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FD lenses on EOS: is this normal?
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 7:52 pm    Post subject: FD lenses on EOS: is this normal? Reply with quote
I've picked up a few FD lenses to play with on my 5D, and I also needed to source an FD-EOS adapter.

I'm hugely disappointed with the results.

I'm so used to a focus-confirm chipped M42 adapter and the EBay adapter I've sourced for the FD is not only non-chipped but also has a glass element as well as taking care of the metalwork issues in the different mounts.

Whilst I could hold my hand up to some operator error on focus I don't believe that it's necessarily all down to me. I'm getting enough sharpness through the viewfinder to know I'm about right but at all kinds of focal lengths the focus is simply not there, together with what I'm calling soap bubble bokeh. See for yourselves.

The lenses - Canon FD 50mm in f/1.8 and f/2.0 and a Sigma-Z 135mm f/2.8 look okay to the naked eye, the new FD-EOS adapter also looks good to the naked eye.

The results are just so... so... rubbish. If I thought that this was all I could achieve with an MF lens I'd walk away now.

So, I kinda blame the adapter but where do I go from here with FD lenses?

Canon 50mm f/1.8


Here's the Sigma taken with the Canon f/2.0


Taken with the Sigma 135mm


And lastly with the Canon f/1.8: whilst I quite like the effect here, it isn't what I saw through the viewfinder and, frankly, it's not something I'd want to recreate every day.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The reason is the adapters lens.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ZeiEizh wrote:
The reason is the adapters lens.


And the solution is?

Please?


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I am really do not like writing this;

the solution is conversion Wink

tf


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
trifox wrote:
I am really do not like writing this;

the solution is conversion Wink

tf


Oh I suspect that you Laughing did.

I've sent an enquiry through your website.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ok, ultimate solution is the conversion, but your samples are not well. It goes better with adapter indeed, but depending on the lens and glass adapter

For example

http://forum.mflenses.com/canon-fd-f4-80-200l-t24781,highlight,rolf.html
and here
http://forum.mflenses.com/fd-glass-adapter-canon-fd-to-eos-t25259,highlight,rolf.html


Results will be better with longer focal lengths > 100 mm

BTW can recommend 100 % trifox´s conversion

Wink


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Gotta love the way Canon looks after its customers. All those expensive FD lenses and nowhere to go.... Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad


patrickh


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, it is (was) a shame, but that was 20 years ago. So nothing new.

You can use the FD lenses perfect with m4/3 for example, problem is still FD to EOS. That makes really no sense. And conversion - if you can´t do it by yourself - is so expensive, that it is only worth for few "special" FD lenses.

And for these few lenses you have to pay today so much money that at the end of the day it is better to buy an actual EF lens in good used condition.



Wink


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rolf wrote:
problem is still FD to EOS. That makes really no sense. And conversion - if you can´t do it by yourself - is so expensive, that it is only worth for few "special" FD lenses.

And for these few lenses you have to pay today so much money that at the end of the day it is better to buy an actual EF lens in good used condition.

Wink


Takes all the fun out of it doesn't it - unless you use a Nik.. body it seems Laughing

I'm determined that my MF lens interest will remain with prime lenses only and when the cost is not the same as an EF L lens.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
patrickh wrote:
Gotta love the way Canon looks after its customers. All those expensive FD lenses and nowhere to go.... Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad


patrickh


You hold a long grudge! 23 years... Surprised

All those Minolta MD lenses. All those Contax/Yashica lenses (had they stayed in the camera business, their autofocus line was not compatible with the C/Y mount...)

There are also many many little gotchas with mixing and matching Nikon lenses and bodies from various eras.

About the only company that's really succeeded in keep compatibility is Pentax.

One nice thing about obsolete lens mounts is that you can pick up nice Canon FD and Minolta MD kits for next to nothing and keep right on shooting film.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
****One nice thing about obsolete lens mounts is that you can pick up nice Canon FD and Minolta MD kits for next to nothing and keep right on shooting film.****

Hear Hear.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
tikkathree wrote:
Takes all the fun out of it doesn't it - unless you use a Nik.. body it seems Smile

Using a Nik body is possibly making the problem worst Smile : the registration distance is even longer than EF.
Rolf wrote:
Yes, it is (was) a shame, but that was 20 years ago. So nothing new.

