100mm f/4 oddity and one for the collector

[CanonRFinder]

HI, First I have no connection to the seller and just an observation and passing on a bit of info. Open the link to the following auction if your interested in a bit of Canon history.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Canon-S...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ab053135

This is one of those unusual Canon RF lenses that appear on eBay every now and then. This particular one has the engraving "Japan" on the outside front rim (pic 2) indicating that it was produced just prior to Canon Inc including the country of origin (in this case Japan) onto there products (Camera, Lenses and accessories were all affected) somewhere. At the time Canon made that decision there current inventory which did not have the country of origin were sent back to the engravers to have "Japan" included onto that item somewhere. It was to expensive to make new ID rings so in this case it was engraved on the outside filter rim of these lenses. Not all Canon lenses were affected by this policy. To date I have recorded 19 examples of 100m f/4 lenses with this marking. Peter

 

[charjohncarter]

Mine says nothing on the rim, and Canon Camera Co. on the ID ring. I like the images from this lens, I use it with Tmax100 and kodak Gold 100.

 

[stesm]

My lens, number 46809, has the "Japan" engraving on the outer ring. It's in excellent condition except for the scratches on that outer ring from use of the push on shade. Haven't used it in years.

 

[CanonRFinder]

HI, That lens #46809 is one of the 19 examples I have on my database as being sold on eBay back in May 2004. The lowest # with "Japan" engraved on the outside rim is #46661 and the highest # is #47775. Amongst these two numbers there are quite a lot of lenses that I have recorded which do not have the external engraving, indicating to me that these lenses had been already dispatched to the various retail outlets. This marking only appears towards the end of the T5 lens production as it was sometime in November or December 1951 that Canon sent back to the engravers, lenses that they still had in stock. So not only do you have a very usable lens but something a bit unusual. Peter

 

[John Shriver]

Mine is one of the ones in that block without the Japan engraving. But it did come with a "Made in Occupied Japan" rear cap, which I expect is original to the lens.

The seller has made a beautiful picture there! My lens is every bit as nice condition, but it would take some good lighting work to make it look that nice.

 

[stesm]

Hi Peter,
Yes, that's when and where I bought it.
I need to give this lens another spin. I've been stuck on the 35/1.8 for some time now, not to mention the evil SLR.
Looking forward to your next book.

Steve