Canon FD 135mm f2.0 wide open sharpness

[Attila]

Any experience ? Sharpness ? Bokeh ?

[hoanpham]

I have this lens. Sharpness is fine at f2.0. Bokeh is smooth.

f2.0 on nex5n:


It is big, but still lighter than zeiss cy 135/2, and can handle f2.0 if you must for low light.
135mm fits my use outdoor, but might be too long for indoor. And for outdoor usage, I don't always need f2.0.
I got this just few months before i got the zeiss cy 135/2, and have not extensively used as my other lenses yet.

To give you a comparison,
There are several other lenses that I know much better. When subject matters, I used to bring the lenses I know than the ones less known.
- zeiss cy 135/2 (mm version, heavy but awesome lens)
- pentax smc 135/2.5 and smc takumar 135/2.5, (awesome lenses too). Tak+5d/5dm2

And other than 135mm:
- zeiss cy 100/2
- nikon 105/2.5 ais, awesome lens too, sharp f2.5
- nikon 105/1.8 ais if low light really matters.

But this canon fd 135/2 is awesome for Brenizer which I posted earlier:





Full figure = 2 frames.

[Arctures]

Awesome portraits, hoanpham.

[cyrano]

1/1000 sec F2 Just a couple of lazy shots:

[Mr G]

Hi guys, have you any experience of the Vivitar 135 f2.3?, will be testing mine shortly, been a bit preoccupied getting my darkroom up and running again.

[Attila]

Many thanks!! Especially for summary and info vs with other lenses what I know.

[cyrano]

Damn fine lens IMO.

[vlousada]

The FD 135 f2 is an amazing lens... By far is MY BEST 135mm.

It was my first "serious" FD lens and the reason I build a nice set with FD lenses.
I got it EF converted so I can use it in 5D2 which a killer combo.
It has fantastic bokeh, nice rendition and great colors but a bit "cooler". It is sharp at F2 and razor-sharp from F2.8.

Comparing FD 135mm F2 with others "not as fast" 135mm I got
- Vivitar 135mm 2.3 S1: almost same height; more "bulky"; not as sharp;
- Takumar 135mm 2.5 V1: Tak is a bit smaler and lighter; Both are good lenses in all regards but FD (IMO) is other league!
- Contax Sonnar 135mm 2.8:Contax a bit lighter and very sharp lens with plenty of contrast. Colors so-so IMO...
- Olympus 135mm 2.8: Oly is a surprisingly little lens for 135mm f2.8... High resolution.
- Tair 11 + 11A 133 2.8: Tair has fantastic smooth bokeh and well balanced lens. Warm colors. Like it a lot.
- Preset Pentacon + Orestor 135mm 2.8: Bokeh also nice but too far from FD in other aspects..

[invisible]

Any idea of how the Canon FD 135/2 performs compared to the Nikon Ai 135/2?

[stevemark]

[SonicScot]

[stevemark]

Here are a few images taken with the nFD 2/135mm at f2. All images taken in Nov 2012 in Firenze (Florence)/Italy, using the Sony A900 DSLR with a glassless adapter (therefore limiting its use to a maximal focusing distance of about 1.5m). Interesting detail: Even though the A900 does not have any focusing aid in its viewfinder, focusing was not a problem due to the bright, large and very clear viewfinder of the A900.

First a detail from the Ghibertis Porta del Paradiso at the Battistero in Firenze (Florence):


Second image is a deatil showing an old door knocker, typical for the large front door at Italian palaces:


Now an almost surreal "portriat" image showing a mannequin in a shop window:


Old woman beggar, refugee from the wars in ex-Yugoslavia:


Street artist performing at the Piazza della Signoria near the Uffizi:


Rare portrait of one of the (then) last surviving partisans who had liberated Florence from the German Nazi occupation during the battle of Florence (Aug 11 to Sept 1, 1945). I took the picture during a public commemoration on of of the ancient bridges crossing the Arno river (probably Ponte Trinià). Looking into the eyes of this man - then already more than 90 years old - was a humbling exerience, and back then I would not have dreamt that similar fights would be necessary again, here in Europe, merely ten years later.


Finally two images from two small statues at the base of Cellinis "Perseus", made around 1550:




All images taken at f2.

S

[caspert79]

Very nice images and a very nice lens as well. Should have bought one 10 years ago…..

[stevemark]

[stevemark]

Detail from the photo of the street artist. 100% crop from the JPG out of 24 MP FF Sony A900.
Sadly, I errorenously have lost the RAW data of these images, but even the JPGs have lots of detail.



S