{"id":10345,"date":"2017-10-19T12:29:13","date_gmt":"2017-10-19T11:29:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=10345"},"modified":"2026-01-14T09:20:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T08:20:32","slug":"review-canon-fd-300mm-12-8-l-sony-a7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-canon-fd-300mm-12-8-l-sony-a7\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Canon FD 300mm 1:2.8 L"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Canon FD 2.8\/300 L was one of the most highly regarded manual super tele lenses in the 80s. Today it can be had for much less money and in this review I evaluate how it performs today on a modern mirrorless camera.<\/p>\n

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Image Samples<\/h1>\n

You can find all images shown in this image in full resolution in\u00a0my\u00a0Canon FD 300mm f\/2.8 L flickr album.<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n

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Specifications<\/h1>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Diameter<\/td>\n127 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Length<\/td>\n245 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Filter Thread<\/td>\n48 mm screw in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weight<\/td>\n2348 g (without hood or caps, with filter)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Max. Magnification<\/td>\n0.11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Close Focusing Distance from the sensor<\/td>\n3 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of aperture blades<\/td>\n9, slightly rounded<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elements\/ Groups<\/td>\n9\/7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
The Canon new FD 2.8\/300 sells for around\u00a0$750\u00a0<\/b>at ebay.com<\/a>, 700\u20ac at ebay.de<\/a> (affiliate links) if you have some patience and find an auction. It costs more if you buy it for a fixed price from a retailer.\u00a0<\/em><\/address>\n

Versions<\/h1>\n

I am aware of two versions.<\/p>\n

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  1. The Canon\u00a0FD 300mm f\/2.8 S.S.C. Fluorite<\/a>\u00a0was released in 1975. It is black, weights 1900g, focuses to 3.5m and uses the older breech lock.<\/li>\n
  2. The Canon New FD 300mm f\/2.8L<\/a>\u00a0followed in 1981. It is white, weights 2348g (my measurement with filter, Canon specifies 2310g), focuses to 3m and has the new FD mounting mechanism. This is the version discussed in this review.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I have no reliable information on the performance of the older version but since it uses only one fluorite element I would expect more CA from it.<\/p>\n

    Features<\/h1>\n

    The Canon FD 2.8\/300 is a fully manual lens<\/strong> so you have to change focus and aperture by yourself and you have to use an adapter<\/a>\u00a0to use it on a mirrorless camera.<\/p>\n

    The Canon has an adjustable infinity stop<\/strong> which is easy to change and works well.<\/p>\n

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    The lens also has a slot for 48mm screw in filters<\/strong> in the back.<\/p>\n

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    The Canon has an unusual mechanism<\/strong> to change it from landscape<\/strong> to portrait<\/strong> orientation. With the press a silver button at the left side of the lens you can rotate the whole back of the lens and with it the camera by 90 degrees.<\/p>\n

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    The Canon also\u00a0focuses internally\u00a0<\/strong>which means that it does not extend and that it is much easier\u00a0to focus quickly with it.<\/p>\n

    Build Quality<\/h1>\n

    The Canon FD 2.8\/300 offers excellent build quality<\/b>. This lens was made to withstand professional abuse for many years and it is up to the task.<\/p>\n

    Handling<\/h1>\n

    Focus Ring<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The focus ring\u00a0<\/strong>travels around 260 degrees<\/strong> from 3m to infinity. Resistance is very low<\/strong> which makes sense because it makes tracking manually easier. It makes focusing the lens very precisely more difficult though.<\/p>\n

    In my experience it wasn’t too hard to follow a subject manually with the Canon 2.8\/300 because the focus ring offered so little resistance and because subjects jump into focus thanks to the very large aperture and good performance.<\/p>\n

    Aperture ring<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The aperture ring is\u00a0a solid one<\/strong>. It is made from metal with distinctive enough stops and a very pleasant resistance. It works in half-stops from f\/2.8 to f\/32.<\/p>\n

    Hood<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Oh boy. The Canon comes with a very solid integrated hood which it about 3cm deep. It locks into place very reliably and it’s rubber coated at the front so that I don’t hesitate to put the whole lens on it. The integrated hood does little to protect the giant 100mm diameter front lens. For that it comes with a very big 110 mm long hood (Model EH-123) which turns this lens into an gigantic monster but it actually helps to keep contrast high in backlit scenarios.<\/p>\n