Tanaka Kogaku Tanar 50mm f/2.8 H.C. Close Focus

Tanaka Kogaku Tanar 50mm f/2.8 H.C. Close Focus

Among the standard lenses Tanaka Kogaku built for its Tanack rangefinder cameras, the close-focusing 50mm f/2.8 occupies a transitional spot in the line, sitting between the modest f/3.5 Tessar and the faster Sonnar-type f/2. It is a four-element, three-group Tessar design, the same optical formula used across the f/3.5 and f/2.8 Tanar standard lenses [1]. The lens was sold in Leica screw mount (LTM / M39) for use on Tanaka's Tanack bodies, which were close copies of the Leica thread-mount system [1].

The "Close Focus" designation reflects a barrel revision that lowered the minimum focusing distance to 1.5 feet, roughly 0.46 m, introduced for the launch of the Tanack IV-S. The barrel modifications mirrored those made to the contemporary 50mm f/3.5, which is physically the same mount, and on the close-focusing version the aperture ring runs from 2.8 to 22 in the reversed direction and drops the intermediate 3.5 marking found on the earlier rigid f/2.8 [1]. Like other Tanar lenses, it uses a straight (non-rotating) helical, so the front of the barrel does not turn while focusing [1]. The closest part of the focusing range is not coupled to the camera rangefinder, a limitation Tanaka also documented on its close-focusing Sonnar-type standard lens [1].

The "H.C." engraving, shown in red on the front bezel, stands for Hard Coating, a marking Tanaka began applying to its standard lenses around late 1955; the company's own literature does not make clear whether the H.C. designation always corresponded to a genuinely new coating or was in part a cosmetic update [1]. The f/2.8 was offered in several closely related forms, beginning with an all-chrome rigid barrel that focused only to 3.5 feet, followed by the close-focusing barrel, and then the updated chrome and black H.C. versions bearing the revised black-background bezel; these later examples are normally found on early to mid-production Tanack IV-S cameras [1]. Serial numbers for the close-focusing f/2.8 are recorded in a narrow 57xxx range [1].

Optical qualities

Rendering Independent published reviews of this specific variant are scarce, so its rendering is best understood through its design and maker's data. As a four-element Tessar working at a moderate f/2.8 maximum aperture, it belongs to a lens family that typically delivers good central definition with softer corners. Tanaka's own resolution tests reported the f/2.8 matching the figures measured for the f/3.5 Tanar, which the company recorded at about 80 lines per mm at the centre and 40 lines at the corners at an unspecified aperture [1]. Documented information on its bokeh, flare behaviour and digital performance is limited.

History

Development and Launch Tanaka Kogaku produced the Tanar lenses in Leica screw mount as the standard optics for its Tanack cameras, a line that ran from the Tanack 35, IIIS and IV-S through later models such as the SD, V3 and VP, with some lenses also offered in Nikon S and Contax rangefinder mounts [1]. The standard lenses were generally sold as a set with a Tanack body [1]. The rigid f/2.8 first appeared in spring 1954 for the Tanack 35 and IIIS; the close-focusing revision followed for the Tanack IV-S, extending the focusing range down to 1.5 feet [1].

Production Evolution The f/2.8 evolved through several barrel forms without a change to its Tessar optical formula. The earliest had an all-chrome rigid barrel focusing to 3.5 feet, after which the close-focusing barrel was introduced. The lens was then updated as the Tanar H.C. 5cm f/2.8, distinguished mainly by a revised front bezel on a black background carrying the H.C. mark, produced in both chrome and later black finishes [1]. The "5cm" and "50mm" markings reflect the older and newer ways of engraving the same focal length across the production run [1].

Collector Notes Identification rests largely on the front bezel engraving and the barrel form: rigid versions are marked without H.C. and focus only to 3.5 feet, while the close-focusing and H.C. examples carry the later markings and reach 1.5 feet [1]. The H.C. lettering is rendered in red [1]. Because the close-focusing f/2.8 shares its barrel with the 50mm f/3.5, buyers should confirm the front bezel aperture engraving rather than rely on the mount alone [1]. As with many lenses of this era and origin, internal haze is a common condition issue to inspect before purchase. Reported serial numbers for the close-focusing f/2.8 fall within a small 57xxx band, a useful cross-check against the documented production sequence [1].

Sources

• [1] Camerapedia. Tanar lenses. https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Tanar_lenses