Canon LTM Canon L1 purchase

Canon M39 M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
newst

newst

Well-known
Local time
3:19 PM
Joined
Feb 20, 2015
Messages
741
I just received a Canon L1 from Japan, ordered on eBay. The seller sent along a copy of a receipt showing that it had been CLAd by a Camera Shop in January 2020.

I quickly mounted a Canon 2.2/50 lens on it and shot a 12 exposure roll of Fujicolor 100 to test it out, some results are shown below.

I can't find a lot of information on using this camera on the internet and thought that I would seek out information on the best way to use this camera from this forum. Any and all comments from current or former users are welcome.

Based on my limited usage of this camera I have already sold my Canon VL2, and relegated my Canon P to my back-up camera. I really like this body and will welcome anyone's experience on how to get the most from it.

Thanks,

2020-09-14 Home Canon L1 Canon 50-22 Fujicolor 100 000520550008 by newst54, on Flickr
2020-09-14 Home Canon L1 Canon 50-22 Fujicolor 100 000520550007 by newst54, on Flickr
2020-09-14 Home Canon L1 Canon 50-22 Fujicolor 100 000520550005 by newst54, on Flickr
2020-09-14 Home Canon L1 Canon 50-22 Fujicolor 100 000520550001 by newst54, on Flickr
 
Well done.
I have long preferred the Canon L1 over other models of Canon rangefinder camera made later in the era of rangefinder cameras.
The Canon 7 is a bit too box like in form for my tastes though I am sure it is otherwise a sound and very functional camera (though I doubt that today the same could be said of its inbuilt selenium meter which tend to die with time). (Let's face it, if someone were to offer me one I would happily take it and use it with pleasure.)
The other issue is that many of their other models (such as the VI-T) only come with the somewhat clunky bottom wind arrangement which is not my preference except in limited circumstances. I have long thought that these models would have been quite perfect had they been designed both with the thumb wind and bottom wind so the user could choose which winding method to use, depending upon shooting circumstances. Alas, production economics won out.
And of course the Canon P is excellent too though for some reason I slightly prefer the look of the L1. (The front slow speed dial on the latter camera may have something to do with this as it gives a slightly more classic look to the otherwise updated aesthetics of these cameras which are a bit "spartan" in their later design).

All just personal opinion and preferences of course.
 
peterm1 said:
Well done.
I have long preferred the Canon L1 over other models of Canon rangefinder camera made later in the era of rangefinder cameras.
The Canon 7 is a bit too box like in form for my tastes though I am sure it is otherwise a sound and very functional camera (though I doubt that today the same could be said of its inbuilt selenium meter which tend to die with time). (Let's face it, if someone were to offer me one I would happily take it and use it with pleasure.)
The other issue is that many of their other models (such as the VI-T) only come with the somewhat clunky bottom wind arrangement which is not my preference except in limited circumstances. I have long thought that these models would have been quite perfect had they been designed both with the thumb wind and bottom wind so the user could choose which winding method to use, depending upon shooting circumstances. Alas, production economics won out.
And of course the Canon P is excellent too though for some reason I slightly prefer the look of the L1. (The front slow speed dial on the latter camera may have something to do with this as it gives a slightly more classic look to the otherwise updated aesthetics of these cameras which are a bit "spartan" in their later design).

All just personal opinion and preferences of course.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I share your opinion of the 7. I have owned copies where the meter worked, but I never warmed to them. The copy I own now came to me as a lens cap for a Canon 1.4/50. Both the meter and the ASA adjustment were physically damaged. Otherwise, it works fine. I just don't enjoy using it in the way I enjoy the P or the L1.
 
I’ve owned an L1 for over 25 years. Maybe my favorite Canon user rangefinder. Love that you can change the viewfinder magnification, and especially love the auto-parallax correcting pin located in the cold-shoe. The gold-tint rangefinder has retain it’s focusing “snap”, even after all these years. The top-wind is convenient, and what people seem to prefer (though I, personally, like the trigger-wind Canon’s better). Basically, the L1 is a very well thought out and engineered rangefinder, almost like it was designed by people who actually use their cameras. For a user rangefinder, I put it right up there with some of my Leica’s.

Jim B.
 
Your photos look great!

