Guides
The Guide to Canon FD lenses in the digital age
Reviews
- Canon new FD 2.8/20 Review
- Canon new FD 2.8/24 Review
- Canon new FD 2.8/35 Review
- Canon new FD 1.4/50 review
- Canon new FD 1.8/50 Review
- Canon FD 85mm 1:1.2 S.S.C. Aspherical
- Canon new FD 2.8/135 review
- Canon new FD 3.5/135 review
- Canon new FD 2.8/300 L
- Canon new FD 4/300 L Review
Comparisons
Canon nFD 2/35 vs nFD 2.8/35 vs FD TS 2.8/35
Adapters
For the right adapter check out our Adapter Guide.
Links
mir.com – the best resource about Canon FD lenses
canonclassics.com – database of many user reviews for FD lenses
canon-photography.com – A list of many lenses and some technical data
Canon FD Lens Info – Technical data for many lenses
Do you have any recommendations for a Canon FD to Sony A mount adapter? Or is the recommendation don’t bother. I’m trying to find an affordable way to put a 500mm on my A77 and the FD 500 f4.5 is a great option if I can adapt it.
Thanks,
Dan
Hey Dan,
I think it doesn’t make sense to use that lens on a A-mount camera because there are no glass less adapters which enable infinity focusing. I would recommend a E-mount camera instead.
Phillip
Hi Phillip,
I have been following your work for quite a while now and must say I am very impressed by your artistic talent.
I do have a bunch of Minolta lenses that I would be prepared to lend you for your reviews, such as an MD 24 f2.8, an MC 85 f1.7, etc… an several others.
Please send me a PM on how you would like to proceed.
Best regards,
Marc
Have you tried the Canon 70-210mm f/4 FD? I heard it is quite sharp and is also pretty affordable (~$25 USD). Downsize seems to be the size.
no personal experience with that, sorry
Have you tried a Canon FD 100mmf/2.8 yet?
no
Hi 🙂
First of all many thanks for that review!!
Gave me great info on the Canon nFD35 and I hope some more ressources in feedback in order to get my copy in good shape.
You see, loving the Canon FD f2.8 series rendering for pairing with anamorphic adapters on GH4 (personal taste), I just acquired the nFD 35mm f2 (at very decent price). F2 giving me and extra stop of bokeh on GH4’s small sensor 😉
Though it was no fungus, optics were not that clean… so I started (like I did previously with the f2.8s) partial disassembly for a nice cleaning of optics.
I easily pulled out the first 2 levels of the front optics (the floating element I now guess), but couldn’t unscrew completely the core optics underneath… so I decided to stop there for the moment, put everything back and to look over the web for a servicing tutorial… which I haven’t found for now :/
On reassembly I noticed some black “specks” coming out the lens body… I thought it was dead paint dust and did not alarmed myself as the lens has about my age. Haha. Well… I maybe older.
Then I noticed a “wobbling” sound and soon realized this was that floating optics block… floating. Like 1mm.
Believing I’ve missed something… went back to disassembly and soon found some more “black dirt” that I now realize is dried dead rubber… You see where I’m going at 😉
So after reading your review and comments I guess this is the long dead bearings pouring out the focus mechanism. Also correct me if I’m wrong, but focus ring still being butter smooth on my copy, I figure those bearings act like “control buffer” on the floating element’s movement?
Now, I believe I just describe a situation that many here already went through with the 35 nFD… nothing new 😉
I just wonder since the time you wrote that article if you or some others have found solutions? At least a guide for disassembly of the optic’s core? Or in last resort some links to professional services in Europe?
In advance many thanks for taking the time at reading my long post and for your replies!!
In the meantime if I find some answers else where and if that’s allowed 😉 I’ll sure post them here 🙂
Best Regards,
Guillaume.
Hi Guillaume,
I am not into mechanics so I either sell defective lenses on with a fair desceiption or send them to my repair guy. On a German Forum I saw someone replace the bearings with some rubber tubing: http://www.digicamclub.de/showthread.php?t=16843
Thanks Phillip for the fast response and the link 🙂
Since that post was’nt recent I didn’t expect to get an answer so soon!!
Digging a bit more on the subject I found a nice photo illustrated post on dpreview for the repair of the Canon nFD 24mm f2.8 which happen to share the same mechanical system as the nFD 35mm f2, and therefore the same issue with the bearings.
Taking the liberty to share the link here… I hope it won’t be an issue. It’s been also of great help to me.
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57208104
This morning I went to my local models toy shop and bought some 4mm diameter thermal retractable tubing. I’m right now into the process of cleaning the optics and I’ll soon get into reassembly. I hope this will make the job! Sure it is not Pro services… but then where would be the fun? 😉
I’ll let you know if it worked for me.
Cheers!
Look forward to your results!
Happy to let you know that the repair works!! 🙂
No wobbling sound of the front optics block anymore. Focus seems right from 1 foot / 30cm to infinity.
I still have to work on the focus ring play… same symptoms, same cure. Though in that case the screw that needs “re-tubing” maybe a bit more difficult to access. No fear!
Again many thanks to you, and on this one to Jannick, for the work you guys put into those reviews!! Helps a LOT 😉
Cheers!
I used with A7R2. Center sharpness is great, but edge/side corner sharpness is very soft. Do you use PCX1.5m or PCX 5m filter?
PCX filters can help with Leica M and Contax G lenses, not with Canon FD lenses.