M8 with Canon 50mm f/0.95

Have my Canon 50mm f/0.95 now converted to an M-mount and calibrated. Here it is on the M8 and a sample at f/0.95 at IS0165 1/6000 in the shade. I've order a72mm B+W IR cut filter but it won't be here until after Christmas. Can't use the slim B&H has in stock as I have to thread a hood into it. Plan to get a B+W 72mm telephoto hood and machine it down for the 50mm FOV. It's my poorman's Nocti...
Attached Images





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'New images surround us everywhere. They are invisible only because of sterile routine convention and fear.'

Lisette Model

Beautiful image! It is amazing that such an old lens is finding new life and appreciation in the digital age.

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http://www.lightcapture.com

It's not rangefinder coupled, is it?
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Don't anthropomorphize digital cameras. They don't like it.



http://photos.echenique.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/echenique

Cool rendition...

Where did you have the lens mount converted and calibrated? Thanks.

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• s t e v e

“Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have someone click the shutter.” - Ansel Adams

--If the lens in question is the .95 made for the canon 7 etc. it doesnt need to be modified. These lenses used the standard leica screw mount and can be mounted on any m camera using the screw to m adaptor. If its a lens for canon slr then that is a different story. In any event the canon f.95 can be found in Leica screw mount as well as many other interesting canon lenses also in leica screw mount. Incedently for a change of pace for you film shooters pick up an older canon rangefinder like the vt or 7 or p etc. These cameras are beautifuly made and will mount anything in a leica scew mount lens . The 7 was canon's last attempt to rival the M3 and some say they succeeded donno but its a fine camera.
bosjohn aka John Shick [email protected]

OK, I am new here but the quotation:

'New images surround us everywhere. They are invisible only because of sterile routine convention and fear.'

Well it has a relevance for me, particularly with this post - you see - the images are invisible to me.

Am I doing something wrong? None of the other posts give me this problem.

osscat

Osscat said:

...

• the images are invisible to me.

Am I doing something wrong? None of the other posts give me this
problem.

osscat

Click to expand...

The images are hosted on the Leica camera user discussion forum, not part of dpreview.com. If you go to

l-camera-forum.com

and sign up, then you will be able to see these images. (The "l-camera" moniker was substituted for the "Leica" name about a year ago, probably because of legal issues).

The Canon f/0.95 lens was a special purpose lens, almost a "novelty" lens that is now collectible because of low production numbers and its impressive look. It never had a reputation as a sharp or high contrast lens; I don't believe the posted image contradicts that reputation. Canon's f/1.2 lens of the same vintage was a better all-around performer, and both the Nikon and Leica f/1.4 lenses were far superior throughout the aperture range. The Leitz Noctilux f/1.2 and f/1.0 lenses were also much better wide open, but again not really comparable to the f/1.4s (Nikkors or Summiluxes) at smaller apertures.

The Canon f/0.95 is indeed rangefinder coupled (it wouldn't make much sense to scale-focus a lens like that) and as stated above, should convert easily with the screw-to-bayoned adapters from Leica or others.

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JoelH

Sorry to disagree,

But the .095 was NEVER made in 39mm Leica thread mount. It cannot work that way, as the rear element is far to large. It uses a Canon7 type bayonette (outer).

The conversion to M is possible though. The RF will work just fine. The RF btw, requires a "flat" spot on the rear element - novel in the day.

I had one of these, that was a convert by Marty Forscher back in the day. I used it for stage photography during performances at jazz clubs.

Several issues -
1. You cannot see out of the viewfinder!

2. You CAN see "just enough" to make the RF usable, but need to use a shoe mounted viewing device.
3. The lens cap is like an ashtray....

4. The hood is worth far more than the lens, its ultra rare! And its ultra worthless too.

5. The lens is really REALLY soft at .095 but by f/2 its not too bad, and by f/4 its as good as any for practical photographic use. The .095 softness added a nice glow to the stark stage lighting.

6. I'd not have one again. The novelty is there, but... you can do as well, better really, with a 50 Noctilux, or even 50 Summilux.

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Livin' the blues, one note at a time

BanderSnatchReverb said:

But the .095 was NEVER made in 39mm Leica thread mount. It cannot
work that way, as the rear element is far to large. It uses a Canon7
type bayonette (outer).

Click to expand...

You are quite right - I had forgotten about the outer bayonet for the 7s/sz. I never bought one of these lenses myself, but I have seen them and I should have remembered - my apologies.

The original Contax/Nikon RF system also had an outer bayonet for lenses that didn't accommodate the inner bayonet. It allows the lens designer more flexibility if he doesn't have to force the exit image through the smaller mount. Zeiss especially liked to take advantage of this.

