Canon 85

[presspass]

I'm rounding out my Canon rangefinder lens set. I have a 35, a 50, and a 135. Now I'm looking for an 85. I don't want something that's terribly expensive or hard to find. I see a lot of 1.9 lenses out there, but not too many copies of the others. What is a good combination of affordable and fairly easy to find.

 

[raid]

The heavy and beautiful chrome 85/1.9 ltm is not expensive. The (better) 85/1.8 is more expensive. The costly 85/1.5 is a beauty.

 

[sevres_babylone]

I don't know about its reputation, current cost or availability, but I'm pretty happy with the "Canon Serenar 85mm f2.0 LTM" I bought from Frank S. here a number of years ago. Maybe it's the 1.9 hood🙂 I use it on digital only, so don't know if that's a factor. But happy with the results on my M9 and now my Sony.

Sunglasses - Pedestrian Sunday by sevres babylone, en Flickr

Day's End - Pedestrian Sunday by sevres babylone, en Flickr

 

[raid]

The 85/2 is a fine performer, as you have experienced.

 

[Robert Lai]

The 1.9 is a fine lens. Just really, really heavy in all chromed brass.
I use a 48 - 49mm step up ring so that I can use readily available filters and hoods in 49mm size. I do have the proper Canon hood for it. It is slip on with a thumbscrew to lock it in place. It won't fit over the outside of my step up ring.

 

[Mackinaw]

Looking at Peter Kitchingman's book, the 85/1.9 is the most common (though the black, aluminum version is rare), followed by the 85/2.0, then the 85/1.8, then the 85/1.5.

Jim B.

 

[raid]

I sold my 85/1.9 after I bought a 85/1.5 (and a Lux 75/1.4).

 

[Peter Jennings]

I have a black barrel 85/1.9 that I lucked into at a nice price. It's very comfortable to carry around and I'm pleased with the results. That said, the usual asking price is more than I'd be willing to pay.

 

[ferider]

I've had them all and kept the 85/1.8.

Now: if you absolutely want 85, and cann't afford the 1.8, get yourself a Nikkor 85/2 (very compact and great performer). The "best" of the Canon short teles however is the 100/2, absolutely amazing, IMO, technically better than my late pre-asph 90/2 Summicron (a great lens itself). And you can get a clean copy below US 400.

Roland.

 

[raid]

I sold my Canon 100/2 when I bought a Summilux 75/1.4. I had to get some cash!
Yers, the Nikkor 85/2 is a great lens, and so is the Nikkor 105/2.5.

Canon 85/1.5:

This is a heavy lens!

 

[Fixcinater]

The 85/1.8 is very good, the chrome 85/2 is nearly as good and significantly less costly but quite a bit heavier.

Any of them are fine, really, just shop based on condition and price. I got my 85/1.8 for cheap as it needed work that I figured I was able to do, and it's been a nice addition to the stable but the 85/2 is good enough that any differences are washed out compared to focusing errors in real use.

 

[cqing]

What is the current market price for a 85 1.8? I found one in mint condition with hood and viewfinder for about 750USD(negotiable I guess).

 

[Brian Legge]

Its hard to get a sense of prices as they come along infrequently. The recent sale of a Canon 85/1.8 on Ebay went for $950. That seems high as most of the other coveted Canon ltm lenses have come down a bit in price.

 

[Mackinaw]

What is the current market price for a 85 1.8? I found one in mint condition with hood and viewfinder for about 750USD(negotiable I guess).

Kevin Camera’s is probably not the best place to get a price on a used camera gear (his prices are always on the high side….though his stuff is usually in excellent shape). He’s currently selling excellent/mint 85/1.8 lenses from $1,300- 2,000 USD.

Jim B.

 

[raid]

The chrome Canon 85/1.9 sells for $280:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-Range...d=152191593104&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850

Nikkor 85/2: $263

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Nippo...d=152615057375&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

[hilltime]

I'm not sure which lens is heavier, having had both. The weight of a hand grenade.

Although, I lucked into a Mint 85/1.9 Black like new that a gentleman had bought in the early 60's and looked like he never used it. Came in original Canon green and white box with leather case and black bright line viewfinder, and original caps. One of the most Mint vintage items I have ever purchased.

Sold the Canon 85/1.9 chrome and nearly paid for the much lighter weight black version. I have read optically they are the same, but still think the newer version is a bit better. (Better coatings?, I'm not sure)

Occasionally, those great bargains come along, and as collectors I'm sure, you feel like you just robbed a bank, legally!

Buy the way, obviously the 85/2 Nikkor is no slouch!

Good luck in your search.

Gary Hill

 

[Darinwc]

The 85 f1.9 is a great lens and about the same image quality as the Nikkor 85 f2 which can be found in ltm. In my opinion the Canon is better built, though like 50%larger and heavier.

Another great lens is the Canon 105 f3.5. tiny and very sharp. Way better than the Leica 90mm f4 I had.

I have not tried a Canon 85 f2 yet.

With any of the Canon lenses, be very careful to buy a lens your can return. Check it carefully for internal problems. They develop haze which can run the coating and cleaning the soft glass scratches it. About half have internal problems.

 

[raid]

It is actually a 100mm 3.5 lens. Tiny and very sharp, with a tendency to build up internal haze.

 

[davhill]

My accumulated notes on 85-105 LTM lenses say the following. Admittedly, these remarks aren't from my own experience, so feel free to disagree. For instance, images from the 85 Serenar given further up this thread show these are no slouch at all.

85 /1.5 (Leica, Canon, Nikon) - expensive, outperformed by slower models.
85 /1.8 Canon (black) - Undoubtedly best of the Canon 85s, and one of the best (and possibly the very best) of any LTM 85...
85 /1.9 Serenar (chrome) - not as good as other Canons. [But not bad t'all]
85 /2 Serenar (chrome) - not as good..
85 /2 Nikkor (black or chrome) - both superb, but black is lighter.
100 /2 Canon - very fine, but heavy
100 /3.5 Canon - tiny, sharp, coveted. A long-focus, not tele design.
100 /4 Canon - predecessor to 3.5, and not as good.
105/2.5 Nikkor - one of the best LTM lenses ever.

 

[cqing]

Got mine for about 680USD. It is really in mint condition! Glass without any haze/mold(very common on Canon lens) or fungus.