Canon LTM Canon Serenar 85 mm f2 lens

[leica M2 fan]

arrived today in excellent shape. Includes finder,both original lens caps,and Hood with series 7 adapter. Boy, is this thing heavy! It balances just OK on the 7s but not at all on the M2.It's not anything at all like the satisfying length and weight of the CV 75. Any thought or opinions out there.

 

[Kim Coxon]

I did have one and it is a nice lens. But as you said, it is built like a tank! I now have a CV 75.

Kim

 

[peterm1]

I had the f1.8 Canon version in full chrome body and liked it very much but did not use it as much as I should have due to its great weight. Even so I appreciated the build quality as well as the image quality. Eventually I succumbed to the temptation to buy something else and sold it to finance the purchase it. (The canon 1.8 in chrome attracts a particularly high price., the black and chrome version even moreso.) I still regret the sale.

 

[splitimageview]

Is it heavy like the chrome Nikkor 85/2? How is the performance wide open?

 

[raid]

These are photos taken wide open with a Canon 85mm/1.9:

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4754697


http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4745861


http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4604279


The 85/1.9 is similar to the 85/2.0.

 

[ferider]

I had the f1.8 Canon version in full chrome body and liked it very much but did not use it as much as I should have due to its great weight. Even so I appreciated the build quality as well as the image quality. Eventually I succumbed to the temptation to buy something else and sold it to finance the purchase it. (The canon 1.8 in chrome attracts a particularly high price., the black and chrome version even moreso.) I still regret the sale.

Not meaning to be picky, just curious:

I didn't know they made the 1.8 in chrome or chrome/black. Only know of the black
one. The 1.5 came in chrome and chrome/black, the 1.9 in chrome only, or very rarely
in black, the 2.0 in chrome only. You sure it was a 1.8 ?

Thanks,

Roland.

 

[dexdog]

Is it heavy like the chrome Nikkor 85/2? How is the performance wide open?

The Canon 85/2 is approximately 3 5/8 inches tall when focused to infinity, while the 85/2 Nikkor is about 2 7/8 inches tall when focused at infinity. The type I Canon as listed on the Canon Camera Museum site weighs 556 grams, while the type II weighs 615 grams. I don't have a scale handy, but the Nikkor feels an ounce or two lighter than the Canon. The somewhat lesser weight of the Nikkor coupled with the significantly shorter total length would make it a lot more comfortable while mounted on the camera (reduced moment arm, IIR my physics-speak correctly).

I preferentially use a Nikkor 85/2 in Contax mount over the Carl Zeiss 85/2 Sonnar in Contax mount because it is somewhat shorter than the Zeiss lens, and while the weights are very close, the Nikkor "feels lighter" due to reduced moment arm.

The performance of the Canon 85/2 wide open is quite good in my opinion, with pleasing OOF rendition characteristic of a well-made Planar design lens.

 

[Bill58]

I really luv mine (85/2), but you don't want to walk around much w/ it--it's a monster or a "big enchalada".

 

[venchka]

Some things balance well

Some things balance well

Stick the 8.5cm Nikkor on an M5. Bigfoot hardly notices it is there. 😀

My Nikkor-P 8.5cm 1:2 lens weighs 526 grams or 18.55 ounces on Lisa's digital kitchen scale. 18-9/16 ounces on my beam balance. Add 1 ounce (plus) for the UV filter, step up ring and rubber lens hood. 2-5/16" projection from the body flange. Short and stout. The Canon is at least an inch longer? Lever arm indeed!

The C/V 75/2.5 is a bantam weight by comparison.

 

[splitimageview]

Very nice portraits, Raid...

 

[peterm1]

Ferider................Yep I am pretty sure it was a 1.8 . Unless I am going nuts I am sure they made both a 1.9 and a 1.8 in chrome. But the 1.8 is pretty rare hence its high price. But I would not totally discount the nuts theory!

 

[xayraa33]

there is also an f1.9 in black.

 

[leica M2 fan]

Raid, thanks for the super photos. The ones of Dana are good as usual but the one of your wife is stunning with a wonderful 3D effect and beautiful creamy bokeh! And really sharp, thanks again.

 

[dexdog]

leica M2 fan , love the thelonius avatar. He looks quite young in this photo.

 

[Sonnar2]

there are chrome 85/2 (earliest), (later) 85/1.9 based on the same Planar formula, as well as chrome 85/1.5 which aren't much bigger, and shorter in overall length. The chrome 85/1.5 was followed by a a 85/1.5 with black lower focussing and f-Stop ring of similar outline, the chrome parts beeing not polished. Plus, there was a small series of all black 85/1.9 with a complete different mounting, but same lens design as their predecessor.
The last (and probably best) Canon 85mm was the all black 85/1.8 which was a telephoto construction, noticeable shorter overall length (also much shorter and lighter than contemporary Summicron 90/2), kept in production until the end of the screwmnount period, and also available in FL mount.
I've never seen this particular lens in a chrome version. peterm1, I think you talk about the 85/1.5

regards Frank

 

[raid]

I had the chance to briefly try out Mark's Canon 85mm/1.8 (Black). Without making a print, I was unable to see any differences from my Canon 85mm/1.9. Maybe a larger sized print is needed to detect finer differences.

Here are some photos from the Canon 85mm/1.8:

http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=629236

Canon 85/1.8 at 2.0: http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4754714

 

[raid]

Raid, thanks for the super photos. The ones of Dana are good as usual but the one of your wife is stunning with a wonderful 3D effect and beautiful creamy bokeh! And really sharp, thanks again.

I may be lucky with my example of the Canon 85mm/1.9, but I bought it this way; super sharp with creamy bokeh that a Sonnar user would envy. 😀

 

[Mael]

85mm f/2 Serenar at f/5.6 on Tri-X

 

[lundrog]

These were taken with my 85mm F2 wide open with my Fuji X-E2.











Enjoy

 

[Monochrom]

Hi, the 85/2 is a nice lens! it was really sharp but was too heavy to carry around.