Production year of Canon 1.2/50mm

[wolfhansen]

First Post - First Question...🙂
Last Week i have bought a very nice Canon RF 1.2/50mm.
Serial Number 18320. Any Ideas about the Production Year?

 

[Mackinaw]

You have the 8,320 50/1.2 which Canon made. According to Kitchingman’s book, you have a “Type 1” lens which was produced from 4/1956 to 12/1960. About 25,640 lenses were made during this 4.5+ year period. I’m guessing that your lens was made in 1957.

Jim B.

 

[Chris Bail]

Nice info Mackinaw...but did you mean that the OP had the 18,320th made? or is the 1 at the beginning of the SN just a placeholder?

I have #17743.

 

[Mackinaw]

Canon started to use a “1” prefix for their serial numbers sometime in the 1950’s. Hence, the OP’s 18320 is actually the 8,320 50mm F1.2 lens made.

Your lens is the 7,743 Canon 50/1.2 made.

If you want more info on Canon serial numbers, see Peter Kitchingman's Canon rangefinder lens book.

Jim B.

 

[wolfhansen]

Thanks a lot, Jim!

 

[Wulfthari]

Interesting info...I'm also expecting a 50mm f1.2 with a 7s, serial number 49755, lens "made in Japan" so I assume a type 2.

What would the Kitchingman's horacle say about it? 🙂

 

[Mackinaw]

Type 2 production ran from serial numbers 36000 to 56440. The only difference between Type 2 and Type 1 is that there is different information engraved on the front trim ring. Other than that, they’re identical lenses.

Jim B.

 

[Wulfthari]

Type 2 production ran from serial numbers 36000 to 56440. The only difference between Type 2 and Type 1 is that there is different information engraved on the front trim ring. Other than that, they’re identical lenses.

Jim B.

So this one is a relatively new lens from the late 60s that would compliment well the 7s? I'm eager to receive both...BTW I spent a relatively substantial amount of money for both, I'm looking forward to seeing them in action.

 

[Mackinaw]

Mine came with a Canon L-1 I bought 25 years ago. Works well on that, a Canon 7s and a Leica M (with the right adaptors).

Check yours carefully for fogging. This particular lens seems susceptible to outgassing which can deposit a fine haze on the lens element immediately behind the aperture. Very easy to clean off though.

Mine works well at F1.2 but really comes into its own at about F1.6. Very unique bokeh too. One of my favorite 50mm lenses.

Jim B.

 

[Wulfthari]

I must confess that I've read it's a ****ty lens BUT the look turned me on so I bought the 7s, this 50 mm f1.2, a S-60 (I hope it will work well) and a case.

It's pretty hard to find cases for 7s...also the hood comes with a case and I wonder if I can hang on the strap like the case for the hood of my spotmatic. The first thing that I'll do when I receive everything is to shoot a film and post the results.

 

[Mackinaw]

A shot of my grandson taken nine years ago. Canon 50/1.2 at F1.6. Forgot the shutter speed. Delta 100 film.

 

[Wulfthari]

Mine came with a Canon L-1 I bought 25 years ago. Works well on that, a Canon 7s and a Leica M (with the right adaptors).

Check yours carefully for fogging. This particular lens seems susceptible to outgassing which can deposit a fine haze on the lens element immediately behind the aperture. Very easy to clean off though.

Mine works well at F1.2 but really comes into its own at about F1.6. Very unique bokeh too. One of my favorite 50mm lenses.

Jim B.

It has arrived!

Unfortunately it looks like the lens has the problem you wrote about....how am I supposed to clean it?

 

[Mackinaw]

If you feel up to it, this lens is easy to take apart and clean. You’ll need a lens spanner and that’s it. As mentioned before, the haze is usually on the element immediately behind the aperture, so it’s best to come in from the back.

See this old tread for more info:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88222

See this webpage for pictures on how to take apart the lens:

http://www.johanniels.com/index.php...39-cleaning-a-canon-50mm-1-2-rangefinder-lens

Or you can send the lens out to be cleaned. It will cost about $70.00 USD.

Jim B.

