R-D1 and Russian lenses

I would hesitate to mount a J-12 in Leica Mount on a digital camera. The rear element is huge, may damage the mechanism. It will probably vignette as the rear element is so close to the sensor. I am not going to try mine on the M8, but would use it on a Canon IIf or other older camera.

The Canon 35/2 in Leica Mount runs closer to $250~$300, but sometimes can be found for less.

I would get the Canon 35/2.8 in Leica Thread Mount, typically runs under $200.
 
I would hesitate to mount a J-12 in Leica Mount on a digital camera. The rear element is huge, may damage the mechanism. It will probably vignette as the rear element is so close to the sensor. I am not going to try mine on the M8, but would use it on a Canon IIf or other older camera.

The Canon 35/2 in Leica Mount runs closer to $250~$300, but sometimes can be found for less.

I would get the Canon 35/2.8 in Leica Thread Mount, typically runs under $200.


I've used three types of J-12 on the R-D1s digital camera. Can't say the same for the Leica dRF since I haven't owned or used any :cool: Three types: 1960s 'white' aluminium', black 1970s and black 1990s. All worked fine. Nothing caught.

The rear element indeed goes deep into the camera but does no damage. There is perhaps enough clearance there between the rear element when the lens is focused at infinity, and the front shield of the shutter, as there is in a Canon II or Leica III or the FED.

The only thing that this fouls up is the metering system. The element blocks the meter's line of sight. The worst that it can do is give wrong exposures, whether on manual or AE 2 times in 10.

There is no vignetting too. The J-12 will probably vignette on regular 24X36 formats, but not in the APS sensors. The darkened corners are already outside the image frame.
 
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Hi Back Alley,

Where can I find a canon 35/2 for less than $200? When I search ebay, I get lots of canon 35/2 but some say EF mount, some say FD mount and I'm a bit confused. Which, if either, is the one I should be looking for?

Thanks

RollingBall, I'm not Back Alley, but if you are looking for a Canon 35/2 lens for your RD1, M Leica, LTM Leica, you do not want either EF lenses (auto focusing lenses for the Canon EOS line) or FD lenses (manual focusing lenses for the canon SLR's that preceded the EOS line -- F1, FTB, etc) You want a rangefinder coupled lens.

You can narrow your search by using search criteria on the left hand side of the page.

Go to cameras, go to lenses, and then click Canon for lens brand, and Leica for camera brand, Rangefinder for Camera Type, and manual focus for Focus Type. You can then also put LTM (Leica Thread Mount) or LSM (Leica screw mount) in the search field.

As you do this more often, you will find that you don't have to specify so many parameters.

That should get you mostly correct lenses.

If you then do a similar searches but insert SLR for camera type, you will get mostly FD and EOS lenses. After you see the difference, you should be able to tell the difference visually as you go forward.

I do not think you will find a Canon 35/2 LTM for under $200.

Good luck.

Giorgio
 
Hi Back Alley,

Where can I find a canon 35/2 for less than $200? When I search ebay, I get lots of canon 35/2 but some say EF mount, some say FD mount and I'm a bit confused. Which, if either, is the one I should be looking for?

Thanks

35/2.8
it's a great lens...very sharp, low contrast...wonderful on the rd1.
 
I came across this advert for an FD to M39-mount adapter on KEH whilst looking for lenses.

http://www.keh.com/camera/Canon-Manual-Focus-Miscellaneous-Accessories/1/sku-CA399991134940?r=FE

Has anyone tried an FD mount lens on a ltm camera? It seems like this would open up a lot more lenses for use on rangefinders as FD lenses seem pretty common on ebay at least.

From cameraquest.com:
"The B adapter will mount Canon FD Lenses on Leica screw mount bodies--with no rangefinder coupling. This is VERY useful for wide-angle lenses, since wides can usually be scale focused with their great depth of field. Add a Leica M Bayonet adapter and presto, you can use a Canon wide on a Leica M mount!"

Generally, SLR lenses don't work on rangefinder camera.
 
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