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7 Canon rangefinder lenses
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:05 am    Post subject: 7 Canon rangefinder lenses Reply with quote

from left to right:
Canon f2/35mm, f3.5/100mm, f1.8/35mm, f3.5/135mm, f1.8/50mm, f1.4/50mm, Serenar f1.8/50mm



Last edited by kuuan on Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:19 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wish you hadn't posted these...they are so nice to look at.....and want. Cool Very Happy How does the 100/3.5 handle?


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mo wrote:
I wish you hadn't posted these...they are so nice to look at.....and want. Cool Very Happy How does the 100/3.5 handle?


haha Mo, they are not only nice to look at, they 'are' very nice Wink

concerning handling of the 3.5/100: It is so small and feels great, but I do have an issue, quite a big issue for me, really: just like in the case of the 3.5/135 the aperture ring, the entire aperture assembly resp. front part of the lens turns together with the focus ring. That results in the focus ring turning when changing the aperture. Usually I focus first and set aperture after, but that results in the focus being set off again!
I had been wondering if this is normal for this lens, one other user had confirmed that it is the same with his lens and I am pretty sure that every copy behaves like this. He also stated that he doesn't mind because the lens already is sharp wide open, which is true, and that he prefers to use it wide open anyway.
I had found a solution for the 3.5/135, but not for the 3.5/100, see: http://forum.mflenses.com/how-to-stop-lens-changing-focus-when-setting-aperture-t66252.html

in case you look for a 3.5/100, a fabulous lens performance wise and amazingly small, be aware that most copies on sale have a cloudy inner element! That cannot be repaired and does have a negative effect on IQ. I have bought 2 copies and unfortuately both are effected. Same holds true for the 1.8/50, have bought 2 and both are effected, many for sale have a coudy inner element but it seems to be easier to find a clean 1.8/50 than to find a clean 3.5/100

cheers, andreas


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:48 pm    Post subject: Canon LTM f1.8 35mm Reply with quote

I just remembered that I also have detailed photos of most of these lenses, here the first, the f1.8/35mm:





Last edited by kuuan on Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:21 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:54 pm    Post subject: Canon LTM f2 35mm Reply with quote

the Canon LTM f2 35mm







and both, Canon LTM f1.8 35mm and f2 35mm, with their caps


Last edited by kuuan on Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:26 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 1:50 pm    Post subject: Canon Serenar f1.8 50mm Reply with quote

Canon Serenar f1.8 50mm





Last edited by kuuan on Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:27 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice collection... How do you like the 135mm f/3.5?


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jesito wrote:
Nice collection... How do you like the 135mm f/3.5?


Jesito hm..most of these lenses I only have since a very short while. As mentioned in my answer to Mo I had an issue with handling with the two teles. I had made a separate thread about this and how I solved it in the case of the 135mm, it is linked in my answer to Mo.

Now I like it's handling, and so far it's performance looks very good! Well, I only had used it once and had liked the results, had uploaded 3 photos from that day to flickr, taken on Ricoh GXR M, here are two of them:





and the lens itself:




at my flickr set one can see them at full resolution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/sets/72157644552526988

btw. I used to use a preset Takumar f3.5/135, it's small size was one of the reasons, the Canon LTM is bigger



but incl. their respective e.g. Sony E mount adapters the LTM lens still is a bit smaller:


I wished there was a M42 adapter that has a smaller diameter which would fit my great and small early Takumars better.

best greetings and regards, andreas


Last edited by kuuan on Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:32 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

the Canon LTM 1.8 50mm ver.II



and f1.4 50mm



the 1.4/50 makes imo a very nice fit on my Ricoh GXR M:



Last edited by kuuan on Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:35 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 8:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks so much for the details and mentioning the cloudy element issue.A friend in the States has just bought a 3.5/100 for me....I will pass on your cloudy element discovery and hope for the best.

Great shot of the grass and water and the close ups of the lenses,there really are some nice Canon lenses out there.I am also glad you showed the size difference of the two tone Takumar 135,I have been watching some of those lenses recently. Laughing The 2.2/55 Auto takumar has gotten me interested in those earlier Takumars,for their size and image quality.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mo wrote:
Thanks so much for the details and mentioning the cloudy element issue.A friend in the States has just bought a 3.5/100 for me....I will pass on your cloudy element discovery and hope for the best.

