Patent surprise! Is Konica-Minolta going to release the first m43 lens soon? A 43mm f/1.4?
The patented Konica-Minolta 43mm f/1.4 lens design.
Egami spotted a patent with a surprising content! Konica Minolta patented the design of a 43mm f/1.4 Micro Four Thirds lens! The patent has been filled in 2011. Right now Konica-Minolta is not part of the (Micro-) Four Thirds group but this could change soon. Konica and Minolta have a long history of lens design for rangefinder cameras. Konica designed the Hexanon M-mount Lens series (here on eBay). That includes the superb Hexanon 50mm f/1.2 (here on eBay). Minolta made the famous Rokkor M-mount lens series (here on eBay). That includes for example the 40mm f/2.0 pancake (here on eBay).
This is just to say that Konica-Minolta would add a very high value to the whole Micro Four Thirds system! So let’s hope this is one of those few patents that will make it into…reality 
Here are the images of the 40mm lens (left) and 50mm Hexanon (right):
Chez Wimpy
10 months ago |…Sony?
Anonymous
10 months ago |My thoughts entirely…
Yun
10 months ago |Good news .
Turn it to reality .
M4/3 welcome whoever make high grade lenses .
YeahYeah
10 months ago |Yeah, I thought Knoica Minolta has been bought by Sony?
gf
10 months ago |as i understand, sony only bought the camera business of minolta. konica-minolta is still a separate company that focuses on imaging/printer business
Bart
10 months ago |Sony bought the camera business, but not the name (or company)
Looks like the glass people from Konica-Minolta didn’t go to Sony either, seeing how Sony never managed to continue Minolta’s glass legacy.
cork
10 months ago |No, they bought the dSLR lens line, too, and (presumed at the time) some of their designers/engineers. That’s why so many current Sony lenses are rebadged Minoltas. Only now has Sony began to bring out newer lens technology because of the need for lenses optimized for video, and to answer demand for smaller, more portable and affordable lenses.
Bart
10 months ago |The camera business did include DSLRs and DSLR lenses yes, but buying the rights and skills to manufacture existing lens designs doesn’t mean you also bought the skills to design such lenses. From Sony’s product line-up it is pretty evident that they can re-issue existing designs, but not design such lenses themselves. Rather, they have to go to another big name in optics for that.
I’d be glad to be proven wrong by Sony designing a series of excellent lenses, but all you said, while true, doesn’t demonstrate Sony is capable of this.
pll
10 months ago |Sony bought the business but none of the IP. Sony continues to pay Konica/Minolta for selling any product with their IP in it.
Sky_walker
10 months ago |Only lens engineers KM got left were these responsible for compacts and small-sensor video lenses. JVC regularly releases cameras with KM lenses.
All the others moved to Sony.
spam
10 months ago |+1
Esa Tuunanen
10 months ago |Maybe also some camera designers didn’t go to Sony.
I’ve always wondered why Sony hasn’t made Dimage A1/A2 styled mirrorless body.
lnqo-M.
10 months ago |Yes, and also film scanner.
(i go to the Sony hose for a problem i have by my Konica Minolta Elite Scan 5400 mk.II, and folk that look on my so i coming from Mars)
ha
10 months ago |Hmm, this is not Sony, see http://www.konicaminolta.com/opt/products/index.html
Bart
10 months ago |Indeed it is not Sony.
A re-entry of Konica-Minolta in the camera or at least lens business however would be both very curious, and very welcome.
Oz
10 months ago |Very interesting link. Are these current KM lenses sold only in Japan? They don’t say for which SLRs they offer replacement lenses.
Don Pope
10 months ago |Wow, what a lame website they have.
Marck
10 months ago |There’s already a very good 45/1.8, why focus on already existing lenses?
Wouldn’t it be better to focus on new focal lenghts?
Ho about a 12-60 2.8-4???
Anonymous
10 months ago |Please note, this is a patent that was filed last year, so we accept they may not have known the 45mm will be produced. It is still only a patent, we seem to get very excited about all the patents we read about these days, which in many cases will be no more than design exersizes.
What I find interesting is the Sony question, while I accept the explanation of their only having bought the Camera business (not even the name), if this lens is to become a reality (which will be yet another unusual focal length) 43 = 86 in u43 parlance, what does it equate to with Sonys systems (I do not know Sonys conversion figures).
Chez Wimpy
10 months ago |85mm is a traditional portrait focal length. They didn’t bother to call it “42.5mm” but the intent is still obvious. M43 is the ONLY mount where this lens would make sense (outside of a FF camera, where it would be a true normal). So, is this all just to spite Sony? Time will tell…
ronnbot
10 months ago |Like anonymous said, Konica-Minolta probably didn’t know. Even if they did, the spec is different enough and build quality might be better. Love my 45/1.8 but the plastic barrel has scratches though I’m not rough with me lenses.
Also consider that Nikon makes 85mm in f/1.8 and f/1.4, with the faster one costing around 3x as much as the other. Seems to work for them.
