FD Lenses and what to look out for?

[PatrickWebb]

Hei all!
I am dipping my mind into the idea of picking up some FD glass. Are there recommendations from users/owners? If there is another thread, please feel free to link me up!
Cheers!

 

[Nick Morrison]

The 24 1.4 is really good.

 

[Matt W.]

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?177789-Canon-FD-vs-K35

Good lenses. The oldest "SSC Aspherical" are the most coveted and possibly closest to K35s, which seem to have the same designs almost but maybe different air gaps. 24mm, 55mm, 85mm SSC Aspherical are apparently very K35-like.

24mm FD L, 50mm FD L, 85mm FD L are next most desirable. These are newer and might also be the same designs are contemporaneous K35s. These are "nFD" and have cheaper build quality, but still superb. 8 aperture blades instead of 9.

Of those I've owned I like the 24mm FD L, 85mm FD L, 35mm f2 nFD, 135mm f2 nFD, and 55mm f1.2 SSC Aspherical most. But I sold the last three and now just have the three FD Ls.

I suspect coatings change over time. The older coatings from around 1980 are prettier. My 50mm FD L is from 1990 I think and the coating is boring, boring flares. Whereas my older 24mm FD L has a great flare.

However they have some things you might not like. Focus rings can be loose with a lot of play (the focus rings are super smooth but apparently can wear over time), aspherical bokeh (with the super speeds) can be ugly with onion rings, there is quite a bit of axial CA ("bokeh fringing"), which Cooke S2s have a lot less of, but overall I think they're nice. Given their age and that they're among the first super speeds, they seem to be pretty good performers. They're probably overpriced, but still cheap compared with K35s. Some of the 24mm lenses have haze so be careful when buying.

 

[richiel]

I have a bunch of clean FD lenses fo sale. Let me know what your looking for?

 

[Björn Benckert]

Sticking to the fast onces from each focal length is a good start.

Her is a list of all FD´s ever made: https://cameraville.co/blog/list-every-canon-fd-lens-ever-made

Personally I collected and use the following all the best iteration of each, except I dont have the concave 35mm sadly, but all in all I think this setupworks really well:

14mm
24mm
35mm
55mm
85mm
100mm
135mm

There is a bit of gap between 14mm and 24mm but I dont like the lenses availble in between so I rather crop in camera if needed.

We got them both as a really nice rehoused set made by Estern Enterprise and alsoa none rehoused with focus gears and 80mm front rings.

https://syndicate.se/acquisition/

 

[PatrickWebb]

I just watched this video from the link/thread that Matt supplied. I love the flares here! very nice!

Thanks for the info, btw!

I might start hunting for a 24, 35, 55, 85 set. Is it possible – in the case of sloppy focus rings – to Cine-Mod them ? And a rough ballpark figure to what that might sting me? Also, for finding out if the lenses are from the 80's, do you check that out with the serial number clue?

 

[PatrickWebb]

Sticking to the fast onces from each focal length is a good start.

Her is a list of all FD´s ever made: https://cameraville.co/blog/list-every-canon-fd-lens-ever-made

Personally I collected and use the following all the best iteration of each, except I dont have the concave 35mm sadly, but all in all I think this setupworks really well:

14mm
24mm
35mm
55mm
85mm
100mm
135mm

There is a bit of gap between 14mm and 24mm but I dont like the lenses availble in between so I rather crop in camera if needed.

We got them both as a really nice rehoused set made by Estern Enterprise and alsoa none rehoused with focus gears and 80mm front rings.

https://syndicate.se/acquisition/

You just answered my question, Björn! Tack skal du ha!

 

[Jonathan Kutner]

Which lenses are you selling?