Opinions Please, on this 85mm f1.5 Canon LTM

[Nokton48]

I'm very tempted on this, I'd like some opinions, Please. It's priced at $495. Not that many of these lenses seem to come up:

http://www.ritzcam.com/catalog/images/Canon85f15II.jpg


I'm not as concerned about the "user" aspects, as most of my M-stuff is user-grade. I'm very happy with my 50mm F1.2 Canon, and want to compliment it.

What do you think? Thanks -Dan

 

[bennyng]

I think Raid has one which he's using. He should be able to give you some comments on it's performance, especially wide open.

In terms of prices, it's about two times that of a 85mm f/1.9 in execellent condition. Whilst I don't have the 85mm f/1.5 to compare, I thought the f/1.9 wasn't too bad a lens. Images wide open seems very nice though the lens is a tad heavier. The f/1.5 version should be even heavier.

If the optic on this one is clear, the price seems reasonable.

Cheers,

 

[raid]

The price is relatively high in your case, Dan. I paid less than that,and my lens is the relatively rare Version IV of this lens. My example is very clean and it is not a "user" condition lens. The lens is heavy, but it is manageable for hand held action.

So, why buy it ...?

It is rare,and the 1.5 max aperture can be used for interesting looking images.

The 85mm/1.8 or 1.9 might be better choices if photography is the main reason for getting a 85mm lens. Some would say, get a Nikkor 85mm/2.0 instead.

Still, the 85/1.5 is a cool lens. No doubt about it.

 

[raid]

 

[raid]

 

[Erik L]

The 85mm/1.8 or 1.9 might be better choices if photography is the main reason for getting a 85mm lens. Some would say, get a Nikkor 85mm/2.0 instead.

Still, the 85/1.5 is a cool lens. No doubt about it.

would a Jupiter-9 be able to perform as well as the nikon?

 

[Nokton48]

Raid,
I -bought it- today, along with an original Canon 58mm thin-mount Skylight. Now, I'm looking for the original hood. There must be one out there somewhere!

Here's more flickr pix from the 85mm f1.5:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/86731438@N00/pool/tags/Canon85mmf1.5LTM

It truely does "vaporize" the background

 

[raid]

would a Jupiter-9 be able to perform as well as the nikon?

Erik,
Most likely, yes. The J-9 is a very capable lens optically.

 

[raid]

Raid,
I -bought it- today, along with an original Canon 58mm thin-mount Skylight. Now, I'm looking for the original hood. There must be one out there somewhere!

Here's more flickr pix from the 85mm f1.5:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/86731438@N00/pool/tags/Canon85mmf1.5LTM

It truely does "vaporize" the background

Congratulations. I may use such a lens this weekend.

 

[Al Kaplan]

In addition to the Canon Nikon made an 85/1.5 Nikkor in LTM, and Leitz offered the 85/1.5 Summarex. None of the three were noted for sharpness, either wide open or stopped down. The 85/2 Nikkor is probably the sharpest 85 ever produced and can hold its own against any of the 90's exept perhaps for the latest aspheric 90/2 Summicron.

The 85/1.5 lenses are extremely heavy, a consideration if you're going to be carrying it around for any length of time.

 

[Nokton48]

My new lens is a Type II as seen here:

http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/lens/s/data/50-85/s_85_15v2.html

It's reported to be in 9- condition with very light cleaning marks. No other lenses of this type I have found, were in any better condition, and were considerably more expensive than this one.

I have a 90mm Summicron V1 that I use alot, and I just got a 90mm f4 Collapsible Elmar, that I just sent to Sherry Krauter. I like the character and look of my 50mm f1.2 Canon(which isn't the sharpest), I wanted something similar (but longer) to take out, with it.

 

[Hacker]

The Canon 85mm f1.8 and the 100mm f2 are better lenses. So is the Nikkor 8.5cm f2.

 

[Nokton48]

Here's another one I just spotted, from Igor in Cleveland (not in any way affiliated). I'm very happy with my new purchase:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=180292650839

Anybody have any idea who might have an original hood at a good price? Thanks!

 

[Erik L]

Here's another one I just spotted, from Igor in Cleveland (not in any way affiliated). I'm very happy with my new purchase:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=180292650839

Anybody have any idea who might have an original hood at a good price? Thanks!

Last time i found a hood it was just the hood, the series adapter part is harder to find.

 

[raid]

Is it the Canon S60 lens hood? I use that one on the 85/1.5.

 

[Nokton48]

Thanks for that! I do see the S60 hoods on Ebay, although none, right now. Kevin's Cameras has three black Canon Hoods marked "85mm f1.5" EX+ at $175, EX++ for $225. So they did make a dedicated hood for it, just like with the 50mm f1.2. It's a huge, vented shiny-looking hood, from the look of it, looks like it friction-fits over the lens front, like the rest of the Canon hoods of the day. Of course, I could just put a generic 58mm Skylight and generic 58mm tele hood on it, until I find exactly what I'm looking for.

 

[Erik L]

http://cgi.ebay.com/CANON-60mm-CAME...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

[Erik L]

http://cgi.ebay.com/CANON-T-60-2-BL...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
why cant you use the T60 shade? isnt the 85 considered a telephoto

 

[johnastovall]

The Leica 85mm Summarex hood will work and I use one for years. I then got a screw in from HeavyStar which works just fine.

I really like the painterly way the Canon 85/1.5 draws wide open on the M8's sensor.

 

[Nokton48]

"I really like the painterly way the Canon 85/1.5 draws wide open on the M8's sensor."

Yes Sir, I agree completely. It looks very painterly, on film, as well. Trittium's pix on Flickr convinced me completely. OK, so it's big, but the in-focus parts (not much!) look plenty sharp enough for me. It seems to draw differently than the other lenses I already own of similar focal length (90mm f2 V2 Summicron, 90mm f4 V2 Collapsible Elmar, -sweet- Jupiter-9 from Fedka) so I'm -in-.