The L1's a wonderful camera. I own one and have used it for years. I'd recommend finding a good quality 35mm focal length lens for it, as it has a very fine built in finder for that. If you don't have the case that Canon made for it I can also recommend that - it's one of their finest, but somewhat hard to find in good condition. The 50/2.2 is a good lens for it too so you are set there. If you need something faster, the 50/1.2 or 50/1.4 Canon's are also excellent. I don't believe the stock case will close properly with the 50/1.2 however, and it might cause the now delicate stitchings to be torn loose, so some caution is advised there.
 
Congrats - it's a great body IMO. I have one and really like the variable viewfinder.
Stephen (head bartender) has a page on the L1 and was the main reason I bought one. He describes the rangefinder as being more desirable than later models b/c it is less likely to fade.

the black version of the 50/1.8 is a good lens IF you can find one without permanent internal haze. I have 2 - one has recurrent haze that's easily cleaned, and another of the same vintage with no haze whatsoever. No one knows for sure what causes it - lots of suspicions but no proof.

Enjoy your camera - your images are looking very good

https://cameraquest.com/crfl1bl.htm
 
David Murphy said:
Your photos look great!

The L1's a wonderful camera. I own one and have used it for years. I'd recommend finding a good quality 35mm focal length lens for it, as it has a very fine built in finder for that. If you don't have the case that Canon made for it I can also recommend that - it's one of their finest, but somewhat hard to find in good condition. The 50/2.2 is a good lens for it too so you are set there. If you need something faster, the 50/1.2 or 50/1.4 Canon's are also excellent. I don't believe the stock case will close properly with the 50/1.2 however, and it might cause the now delicate stitchings to be torn loose, so some caution is advised there.
Click to expand...

I must admit I do like the 50mm f1.2. But then again I like larger lenses for some weird reason. I got mine cheap partly because the front element is badly scratched and partly (I now suspect) because the lens' adjustment was off - having considerable front focusing. For some reason I have never been able to fathom, it seems to have come out of the factory uncalibrated and with a spacer ring slightly too thick for what was required. I used it for years on a mirrorless camera then decided to pay to have the necessary adjustment made so I could also use it on a rangefinder camera. It now works nicely on my M8 and would, I am sure, also do so on any Canon body. Not that I want to get rid of it. I still enjoy its rendering in most situations except where a subject is backlit - and flare results. It is somewhat low contrast wide open or near wide open (see image below which I suspect may have been at f2 or maybe even f2.8 not f1.2, I cannot exactly recall) but how much of this is specifically due to its dodgy front element I am not entirely sure. In any event the front element damage has not affected its sharpness.

Example:

Those Eyes - Color by Life in Shadows, on Flickr
 
Great pics! I have ordered the Canon f2.2 lens for my camera and was pleased to see the results you got. Greetings from Oz
 
David Murphy said:
Your photos look great!

The L1's a wonderful camera. I own one and have used it for years. I'd recommend finding a good quality 35mm focal length lens for it, as it has a very fine built in finder for that. If you don't have the case that Canon made for it I can also recommend that - it's one of their finest, but somewhat hard to find in good condition. The 50/2.2 is a good lens for it too so you are set there. If you need something faster, the 50/1.2 or 50/1.4 Canon's are also excellent. I don't believe the stock case will close properly with the 50/1.2 however, and it might cause the now delicate stitchings to be torn loose, so some caution is advised there.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I have a Canon 1.8/35 and a Leica 3.5/35 Elmar (I really love this lens) to use with this body. For 50mm I have a 1.8 and 1.5 Canon, and a super sharp Topcor 2.8/50 Heliar lens. I have these bookmarked between a Komura 2.8/135, a Jupiter-9 2/85, and a Canon 3.5/28. So, I am covered when it comes to lenses, as I have been concentrating on acquiring LTM lenses for the last few years.

I don't have he Canon case. I do have a third party half case that I bought for the Canon P, and the bodies are close enough for it to fit the L1. Still, I will keep an eye out for it.
 
john341 said:
Great pics! I have ordered the Canon f2.2 lens for my camera and was pleased to see the results you got. Greetings from Oz
Click to expand...

