Planar Formula Lenses 40mm through 60mm, Rangefinder Mount Lenses- Original or Converted

Sonnar Brian

Sonnar Brian

Product of the Fifties
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Well, we're getting some questions about Minolta Chiyoko 50mm F1.8 vs Canon 50mm F1.8 and about lenses that are NOT Sonnar formula.

This is the thread to post pictures taken with Rangefinder Mount lenses. Can be adapted to another camera, such as mirrorless or anything else. Also feel free to post SLR lenses that have been adapted to RF Coupled Rangefinder Mount. Skyllaney offers such conversions, and I've also done a few.

First up: a Clean Canon 50mm F1.8, Black, and a fairly early one. This one has perfect glass. Hard to find. This one is an earlier one. The optics are improved using a newer low-dispersion/ high index of refraction glass as compared to the chrome lens. If you can find a clean one- performance is exceptional. I got each of these for $60. Patience and Luck.
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Pairs- Wide-Open and at F4.
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Flare test.
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Second Up- Minolta Chiyoko 50mm F1.8, a 6 element in 5 group lens.

Again- perfect glass. This lens was 5x the cost of the Canon 50/1.8, above. It is uncommon outside of Japan, and not too many there.


Wide-Open and at F4.
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Both at F4, Sunny Day.
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Wide-Open:

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Canon 50mm F2.2, 5 elements in 4 groups. The rear doublet found in most Double-Gauss lenses is collapsed into an element of higher power. Cheaper, and it worked on this lens.

Wide-Open
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Next at F4:
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Back to F2.2.

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Brian, this new thread prompted me to look at my black Canon 50/1.8. It has not been used in a few years, and i was dismayed to see a bit of haze exactly where it always appears behind the aperture. Luckily, these are easy lenses to take apart and it cleaned up nicely! The 50/2.2 looked good, did not need any work.
 
I suspect between late 1957 and 1961 that whatever lubricant that Canon used was caustic. My earlier Canon 50/1.2 is fine, two later ones- not. Same with the 50/1.8 and 50/1.4. Early ones- good, later ones- not. I'm guessing, based on handing 30 or so lenses made in this time frame.
 
dexdog said:
Brian, this new thread prompted me to look at my black Canon 50/1.8. It has not been used in a few years, and i was dismayed to see a bit of haze exactly where it always appears behind the aperture. Luckily, these are easy lenses to take apart and it cleaned up nicely! The 50/2.2 looked good, did not need any work.
Click to expand...
I just check Ten of my Canon 50mm lenses, all LTM. All different. Only the 50mm F2.8 Panda (34mm filters) started to haze up. 5 minute job, need a spanner. rear retaining ring out, drop barrel from the focus mount, unscrew rear section by hand. Only the surface behind the aperture hazed up, not bad. Three years between checking it. The chrome 50/1.2, 50/1.4, 50/1.5, 50/1.8 chrome, black 50/1.8, 5cm F2, 50/2.2, 5cm F3.5- all fine. The 50/0.95 has never developed haze.

Canon 50mm, Leica Mount by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr
(50/3.5 and 50/0.95 not in this group portrait)
 
Simlar 5cm F1.5, very early- the 74th made. Not long after this aircraft-





This lens was much better on the M Monochrom, especially with the yellow filter. Prices are insane on this lens, this one bought with a Leotax D-IV (4-digit SN), Canon 85/2 Serenar for $600. - but required soaking in solvent for a week to unjam the focus mount. The glass was like wax paper, but cleaned up perfectly. Hard coating- survived. Leotax went to Youxin for a complete overhaul. Came out great.
 
I was considering some of my Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5 shots but it's not really a classic lens. But the LTM version is a fine lens and I recommend it to anyone wanting a fine fine lens.
 
wlewisiii said:
I was considering some of my Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5 shots but it's not really a classic lens. But the LTM version is a fine lens and I recommend it to anyone wanting a fine fine lens.
Click to expand...
It's a Double Gauss. You post yours, and I can post mine. I have the 1950s Nokton, V1 Asph, and V2.
 
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Amotal, Amotal, wherefore art thou, Amotal?

Let me post a few I have gotten that I like. All on an M9.

OK, sunset from my back door. Yes, the camera moved. I was trying to hold the door open against the wind with my left hand and shoot with my right.

The next two are Rhodies across the river at the entrance to Fort Columbia State Park. Always beautiful blooms.

A museum and former train station in Grover, CO. The town population was 157 at the 2020 United States Census, a 14.60% increase since the 2010 United States Census. So there. Yes, the building is canted from the prevailing winds.

A local fellow, Steve, standing in front of nets in the West Mooring Basin in Astoria, OR.

And finally some boats in drydock, "up on the hard" also in the West Mooring Basin.

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Menopta 53/1.8 and Helios-103. Shimmed for Nikon S-Mount. On the Nikon S3.

At F4









The Menopta is an export version of the Helios-103, made in the early 1990s. I bought two lots of them, shimmed them for Nikon S-Mount and sold them on RFF when the site was new. I still have one Menopta for the Nikon, and a couple of Helios-103 for the Nikon and Contax.
 
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