Leica Showcase Canon 135 F3.5, Late version

[Brian]

Several versions of this lens in the Canon rangefinder line, this is the best. Black finish to match the 85/1.9 and 100/2. It is lighter than the Nikkor lens. The 135/3.5 uses 48mm filters, not a common size- but easy enough to find.

This is a 4 element in 3 group Sonnar formula lens, linear aperture scale and click stops.

These are some quick test shots done with the lens, wide-open on the M9. Focus is perfect on the M9, for the Monochrom with a deep colro filter on it I would add one layer of tape to the Cam.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Canon 135/3.5, Late LTM by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Canon 135/3.5, Late LTM by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Canon 135/3.5, Late LTM by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Canon 135/3.5, Late LTM by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Canon 135/3.5, Late LTM by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

This lens was not expensive, you can expect to pay under $100 for it.

 

[uhoh7]

For scale

DSC01562 by unoh7, on Flickr

It might be lighter than the nikkor in LTM, but the black nikkor in Contax mount is 40 grams less. However Amedeo adapter is heavy, but there are light un-coupled adapters to Sony E for 20USD.

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open on the M9,

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Spring 2016 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Spring 2016 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Spring 2016 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Spring 2016 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Spring 2016 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[Brian]

The Canon 135/3.5 with a Yellow filter on it. All shots wide-open.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Leica43]

Around the garden with the Black Canon f3.5/135mm LTM. Being mid winter in Sydney I’m limited mainly to magnolias for the “floral display”.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The Visoflex EVF was used on my M10

 

[rayvonn]

The Visoflex EVF was used

I was going to ask! Without that, a 135mm lens seems too hard on a RF.

 

[Brian]

I was going to ask! Without that, a 135mm lens seems too hard on a RF.

I have a lot of 135's, use them with my Leica and Nikon RF's.

I use the 1.25x magnifier with the M9 and M Monochrom for a 0.85x magnification, not problem with a 135/3.5 wide-open. The M3 is 0.92x.
On the Nikon- the viewfinder is 1x magnification, again- no problem using the 135 wide-open.

 

[MountainMan79]

My first real outing with this lens last night at an Oktoberfest. Pretty sharp.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Jc031699]

Brian, I thought 4 elements in 3 groups usually refers to Tessar lenses? Can you please help me understand what makes this a Sonnar design?

 

[Jc031699]

Ah answering my own question:

Tessar is 1-1-2

Tessar - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

And sonnar tele is 1-2-1

Old lenses sharpness: Adapted Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.

www.dpreview.com

Leitz Tele-Elmar 135mm f/4 – Leica’s Secret Sonnar

A close look at a less often discussed Leica M mount lens reveals a hidden gem for Leica photographers - the Leitz Tele-Elmar 135mm F/4.

casualphotophile.com

Am I on the right track?

 

[Brian]

The differences between various lens formulas goes well beyond the number of elements and groups. The relative strength of the elements and groups is more important than the number. The Sonnar has a telephoto lens as the front section, followed by an anastigmat for the rear section. The focal length of the front section is about 2.5x the focal length of the complete lens, the rear section has a focal length about the same as the completed lens. Bring the two together- get a very compact design. The Tessar- different. The front section does not form an image without the rear section. The completed lens stands out from the image plane, compared with a Sonnar.

From my article on rangefinderforum.

Ninety Years of Sonnars- From the Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F2 to the The 5cm F2 Bertele Sonnar

Interchangeable lens 35mm rangefinder cameras made their debut over 90 years ago when Leitz introduced the Leica II and Zeiss debuted the Contax I. The first lenses for these cameras were Tessar formula lenses of modest speed. The 5cm F3.5 Tessar was produced in Contax RF mount in 1931, and was...

www.rangefinderforum.com

"The Sonnar is an “Asymmetric” configuration: the front section is a telephoto design with a focal length about 2.5x the overall focal length of the lens; the rear group is about the same as the final focal length. This gives the Sonnar a compact design. The Sonnar is often labeled as a derivative of Taylor’s Cooke Triplet and Zeiss Tessar. These designs share similar traits: the front group is a positive focal length, the middle group is a negative focal length, and the third group is a positive focal length. The difference between the designs is in the relative power of each group, which distinguishes the rendering of the Sonnar from the Tessar. With Taylor’s triplet and the Zeiss Tessar, the front element and rear element are both image forming optics, and the middle element can be combined with the rear element to form an image with a large back-focus. The middle element is a strong negative focal length, and the combination of front element and middle element has a negative focal length and does not form an image. This gives the Triplet and Tessar a greater back-focus. The Sonnar differs in relative powers: the front and rear group are also each image forming optics. The combined middle group and rear group also forms an image. The difference with the Sonnar: the front element and middle group forms a telephoto lens. The groups are brought together with close spacing to form the final image, giving the Sonnar a compact design with a short back-focus. Technically, the Sonnar formula “suffers” from spherical aberration, coma, and field curvature. In practice, these imperfections produce a pleasing signature, a unique blend of “perfect imperfections”.