Thinking more about the Canon mount, though, I'm curious - wouldn't it be possible to do the conversion as a screw-to-bayonet adapter with the outer bayonet included as part of the flange? - seems like you shouldn't need to do a permanent mount change on either the body or the lens.

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JoelH

As I recall, the way it was done was twofold. The bayonette mount rotated, the lens did not (precursor to the FL/FD breechlock?). So you aligned the lens with the bayonette at one position, then tightened it after the lens was seated straight down.

Well, that rotational thing - off it came, but it was used as rotational device to attach the M mount. Sort of going on memory here (I owned the lens for my M3 back in '77) but you still turned the "ears" of the mount, which seated the M adapter. I think Forscher used a standard M adapter and modified it to become permanently attached to the .095.

Saying all this - I was a kid then, all of 20years old, trying to photograph the musical hots pots of the times. I worked at a good camera shop (in Fl) that took care of a decent pro and advanced photographic trade. What seriously stands out in memory is the lens hood and "ashtray" lens cover, and that while it allowed me to get the shots, with a wonderful "ambiance", it was a real pain in the buns to use, and a pretty heavy lens at that! I dont think I paid much for it. Maybe $200 back then, if that. I ended up with a 35/Summicron (silver, with eyes) and never looked back. Even with the eyes, it was much lighter and more convenient than the "lump" of an .095.

They did make that lens, no RF, for some cinema cameras. I dont know the mount. Can't be the C mount, unless theres some sort of backfocus adapter. You see them on ebay from time to time, but the converted or original RF lens is much more rare. Its a good "wow" for bragging rights, but then again, so is a Noctilux.
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Livin' the blues, one note at a time

Mike at Camtecheast did the conversion and Kevin Li did the final calibration.

--
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'New images surround us everywhere. They are invisible only because of sterile routine convention and fear.'

Lisette Model

Sometimes it's about light. This lens is about Light and its painterly bokeh. A bokeh which puts me in mind of Renoir and Monet.

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'New images surround us everywhere. They are invisible only because of sterile routine convention and fear.'

Lisette Model

color and B&W





--
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'New images surround us everywhere. They are invisible only because of sterile routine convention and fear.'

Lisette Model

BanderSnatchReverb said:

Sorry to disagree,
But the .095 was NEVER made in 39mm Leica thread mount. It cannot
work that way, as the rear element is far to large. It uses a Canon7
type bayonette (outer).

The conversion to M is possible though. The RF will work just fine.
The RF btw, requires a "flat" spot on the rear element - novel in the
day.

I had one of these, that was a convert by Marty Forscher back in the
day. I used it for stage photography during performances at jazz
clubs.

Several issues -
1. You cannot see out of the viewfinder!
2. You CAN see "just enough" to make the RF usable, but need to use
a shoe mounted viewing device.
3. The lens cap is like an ashtray....
4. The hood is worth far more than the lens, its ultra rare! And
its ultra worthless too.
5. The lens is really REALLY soft at .095 but by f/2 its not too
bad, and by f/4 its as good as any for practical photographic use.
The .095 softness added a nice glow to the stark stage lighting.
6. I'd not have one again. The novelty is there, but... you can do
as well, better really, with a 50 Noctilux, or even 50 Summilux.

--
Livin' the blues, one note at a time

Click to expand...

Well fry me for and oyster I didn't know that thanks for the info. I owned a 7 but it didnt have the bayonet outer mount you speak of so I thought the .95 was also the screw mount. Cool then I would love to have on on my m8
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bosjohn aka John Shick [email protected]

Joel Halbert said:

The original Contax/Nikon RF system also had an outer bayonet for
lenses that didn't accommodate the inner bayonet. It allows the lens
designer more flexibility if he doesn't have to force the exit image
through the smaller mount. Zeiss especially liked to take advantage
of this.

Click to expand...

Actually, the outer bayonet on Contax/Nikon cameras was for any lens other than 50mm. The inner bayonet on those cameras moves according to a helical calibrated to 50mm.

As far as I know, Zeiss never took advantage of the larger outer bayonet in terms of optical design (their fastest lenses for the Contax system were F1.5 and used the inner bayonet).

Nikon did make a version of the 50mm F1.1 that used the outer bayonet, but apparently only because the original version using the inner bayonet was to heavy to focus properly with the helical built into the body.

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Regards, RHLPetrus
Equipment in profile, but here's a piece of it:

You say "poor man's Noct", not really!!!

Nice to hear about that lens, I always wondered about such an ultra fast wonder! Nobody has the guts to do it now, under f/1.

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Regards, RHLPetrus
Equipment in profile, but here's a piece of it:

You have to be registered on the Leica User Forum.

rhlpetrus said:

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Regards, RHLPetrus
Equipment in profile, but here's a piece of it:

Click to expand...

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Take any advice given on a forum with a grain a salt. (that includes mine). Nobody is
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