Nikon and Canon RF and SLR lenses

R

ray_g

Guest
I'm trying to digest this, so pls correct me if I am wrong:

Classic Nikkor RF lenses 50/2, 50/1.4, 85/2, and 105/2.5 carried over to SLR with pretty much the same optical formula.

But from what I have read on this forum and others, Canon's "star" RF lenses, the 35/2, 50/1.4, 50/1.2, 50/1.8, 100/3.5 and 100/2 are of different designs than the SLR counterparts that followed.

Of course there are inherent differences bet SLR and RF lenses for auto stop-down, open aperture metering, mount etc. I am just referring to the optics.

Is this correct? I would be interested in what our resident Canon and Nikon experts (especially Mark W and Brian S) have to say.

Just some useless junk floating around in my brain...
 
I think it's not only the change of the body, it's also the development in lens design and materials available what made redesign the optics. But i'm awaiting the answers from the experts:)
 
Only the 10.5cm F2.5 carries over to the SLR. The 5cm F2 and 5cm F1.4 were Sonnar designs that did not make it to the SLR. Nikon also updated the 5cm F1.4 RF lens with the "Olympic" nikkor that had the same formula as the Canon 50mm F1.2 and F0.95 lens. The 5cm F2 Nikkor-S was a new formula, and the 5.8cm F1.4 was also new. The 85mm F1.8 Nikkor-H was introduced for the SLR. I have the 5.8cm F1.4, and it is "good". The 85mm F2 5-element design came back for a while in the SLR, but was a new formula.

I suspect the long back-focus required for the Nikon F-Mount pushed the shorter focal length Sonnar's out of the picture. The Sonnar had very few air/glass surfaces as it grouped the lenses together. This was most important in lenses before coatings. With more modern coatings, designers tended to move toward Xenon (Planar) formulas for normal lenses.

The 2.1cm F4 lens was the same optics for both, it required mirror lockup on the Nikon F. The RF 3.5cm F2.5 lens lives on in the Nikonos.
 
Last edited:
ray_g said:
I'm trying to digest this, so pls correct me if I am wrong:

Classic Nikkor RF lenses 50/2, 50/1.4, 85/2, and 105/2.5 carried over to SLR with pretty much the same optical formula.

But from what I have read on this forum and others, Canon's "star" RF lenses, the 35/2, 50/1.4, 50/1.2, 50/1.8, 100/3.5 and 100/2 are of different designs than the SLR counterparts that followed.

Of course there are inherent differences bet SLR and RF lenses for auto stop-down, open aperture metering, mount etc. I am just referring to the optics.

Is this correct? I would be interested in what our resident Canon and Nikon experts (especially Mark W and Brian S) have to say.

Just some useless junk floating around in my brain...
Click to expand...

Only the 105/2.5 was produced in Nikon F-mount with the same optical formula (Sonnar) as in rangefinder mounts (not counting the long lenses, which were not rangefinder-coupled). The first 50mm for Nikkor for the F was an f2 Nikkor-H, but was a 6-element Planar-type and not a Sonnar. The first fast "normal" lens for the F was the Nikkor-S 58/1.4; the Nikkor-S 50/1.4, did not appear until at least a year after the F appeared and had a Planar-type design. The first 85mm Nikkor in F-mount was f1.8 and also a Planar-type.

Regarding the Canons, I always thought that the 100/2 in SLR mount was the same optically as the RF lens. My guess is that the normal and shorter lenses were redesigned. (I think the last rangefinder Canon 35/2 was even introduced after the Canonflex came out.) Maybe the Canon museum can shed some light.

cheers,

David
 
The first 50mm lens for the Nikon F was the "5cm F2 Nikkor-S" (7 Element). Only a few thousand were made before it was discontinued and the Nikkor-H was introduced. They have a very shiny chrome finish on the body. I have one, and "Hint" for new nikon Collectors: EBay search on "Nikkorex F" to get one cheap. It is a "decent" lens, the Nikkor-H is better and was cheaper to produce. The Nikkor-S 5cm F2 was often the normal lens for the cheaper Nikkorex F while the early Nikon F had the faster 5.8cm F1.4.
 
Last edited:
Out all of the Canon rangefinder lenses mentioned (35/2.0, 50/1.2, 50/1.4, 50/1.8, 100/3.5, 100/2.0), only the Canon 100mm F2.0 made the jump from rangefinder to SLR. The rest are all optically different from any R, FL or FD equivalents.

Jim Bielecki
 
I also believe that the Canon 85mm F1.8, last version in black, made the jump to the "R" and "FL" mount.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom