12 Canon RF lenses

Great set!
I currently have a Jiro Mukai-centered collection of the 35 mm f/1.5, 50 mm f/1.8 (Ito-designed), and 85 mm f/1.8

I used to have the 35 mm f/1.8, 35 mm f/2, 50 mm f/1.2, 50 mm f/1.4, 50 mm f/1.5, 100 mm f/2 (great lens), and 135 mm f/3.5, but those are sadly departed. Canon made incredible optics, alongside Nippon Kogaku, in that era, easily competing with Leitz for optical supremacy...
 
I still like Canon LTM lenses better than Leica ones. I have a 35/1.8, 35/2, 50/1.2, 50/1.4, 50/1.5, and 50/1.8. Also an 85mm and 135/3.5. They all have unique signatures and are all very good.
 
wow, amazing, so many reactions to the pic of the lenses! won't comment on each, but there is no denying, you guys are gearheads too 😉

I envy anyone having the 19mm, also any of the 25 and 28mm. I am using CVs instead. I am not really tempted by the f0.9 or even f1.2/50.

Uhoh I don't have any good scale here, but at Canonmuseum I read that the chrome/black 3.5/100 weighs 205 grms and the all black 220 grms.
The 1.5/85 looks fantastic, you say it's an underrated jewel? It comes at 730 grms..
 
The 85/1.5 is difficult to focus wide open well on a RF camera, but it can be done. Using it on a M 4/3 camera gives a 170mm view, but with 10X magnified foucus aid, plus internal stabilization for hand held photography. Similalry, if you have the Leica 240 or Sony A7, the live view makes focusing easier.
 
19mm 3.5

U3565I1230679785.SEQ.0.jpg


U3565I1231645163.SEQ.0.jpg


85mm/1.5

U3565I1218331664.SEQ.0.jpg
 
Your lenses look shiny and "new". This is a very nice looking collection.

thank you Raid. Most really are in very good condition, the 1.5/50 looks the poorest but it's optics are quite clean, not 100% neither, cloudy elements are a recurring problem with the Canon LTMs, specially the 3.5/100 and 1.8/50:

@ Robert: thank you for asking 🙂 Now I have yet another copy of the black 3.5/100 that 'almost' has no haze, it still has just a bit and so does the chrome.

@ ashwinrao and goamules: Personally I don't have experience how Canon LTMs compare to Leica lenses and most likely I never will get that neither. I find them to be very good performers and rather affordable, cheaper than most alternatives. Canon and Nikons might have fought for supremacy with Leica for RF lenses in the 50s and 60s, in the SLR world at that time imo it was most of all Pentax and Takumars that won the battle for the Japanese.
 
I agree about the Pentax lenses. I shot some in the 1980s and cannot believe how sharp even 8x10 prints are.

I've shot Cannon LTMs exclusively except a few Soviet, Nikkor, and some of the cheaper, slower LTMs. They're all good for one thing or another.
 
Raid I bet that the 1.5/85 will be difficult to focus, and certainly more easy on a live view camera with enlargement and stabilizer on top! Your samples taken with the 19mm look impressive!
 
I agree about the Pentax lenses. I shot some in the 1980s and cannot believe how sharp even 8x10 prints are.

I've shot Cannon LTMs exclusively except a few Soviet, Nikkor, and some of the cheaper, slower LTMs. They're all good for one thing or another.

Early Takumars had been the first lenses of similar vintage as the Canon LTMs that I had used. Since I tried other makes of similar vintage I believe that Pentax had the lead in coating technology then, Takumars very much impress with build quality and handling
Now it's mostly Canon LTMs and CV wide angles and I am happy with both
 
Raid I bet that the 1.5/85 will be difficult to focus, and certainly more easy on a live view camera with enlargement and stabilizer on top! Your samples taken with the 19mm look impressive!

The 19/3.5 RF lens and SLR lenses are identical except for RF focusing. The RF version costs much more, especially with the finder. I got the SLR version, and I used a 20mm Russian finder with it. Same optics. The non-retrofocus design of the lens makes it smaller in size, but the protruding rear glass element will not allow it to be used on the M9 or M8.

Finder alone: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-RF-19...961?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41682e0641

RF lens + finder: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Extremely-R...057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33a61e2341
SLR lens: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-FL-19...881?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d09d1fb1 [you need also the Canon Adapter B for FD to LTM]
 
Early Takumars had been the first lenses of similar vintage as the Canon LTMs that I had used. Since I tried other makes of similar vintage I believe that Pentax had the lead in coating technology then, Takumars very much impress with build quality and handling
Now it's mostly Canon LTMs and CV wide angles and I am happy with both

I have a SMC 50/1.4 in M mount, adapted by Roland (ferider).
 
I have a 50mm f 1.2 and a 50mm f 1.8 but they both need cleaning. The 1.8 is not bad but the 1.2 has not recovered from my attempt to clean it. I intend to send them both to a professional.
 
wow, amazing, so many reactions to the pic of the lenses! won't comment on each, but there is no denying, you guys are gearheads too 😉

I envy anyone having the 19mm, also any of the 25 and 28mm. I am using CVs instead. I am not really tempted by the f0.9 or even f1.2/50.

Uhoh I don't have any good scale here, but at Canonmuseum I read that the chrome/black 3.5/100 weighs 205 grms and the all black 220 grms.
The 1.5/85 looks fantastic, you say it's an underrated jewel? It comes at 730 grms..
Hi
In my book on Canon RF lenses I weighed the various lenses without caps. The 100mm f/3.5 chrome black came in at 184g while the all black came in at 224g. I used a good set of digital scales during my research. A tiny lens but packs a punch especially the later black version. Cheers PeterK
 
The 19/3.5 RF lens and SLR lenses are identical except for RF focusing. The RF version costs much more, especially with the finder. I got the SLR version, and I used a 20mm Russian finder with it. Same optics. The non-retrofocus design of the lens makes it smaller in size, but the protruding rear glass element will not allow it to be used on the M9 or M8.

Finder alone: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-RF-19...961?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41682e0641

RF lens + finder: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Extremely-R...057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33a61e2341
SLR lens: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-FL-19...881?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d09d1fb1 [you need also the Canon Adapter B for FD to LTM]

thank's a lot for all the info and links Raid!
After reading that the LTM and R lens are the same ( as is with a few of the teles ) I thought that the lens will be too big for me to consider but seeing your I see that it's tiny. Very attractive, sure not a cheapo 😉
 
Hi
In my book on Canon RF lenses I weighed the various lenses without caps. The 100mm f/3.5 chrome black came in at 184g while the all black came in at 224g. I used a good set of digital scales during my research. A tiny lens but packs a punch especially the later black version. Cheers PeterK

thank you very much for the exact weights Peter!
As you know I bought your great book on Canon rangefinder lenses a few months back, sadly it's not with me right now, for luggage limitations I had to leave it in Asia
 
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