Chugai KOWA Vari Focal Computar dL 105-150mm f / 4.5-5.6 Godzilla Lens

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RobertOToole
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Chugai KOWA Vari Focal Computar dL 105-150mm f / 4.5-5.6 Godzilla Lens

Post by RobertOToole »

Chugai KOWA Vari-Focal Computar dL 105-150mm f / 4.5-5.6 Lens

Be careful what you bid for on eBay, this just landed today with a big thud when the USPS man dropped it at my doorstep :D


PM-Kowa-105-150-Vari-Focal-EL-Zoom-lens-www-Closeuphotography-com.jpg
Always wanted on of these for some reason, now that its here, I have no idea what I'm actually going to do with it :shock: :-k

Anyone with any advice or experience, please let me know.

Some KOWA 105-150mm quick facts first:

-12 blade iris, this is nice to see
-Typical solid KOWA construction, fit and finish
-Godzilla sized: 84.5mm x 76.4 diameter and 710g!
-9 E, 6 G design, more importantly 6 of these are low dispersion type
-100mm to 150mm diagonal image circle
-M39 x 26 tpi mount
-67mm front threads
-Deep blue MC
-According to Marco Cavina the lens designer said that this lens was made to be used as a MF-LF enlarger lens but also as a macro lens when used in reverse.

Excellent resources for the KOWA 105-150mm from Macro Cavina, these are in Italian so will need a translation plug-in for your browser to read these but its worth it:

http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fot ... 00_pag.htm

http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fot ... 00_pag.htm

I'll post more images and info when I get more. Please share any info you have on this huge thing! #-o

RobertOToole
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Re: Chugai KOWA Vari Focal Computar dL 105-150mm f / 4.5-5.6 Godzilla Lens

Post by RobertOToole »

It's big!


PM-px-Kowa-105-150-Vari-Focal-EL-Zoom-lens-with-2-SK-lenses-for-scale-www-Closeuphotography-com.jpg

One more.



PM-105-and-150-Kowa-105-150-Vari-Focal-EL-Zoom-lens-www-Closeuphotography-com.jpg

More info on the companies involved in making this lens.

The 105-150 lens was produced by Kowa Optical Corporation in Japan designed by a team of American opticians for the Chugai Boyeki Corporation under the brand name Computer dL also sold under the KOWA brand name.
Last edited by RobertOToole on Fri Jan 29, 2021 9:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ray_parkhurst
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Re: Chugai KOWA Vari Focal Computar dL 105-150mm f / 4.5-5.6 Godzilla Lens

Post by ray_parkhurst »

I wonder if the optics are the same as the other Computar 105-150 f4.5-5.6 for sale on eBay, and at Surplus Shed? I bought one of those years ago, and was not terribly impressed with the performance. I remember mentioning that I was buying one, and a forum member on a different forum took that as a recommendation and bought one. I don't think he ever forgave me!

Here is the link to the ones on Surplus Shed:

https://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/L10514.html

They don't look nearly as nice, and don't have variable aperture. Maybe they would do well stopped down? I look forward to your test results.

At least the one made for enlargers is M39. The ones from Surplus Shed have a weird mount.

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Re: Chugai KOWA Vari Focal Computar dL 105-150mm f / 4.5-5.6 Godzilla Lens

Post by RobertOToole »

ray_parkhurst wrote:
Fri Jan 29, 2021 9:16 pm
I wonder if the optics are the same as the other Computar 105-150 f4.5-5.6 for sale on eBay, and at Surplus Shed? I bought one of those years ago, and was not terribly impressed with the performance. I remember mentioning that I was buying one, and a forum member on a different forum took that as a recommendation and bought one. I don't think he ever forgave me!

Here is the link to the ones on Surplus Shed:

https://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/L10514.html

They don't look nearly as nice, and don't have variable aperture. Maybe they would do well stopped down? I look forward to your test results.

At least the one made for enlargers is M39. The ones from Surplus Shed have a weird mount.
They are the same I think Ray. SS has two or three versions taken from some industrial installation.

Personally, I've never met a Computar dL lens that was a good performer. To be fair, the name dL doesn't mean much since none of the dL lenses are diffraction limited and all have to be stopped down anyway. Also the optics in the dL lenses have not aged well, even new-in-the-box old-stock never-been-touched-by-humans still have optical issues, even worse than Mitutoyo :shock:
99.99% of dL lenses have a weird haze in the inner elements and failing optical cement. I found a perfect never opened, never seen the light of day, new-old-stock 55mm f/1.9 dL and it had haze in the center of the lens and was completely worthless optically, wide open or stopped down. What a waste #-o

Hope this lens is a little better. :-k

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Re: Chugai KOWA Vari Focal Computar dL 105-150mm f / 4.5-5.6 Godzilla Lens

Post by RobertOToole »

There are 3 versions on SS just FYI, I am not recommending any of these!

At least I paid less for the KOWA 105-150. :D

https://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/L10517.html

https://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/L10514.html

https://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/L10549.html
SS-105-150.jpg

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Re: Chugai KOWA Vari Focal Computar dL 105-150mm f / 4.5-5.6 Godzilla Lens

Post by RobertOToole »

ray_parkhurst wrote:
Fri Jan 29, 2021 9:16 pm
......Maybe they would do well stopped down? I look forward to your test results.....
Hope so. Thats the case with the other dL lenses I've shot with, they were best down a stop or two. There is no way this lens is going to be good at f/4.5 or 5.6 even with 6 low-dispersion Ohara glass element #-o

"dL" diffraction limited but best stopped down :roll:

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Re: Chugai KOWA Vari Focal Computar dL 105-150mm f / 4.5-5.6 Godzilla Lens

Post by RobertOToole »

Quick Test Chugai KOWA Vari Focal Computar dL 105-150mm (CK105150)

The CK105150 as a tube lens was actually not as bad as I thought it would be honest but still, the performance is not close to a Componon-S 5.6/135mm or a Raynox.

FL=135mm
Front lens=Componon 2.8/35 at f/3.5.
Sensor=APS-C A6300 Sony
Godox flash x 2
All corrections turned off

100% view center crop. Sharpness is okay, but there is small amount of red fringing. Not as bad as I expected.


100-percent-center-Kowa-105-150-Vari-Focal-EL-Zoom-lens-www-Closeuphotography-com.jpg


100% view corner crop. Not as sharp as the center but the real issue is red and green CAs.


100-percent-corner-Kowa-105-150-Vari-Focal-EL-Zoom-lens-www-Closeuphotography-com.jpg

Just a little front heavy! :shock:

PM-Kowa-105-150-Vari-Focal-EL-Zoom-lens-Tube-Lens-setup-with-CPN-35-www-Closeuphotography-com.jpg

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