Black Canon 135mm 3.5; a Performer

[kokoshawnuff]

I just got one on the bay for under $80 with shipping from Japan and it is a very good lens for the price...high resolution, nice build quality (light but solid), good bokeh, decent contrast, and no focus issues when adapted to my M cameras. The only bad I saw with the initial shots was some flaring.

I leave you with one 'Macro' shot @ f/3.5 and one Telephoto @ f/11. Both with Portra 400 on M3, intended to highlight some abilities of this lens (not my photographic skill)

[Nokton48]

I bought one for $58 from KEH and really like it.

[Spicy]

i thought 135 and thereabouts is where RF baselines start becoming an issue with regards to consistent focusing accuracy...

[Thomas78]

Originally Posted by Spicy

i thought 135 and thereabouts is where RF baselines start becoming an issue with regards to consistent focusing accuracy...

Yes, it depends on RF base, on magnification of the RF and also on the apertures you are using. (The more you close the aperture, the less critical the focusing accuracy becomes.)
So it is not only a matter of weight that most RF 135 mm lenes are somewhere between f/3.5 and f/4.5)
I think 135 mm lenses are no problem on RF as long as you are operating it at apertures from f/5.6 - f/11.

If you want to work at f/2.0, a SLR would perhaps be a better idea.

[David Murphy]

Originally Posted by Spicy

i thought 135 and thereabouts is where RF baselines start becoming an issue with regards to consistent focusing accuracy...

This is one of those rangefinder myths promulgated by certain pundits. I've focused and framed 135's successfully with 90 and 100mm frame lines/finders even. Of course some care is necessary, but not that much.

The Canon 135/3.5 is a real winner - I own one too - beautifully made lens also.

[Mackinaw]

Maybe not so much focusing accuracy as to the little 135mm field-of-view you see through the viewfinder. I find the little 135mm "window" just too small to use.

Jim B.

[Nokton48]

I use an external Canon 135mm Brightline finder on my VT without any issues. And the 135 framelines in my 7 and 7s work fine for me.

[kokoshawnuff]

The only problems I've had with 135mm on my Leicas is camera shake (from the weight) at speeds slower the 1/15. I do admit the frame lines on a .72x magnification viewfinder are a bit difficult, but with my M3 the difference is great...

[Bill58]

I limit my RF upper focal length to 85mm. Above that, it's SLR for me. I even had trouble focusing with the 100mm Canon LTM.

[myM8yogi]

I have a black canon 135 also.
It's not bad at all. For the $60USD price tag it is even better. However, it does suffer from the same limitations as all other 135mm lenses on RFs... comparatively big and heavy, slow max aperture, slow focussing, difficulty composing in the small frame lines and difficult focussing accurately wide open.

Stopped down to f/5.6, I can't really fault the image quality at all.
So if I need the extra reach, I simply deal with the handling difficulties.

[goamules]

I've been using my black 135/3.5 a lot, and it's the sharpest lens I have really. Here is a shot from a 35/1.8 for perspective, then two shots from the 135. Considering my daughter (the blonde) was about 100 yards away, pretty amazing shot.

35mm (1 hr after below shots):


135mm:


135mm crop:

[raid]

I sold my Canon 135 a few years ago, and I kept the 135 Nikon lens. Both are equally good, I think, and it was just the pretty looking chrome lens hood and adapters of the Nikon that made me favor it. This focal length allows for great looking portaits from a distance.