Canon 35mm f/2.8 lens, black and chrome ("Type 2") (LTM)

<p><strong>Canon 35mm f/2.8 lens, black and chrome ("Type 2") (LTM) </strong><br /> <strong>on Canon VL2 </strong><br /><br />Kadlubek Objektiv-Katalog Nr. CAS0120<br /><br />As related below, one of the features of the Canon VL2 and its close relatives is that it has a switchable viewfinder built into the camera. There were two things I wanted to make my camera "whole":<br /><br />First, was a lens from the period it was issued in (as opposed to my earlier Canon 50mm "type 1").<br />Second, was a 35mm lens to work with the 35mm setting of the viewfinder. <br /><br />Besides, 35mm has always been a sort of "favorite" focal length of mine.<br /><br />So, what could I do?<br /> I bid on a 35mm f/2.8 (not the classic 35mm f/1.8, alas) on eBay and was the second highest bidder. :( This was the same dealer that I had bought the VL2 body from that works so well. So when I was given a "second chance" for another copy of the lens said to be in the same condition, I bit. I paid for it on 09/23/13 and it arrived at my home on 009/28/13, all the way from Japan. I'm beginning to like this guy. My first surprise was how tiny the lens was, much smaller than the 50mm f/1.8. I'm afraid I haven't been able to identify what the lens formula is on either of my Canon LTM lenses.<br /><br />Here is the camera with my new, period-appropriate (Jeez, I'm starting to sound more like a collector than a user!) lens:<br /><br /></p><div></div>

<p>The lens was in superb shape. It had no trace of the internal "slight fogging" so often found on Canon LTM type 2 lenses.<br /><br />The switchable viewfinder built into the camera has three settings- 50mm, 35mm, and "RF". <br /><br />Here from an earlier model manual (Canon V) about this feature:</p>

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<p><br /><br /><strong>VIEWFINDER DIAL & SELECTOR</strong><br />Position "35" shows you the view which any Canon 35mm lens will record.<br />Position "50" gives you what any Canon 50mm lens will record .<br />You can focus the Rangefinder at any of the three positions. <br />[see yellow arrows in figure 1, JDM]<br /><br />For long focal length lenses (i.e. greater than 50mm) or when a larger image is desired for focusing, set the selector at "RF". For lenses other than 35mm and 50mm an accessory Viewfinder is necessary to give you correct composition. Alternatively; a Canon Zoom Finder or Erect Image Finder may be used. In all cases, the Automatic Parallax Adjustment Pin [blue arrow in figure 1, JDM] built into the Accessory Clip will elevate or depress the [accessory] viewer to correspond to the focus of your lens from 3.5 feet to infinity.<br /><br /><br /></p>

</blockquote>

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<p>Cool, eh? <br />Did I mention that I am having fun shooting with this Canon rangefinder?<br /><br />So I screwed in the Canon 35mm f/2.8 (type 2), set the rangefinder to 35, and looked through the finder. Unfortunately, there was some slight smear on the 35mm finder, and of course the yellow dot for the focus was smaller than at 50mm so it was a little harder to shoot with this than with the 50mm lens. As the instructions above say, I could have used the RF setting to make focus easier, but I decided to stick it out. As I got used to it it became easier and with the depth-of-field all of the pictures looked pretty decently in focus.<br /><br />Well, I and You-all (known here north of the Ohio River as 'You-uns') have to pay some price for the particular path I followed when I first shot this camera body with my Industar-61. <br />So here we go again.<br /><br />The original flower photographed before ( at http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00bzt3 ) has wilted, but another has bloomed by the side of the campus greenhouse complex. The main difference is that previously I shot on Fujifilm 200, but this time I decided to go with Ektar 100 to give a little wider choice of apertures and speeds.<br /><br /></p><div></div>

<p>Here is a 100% view of a crop from the above<br /><br /></p><div></div>

<p>For comparison, here is a similar 100% crop from the shot taken with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 (type 1 'chrome') lens.<br /><br /></p><div></div>

<p>Here is the sculpture by Christiane Martens that I showed in a 50mm view:</p><div></div>

<p>And the similarly photographed antenna at the communications complex:</p><div></div>

<p>Finally, something new, but purely documentary. Here are some arcane symbols placed on a section of the walkway across the campus lake dam.</p>

<p><br />I suspect that the Mercedes star was meant to be a peace symbol, but do any of you have any idea where the other symbols are from or mean?<br /><br /></p><div></div>

<p>The only thing I didn't like about this setup was that the focusing spot was small, but I got used to it after a little use. All in all, I am pleased to have both a 50mm and 35mm lens for this camera. <br /><br />Of the three classic rangefinders I have been shooting recently, this may be my favorite. Oddly enough, it does not have quite the same "precision feel" that I commented on for the Nikon S2. And I do still appreciate the Contax IIa, which seemed a little easier to focus. Yet somehow, I like this Canon a lot.<br /><br />Whichever of these I take with me in the future, I am definitely even more taken with quality rangefinder cameras (of which class, these are not the only representatives that I have, if they <em>are</em> the most famous). <br /><br />You have to understand that my first 'real' camera was a Pentax (H2), so I had never shot with any real rangefinder camera before going over to Kodachrome on an SLR. I find that I really missed something.</p>

