Y.K. Optical

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Y.K. Optical was a small company based in Yokohama (Japan). It used the brand names Kobalux and Avenon for two wide-angle lenses. These were mainly sold in Leica screw mount, with an M-mount adapter offered as an option, but it seems that some of them were directly made in Leica M mount.[1] Kobalux seems to have been the predominant name in north America, and Avenon the only name within Japan. The lenses were also available under other names, such as Pasoptik,[2] Bower and Adorama, perhaps also Avenar.[3] The existence of a "Komura" name variant is probably a false rumour.[4]

The 28mm lens was introduced at the beginning of the 1980s by another small company, which was bought by Y.K. in the middle of the 1990s.[5] Production stopped in February 2002.[6]

Kobalux Wide 28/3.5

The Kobalux Wide 28/3.5, alias Avenon L 28/3.5, has six elements in four groups.[7] The first generation, released in 1982 or 1983, was sold in black or chrome finish and became multicoated in 1992 (some lenses are inscribed AVENON MC).[8] It has a round focusing tab and a six-blade diaphragm and focuses down to 1 metre.[9] The second generation, or "M-series", was sold in black with a silver rim. It has a crescent-shaped focusing tab, an eight-blade diaphragm, grip tabs on the aperture ring and it focuses down to 0.75m.[10]

The lens was supplied with two caps and a metal hood; an external brightline finder and an 28/90mm M-mount adapter were available separately.[11]

Kobalux Super Wide 21/2.8

The Kobalux Super Wide 21/2.8, alias Avenon L 21/2.8, has eight elements in six groups.[12] It was sold in chrome or black finish. The first generation, originally announced as a limited series, was released in 1994 or 1995.[13] The second generation appeared in 2000 as a millenium edition.[14] The third generation, or "M-series", has recomputed optics, an eight-blade diaphragm and focuses down to 0.75m.[15]

The lens was supplied with two caps, a metal hood, an external brightline finder and a 35/135mm M-mount adapter (the finder and mount adapter were also available separately).[16]

Notes

  1. See this post at photo.net, with a first-hand testimony of the existence of M-mount lenses.
  2. See a picture in this page at photo.net.
  3. This is reported in this page by Peter Lausch (in German).
  4. See however this page by Frank Mechelhoff (in German). This page of a Hong-Kong forum copies an erroneous earlier version of this very encyclopedia article.
  5. Post by FR in a Hong-Kong forum.
  6. See the 20 November 2002 web archive of the Kobalux website.
  7. Lens scheme in "Abenon no raika-maunto renzu". See also the table of Leica screw mount lenses by Matsumo.
  8. "Abenon no raika-maunto renzu" (saying 1983) and table of Leica screw mount lenses by Matsumo (saying 1983) (in Japanese).
  9. "Abenon no raika-maunto renzu".
  10. Kobalux M-series 28mm f/3.5 in the Kobalux website, web archive dated 9 August 2002.
  11. Kobalux M-series 28mm f/3.5 in the Kobalux website, web archive dated 9 August 2002.
  12. Lens scheme in "Abenon no raika-maunto renzu". See also the table of Leica screw mount lenses by Matsumo (in Japanese).
  13. Announced as a limited series, 1994 date: table of Leica screw mount lenses by Matsumo (in Japanese). 1995: "Abenon no raika-maunto renzu" says 1995.
  14. table of Leica screw mount lenses by Matsumo (in Japanese).
  15. Kobalux M-series 21mm f/2.8 in the Kobalux website, web archive dated 9 August 2002.
  16. Kobalux M-series 21mm f/2.8 in the Kobalux website, web archive dated 9 August 2002.

Bibliography

Links

In English:

In German:

In Japanese: