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Canon FD 1.4 50mm S.S.C.
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:17 pm    Post subject: Canon FD 1.4 50mm S.S.C. Reply with quote

Hi folks

Just picked this little beauty up cheap:



What I'm wondering is how good this lens is and if it's worth getting it converted to EF mount for my EOS.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is the same lens I recently acquired for $44 with hood including shipping.

You can see my comparison of it to my Minolta 50/1.4 in this post:

http://forum.mflenses.com/canon-50-1-4-vs-minolta-50-1-4-t41305.html


PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 10:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Ron, I didn't know if the one you tested was the same or not.

That thread confuses me a little, but it seems that this lens is pretty sharp wide open, better than the others you compared it too, is that a reasonable conclusion?

Have you explored the other qualities such as bokeh, contrast etc?


PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ian, my conclusion was that the Canon was sharper than the Minolta from centre to the right and that the Minolta was marginally less sharp in the same areas but uniform across the field. I bought the Canon for low light situations where I historically have been using the Minolta hoping to find a better alternative but now I am conflicted.

Perhaps I just have a bad copy, it would be nice to see if you get better results wide open.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Might be a while before I can test mine as I'll need to have it converted to use on my EOS.

Thanks for the input!


PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Same thread here is my test, posted twice the last 6 weeks:

dnas wrote:
Here's something I posted about a month back:

The Canon is better than the Minolta.


dnas wrote:


Which Canon FD 50mm F1.4 do you have? FD or FD SSC or new FD?

Here are some tests I did:


Center:
Canon FD 50mm F1.4 SSC. Center at F1.4:


Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm F1.4 Center at F1.4


Minolta MC Rokkor 50mm F1.4 Center at F1.4


Minolta MC Rokkor 58mm F1.4 Center at F1.4




Corner:
Canon FD 50mm F1.4 SSC. Corner at F1.4:


Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm F1.4 Corner at F1.4


Minolta MC Rokkor 50mm F1.4 Corner at F1.4


Minolta MC Rokkor 58mm F1.4 Corner at F1.4





And corner at F4:

Canon FD 50mm F1.4 SSC. Corner at F4:


Minolta MC Rokkor 58mm F1.4 Corner at F4



Notice the complete lack CA on the MC Rokkor 58mm F1.4 at F4.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:00 am    Post subject: Re: Canon FD 1.4 50mm S.S.C. Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
What I'm wondering is how good this lens is and if it's worth getting it converted to EF mount for my EOS.

Or get an FD mount camera. I love my AE1.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Would it not have been easier to purchase an M42/Olympus/Nikon/PK lens instead? Surprised


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 1:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, the lens has arrived and it's not in very good condition. It looks good but upon closer inspection there is a load of fungus around the edges of the rear element and the front element has a lot of scratches.

I could live with those issues but the real problem is the aperture - it doesn't work at all. The ring clicks smartly as it should but there is no sign of the blades moving,

So I can only use it wide open. I'll try it like this but it looks like I bought a piece of junk.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 1:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Well, the lens has arrived and it's not in very good condition. It looks good but upon closer inspection there is a load of fungus around the edges of the rear element and the front element has a lot of scratches.

I could live with those issues but the real problem is the aperture - it doesn't work at all. The ring clicks smartly as it should but there is no sign of the blades moving,

So I can only use it wide open. I'll try it like this but it looks like I bought a piece of junk.


That's a shame abut the fungus and scratches. As for the apeture you do have it mounted don't you?


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, I don't have an FD body and my FD-NEX adapter hasn't arrived yet.

I've tried moving the aperture lever at the back and that doesn't do anything either.

I just gave away the other FD mount lenses I had so I have nothing to compare it to.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

on original FD lenses, aperture doesnt move if you don't attached it to body.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let's hope that's the problem then. The Canon FL 2.5/35 I also have didn't need to be mounted for the aperture to work but that is a totally different lens design from 20 years earlier.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 6:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check the 4th post down:

http://photo.net/canon-fd-camera-forum/00T60A


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tried that, makes no difference.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How much did you pay for it??


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

20ukp.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 10:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dnas wrote:
How much did you pay for it??


iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
20ukp.


Hmmmm...... that's a pity.

I live in Japan, and I could have gotten you a nice prime condition one for around 40ukp.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 11:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is a pity. I'm hoping I can fix this one. If not, I'll have to choose another 1.4/50, not necessarily a Canon.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 11:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's too bad Ian, mine was no price either but much better than yours. We take our chances on eBay & sometimes we get lucky.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I have had far more good luck than bad so I can't grumble. I might be able to repair this lens, I will certainly clean the fungus out of it, not looking forward to dismantling it to clean it and look at the aperture.

The Yashica ML 2.8/35, Konica Hexanon AR 1.8/50 and Pentacon 2.8/135 I bought at the same time are all mint so it's not the end of the world!


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 1:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That lens is not so difficult to fix.

Unscrew the front ring. Then unscrew the front lens group. You can then get at the aperture blade assembly.

Whatever you do, don't go in through the back!!!!! You will get a million tiny ball bearings everywhere, and you won't be able to re-assemble it!!!


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 1:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dnas wrote:
That lens is not so difficult to fix.

Unscrew the front ring. Then unscrew the front lens group. You can then get at the aperture blade assembly.

Whatever you do, don't go in through the back!!!!! You will get a million tiny ball bearings everywhere, and you won't be able to re-assemble it!!!


Thanks for that tip, I was planning on going in through the back!

Just wondering how I'm going to get the back element(s) out as that's where the fungus is.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get the front off first. Often the fungus is on the aperture blade side of the rear element group. You can get to it through the front and clean it.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 4:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks.

I think the aperture is broken. When the mount ring is in the unmounted position the aperture lever doesn't move when you move the aperture ring.

When I move the mount ring into the mounted position the aperture lever moves back and forth as I move the aperture ring, but no sign of the aperture blades.

So I am pretty sure the aperture is broken.

I'm not sure I want to try fixing it myself, might just pass it on to someone who feels competent enough to repair it.