Canon Ultrawide 19mm/3.5 R FL

[rvaubel]

Now that I got my Kobulux backfocus issue worked out, the next Ultra wide I'm looking at is the Canon 19mm/3.5R FL. Note that this came in both a retrofocus and non-retrofocus designs. The retrofocus version was designed for the Pellix SLR and "should" work on the R-D1 without to much vignetting. Does anyone have any experience with this lens on the R-D1? I think I'm grasping at straws here but I'd like to change the subject from batteries and upgrades.
Not that I didnt contribute my .02

Rex

 

[RML]

No experience but I know Al Kaplan used that lens on his Leicas.

 

[Ed Schwartzreic]

I was not aware that there was a special version of this lens for the Pellix, I used to own the SLR version (FL) and a lens converter B to use it on LSM. When I tried it on the R-D1, there was almost as much vignetting as with the recent post I did on the 21/3.4 Super Angulon. I found it unacceptable, and have since sold the lens. If there is a retrofocus version, though, itshould be worth a try.

Ed

 

[rvaubel]

Ed
Thanks for the info about the non-retro 19mm. I figured that it would suffer from extreme vignetting as the pictures I saw of it showed that the rear element was extremely close to the focal plane.
This other 19mm f3.5"R" for retrofocus, was mentioned and pictured in an old PELLix camera manual I say on the web awhile ago. According to the manual it was a special version of the ordinary FL 19mmf3.5 for use on the PELLix because of the non-moving mirror (no lock up possible). However, by the picture it looked like a totally different design, not a version of the regular FL.
There is another reference to this lens on a Japanese site devouted to FL lenses (God bless'um-I dont know if I mean FL lenses or the Japanese)
Anyway, you can bet this lens would be as scarce as hens teeth. I sure would like to get my hands on one.

Rex
Peoples Republic of Berkeley