Canon R lens mount

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R 35mm
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f/2.5, the only wide angle lens Canon made with the R mount R35mm f-2.5 (4759024675).jpg
R 35mm f/2.5, the only wide angle lens Canon made with the R mount

The Canon R lens mount is a physical standard for connecting a camera lens to a 35mm single-lens reflex camera body. It was introduced in March 1959 along with the Canon Canonflex.

Contents

Design and history

The R mount was used on Canon's first single lens reflex (SLR) camera. The mount employed a "breech lock" system to attach the lens to the camera body. [1]

The R mount was discontinued in 1964 and replaced with the Canon FL lens mount. [2] Many mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras are able to use Canon R lenses via an adapter.

Description

Super-Canomatic R lens on right and FL lens on left, illustrating similar parts and features. Compared to "Super-Canomatic R" lenses, "Canomatic R" lenses omit the charging lever, while "Canon Lens R" lenses omit both aperture and charging levers. Canon FL + R mount features.svg
Super-Canomatic R lens on right and FL lens on left, illustrating similar parts and features. Compared to "Super-Canomatic R" lenses, "Canomatic R" lenses omit the charging lever, while "Canon Lens R" lenses omit both aperture and charging levers.

Many of the lenses released for the Canon R mount have an automatic or semi-automatic diaphragm. These are distinguished by the name of the lens: "Super-Canomatic R" lenses are equipped with an automatic diaphragm, while "Canomatic R" lenses have a semi-automatic diaphragm, and a "Canon Lens R" has either a manual preset or manual diaphgram. With an automatic diaphragm, the view through the lens is maintained at the fully-open aperture while the photographer presets the aperture to the desired value; when the shutter is released, the lens stops down to the preset aperture during the exposure, then returns the aperture to fully open once the exposure is complete. The semi-automatic diaphragm works in the same way, with a small exception: the aperture does not return to fully open until after the photographer winds the film on following the exposure. Other lenses have a manual pre-set or fully manual diaphragm. [3]

Super-Canomatic R lenses are equipped with two diaphragm control rings. The one closer to the front of the lens is the Preset Aperture Ring, used to preset the diaphragm setting for automatic opening and closing during exposure. The one closer to the back of the lens is the Visual Aperture Ring, which is used to preview depth of field. When the Preset ring is being used, the Visual ring should be turned to fully wide open. Likewise, when the Visual ring is stopped down, the Preset ring should be turned to fully open. [4] :5–7

To mount the lens, the breech-lock ring must be turned so the red dot is aligned with the positioning pin. The positioning pin fits into the notched lug at the 12 o'clock position on the camera body, then the breech-lock ring is turned clockwise (while facing the front of the lens) to secure it on the camera. For Super-Canomatic R lenses, if the charging lever is not pre-charged before mounting the lens on the body, the automatic diaphragm mechanism will not operate for the first exposure. [4] :21–22

Since the mechanism for controlling the aperture is different from both the later FL and FD mount, using R lenses on later bodies requires stopped-down metering mode and a manually-set aperture; however, the lugs, flange focal distance, and breech-lock ring are mutually compatible, so most R, FL, and FD lenses can use the same mount adaptors.

