Ever seen a 50/1.2 with black aperture ring?

Canon issued three optional lenses in black for black bodied cameras. These were the 35mm f/1.8 (T1), 50mm f/1.2 (T1) and the 50mm f/1.8 (T5 & T6) and all were supplied with the camera if requested, as was the black meter for the VI-T, VI-L and P models. That was a nice VT de Luxe outfit with a black 50mm f/1.2 that Benny pointed out which was sold recently but the financial climate affected the price. I own a 1957-1960 salesperson catalogue with prices but it doesn't seem to distinguish between chrome outfits and black outfits but I am sure there was.

OK plug for book. I have pics of a black T1 50mm f/1.2 (pg80) and a T5 50mm f/1.8 (pg92) which are in my collection. One sees them pop up at the odd time on eBay but the 35mm is the rarest of the three. Peter
 
Hi Peter, the catalogue pages confirm my suggestion that the black 50/1.2 was most often delivered with black VT's. (Amusing that they even copied Leica style ordering codewords)
With your statement about all black 35/1.8 : are there any other with "more black" than the regular 35/1.8?
 
Some more pages from my sales catalogue showing the black VTD and L1. The L1 was the first of the Canon back loaders to be sold as "Black" cameras. I have recorded three bottom loader IVSB cameras, which were specially coated BLACK by Canon, as gifts to VIP. When I was reading the blurp on the back page (pictured here) I noticed that the 50mm f/1.8 lens was not even mentioned which indicates to me that this lens was introduced later on. The first recorded BLACK 50mm f/1.8 is a T5 lens #239432, which is towards the end of the T5 production (4/56-4/59). This would tie in why it is not mentioned in the 1957 sales page. Something I learnt after the book had gone to proof print was that during production of the T5 lens Canon changed it from 13 blades to 11 blades. Early T5 lenses had 13 blades while later lenses have 11 blades. The later T6 lens has eight blades. Normally when I was writing my book I would I would have called the "11" bladed versions a new TYPE but it was too late and could only placed a note in the "aperture row". The earliest 11 bladed lens I have on record is #215665. If anyone has a lens/es between #201132 (13 blades) and #215665 (11 blades) then let me know what the # of blades your lenses have.

The only difference between a normal 35mm f/1.8 lens and a black 35mm f/1.8 lens is the distance scale ring is black. Check out the 35mm f/1.8 lens on the L1. Peter


#3 Black VTD & L1 sales book page copy.jpg #4 Black VTD & L1 sales book page copy.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom