Rangefiner Tele/Long Focus Lens

[JohnS]

I am looking at getting a canon 7/7s. My question is what is the really the longest tele/long focus lens that is realistic to use/find. I have read that the entire R mount lens group works with the 7 series, but is a 200mm or 300mm lens realistic?

Thanks,

John

 

[Sonnar Brian]

A 135mm lens is realistic. Longer RF coupled lenses are rare; I think the Komura 200mm F4.5 is about the only one available for Leica Thread Mount. Its Min focus is ~25ft. You would require a "visoflex" type adapter to really use a long lens, put that is punishing yourself. The R series lenses will not RF couple, so you are Guess Focussing a long lens.


Komura 200mm F4.5 on the L1; 50mm F1.2 on the Vt. Practical?

http://rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3171

 

[jlw]

Another problem with very long lenses on an RF camera is that if there's ANY play between the auxiliary viewfinder and the mounting shoe, you may wind up aiming the camera at something completely different from what you get on the film!

 

[peter_n]

I use a Russian Jupiter-11 (135mm) on an M6 with 0.72 mag. I can focus it just fine and luckily my camera has the framelines for the lens, but I wouldn't want to go any longer than 135. I would think anything longer would be difficult to focus on my particular cam.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Canon 135mm F3.5 on the Canon 7:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/3052/size/big/sort/1/cat/539

Nikkor 135mm on the Canon 7
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/2235/size/big/sort/1/cat/539

10.5cm F2.5 Nikkor on the Canon 7
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/3051/size/big/sort/1/cat/539

After posting this, I could not resist taking the 200mm F4.5 out with the Canon Vt. It has an RF setting that magnified the image, helps with accurate focus. I will post some after getting them back!

 

[Mark W]

The R mount telelphotos used a special focusing housing that could be mounted on a Mirror box for use on a RF body you focus it exactly as you would a SLR with a waist level finder.

IMHO the stupidest way to avoid buying a nice FD mount Canon and some of the best manual fcus telephotos ever made.

RF's do what RF's do very very well but anything longer then 135mm just ain't one of them. Unless you are strictly a collector buying something to sit on a shelf.

I use RF's for 24mm to 135mm and most of my work is from 28mm to 100mm the RF's sweet spot