@anonymous: it won’t ‘unusual’ on m43 – basically 85mm. It might be a bit off on APS-C at 64.5 (with the 1.5x crop factor) but it can still be very useful, especially with that max aperture.
Anyway, I love my old Rokkors, so it’ll be nice to see some new lenses from them.
The Master
10 months ago |A 40 ish mm lens at 1.4 would be much better than a 1.8 and really, with the diminished shallow DOF of the 4/3 sensor, we really need a 1.2 or even 1.0, to get as much subject isolation as something like a 85 1.4. I don’t know that it is even possible to get the equal to the Canon 85 1.2 with the 4/3 sensor.
PeteHD
10 months ago |I do not use FF but considering how shallow DOF is with my Oly 45mm F1.8 and my new love 75mm F1.8 .I cannot imagine what an f0.7 or f0.6 mft equals of F1.4 or F1.8 lens would be like.
Bart
10 months ago |Getting the same DOF as the Canon 85/1.2 on m4/3 is obviously possible, by mounting a 85/1.2
Oh, you meant at the same field of view?
You’d need a 42.5/0.6 lens for that, and you’ll have a hard time finding one of those.
But eh, how often do you need such shallow DOF? If your answer isn’t “never” then m4/3 might not be the best choice for you, and if your answer is “a lot” then its definitely not the right system for you. This however is something you have been told so often already that you should know this by now.
For most people, their main concern is getting enough DOF to get enough of their subject in focus.
Nappe1
10 months ago |Nope, Konica-Minolta only sold their camera division. They are still in business making office stuff like copy machines and sports timing equipment.
Mark
10 months ago |If this is true it would be major news.
Konica-Minolta making lenses for camera’s! It would also be a major slap in the face for Sony.
Sony never got to the level of Konica-Minolta with there lenses. They bought the Konica-Minolta camera business but until now I didn’t understand why they seam to fail with the lenses. Seems the lens makers stayed with KM.
M
10 months ago |@Mark
“their” not “there” “seem” not “seam” Ok?
— Now, on topic:
Sony surely are able to still make lenses at KM-quality level, but they seem not to bother with it too much. Maybe they are coming; in the NEX-series they may be better off in a year or two, who knows?
And some Alpha lenses of recent years are really good ones, no doubt.
That said, I find the notion of a KM-lens line possibly arriving for m4/3 quite interesting, since Konica, and Minolta, both made some seriously superb lenses in their days. That could also put some fire under the butt at Sigma/Tamron to come ut with more and better alternatives, now that the m4/3 cameras are beginning to sell good not only in Japan/Asia.
A bunch of top quality lenses from KM would at the very least have interest for those who have started to enter m4/3 from the FF/APS-C camps…IE those getting fex a OM-D to replace or add to their 5D/mk1, Mk2, Mk3 / Nikon D700/D7000 and the likes…
Mark
10 months ago |@M
When you can type perfectly Dutch you can complain. Most people here don’t speak English natively. Ok?
If Sony is able, than why on earth do they release such huge and heavy inferior E-mount lenses? And why does it take so long to release some fine new A-mount lenses?
Esa Tuunanen
10 months ago |Both Konica and Minolta have so much name in photography that maybe they have even considered returning to camera business.
Rights of Alpha line/mount belong to Sony and another proprietary lens mount would be harder to introduce so joining Four Thirds might well be what thay’ve looked.
I would sure welcome them.
I started photography with Minolta Dimage prosumers and A2′s design would make excellent base for mirrorless high end camera.
Robbie
10 months ago |Might be designing for sb else, OEM lenses?
Gekopaca
10 months ago |Another useless lens!
More than 90% of lenses made for the M43 system are ≥ to 45mm, or zooms.
As a “normal” photographer, what I’m expecting now is “normal” prime lenses (≤ 25mm), Wides Angles (12 to 18mm) and most of all very WA (≤12mm) which don’t exist at all!
I think M43 system is more than a commercial niche for moms who shoot their sons at soccer, or retired people who shoot flowers. We need lenses for usual applications : landscapes, street photo, architecture… so M43 system will be considered by “pro” or at least prosumer people.
E-1
10 months ago |“of all very WA (≤12mm) which don’t exist at all!”
There is no 12mm? Huh?
Gekopaca
10 months ago |Nothing under 12mm man. You’re loosing your time with details. Please read better and understand my words.
David Mantripp
10 months ago |or maybe you should not use symbols you apparently don’t understand
Anonymous
10 months ago |Primes 45mm:
- 45mm Olympus
- 45mm Macro Pansonic/Leica
(- 60mm Macro Olympus)
- 75mm Olympus
- 300mm Tokina
Primes
Anonymous
10 months ago |@Gekopaca: eh? There’s 7.5mm, 7-14mm, 9-18mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 20mm, 25mm.
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |+1…
BUT, actually there are TWO 12mm lenses (Oly and SLR Magic T1.6/f1.4) and TWO 25mm native primes (PL25mm and Voigtländer Nokton f0.95).