You can use the FD lenses perfect with m4/3 for example, problem is still FD to EOS. That makes really no sense. And conversion - if you can´t do it by yourself - is so expensive, that it is only worth for few "special" FD lenses.

And for these few lenses you have to pay today so much money that at the end of the day it is better to buy an actual EF lens in good used condition.
Agree, sad but true.

Excalibur wrote:
****One nice thing about obsolete lens mounts is that you can pick up nice Canon FD and Minolta MD kits for next to nothing and keep right on shooting film.****
Definitely the cheapest solution.

As a side note someone even succeeded in modifying an EF body, for the bravest and not faint hearted: http://www.colorbroken.com/subdermis/canonFD60.html
Not something I would try with last generation bodies...

Cheers, M.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excalibur wrote:
****One nice thing about obsolete lens mounts is that you can pick up nice Canon FD and Minolta MD kits for next to nothing and keep right on shooting film.****

Hear Hear.


+1 film is so nice , so pleasant to use.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
All your unloved FD mount lenses will be looked after, cared for and fed at the Casual Collector's Home for FD Orphans. Send me a PM and I'll reply with the shipping address. Your equipment will enjoy a life of warm sunny weather and whispering palm trees.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
trifox wrote:
I am really do not like writing this;

the solution is conversion Wink

tf

+1


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
So, it would appear that for the better FD lenses, the ones which cost more money, mount conversion is a viable option. For the rest it's a case of finding the best adapter. Let's hear it for your favourite FD-EOS adapters please?


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
You can, of course, get adapters FD to EOS which have no lens, but don't allow infinity focus. For the longer focal lengths, this might not be too much of a problem?


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
martyn_bannister wrote:
You can, of course, get adapters FD to EOS which have no lens, but don't allow infinity focus. For the longer focal lengths, this might not be too much of a problem?


Yes Martyn, that's pretty much where I am now - other than saying goodbye to FD lenses and cutting my losses and interest. But, in the world of MF lenses wouldn't that be a great pity? Rolling Eyes


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
martyn_bannister wrote:
You can, of course, get adapters FD to EOS which have no lens, but don't allow infinity focus. For the longer focal lengths, this might not be too much of a problem?

Due to the design of the long telephotos it might be possible to reach infinity without a glass, by means of altering the infinity stop. This is also depending largely on thickness and design of the adapter.

Cheers, M.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
martyn_bannister wrote:
You can, of course, get adapters FD to EOS which have no lens, but don't allow infinity focus. For the longer focal lengths, this might not be too much of a problem?


Even with longer focal lengths you can have only few meters, so that is not a question of getting infinity or not - you will not reach 10 meters.

Wink


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, I've bought yesterday a 100-300 f FD 5.6. As new. Never been opened.
I removed the mount and is ready for conversion. It would be interesting to photograph the steps?
Greetings


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
tikkathree wrote:
martyn_bannister wrote:
You can, of course, get adapters FD to EOS which have no lens, but don't allow infinity focus. For the longer focal lengths, this might not be too much of a problem?


Yes Martyn, that's pretty much where I am now - other than saying goodbye to FD lenses and cutting my losses and interest. But, in the world of MF lenses wouldn't that be a great pity? Rolling Eyes


I thought the great pity was common knowledge...


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 2:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It would be interesting to photograph the steps and more interesting to see the resulting images, but make sure you have a firm plan in place before any butchery begins Wink

Stan (member Trifox here) and his man did the conversion of my FD 1.2/55 S.S.C. to permanent EF mount, and did an amazing job - I didn't have the tools, patience or courage to do it myself Embarassed

francotirador wrote:
Well, I've bought yesterday a 100-300 f FD 5.6. As new. Never been opened.
I removed the mount and is ready for conversion. It would be interesting to photograph the steps?
Greetings


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
martyn_bannister wrote:
You can, of course, get adapters FD to EOS which have no lens, but don't allow infinity focus.

And you get FD-EOS-adapters that produce much better results than the ones shows here.
Make sure you have a coated lens inside and don't take the cheapest adapter. Wink


PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Firstly I'd get an Canon FD camera to use those lovely FD lenses with and secondly Canon did produce an adapter to use FD lenses on EOS camera's BUT --- alas they are like rocking horse poo and when available bloody expensive
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