 

[johannielscom]

Wulfthari, I might have a case for the 7S, IIRC it's in the attic somewhere. It's large enough to hold the 7S with the 0.95/50mm lens. It might need some re-stitching though.

Send me a message at con*ta*ct@jo*hann*iel*s.c*om (remove asterisks) and you can have it for shipping charges plus EUR 10. X-mas comes early this year 😉


Don't forget to read the other articles on my website too, fellow RFF'ers! And share them on FB or Twitter or wherever it is you post🙄

 

[Wulfthari]

If you feel up to it, this lens is easy to take apart and clean. You’ll need a lens spanner and that’s it. As mentioned before, the haze is usually on the element immediately behind the aperture, so it’s best to come in from the back.

See this old tread for more info:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88222

See this webpage for pictures on how to take apart the lens:

http://www.johanniels.com/index.php...39-cleaning-a-canon-50mm-1-2-rangefinder-lens

Or you can send the lens out to be cleaned. It will cost about $70.00 USD.

Jim B.

Thank you guys for the useful links! I'll study them, even if I never serviced a lens before.

Wulfthari, I might have a case for the 7S, IIRC it's in the attic somewhere. It's large enough to hold the 7S with the 0.95/50mm lens. It might need some re-stitching though.

Send me a message at con*ta*ct@jo*hann*iel*s.c*om (remove asterisks) and you can have it for shipping charges plus EUR 10. X-mas comes early this year 😉


Don't forget to read the other articles on my website too, fellow RFF'ers! And share them on FB or Twitter or wherever it is you post🙄

I wish I had known it before: I have already ordered a case from Japan, I HOPE it will fit the 1.2, tough! And the cases for the 0.95 as far as I remember are pretty pricey!

And I promise, I'll read everything and share your articles on all the other places I visit like the Pentax forum.

However, regarding the camera...it's heavy as a brick and almost as big as an M5! It almost look like the rangefinder version of the F1 in terms of weight, rugged built, quality and functionality, the lightmeter is accurate (at least according my Canon F-1N and Nikon F2AS readings), the only error was the S-60 hood: I've read that it would be a good fit but in reality it's too big, it requires to be fixed at the diaphram ring and not on the filter and eat one third of the image in the viewfinder.

The seller also had the original hood but he wanted $220, a little too much for an accessory (and I have already spent enough for the camera and lens for the moment). The lens as written has haze AND the screw in ring is bent (I assume it was dropped) so focusing from 10 mt to infinity is very hard, another reason to disassemble the lens. Another thing that I noticed is that the arrow that indicates the zero DOF for f1.2 is tilter left when I completely screw the lens, I would say 5 degree counterclockwise from 12 o'clock seeing the camera from the front, is that normal?

I'm looking forward to shooting a test film, perhaps tomorrow, even if it's hazed.

In conclusion, it looks like one the most evolved rangefinders I've ever tried, just the M5 is perhaps more modern.

 

[Mackinaw]

......Another thing that I noticed is that the arrow that indicates the zero DOF for f1.2 is tilter left when I completely screw the lens, I would say 5 degree counterclockwise from 12 o'clock seeing the camera from the front, is that normal?

Yep, it’s normal for the lens to be slightly to the left of center when screwed all the way in. With the lens set to infinity and the lens screwed all the way in, the infinity mark of my 50/1.2 is even with the viewfinder screw on a Canon 7.

Jim B.

 

[Wulfthari]

Thank you guys for all the informative posts you wrote. After the test film has been developed I'm pretty sure the lens needs CLA: the first thing that I'll remember is never to use Lomo 400 again, the grain is unacceptable.
The second thing is that the lens seems to suffer a lot any light source, it appears a sort of "halo" even on simply bright objects:

Of course without hood it's very vulnerable to flare, ghosts etc...

Nevertheless the lens has a nice bokeh and sometimes the haze effect can be used at your advantage:

The lens looks cool:

I definitely need to have the lens fixed and try to use the hood, perhaps I can check out if I can find an oring to install over the lens in order to secure it, even if it covers one third of the viewfinder.

In general the 7s is a great camera, I don't understand why it is so underrated, the lightmeter works flawlessly with a battery, it does have a great building quality, the viewfinder is great, but I understand that somebody finds it big and ugly like the M5.