MS-Optics H-PROT 6.3/40

This is a record of using the H-PROT 40mm f/6.3 (MS-Optics / Miyazaki Optical) with a Leica M digital.

Table of contents

Gallery
Impression
Lens specification
Reference links

Gallery
H-PROT 40mm F6.3 photo example (with Leica M-P)

Impression
This lens has an impressive conical barrel appearance, and its sibling is the H-DAGONAR.
This lens is dark at f/6.3 and is not very popular in the market.
In the days of film cameras, this maximum aperture f-number would have been difficult to use in dark places.
In the age of digital cameras, the ISO sensitivity can be easily increased, allowing the lens to be used in low-light situations without hesitation.
It is a compact, easy-to-handle lens with a stable image at f/6.3 and excellent close-up performance (no distance scale, but you can get as close as 30cm), so it can be used in all kinds of situations.
When used with the HASSELBLAD X2D, it covers the digital medium format sensor almost as well as its sibling lens, the DAGONAR 40mm. The peripheral depression is noticeable in blue skies, but I think it is well digestible as the flavor of the lens; perhaps it did not bother me because I did not use the LEICA M in that way, but when backlit, the lens shows flashy flare and loss of contrast. The maximum aperture f-stop is 6.3, which is dark, but the resolution is excellent all the way to the corners.

Lens specification
The first lens in MS-Optics’ (Miyazaki Kogaku) historical series, this lens pays homage to the Protar model.
With a simple 2-group, 4-element lens construction, the lens is compact at 16.2mm in length and 47g in weight.
Lens performance is dark with a maximum aperture of 6.3, but distortion is small at +0.2%.
It can get as close as 0.3m, so it can be used for object photography or as a macro lens.

Item	Value	note
focal length(mm)	40
Maximum aperture	6.3
Minimum aperture	16
Lens configuration	2groups 4elements
Minimum distance(m)	0.3	Works with the camera’s rangefinder from 0.85m to infinity.
Lens length(mm)	16.2
Lens max diameter(mm)	50
Filter diameter(mm)	22.5	The tip of the hood can be fitted with a 28mm filter
Weight(g)	47