Photo Cinema reproduct lens [Mu-Yichi-Kyo]
Founded in January 2012
Reproduction of historically famous photographic and cinematic lenses
Initially, we were planning to manufacture the products in China, but we encountered many obstacles and ultimately decided to manufacture them in Tokyo. Unless otherwise stated, lenses are Leica L39 mount rangefinder-linked.
"Kino" (German: Kino, meaning film, cine, cinema) is a general term for lenses and their characteristics used in movies, particularly from the Art Deco period (prewar) to the mid-century period (postwar). They were originally made for shooting kino (movies), rather than stills (photographs).
When rebuilding from patents, we don't find and fix problems in the old design. However, one change we have made is that we no longer use lead in the glass. We use Ohara Corporation from Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. This is done using a special oil-polished technique called pitch polishing (probably unique to Japan), which leaves the glass scratch-free, resulting in a clear image and no limitations on specs like 8K or 16K. The helicoid is handcrafted by the only craftsman in Japan, and glides effortlessly. The screws are also custom-made. This means it takes time to manufacture each time.
Photos taken with our lenses will be posted on this website and our YouTube channel will be displayed, so please contact us.
Since we cannot use names that are subject to trademark rights, we have decided to use a format such as "**DE401630**" that clearly indicates the source of the data. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. - 2025.3.17
In 2027, we will manufacture the one with the most pre-orders out of the following three types. As our shop is a business that does not pay consumption tax, P21, which is likely to be expensive, may be put on hold due to accounting issues. However, we are also wondering if it is wise to manufacture P4 and P5 continuously.
The Speed Panchro is the best for Kino. Especially when comparing it to pre-war Kino, this is the one that remains in the end. I would also like to see a wide-angle version in the same style. The G1 doesn't have a wide-angle option, so I'd like to consider a 35mm version of the G2 Super-Six. It's a type of Speed Panchro I. However, historically it was not popular at all. Although it was considered the best in terms of design and manufacturing and kept in the catalog, it never sold and finally disappeared in the 1980s. A masterpiece that didn't sell. As a result, modern Cooke cameras are no longer priced for amateurs. It's better than nothing, I suppose. It's a puzzling situation.
French wide-angle lenses are excellent, and the Angenieux R1 or R11 are particularly highly regarded. Kino's R2 is fantastic, but it's a C-mount lens. Converting a C-mount lens to Leica format has already been done with the 院落 Inraku P3 60mm f1.2, and it's proven to be excellent. The R2 was the first lens Angenieux created after leaving Optis (where the Kinoptik founder also worked at the time). It's a confident creation that led to his independence. There seems to be no reason to hesitate in reissuing it.
In contrast to the British-style Kino, this pre-war Primoplan can be considered the last example of continental-style Kino. It is truly the last Kino influenced by German culture.
It has an infinitely tranquil and delicate depiction, and a unique appearance that makes you feel as if you are peering into the image. It was also produced for a Leica mount. It is probably one of the best macro lenses ever made.
Reservations are accepted until the end of July 2026. Prices will change significantly from August onwards.
Number of reservations：17 (of which Coat：2) If you order 25 coated items and 5 uncoated items, the coated price will be ¥186,000 + ¥30,000.
25 pieces ¥206,000 + Coat ¥30,000
30 pieces ¥186,000 + Coat ¥27,500
35 pieces ¥171,000 + Coat ¥23,000
The price will decrease as the production volume increases, so the current number of reservations will be displayed. Once the number is confirmed, payment will be required to complete the reservation. This is the same method as before. The product will likely be completed around November 2026.
Filter diameter 43mm. Minimum shooting distance 50cm(It is about 45cm from the front lens element, and if you use a 5mm close-up ring, you can get as close as 31-22cm.). Aperture blades 6. Actual weight 120g.
Glass coatings improve lens performance but impair the quality of the image. Therefore, we ordered a custom-made "broadband flat coat" that is nearly uncoated, as shown in the image below. This is not a new invention, as it is a proven method used by well-known optical manufacturers for UV lenses and other applications, and actual lenses are already available. It is the kind of coating used in delicate areas where a coating is not desirable, but is unavoidable. The original lens did not have a coating. All of the glass used is highly weather-resistant. However, the actual lens is vulnerable to backlighting by modern standards, and the wide-angle lens leaves the front open. It seems better to have a coating. We will only produce uncoated lenses in quantities ordered.
The original is f/2.7. However, since there is almost no edge thickness, the realistically manufacturable thickness is f/3.3 (curvature and glass remain the same). This causes spherical aberration (cut at the top in the diagram) to go from over to under. Both are slight, but they make a noticeable difference in the depiction. Looking at actual examples, focal lengths of 50mm and above are over, but 35mm is not. And it's dark. However, I believe the designation was standardized to f/2.7 to avoid confusion. Furthermore, the actual focal length was around 37mm, but this naturally happens when the glass thickness is adjusted to match the manufacturing process.
This is a masterpiece that has been improved for over 100 years and is still manufactured by the original British company Cook. There are many types of bokeh lenses, but this lens is a perfect example of what a bokeh lens looks like when defined by the British. During the British Empire, there was a tradition of incorporating global tastes and further refining them, so it has a unique and exquisite sense of balance. The idea of something completely ordinary, the ultimate in universal beauty, is unique to the British. The bokeh lens is ordinary with an exquisite balance. There is room for the aperture up to about f1.9, but we thought that changing it would change the balance that is important for panchro, so we manufactured it at f2.
Photographing 香箋 G1 with the 院落 P1 and a Leica M9.
It seems to be specialized for Cinema. For Photography, please use [霜枝 UG1].
Kinoshita Optical Laboratory in Tokyo, where we manufacture our lenses, is also reproducing old lens designs from the era of the former Tomioka Optical.
Reservations are accepted until the end of July 2026. Prices will change significantly from August onwards.
Photographing 香箋 G1 with the 院落 P1 and a Leica M9.
Kinoshita Optical Laboratory in Tokyo, where we manufacture our lenses, is also reproducing old lens designs from the era of the former Tomioka Optical.