Canon 85mm f1.9 Black Barrel

I saw a strange beast the other day ... a Canon 85mm f1.9 screw mount lens in a late-model black barrel. This

surprised me because all the 85mm f1.9s I've seen so far, including on the Canon museum, are chrome. The only

black 85mm I've seen is the f1.8 which itself is pretty hard to find.

I think the black 85/1,9 was made for a very short time. I've never seen one, and have only seen a couple for sale over the years.

 

http://canonrangefinder.servehttp.com/index.php?page=lenses&type=telephoto_lenses&id=22

According to the serial numbers on the link I provided above, it looks like about 100 black 1.9s were made, versus about 3000 black 1.8s.

Thanks ... looks like both lenses are rare.

You dropped a zero there Michael, there's about 1000 of the black 85/1.9.

 

Even though there are about 3000 of the 85/1.8, I think they fetch a higher price than the black 85/1.9 since the optics are superb.

My 85/1.8 was a super lens. I had a friend with a 90 Summicron from about the same time. We did some tests and he admitted that mine was the better lens. I've had a few of the later. Canon lenses, and they were all good. At one point I traded my Canon 35/1.5 for a 35RF Summilux, and it was a mistake. In spite of thing I've read, my 85/1.5 was a good lens, too, even wide open, though it was heavy AND impossible to focus. :-)

I have the 85/ƒ1.8. It's an incredible lens. I almost never shoot with mine but will never part with it since it's so gorgeous and

well-made and superb optically and mechanically.

Yes, it's a very rare lens, very beautyful and very good performer.

 

Ciao.

i had one -- maybe yours! loved the results