<p>I actually have some professional work to do (perhaps that's what's been so attractive about old cameras lately?) so I may, <em>may</em>, mind you, be a slightly less "frequent" poster for a while. Expressions of relief, while understood, are not entirely welcome, all the same.<br /><br />Enough.</p>

<p>Lovely results from the setup!</p>

<p>Congratulations on "completing" the Canon, <strong>JDM</strong>; are you sure there are no more bits to come? That's a very fine little lens, and I hadn't realised that the VL2 had the dinky adjustable viewfinder. I can't recall a similar system in any other rangefinder I've used; the Agfa Ambi Silette, for example, has a switch which imposes three different frame lines, another ingenious solution. Thanks for an interesting post. Regarding the symbols, I recognize an "Eye of God" in the foreground, along with the peace symbol, but the others are a mystery. Good luck with that nasty old work...</p>

<p>One symbol looks like a fleur des lis, often used on crests, coats of arms, logos, etc.</p>

<p>Here is the Canon museum discussion of this lens: http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/lens/s/data/19-35/s_35_28v2.html</p>

<p>Perhaps this is like the message on the Voyager spacecraft?</p>

<p>I'm thinking that the top symbol in the picture could indicate 3rd planet out, and the message proceeds with restoration of the French Empire here in the Illinois Country. ?</p>

 

<p>Great results, JDM. And, incidentally, it's okay to sound like a collector as long as you use what you collect. Thanks for posting.</p>

<p>I see a Canon telephoto in your future. My copy of this lens is not very sharp wide open but snaps up considerably on stopping down. I no longer use it in favor of the black LTM Canon 35mm f/2 which is, imho, one of the best of the Canon LTM lenses. Fast, tiny, snappy and sharp from wide open.</p>

<p>JDM,</p>

<p>How can we miss you when you won't go away? Just kidding. As I mentioned before you have been on a roll of late. You have provided us with a number of interesting posts and this is no exception.</p>

<p>The Canon book that I have shows some lens diagrams but they are for the series 1 versions. If you want I can post those.</p>

<p>I did find a Modern Photography test from Feb. 1963 for the (3) Canon 35mm lenses.</p>

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<p>What ? No water tower?</p>

<p>For you, Roger.</p>

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Less frequeent poster?? Surely you jest? Your three film roll avatar will suffer!! I have avidly followed this foray into the mysteries of the Canon LTM lore. You and Tony L have shown quite a few lenses. I ( the truly ignorant) have been paying attention. IF you will have to work I do hope you can work in some classic cameras as well!!

<p>Aaah, matching lenses and accessories...the end is nigh! I understand how much you like your Canon, they are very likeable cameras.<br>

I used to have a ViT and thought that is was very good to use, shouldn't have sold it...damn! I had the 35mm F2, later black version and this was a top class lens and I would imagine the F2.8 version to be equally good. The 35's are very compact and I reckon that a 35mm is a perfect fit for a RF camera, especially one that has the VF built in.<br>

Now you will need the 85mm 1.9, and of course, a 135mm 3.5...looking forward to some pics with these:)</p>

<p>I actually was looking at 75-85mm LTM lenses earlier today. :_(</p>

<p>How I look back fondly to the days when the Soviet versions were often in the "cost of a pizza" or two range. The Contax/Kiev mounts are still a little easier to find since they are awkward to fit to anything else.</p>

<p>Oh Lord won't you buy me a 75mm f/1.5 lens?<br /> My friends all use Leicas so I must make amends</p>

<p>Marc, thanks.</p>

<p>It would be nice to have the older diagrams - Canon doesn't seem to have exactly rushed to fix things that didn't need fixing.</p>

<p>Of course I do have the Canon 50mm f/1.8 diagram, just a senior moment there.</p>

<p>For the 2009 Meadowbrook Concours, I loaded a roll of Kodachrome 25 in a Canon P to test it and my type 2 Canon 35mm f/2.8 lens. Here's a sample of the results:</p>

<p><a href="/photo/17544251&size=lg"><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17544251-md.jpg" alt="Canon P with 35mm f/2.8 (Type 2) - 2009 Meadowbrook Concours" width="680" height="432" border="0" /></a></p>

<p>I only saw one other photographer using film at the event. He had a Hasselblad on a tripod. You'd think that people at an antique and classic car concours would notice someone using a film camera, but we were invisible to the masses.</p>

<p>Scan from the June 1958 <em>Canon Lenses</em> brochure:</p>

<p> <a href="/photo/17544298&size=lg"><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17544298-md.jpg" alt="Canon 35mm f28" width="680" height="373" border="0" /></a></p>