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or maybe just listen? that's ok too!

film rf cameras are a funny thing, old, metal, heavy…well built…most of them.

i am waiting for a cla'd canon 7 to arrive from japan (with a working meter)…a cla'd canon 35/2.8 lens and now a recently cleaned canon 50/1.5 sonnar…

back to the future…

next on the list is a big old canon chrome 85/2 lens…and my canon kit will be complete!!
maybe a canon 28 as well…maybe...
 
The sonnar 1.5 is a beautiful lens. I find Canon RF kit exotic and seductive. Maybe because I'm from the UK and this equipment is from a far away place. The cameras, like my VL are like small pieces of engineering, so tactile - beautiful object. I enjoy shooting with them too.
 
The Canon system is really excellent. All those fine lenses!
For Bodies I preferred the P but the 7 is a nice camera too.
I let them both go preferring the flexibility of M mounts and modern VF.
The 7 seems to have some extra reflection going on in the VF compared to a Bessa or Leica.

You have some fine Canon Glass there sir. That f1.5/50mm was a great catch this morning!
Keep an eye out for the f3.5/25mm. It's a fantastic little lens with quite a unique rendering.
 
The sonnar 1.5 is a beautiful lens. I find Canon RF kit exotic and seductive. Maybe because I'm from the UK and this equipment is from a far away place. The cameras, like my VL are like small pieces of engineering, so tactile - beautiful object. I enjoy shooting with them too.

i feel like i'm 'in on the secret' with canon…lenses that are excellent and bodies that are built to last and now at prices that are so low…all the while that some are paying ever rising prices for 'other' rf brands.
 
One other comment would be towards the f2/85mm.

It's a heavy beast of a lens. Very nice Bokeh and an excellent portrait lens.
It took me 3 copies to get one that did not have trouble with the black interior barrel paint flaking off...watch out for that ( worst case it could get into into the aperture blades) .
For street shooting and occasional reach money is better spent on an LTM APO Lanthar f3.5/90mm.
I understand the appeal of an all Canon kit but that 2/85 is a really heavy lump of glass and brass!
 
i've previously owned all 3 of these lenses and remember the heft of the 85…mine was pretty sharp too.
if i were to stray away from canon i would look for the cv 75/2.5…a focal length i've always liked. the cv 90 is an excellent lens as well…had one of them also.
 
So you're the one who beat me to the punch on the Canon 50/1.5.

You may want to try the 85/1.9 instead of the 85/2.0. Both are brass (although Canon did make a much lighter, black aluminum model of the 85/1.9) but the 85/1.9 is a more modern design and, I'm guessing, probably a bit better than the 85/2.0. I owned a 85/1.9 once and am sorry I sold it. A real nice portrait lens.

Jim B.
 
So you're the one who beat me to the punch on the Canon 50/1.5.

You may want to try the 85/1.9 instead of the 85/2.0. Both are brass (although Canon did make a much lighter, black aluminum model of the 85/1.9) but the 85/1.9 is a more modern design and, I'm guessing, probably a bit better than the 85/2.0. I owned a 85/1.9 once and am sorry I sold it. A real nice portrait lens.

Jim B.

a bit better, so i have read, but more money as well.
the 85/2 is a good compromise.

yeah, i saw the 50/1.5 at that price and jumped! it looks a bit used if you check out the pics but fine for my purposes.
 
or maybe just listen? that's ok too!

film rf cameras are a funny thing, old, metal, heavy…well built…most of them.

i am waiting for a cla'd canon 7 to arrive from japan (with a working meter)…a cla'd canon 35/2.8 lens and now a recently cleaned canon 50/1.5 sonnar…

back to the future…

next on the list is a big old canon chrome 85/2 lens…and my canon kit will be complete!!
maybe a canon 28 as well…maybe...
Wow Joe you you are heading back. I have a chrome Canon 135 in ltm but it's too long for the short base length of the Bessa R. I'd like to try a Canon 85/2. The Bessa has frame lines for 75mm & if I could afford the CV 75/2.5 I'd jump on it. I believe I recall you having at one time the CV 75 & was a wonderful portrait lens.
 
Sorry the 35 is taking forever to get to you. Soon, I hope.

or maybe just listen? that's ok too!

film rf cameras are a funny thing, old, metal, heavy…well built…most of them.

i am waiting for a cla'd canon 7 to arrive from japan (with a working meter)…a cla'd canon 35/2.8 lens and now a recently cleaned canon 50/1.5 sonnar…

back to the future…

next on the list is a big old canon chrome 85/2 lens…and my canon kit will be complete!!
maybe a canon 28 as well…maybe...
 
Great cameras and lenses. Can't seem to get on with the viewfinder in the 7 though -- I think I need a diopter correction that I don't think is available. The P is great, however.
 
i feel like i'm 'in on the secret' with canon…lenses that are excellent and bodies that are built to last and now at prices that are so low…all the while that some are paying ever rising prices for 'other' rf brands.

I remember the photo of your 3 Canon Ps from my early days on RFF.

I'm sure I've become tiresome as a cheerleader for Canon rf lenses, particularly the 50/1.8, but they really are excellent and undervalued.
I've currently got 5 lenses, plus a IVSB2 and an L1. Great stuff. You can even shoot the lenses on "other" rf bodies!🙂
 
I have been interested in a P for a long time. As a LTM and M user, I suppose the Canons would make sense. Every time I go to pull the trigger, I find myself longingly looking at Nikon. How were the two perceived by users from the period (and today)? Say a P vs. an S3?
 
I think I remember joe's Canon P thing too... man I've been here way too long.


I've always wanted a Canon 7 but it doesn't work with either of my lenses (well, the ones I use, anyways):
Nokton 35 - no M mount
12mm heliar - no shoe! (like seriously?)
And I don't really like Canon LTM lenses for the long focus throw and 1m minimum focus. It's kind of a big deal for me.


maybe one day I'll get a Canon 7 and build a Leica M lens flange for it. If I recall there's a front plate with the lens flange on it so it should be possible...


have fun with it, Joe!
 
or maybe just listen? that's ok too!

film rf cameras are a funny thing, old, metal, heavy…well built…most of them.

i am waiting for a cla'd canon 7 to arrive from japan (with a working meter)…a cla'd canon 35/2.8 lens and now a recently cleaned canon 50/1.5 sonnar…

back to the future…

next on the list is a big old canon chrome 85/2 lens…and my canon kit will be complete!!
maybe a canon 28 as well…maybe...

Careful, Joe! You're treading awfully close to that slippery slope that slides right down to the land of.... COLLECTOR! 😛
 
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