Brief review of CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5 (1965 version)

According provided by lens CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5 many thanks the store FOCUSFILM. There you can find many interesting film cameras and manual lenses.

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

In short

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1:2.5 is a classic old manual fast short telephoto lens for film cameras with a frame of 36 X 24. There is a whole family of such lenses.

Nowadays, CANON LENS FL 135mm 1:2.5 is interesting in terms of focal length and aperture ratio. First of all, CANON LENS FL 135mm 1:2.5 are great for portrait photography.

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1:2.5 belongs to the line of Canon FL series lenses with FL mount. FL and FD/FDn series lenses are easiest to use on mirrorless cameras APS-C CANON EF-M, APS-C CANON RF-S, Full Frame CANON RF). On SLR cameras of the system Canon EOS EF this lens is difficult to use - in order to be able to focus on infinity, it is necessary to use an adapter with a corrective lens. Mirrorless digital cameras have given a second life to these old lenses.

The F/2.5 aperture is only a quarter stop brighter than the more common F/2.8, yet 135/2.5 lenses are generally valued far more than their peers in the 135/2.8 class. The optical design of CANON LENS FL 135mm 1:2.5 is quite simple and has been further improved. The lens noticeably suffers from chromatic aberrations, especially in the blur zone.

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

History

Below is a list of Canon 135/2.5 class lenses:

  • CANON LENS M 135mm 1:2.5 Canon Camera Co., Inc., from July 1958, scheme 6/4
  • SUPER-CANOMATIC LENS R 135mm 1:2.5 Canon Camera Co., Inc., February 1960, 6/4 scheme
  • CANON LENS FL 135mm 1:2.5, from May 1965, scheme 6/4, shown in this review
  • CANON LENS FD 135mm 1:2.5, from March 1971, scheme 6/5
  • CANON LENS FD 135mm 1:2.5 SC, from March 1973, scheme 6/5

In the future, only lenses of the Canon nFD 135 / 2.8 and nFD 135/2 class remained.

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

Main technical characteristics of CANON LENS FL 135mm 1:2.5:

Review Instance Name CANON LENS FL 135mm 1:2.5 LENS MADE IN JAPAN 106449
Basic properties
  • FL - Canon FL mount
  • manual focus only
  • aperture control ring
  • aperture preset ring
  • automatic iris control on respective cameras
  • AM aperture switch
  • lens suitable for full-frame cameras
Front Filter Diameter 58 mm, metal thread for filters
Focal length 135 mm
Zoom ratio 1 X (this is a fixed lens, it does not have a zoom)
Designed by for film cameras with a frame size of 24 x 36
Number of aperture blades 8 petals, form a hole in the shape of a regular octagon
Tags
  • focusing distance scale in meters (orange) and feet (white), available in meters: 30, 15, 10, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2.5, 2, 1.7, 1.5 and infinity mark
  • depth of field scale for f / 4, 8, 11, 16
  • red dot and letter 'R' for infrared operation
  • aperture values ​​in steps from 2.5 to 16
  • aperture setting marks
  • diaphragm preset ring mark
  • bayonet mount mark
Diaphragm from f / 2.5 to f / 16.

The lens has an aperture control ring and an aperture preset ring (for quickly setting the desired value in manual mode).

On the aperture control ring there are marks for f / 2.5, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16.

The aperture control ring rotates with clicks, there are no intermediate values.

1.5 meters, maximum magnification ratio of about 1:10
The weight 635 grams (measured)
Optical design 6 elements in 4 groups

canon-135mm-f-2-5-flThe lens does not use special optical elements in its optical design. The same scheme is used by some other lenses from Canon (previous generations of class 135 / 2.5 lenses)

Lens hood Threaded, screwed into the front filter thread
Manufacturer country LENS MADE IN JAPAN (lens made in Japan)
Period From May 1965 to March 1971. Subsequently replaced by a similar model CANON LENS FD 135mm 1:2.5
Price About 100 cu for used option.

Canon FL series lenses have an additional locking ring that is responsible for attaching the lens to the camera. As a result, CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5 uses as many as 4 control rings: bayonet fixation (rearmost silver ring), focusing (wide, metal, ribbed), aperture setting (front silver), aperture preset (thin black ring in front lens).

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

Assembling, focusing

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1:2.5 is well built.

The focusing ring is metal, with ribs and notches, rotates approximately 180 degrees (1/2 of a full turn). Ring travel is smooth. During focusing, the front retractable part of the body frame does not rotate. Focusing occurs by moving the entire lens block. During focusing towards the MDF, the focus ring moves forward.

MDF is quite large, and is 1.5 meters (for example, a budget JUPITER-11 135/4 has an MDF equal to only 1 meter).

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5

Sample photos (APS-C)

All photos in the review are shown without processing. Photos on a cropped camera were prepared by a photographer Natalia (Instagram). Camera used Sony NEX-6 (16 MP Sony Exmor APS-C HD CMOS sensor) and adapter FOTGA Canon FD/FDn/FL -> SONY E/FE/NEX. All photos are JPEG taken in camera. Original JPEG images can be view / download from this link (50+ files).

Appearance

How to use FL/FD/FDn mount lenses

To use a Canon FL, Canon FD, or Canon FDn mount lens on modern mirrorless cameras, you should use the appropriate adapter:

The adapters are suitable for FL, FD and FDn mount lenses, these mounts are backwards compatible. But using lenses with a Canon FL / Canon FD / Canon FDn mount on SLR cameras is difficult due to the long working distance. In such cases, a corrective lens adapter must be used, which will degrade the image quality.

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Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

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Comments: 5, on the topic: Brief review of CANON LENS FL 135mm 1: 2.5 (1965 version)

  • Rodion

    His scheme is a “planar”, oddly enough. With thick front adhesive. It is not surprising that the lens suffers from HA so noticeably - in double gauss with chromatism correction, not everything is smooth.

  • B. R. P.

    Oh, a long time ago there were no good old 135-currents.

    • after all

      So this one seems to be old and not good.

  • Lensmaster

    In essence, the ancestor of portrait light 135s from Canon - I'm talking about the Super-Canomatic R 135mm f / 2.5 ... 60th year, the first line of SLR objects.
    What can be said? Nikon's answer worthy at that time. Excellent design, good mechanics, decent optical qualities.
    It would probably be silly to compare it with modern portrait L-cams. Any. From new series, old ones, with autofocus, I mean.
    He, mine, is already over 60. And he has a place on the shelf. He is history. And the first light mirror
    a portrait lens from Canon that could.

    • Oleg

      Why is it on the shelf? Give him a chance to live

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