Thank you. I love the Canon 2.2/50. It is very small and has a pleasant rendering. Not critically sharp, but I have a Topcor 2.8/50 that covers that mission.

Do a search. There is a thread for the Canon 2.2/50 on this site with some of my other shots as well as shots by others.
 
peterm1 said:
I must admit I do like the 50mm f1.2. But then again I like larger lenses for some weird reason. I got mine cheap partly because the front element is badly scratched and partly (I now suspect) because the lens' adjustment was off - having considerable front focusing. For some reason I have never been able to fathom, it seems to have come out of the factory uncalibrated and with a spacer ring slightly too thick for what was required. I used it for years on a mirrorless camera then decided to pay to have the necessary adjustment made so I could also use it on a rangefinder camera. It now works nicely on my M8 and would, I am sure, also do so on any Canon body. Not that I want to get rid of it. I still enjoy its rendering in most situations except where a subject is backlit - and flare results. It is somewhat low contrast wide open or near wide open (see image below which I suspect may have been at f2 or maybe even f2.8 not f1.2, I cannot exactly recall) but how much of this is specifically due to its dodgy front element I am not entirely sure. In any event the front element damage has not affected its sharpness.

Example:

Those Eyes - Color by Life in Shadows, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Lovely. I have owned and sold off the 1.2/50. It's a great lens, but the way I shoot I have little use for that speed, and prefer smaller and lighter lenses. The necessary investment doesn't make sense for me, personally.
 
Shac said:
Congrats - it's a great body IMO. I have one and really like the variable viewfinder.
Stephen (head bartender) has a page on the L1 and was the main reason I bought one. He describes the rangefinder as being more desirable than later models b/c it is less likely to fade.

the black version of the 50/1.8 is a good lens IF you can find one without permanent internal haze. I have 2 - one has recurrent haze that's easily cleaned, and another of the same vintage with no haze whatsoever. No one knows for sure what causes it - lots of suspicions but no proof.

Enjoy your camera - your images are looking very good

https://cameraquest.com/crfl1bl.htm
Click to expand...

Thank you. I have an early Canon 1.8/50 in the Serenar style body. A heavy chromed brass lens but, from what I have read (and experienced) not as prone to the internal haze/fogging as the later Canon lenses.
 
Steven your 50/1.2 image looks as good as any I've seen with this lens. I deploy mine on all my LTM bodies. I even put it on bottom loaders like the old Barnack copy Canon's (it partially blocks the finder and rangefinder, but I use an external finder usually in that case). I have a fairly good copy, but I have found that a lot of older copies of this lens are victims of amateur repair jobs. Sometimes professional techs can make them right again.

In use I find the Canon 50/1.2 acceptably sharp wide open - which is Godsent when needed, but remarkably crisp, with moderate to low contrast when closed down. This is makes for a very pleasing experience. I tend to use it for low light, but not the lowest light situations. I will usually select my modern Nikon 50/1.2 AIS if I know for sure I need to shoot wide open with best image quality.

The Canon 50/1.2 really just has a nice feel to it in use. As you intone, the fairly large size of this lens has virtues. For instance the large focus ring is naturally easy to manipulate by touch only when looking through a camera viewfinder. It's one of Canon's best ever lenses IMO from several viewpoints.
 
Congrats n your Canon L1! I owned one for awhile a number of years ago and found it t9 n
be a great camera in use. And I like the pics you’ve taken with the Canon 50/2.2, which is a true sleeper of a lens.
 
Thanks for the tips..can't wait for my lens to arrive..Oct 14 they tell me. The colour rendering is great...I will try b/w first..my favourite "colour"
 
Bingley said:
Congrats n your Canon L1! I owned one for awhile a number of years ago and found it t9 n
be a great camera in use. And I like the pics you’ve taken with the Canon 50/2.2, which is a true sleeper of a lens.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I am looking forward to a lot of fun with this.
 
My first RF camera was a P; the L1 showed up years later, at a time when my work and workflow were 90% digital, and though I traded it to a certain head bartender for an optical viewfinder I needed, I certainly valued the distinct qualities described above.

Its capacity for mounting a J12 lens was endearing, and from time to time (like now) I miss it.

med_U45148I1447126553.SEQ.4.jpg




med_U45148I1447126549.SEQ.3.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom