Hexanon AR 40mm 1:1.8, Lens Test, First Impression

Legacy Lens Test: First impression images with the Konica Hexanon AR 40mm 1:1.8 mounted on an Olympus Pen E-P5.

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A digital moment session with a vintage film camera lens that will not burn a hole in your pocket, the pancake Konica Hexanon AR 40mm 1:1.8, a standard lens shipped with some Konica SLRs starting in 1979 and produced throughout the early 80s.

The lens seems to be rather popular with mirrorless digital camera enthusiasts. The Konica AR mount has the shortest flange focal distance of any 35mm SLR system, and together with the M4/3 adapter that I use, the combo turns out to be a very compact package. The lens itself is a 6-element 5-group design, fairly light at 140g (5oz), with a minimum focus distance is 0.45m (1.5ft). The diaphragm has 6, slightly curved, blades.

Olympus Pen E-P5, Konica Hexanon AR 40mm 1:1.8

Another acknowledgment about the lens is that its build quality is rather good for such a low-cost lens. On the E-P5, the lens has an effective focal length of 80mm, which is well-suited for portrait shooters.

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