R cameras

R lenses

Canon R lenses [8]
Focal length (mm)Name Aperture YearConstruc. (Ele/Grp)Min. focus (Mag.)Filter (mm)Dia. × Len.Wgt.Notes
Wide angle lenses
35 R 35mm f/2.5 f/2.516Aug 19607/50.4 m (1.3 ft)5864.5×57 mm (2.5×2.2 in)317 g (11.2 oz) [a]
Normal lenses
50 R 50mm f/1.8 I f/1.816May 19596/40.6 m (2.0 ft)5864.5×47.5 mm (2.5×1.9 in)295 g (10.4 oz) [a]
R 50mm f/1.8 II f/1.816Aug 19606/40.6 m (2.0 ft)5864.5×47.5 mm (2.5×1.9 in)305 g (10.8 oz) [a]
R 50mm f/1.8 III f/1.816Apr 19636/40.6 m (2.0 ft)5864.5×47.5 mm (2.5×1.9 in)305 g (10.8 oz) [a]
58 R 58mm f/1.2 f/1.216Feb 19627/50.6 m (2.0 ft)5864.5×52.8 mm (2.5×2.1 in)432 g (15.2 oz) [a]
Telephoto lenses
85 R 85mm f/1.9 f/1.922Jan 19606/41 m (3.3 ft)5863×74.5 mm (2.5×2.9 in)355 g (12.5 oz) [b]
R 85mm f/1.8 f/1.816Oct 19615/41 m (3.3 ft)5864.5×55.5 mm (2.5×2.2 in)470 g (17 oz) [a]
100 R 100mm f/2 f/216Sep 19596/41 m (3.3 ft)5868×83 mm (2.7×3.3 in)515 g (18.2 oz) [a]
R 100mm f/3.5 (I) f/3.522May 19615/41 m (3.3 ft)40 ?210 g (7.4 oz) [c]
R 100mm f/3.5 (II) f/3.522Apr 19635/41 m (3.3 ft)40 ?210 g (7.4 oz) [c]
135 R 135mm f/2.5 f/2.516Feb 19606/41.5 m (4.9 ft)5868×103.5 mm (2.7×4.1 in)630 g (22 oz) [a]
R 135mm f/3.5 I f/3.522May 19594/31.5 m (4.9 ft)4860.5×86.5 mm (2.4×3.4 in)370 g (13 oz) [c]
R 135mm f/3.5 II f/3.522Jul 19614/31.5 m (4.9 ft)4860.5×86.5 mm (2.4×3.4 in)350 g (12 oz) [c]
200 R 200mm f/3.5 f/3.522May 19597/52.5 m (8.2 ft)5868×104.5 mm (2.7×4.1 in)670 g (24 oz) [d]
300 R 300mm f/4 f/422Jan 19605/41.5 m (4.9 ft)4891×135.4 mm (3.6×5.3 in)1,200 g (42 oz) [b]
400 R 400mm f/4.5 f/4.522Jan 19605/43.1 m (10.2 ft)48100×208.4 mm (3.9×8.2 in)1,700 g (60 oz) [b]
600 R 600mm f/5.6 f/5.632Jan 19602/16.4 m (21.0 ft)48118×384 mm (4.6×15.1 in)2,100 g (74 oz) [b]
800 R 800mm f/8 f/832Jan 19602/113.5 m (44.3 ft)48112×566 mm (4.4×22.3 in)1,900 g (67 oz) [b]
1000 R 1000mm f/11 f/1132Jan 19602/121 m (68.9 ft)48100×718 mm (3.9×28.3 in)1,800 g (63 oz) [b]
2000 TV 2000mm f/11 f/11Sep 19607/420 m (65.6 ft)48246×603 mm (9.7×23.7 in)10,620 g (375 oz)
Zoom lenses
55–135 R 55–135mm f/3.5 f/3.522Dec 196315/102 m (6.6 ft)5869×140 mm (2.7×5.5 in)790 g (28 oz) [d]
Notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Super-Canomatic Lens R, fully automatic diaphragm
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Canon Lens R, manual diaphragm
  3. 1 2 3 4 Canon Lens R, manual pre-set diaphgram
  4. 1 2 Canomatic Lens R, semi-automatic diaphragm

References

  1. 1 2 "Canonflex - Canon Camera Museum". global.canon. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  2. Gandy, Stephen (November 25, 2003). "Canonflex" . Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  3. "Canon Interchangeable Lenses R, Pub. No. 5088A" (PDF). Canon Camera Co., Inc. September 1963. Retrieved August 20, 2024 via Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library.
  4. 1 2 "Canonflex RM Instruction, Pub. No. 5110D" (PDF). Canon Camera Co., Inc. May 1963. Retrieved August 20, 2024 via Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library.
  5. "Canonflex R2000 - Canon Camera Museum". global.canon. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  6. "Canonflex RP - Canon Camera Museum". global.canon. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  7. "Canonflex RM - Canon Camera Museum". global.canon. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  8. "Lens Hall: R Lenses". Canon Camera Museum. Retrieved January 15, 2018.