Canon 85mm f/1.8

Canon 85mm f/1.8

Among Canon's late screw-mount rangefinder lenses, the 85mm f/1.8 is one of the most sought after, valued as much for its scarcity as for the way it draws. It was designed by Mukai Jiro and reached the market in March 1961, remaining in the catalogue for roughly a decade [1]. CameraQuest, surveying Canon's rangefinder line, groups the 85mm f/1.8 with the handful of lenses that "stand up best today," and marks it as one of the harder examples to find [2]. A compact short telephoto in Leica Thread Mount, it pairs naturally with Leica M and Canon rangefinder bodies and has a following among both photographers and collectors.

Optically the lens uses a five-element design in four groups, with a thirteen-blade diaphragm stopping down to f/22. It is a black-finished lens that accepts 58mm screw-in filters and Canon's T-60 clamp-on hood, and at about 470g it feels solid without being heavy for its class. Focusing is via a long but smooth helical, and the minimum focus distance of 1m is typical of fast rangefinder teles of the period. The aperture is set with a collar at the front of the barrel; because that collar turns together with the focusing ring, some users find it awkward to read or adjust the aperture without disturbing focus. The lens couples to the rangefinder and, through a simple LTM-to-M adapter, mounts and works on M-bodies, where it typically brings up the 90mm framelines.

Two production variants are distinguished mainly by the engraving on the front identification ring, one reading "CANON LENS CCo Inc Lens Made in Japan" and a later one reading "CANON Lens Made in Japan"; collectors treat the later type as the scarcer of the two. The lens should not be confused with Canon's slower 85mm f/1.9 of the same era, which is the all-chrome, heavier and more common alternative, nor with the rarer fast 85mm f/1.5[3].

Optical qualities

Rendering Documented impressions describe a classic, slightly vintage rendering rather than the high-contrast look of modern optics. Users report pleasing out-of-focus areas in both foreground and background wide open, attributed in part to the thirteen-blade diaphragm, with the lens becoming sharp from about f/2 onward while retaining its older character. Contrast is regarded as good for a lens of its generation, and reviewers note little obvious flare or vignetting in normal use, though testing into strong light has been limited.

History

Development and Launch The 85mm f/1.8 was introduced in March 1961 as part of Canon's mature rangefinder system, designed by Mukai Jiro, and stayed in production through the early-to-mid 1970s. It belonged to the later group of Canon screw-mount lenses that, alongside designs such as the 50mm f/1.4 and 100mm f/2, earned strong reputations and were among the last to be discontinued as the rangefinder line wound down.

Production Evolution Across the run the most visible change is the front identification ring engraving, which separates an earlier type from a later type; the later type is reported to have been made in small numbers.

Special editions No widely documented military, export, or special factory finishes of this lens are recorded; the principal distinction collectors track is between the two engraving types.

Collector Notes Buyers should verify the front-ring engraving to identify the variant, and be aware that the slower 85mm f/1.9 and the rare 85mm f/1.5 are separate lenses sometimes confused with this one. Because the aperture collar can stiffen with age and then drag on the focusing helical, smoothness of both controls is worth checking. Original accessories that add to value and are worth confirming include the T-60 clamp-on hood, front and rear caps, and the matching 85mm finder. As a note on the specifications, one user review cites the barrel as roughly 75mm long and 60mm in diameter, figures that differ slightly from the values recorded here; the verified dimensions should be treated as authoritative.