I got this lens from Ebay today and the first impression is not that wonderful, but I have only tried it out with mostly F1.4 in the garden trying to get flower images with lots of bokeh. But with a bit of post processing and the right conditions, it can be a lovely little bokeh lens.
I have a few “fast 50s” now and love to see the first download. This is a small selection imported into Lightroom and like many lenses they don’t pop. The colours are there, but they’re not very vivid (in comparison to the cheap Domiplan lens where the colours were jumping of the screen!)
Having shot in RAW for over 20 years and I am used to getting “grey-ish” images from raw files, I know I can easily lift them in Lightroom.
Through the lens, it didn’t appear very sharp. It was a bit windy today, but I found the other vintage fast 50s have an edge in sharpness over this one.
At first inspection, the images look like they all have a vignette applied already.
The lens is clean by the way 🙂
A little bit of history of the Tomioka 55 mm f1.4
The Tomioka 55mm f1.4 lens is a celebrated piece in the world of vintage photography, renowned for its sharpness, smooth bokeh, and distinctive rendering. Its history is intertwined with the evolution of Japanese optical engineering and the broader photographic industry.
Origins of Tomioka Optical
Tomioka Optical Works was established in 1924 by Masahige Tomioka, a former employee of Nippon Kogaku (now Nikon). Initially, the company focused on producing optical glass and lenses. By the 1960s, Tomioka had gained recognition for manufacturing high-quality lenses and began supplying them to various camera manufacturers under different brand names.
The 55mm f1.4 Lens
Introduced in the early 1960s, the Tomioka 55mm f1.4 lens featured a fast maximum aperture, making it ideal for low-light photography and achieving shallow depth of field. Its optical design typically comprised seven elements in six groups, delivering impressive sharpness and pleasing out-of-focus areas.
Association with Yashica
In 1968, Yashica acquired Tomioka Optical Works, integrating its lens manufacturing capabilities. This acquisition led to the production of lenses under the Yashinon brand, which were essentially Tomioka designs. The collaboration enhanced Yashica’s reputation for producing cameras with high-quality optics.
Legacy and Collectibility
Today, the Tomioka 55mm f1.4 lens and its variants are highly sought after by photographers and collectors. Their reputation stems from their exceptional image quality, build, and the unique rendering they offer. Despite being produced under various brand names, the core optical performance remains consistent, making them a valuable addition to any vintage lens collection.
Tomioka Chinon 55mm f/1.4 – Bokeh
The bokeh of the Tomioka 55 mm f1.4 is one of its most admired qualities and a big reason why it’s still popular with photographers today.
Here’s what makes its bokeh special:
- Creamy and smooth: Wide open at f1.4, the lens produces beautifully soft, almost dreamy backgrounds. This makes it excellent for portraits and close-ups, where you want the subject to stand out against a gentle blur.
- Rounded aperture blades: Most versions of this lens have a high number of aperture blades (often 6 or more), which helps create more rounded and natural-looking out-of-focus highlights rather than harsh hexagons.
- Classic vintage rendering: Unlike modern lenses that are corrected for everything and can look too clinical, the Tomioka 55 mm f1.4 has a character. The transition between sharp areas and blur is gradual and pleasing to the eye.
- Swirly edges (in some versions): Depending on the copy and lighting conditions, you might notice a slight swirl effect in the background bokeh – a trait some photographers love for its vintage charm.
The bokeh is buttery, soft, and full of vintage character – a big part of the magic of shooting with this lens.
As you can see down below in the gallery, some of the images display the swirly bokeh in the background. It’s not as pronounced as in the Helios 44-2 where the swirl really pops off the screen.
Tomioka Chinon 55mm f/1.4 – Lens Flare
You never know what you get with these vintage lenses, but this one produces some whacky lens flare.
Tomioka Chinon 55mm f/1.4 – Focal distance & Extension Rings
I immediately noticed that the focusing distance was quite long (for flower photography that is), so I put my longest extension ring on and I found myself crawling into the flowers again. So I used a smaller extension ring, so I could get closer to the flowers. This might possibly degrade image quality – not sure about that.
All in all, I like the lens – the images look “vintage” and with the added bonus of whacky flare and swirly bokeh I am hopeful to produce some interesting photos in the future.