I’d love to see a 10mm f2.8, somewhat like the old Nikon 20mm f2.8 AI-S lens.
Anonymous
10 months ago |More than 90% of m43 lenses are >= 45mm??? My impression is that perhaps 10% of the lenses are >= 45mm. Anyway, I guess everything depends on whether you count the number of lenses produces, the number of lenses bought, or the number of types produces/bought
.
JF
10 months ago |Yes, give us a prime around 8 mm, rectilinear, weather sealed, tack sharp corner to corner, low CA, don’t care a lot about aperture, F4 is ok, f2.8 is better if the price is below 700 euros
If you do it, I sell my M Zuicko 9-18 which is ok but soft corners…
Miklós
10 months ago |Calling a wide aperture portrait lens useless is a bit silly…
Two years ago EVERY single m4/3 user was crying for it. Now, we probably will have two choises. What’s wrong with it?
JL
10 months ago |I think there already are some lenses to fill your wishes…
7.5mm FE from Rokinon / Samyang (cheap but quite good, some say exellent)
7-14 mm UWA from Panasonic (said to be exellent, but costy)
9-18mm lens for Olympus (a good one, reasonable prized)
19mm Sigma (close to normal)
20mm Panasonic
25mm PanaLeica
30mm Sigma
+ the zooms covering the normal range
also the former FT-versions work, some better than others with AF.
And there is the rumored 25mm f1.8 macro, maybe …
A fast 43mm f1.4 would be very welcome. I know, the 45mm f1.8 is quite close, but we’ll see… This RUMORED lens would be faster, and if the quality is good in every way, there will be market for it.
New players coming into (m)FT group, welcome! For us, photographers, it will mean more choises. As a long time Konica, Minolta and Olympus user, this was a good news.
And don’t forget the Zeiss announcement, Scneider-Kreutchnach, Sigma, maybe Tamron…
JL
10 months ago |PS. I forgot the Panasonic 8mm FE… And the older Zuiko one, too.
And Voigtlander 25mm f0.95… Are there more?
Riley
10 months ago |perhaps in making a 4×3 sensor for Olympus, Sony decided there were wider uses and built a strategy around it. This doesn’t mean Sony will do it, but it’s an interesting thought.
Jungen Berlin
10 months ago |@riley
I am not sure about sensor dimensions.If Sony cropped their current APS sensor to a 4×3 ratio, which would help with the performance of the pretty poor corners on current Nex lenses.How close would it be to mFT size.I am also not a native English speaker so before any one corrects me sorry lol
Jungen
Riley
10 months ago |I dont see it like that, then can keep their Sony camera range and manufacture mFT bodies under the KM brand. The license exchange wouldn’t be that much of an issue, companies trade licenses all the time. It bolsters the number of sensors Sony make and sell in the 43rds size enlarging the volume and reducing costs. And it gives them access to an immediate lens range which would largely be sold by P&O, knocking out one of the major disadvantages to Nex.
Dont forget the main game for Sony is Canon, this would give them access to SLR markets in 1x and 1.5x, mirrorless in 1.5x and 2x. Thus entering the largest mirrorless sphere and providing greater opportunity and scope than Canon with a camera brand that has a history of innovation, Konica Minolta.
Bart
10 months ago |But Sony did not buy Konica-Minolta, they bought the camera business and the alpha brand name from Konica-Minolta, the later kept the Konica-Minolta name and is an independent company.
Riley
10 months ago |Yep but even that isnt an impediment and likewise can be traded, for example Leica lens anyone?. There would be some advantage in moving to an oldschool brand with the integrity of KM, and it would preserve Sonys own branding in cameras on the other end.
Daemonius
10 months ago |Thats interesting. I wonder if theres someone in there who made original Minolta lens..
Tho its not like you cant have Minolta lens on m4/3s today.
Nothing easier. 
Bart
10 months ago |@Riley
But from the looks of it, this is not a Sony patent but Konica-Minolta one. That indeed doesn’t mean Sony couldn’t buy the patent or resulting product + the right to sell it with the Konica-Minolta brand, as could anyone else. The point was that the Konica-Minolta brand is simply not owned by Sony, and technology developed at Konica-Minolta after Sony bought their camera business isn’t automatically ending up at Sony, rather, its not anywhere related to Sony, and isn’t any indication of Sony going into whatever technology or system.
Riley
10 months ago |oh IC, yes…
Pellevin
10 months ago |Of course a 43 f1.4 is desirable. Fast glass is always desirable and every respectable system offers both 85 f1.4 and 85 f1.8 FF. However I am curious about what Panasonic Leicas next prime would be. A 52 mm f1.2 would be sweet… Much more usable focal length than Oly 75 and even shorter DoF.
Amburdette
10 months ago |Ok so call me a beginner. But what are some examples of the photographs this special lens will take. And, past all the technical jargon, please expaln what makes this lens so unique?