sensor.

Have in mind that there are a lot of zuiko vintage lenses out there with mind blowing bokeh!
You have to consider also that each vintage lens has lets say, its own bokeh character. And that is the magic part. I have been searching and try to choose which lens to buy for about 4-5 months no. And it has to do with the result I want.

In any case give it a try! Viintage lenses are a unique experience that opens new creativity potentials to the user artistic wise. And it has to do with optical design perfection or flaws! This is why it is charming.
At first you have to get used to use a manual focus lens with manual settings (because there is no digital Connection between camera and lens). That's easy. Then you will have to get to know your lens. It's character, its flaws, its strong parts and when you balance the above, starts a charming game of creativity.

My Helios is super sharp, has amazing dream like boked, Nice colour rendition, but it has a lot of flare although is Multi (crappy) Coated.

I now very well now, it strong and weak parts and I use them creatively!

What system do you have?
Olympus?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Baenki

Greg

New Member
Legend TEAM
3 1
May 22, 2020
2,553
3,379
786
Good thread ^^ interesting ! Now i use a mirrorless camera this kind of lens is not for me ^^ But still interesting ^^ thx . Oh, I think i will not sell my reflex ... nobody wants it for the price so maybe later ...
 
  • Like
Reactions: panos_adgr

Baenki

New Member
1
Sep 9, 2020
182
247
452
panos_adgr panos_adgr No question that they are great. I already have a set of 3 Prakticars, which I really like. As you said I'm probably thinking about the Helios style swirly bokeh lenses, which I researched and found that the effect might diminish on Mft sensors. Still it's a lens I keep in mind for sometime in the future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: panos_adgr

panos_adgr

New Member
1 2
Apr 23, 2020
825
2
1,284
735
In example
panos_adgr panos_adgr No question that they are great. I already have a set of 3 Prakticars, which I really like. As you said I'm probably thinking about the Helios style swirly bokeh lenses, which I researched and found that the effect might diminish on Mft sensors. Still it's a lens I keep in mind for sometime in the future.

Look....
Helios Lenses do have crazy bokeh! You will get for sure great amounts of bokeh but in MFT it is sure you will loos an amount of the swirly style but not the bubble bokeh. Swirly bokeh is also something that occurs in certain settings of focusing point, background distance and point source lighting. Helios Lenses are so cheap that if I was you I would get one.
If you buy at any time one for yourself go for the Helios 44-2 58mm f/2.0 Belomo made version with the below symbol.
images.png

This is the version with the best manufacturing quality and performance.

I will buy one for myself one day,
I own a Helios 81N 50mm which is is a different version and it has also swirly bokeh.
 

panos_adgr

New Member
1 2
Apr 23, 2020
825
2
1,284
735
Good thread ^^ interesting ! Now i use a mirrorless camera this kind of lens is not for me ^^ But still interesting ^^ thx . Oh, I think i will not sell my reflex ... nobody wants it for the price so maybe later ...

There are also great macro vintage lenses from the past.

I'm waiting for my Rekinon like crazy to tell you the truth.

I try to imagine how it will perform. And I wish it won't be soft wide open. Although the Auto Rekinon 55mm f/1.4 is known for its sharpness as well as for the low CoMa even wide open, I'm pretty anxious because I bought the singlex version.

It will show, when I will receive it. I hope it performs as expected.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Greg

Helix_2648

Real-Typer
Legend TEAM
5 3
Apr 20, 2020
5,566
11
7,751
1,340
That's really interesting. I've never heard about this lens and I can for sure understand your fascination! I'm really excited to see your first pictures panos_adgr panos_adgr! Your shown pictures so far looks already amazing and I'm asking myself what you will show us with such an unique lens!
 
  • Like
Reactions: panos_adgr