Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Canon FD lenses...Suggestions ?

A

Antoine Fabi

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
1,066
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Hi,

I am looking for top quality Canon FD lenses, and i would like to cover from 15mm to 200mm apprx.

Primes AND zooms, all OK.
thanks !

Antoine
 
Some of my favorite primes are the L's:

17mm f 2.8
24mm f 1.4
28mm f 2.0
35mm f 2.0
50mm f 1.2
85mm f 1.2
200mm f 2.0

I have found some excellent examples around $100 - $200, a few for much less!

Happy hunting.

Kevin
 
Hey Kevin !

yep, hunting for lenses for your Canon FD mount.

thanks !

ps: where can i send a email to you ?

Antoine
 
Hi Antonie,

I just checked eBay and there are a few on there now that are worth looking at.

One of the best is a 85mm f 1.2 (a bit higher in price than I would like, but this is a great piece of glass).

The Item number is: 290184958328

Just take your time and hunt down the best ones. I have paid so little for some that its almost embarrassing.

Kevin
 
There are a few of those 85L on there right now. Also a 55 f1.2 (non L)
and a 300 f4 L Lots of nice macros too.

Google Canon fd lens

That is once your on ebay.
 
I read Ken's article, but he is referring to EF glass, not FD ones. Keep in mind that the FDs can be great bargains due to the simple fact that when Canon switched over to the EF series of lens and camera, the change in the FFD precluded the proper use of FD lenses on later cameras. This allowed the price to erode over time and now the FD is considered 'vintage' and is often priced 'bargain basement'. It's a great opportunity for anyone looking for a low cost / high performance solution.
 
chuck colburn said:
Not that up on Canon still lenses but dose this adapter let you use a FD lens on the RED Canon mount? In manual mode of course.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-FD-Lens-t...ryZ15235QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Click to expand...

That's an FD to EF adapter and there are lots of these offered. They are not appropriate for any high performance application as they utilize an optical conversion process to compensate for the different FFD of the FD and EF designs.

One could use this (or similar adapters) with the Birger RED mount, but this wouldn't yield very good performance. To properly use the FD lenses, you need a mount that has a FFD that is appropriate and not one that tries to force it into a configuration via an optical adapter. Remember, the FFD of the FDs are less than the EF, so to use them on an EF mount you are forced to introduce an optical correction lens in the path.
 
OK....that's three for three today. I'M OUT! lol

If I had looked at the other pictures on that ad I would have seen that corrector lens.
I assumed the FFD difference was the other way around.

Chuck "yes you to can be a bonehead" Colburn
 
chuck colburn said:
OK....that's three for three today. I'M OUT! lol

If I had looked at the other pictures on that ad I would have seen that corrector lens.
I assumed the FFD difference was the other way around.

Chuck "yes you to can be a bonehead" Colburn
Click to expand...

Hee hee,..Chuck,...bonehead ?
It happens to me every @#@# day !!! hee hee

Now i'm glad i just ordered the FD mount from Kevin.

So...guys, i'm going hunting the lenses right now !


Speaking of bonehead...euh...what kind of mattebox will fit these FD lenses ?
 
Antoine Fabi said:
Speaking of bonehead...euh...what kind of mattebox will fit these FD lenses ?
Click to expand...

If you use the right step up ring/donut, you can use any number of different mattebox solutions. I have a Formatt FM-500 that I modified a few years back to have a 15mm rod mount so that is what I will use for my FDs. Thinking about an Arri someday, but its a bit more that I want to spend right now. Really if you are cleaver, focus gears and step up rings will make these lenses compatible with most cine accessories.

Kevin
 
Good to know.

I'm looking for lightweight and affordable kit.

thanks Kevin
 
Antoine Fabi said:
Hi, I am looking for top quality Canon FD lenses, and I would like to cover from 15mm to 200mm. Primes AND zooms, all OK.
thanks !
Click to expand...

If you are interested in shooting with zoom lenses then go with the newer Canon EF zoom lenses with the Birger lens mount and do not even start with FD. The new zooms are far superior to the old FD zooms, both in the range and the better quality when used shooting digital. Most especially the wide zooms.

Kmuse's list expanded to a full list of recommended FD lenses:

15mm F 2.8 Full frame Fisheye - for fun
14mm F 2.8 L -- The most expensive in the list but a very nice lens
17mm f 4
20mm F 2.8 - if you get the 14mm this is a nice step
24mm f 1.4 L I have a F/2 that is very sharp, much cheaper and easier to find.
28mm f 2.0
35mm f 2.0
50mm f 1.2 or the F 1.4 for less $$
85mm f 1.2 L Breathes very badly if you care... and is very expensive for a small gain in speed
85mm F 1.8 Does not breathe much and is a lot less $$
100mm F 2
135mm F 2
200mm f 2.8
300mm F 2.8 L
500mm F 4.5 L
And maybe a 100mm F 4 Macro if you like to shoot closeups

I would not get the slower versions of most of these lenses as the savings will be small vs the plus of having the better, faster lenses. Also I would generally AVOID the really old FD's with the silver mounting ring on the rear of the lens.

A premium set:
14mm F 2.8
20mm F 2.8
28mm F 2.0
50mm F1.2
85mm F 1.8
200mm F 2.8
300mm F 2.8
$2700-3000.00


Budget set:
17mm F 4 or 20mm F 2.8
24mm or 28mm F 2.0
50mm F 1.4
85mm F 1.8
200mm F 2.8
$975-1200.00

I have tried several zooms but I do not like most of them, too many FD's are push - pull style and since they were designed so long ago they just do not have the performance you will want for the RED. The 35-105mm is OK but I would stick with primes for the sharpest images. For zooms I plan on getting a Birger for my EF EOS lenses as I think that is the best way to go once the Birger EF mounts are actually shipping.......
 
I will second Steve's recommendation of the 85mm f 1.8 and the 20mm f 2.8, both are some of my favorites and were fairly inexpensive. The only zoom that I have that I use much is the 28mm - 85mm f 3.5, it's not super fast, but a great a versatile lens. I also agree with Steve, the older push/pull zooms should be avoided.

Kevin
 
Don't leave out the 35-105 macro (latter edition) Slow, but an amazingly sharp lens.
 
In the fine zoom print at the bottom it's mentioned, I have a good one and may shoot with it.... I agree it's pretty sharp but the primes are a good bit better in my tests.

I think the thing I do not like about most of the FD zooms is most of them do not zoom for much of a range in exchange for the loss of quality. They are also usually more expensive than 2 primes. My new 16-35mm II EF.... now that is one sharp SOB (even though it took 6 lenses to find it).
 
oops sorry I missed the fine print. I agree the primes are optimum. I just got the warm fuzzies for that zoom and my t90, t70, and F, oh and my FTB.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top