Great shot of the grass and water and the close ups of the lenses,there really are some nice Canon lenses out there.I am also glad you showed the size difference of the two tone Takumar 135,I have been watching some of those lenses recently. Laughing The 2.2/55 Auto takumar has gotten me interested in those earlier Takumars,for their size and image quality.


most welcome Mo! Hope for the best for your 3.5/100, the effected element is the one 'below' the aperture
By now I have my complete set of rangefinder lenses. When using my Ricoh GXR M, which I usually I do, the small LTM>Leica M ring is the only adapter I carry. Even converted my Pen-F Zuikos to Leica M. I have not been using SLR lenses any more, but I won't sell my early Takumars, they are great! I am sure you will enjoy your 2.2/50 Auto Tak, the 2/55 Auto Tak is one of my favorites. ( btw. I have two good copies of the 'two tone' 3.5/135 preset Takumars and I am selling one, insured sending to Australia however would be around 20 Euro )


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for offering,I have busted my lens buying budget for the next month or so. As I am also waiting on a G1 ,the main reason I am now looking into other lenses, other than M42. Embarassed Rolling Eyes Laughing I will keep your offer in mind as the Auto tak and two tone pentax lenses look good on my K-01 (the black and silver one)

I just realized the 100/3.5 I am talking about has the breechlock/FD/FL mount not a rangefinder mount. I assume image quality will still be about the same? Embarassed


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice collection you have there!! Very Happy

I love theses old Canon LTM lenses. How is the 35mm f2 against the f/1.8?!? Surprised

Here is my slowly growing collection (we only share two lenses from what I can see)


Last edited by Nordentro on Tue Feb 10, 2015 10:40 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Those little Canon are very nice.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beautiful collections a joy to see them, thank you for sharing!


PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mo wrote:
Thanks for offering,I have busted my lens buying budget for the next month or so. As I am also waiting on a G1 ,the main reason I am now looking into other lenses, other than M42. Embarassed Rolling Eyes Laughing I will keep your offer in mind as the Auto tak and two tone pentax lenses look good on my K-01 (the black and silver one)

I just realized the 100/3.5 I am talking about has the breechlock/FD/FL mount not a rangefinder mount. I assume image quality will still be about the same? Embarassed


have fun with your G1, and yes, I believe that the optics of the 3.5/100 LTM and FL are the same, at least at 'Canonmuseum' I read that both have 5 elements in 4 groups, one difference I can make out is that the LTM has 10 aperture blades, the FL 6
'CanonCameramuseum', a great source, see the 'lens hall': http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/


PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nordentro wrote:
Very nice collection you have there!! Very Happy

I love theses old Canon LTM lenses. How is the 35mm f2 against the f/1.8?!? Surprised

Here is my slowly growing collection (we only share two lenses from what I can see)


aren't they beautiful, great collection Lars!
so it's only the 1.8/50 and 3.5/100 that we share? Tell me, what's the one top right? Is it one of the 85mm?? Also in the first row, what's the one in the middle and to the right, the one to the right, is it the f3.5/28mm?

Photos taken with the f1.8 and f2/35 look quite different, the f1.8 has very little contrast while the f2 has very strong contrast and more saturated colors, both are sharp even from wide open, at least in the center. As I have these lenses only since a short while this is just an initial impression, Dante Stella has more to say: http://www.dantestella.com/technical/canoleic.html
another very good guide for Canon rangefinder lenses, though I am certain you know all those, right? http://antiquecameras.net/canonrflens.html

cheers, andreas


PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BurstMox wrote:
Those little Canon are very nice.


I really like them Smile
well, I also would love old Nikkor, Topcor, Minolta asf. rangefinder lenses, but these, generally speaking, are even rarer and more expensive again


PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Attila wrote:
Beautiful collections a joy to see them, thank you for sharing!


most welcome Attila! I wished I had the f3.5/25mm, f2.8/28mm, f1.8/85mm and f2/100mm too Wink other mflens members do have those and I have seen great samples taken with them


PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 7:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you Andreas, I have also used the pages you refer too, very handy Wink

It is the 85mm f2 in the back, and the 50mm f/1.5 and the 25mm f/3.5 in the front.
Happy shooting! Very Happy

Cheers
Lars


PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 7:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome Shocked Shocked
You guys are far beyond what I have of Canon Ltm collection, which are: 50/1.2, 50/1.4, 50/1.8 and 135/3.5.


PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 10:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It`s a good start Hoan Wink

Best bang for the bucks of what I have IMO is the 100mm f/3,5 v2 and the 50mm f/1.8 v2


PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nordentro wrote:
Thank you Andreas, I have also used the pages you refer too, very handy Wink

It is the 85mm f2 in the back, and the 50mm f/1.5 and the 25mm f/3.5 in the front.
Happy shooting! Very Happy

Cheers
Lars


ohh, three lenses I am most curious about:
thought for the 85mm I'd prefer the f1.8, less heavy, possibly better but...even more costly
the f1.5/50, for it's Sonnar scheme, was the very first Canon RF lens I had wanted and which had made me aware of Canon RF lenses, but I still don't have it. ( alternatively the 'Sonnar' Nikkor 1.4/50, if in Nikon RF / Contax with luck even affordable, but I don't like that mount much ) I am very curious how you like yours!
the 25mm of course is very attractive, but my CV 4/25 and 2 Pen-F 25mm lenses makes me less desparate Wink

hoanpham wrote:
Awesome Shocked Shocked
You guys are far beyond what I have of Canon Ltm collection, which are: 50/1.2, 50/1.4, 50/1.8 and 135/3.5.


nice Smile
How do you compare your 3 50s? The 1.8/50 was my first Canon RF lens, and, even though mine is slightly defect, it impressed me well enough to make me even more curious about other Canon RF lenses. I have not much experience using the 1.4/50 yet, so far it impresses me very much!

Nordentro wrote:
It`s a good start Hoan Wink

Best bang for the bucks of what I have IMO is the 100mm f/3,5 v2 and the 50mm f/1.8 v2


yes! ..and no! Yes, they are great performers and rel. cheap, but no if one is not careful enough, just like me: These two lenses seem to be those which more often than other Canon RF lenses suffer from a milky, internal lens element that can't be repaired. I have bought 2 copies of each and all 4 are effected, the two 100mm to an extent that makes them rather unusable, at least one of my 1.8/50 is..just ok.


PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 4:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 85mm is very heavy indeed, but I just love the early silver lineup Very Happy

My favorite 50mm of what I have is the f/1.8 like you have. The f/1.5 is very attractive too with beautiful Sonnar bokeh but not as sharp as the f/1.8.

I guess I must have been lucky with my lenses because I have not had any milky/ foggy lenses besides the 135mm f/4 Serenar which has some clouds on an inner element.

The 100mm f/3.5 v2 is the silver and black version and I like this lens slightly better than the black v3 (like you have). IQ is more or less the same with same lens design 5/4, but the lens itself is smaller and lighter. This lens also has not the problem with stopping down = turns the focus ring like the v3. First version of this lens was a triotar type 3/3.

The 25mm is a very good performer, but have some issues with collor shift on the A7R. This lens will hopefully be better with new sensors in the future. Do you know if Pen-F 25mm covers FF sensors? Surprised


PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nordentro wrote:
The 85mm is very heavy indeed, but I just love the early silver lineup Very Happy


I can see that and they do look fantastic! However I try to cheat myself thinking that I purely buy lenses because they are 'more practical', not because they are beauitiful Wink

Nordentro wrote:


My favorite 50mm of what I have is the f/1.8 like you have. The f/1.5 is very attractive too with beautiful Sonnar bokeh but not as sharp as the f/1.8.


I may try to get yet another, clean copy, resp. my Serenar copy is clean and is said to have the same optical formula. Do you know if their performance is said to differ or to be rather identical?

Nordentro wrote:

I guess I must have been lucky with my lenses because I have not had any milky/ foggy lenses besides the 135mm f/4 Serenar which has some clouds on an inner element.

The 100mm f/3.5 v2 is the silver and black version and I like this lens slightly better than the black v3 (like you have). IQ is more or less the same with same lens design 5/4, but the lens itself is smaller and lighter. This lens also has not the problem with stopping down = turns the focus ring like the v3. First version of this lens was a triotar type 3/3.


oh, ok this is very good to know! In case I try yet once again to get a good 3.5/100 I shall go for the v2.

Nordentro wrote:

The 25mm is a very good performer, but have some issues with collor shift on the A7R. This lens will hopefully be better with new sensors in the future. Do you know if Pen-F 25mm covers FF sensors? Surprised


hopefully! I don't know if the 25mm Pen-Fs cover FF, I guess there will be heavy vignetting but my guess is based on your very report on how well the other Pen-F lenses cover your A7r you had published here. I am expecting a visit of a friend carrying his A7 coming week, I should remember to try out

best greetings, andreas