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Canon FD 100mm f/4 macro
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2022 9:47 am    Post subject: Canon FD 100mm f/4 macro Reply with quote
Quite a nice performing lens, which can be obtained for little money. Some first images, all hand held:

canonfd100mmf4DSC00010 by devoscasper, on Flickr

canonfd100mmf4DSC00011 by devoscasper, on Flickr

canonfd100mmf4DSC00022 by devoscasper, on Flickr

canonfd100mmf4DSC00023 by devoscasper, on Flickr


PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2022 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The FD group had some fairly nice lenses.
Nice frames, and the color is very good as well. Like 1

-D.S.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2022 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have a copy of the Canon nFD 100mm f/4 macro and I'm a big fan of it. Great sharpness, color, and contrast with few, if any, CAs. Here are a few pics taken with my Sony NEX 7 @ ISO 100. All shots were handheld.

Cherry blossoms


Pink azaleas


Yellow hibiscus


PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2022 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm curious how it behaves as a portrait lens.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 2:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've used macros as portrait lenses before, and they're fine as long as the subject doesn't mind counting the pores in their skin and every mircro-wrinkle and tiny freckle.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 9:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It looks a sharp lens with great bokeh.

For portraits, I prefer sharp lenses; you can easily blur a sharp image, but the reverse is not so easy.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks simply excellent. What were the aperture settings if you come to remember? Is is good wide open?


PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 7:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
lumens pixel wrote:
Looks simply excellent. What were the aperture settings if you come to remember? Is is good wide open?


First image is f/4, the others f/8. It takes really solid images @f/4 I noticed.


PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 11:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I was most likely shooting at f/8. This aperture gives a bit of depth of field with macro shots and doesn't knock down the shutter speed such that shooting handheld is a problem.


PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have been looking at the Canon FD 100mm/4.0 macro off and on. My understanding is that it is very front heavy? Those pictures look excellent!

Regards, C.


PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I just balanced mine on my fingers right now, and I'd have to say it's evenly balanced with close to a 50-50 weight distribution, when set to infinity. This probably changes somewhat when the lens is fully extended. Now, if you attach the FD 50 extension tube (for 1:1 reproduction), then yes, it is front heavy.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2022 7:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
connloyalist wrote:
I have been looking at the Canon FD 100mm/4.0 macro off and on. My understanding is that it is very front heavy? Those pictures look excellent!

Regards, C.


I think it balances nicely on my A7R2.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2022 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
caspert79 wrote:
connloyalist wrote:
I have been looking at the Canon FD 100mm/4.0 macro off and on. My understanding is that it is very front heavy? Those pictures look excellent!

Regards, C.


I think it balances nicely on my A7R2.


There are two versions of this lens, the earlier "FD and the later "new FD". At least the earlier "FD" version is quite abit larger and much more front heavy than e. g. the Minolta MC/MD 4/100mm Macro. At infinity, the MC/MD 4/100mm Macro is slightly better (no astimatism wide open). Both have very little CAs. I don't know the Nikkor 4/105mm yet, but a nice looking copy is on its way.

S


PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2022 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
caspert79 wrote:
connloyalist wrote:
I have been looking at the Canon FD 100mm/4.0 macro off and on. My understanding is that it is very front heavy? Those pictures look excellent!

Regards, C.


I think it balances nicely on my A7R2.


There are two versions of this lens, the earlier "FD and the later "new FD". At least the earlier "FD" version is quite abit larger and much more front heavy than e. g. the Minolta MC/MD 4/100mm Macro. At infinity, the MC/MD 4/100mm Macro is slightly better (no astimatism wide open). Both have very little CAs. I don't know the Nikkor 4/105mm yet, but a nice looking copy is on its way.

S


Please don't tell me there is another MC 100mm Macro I need to buy Wink ; I thought the cross-over model was the MC/MD 3.5/100, and all f/4 versions were MD... ?

That first MC-II 3.5/100 Macro is already a monster; I can hardly imagine the earlier "FD" would be even bigger than that, although I'm sure you are right if you say so!

EDIT: just saw an on-line image of the FD; that might indeed just beat the Minolta to the top spot as far as size is concerned!


PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2022 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
caspert79 wrote:
connloyalist wrote:
I have been looking at the Canon FD 100mm/4.0 macro off and on. My understanding is that it is very front heavy? Those pictures look excellent!

Regards, C.


I think it balances nicely on my A7R2.


There are two versions of this lens, the earlier "FD and the later "new FD". At least the earlier "FD" version is quite abit larger and much more front heavy than e. g. the Minolta MC/MD 4/100mm Macro. At infinity, the MC/MD 4/100mm Macro is slightly better (no astimatism wide open). Both have very little CAs. I don't know the Nikkor 4/105mm yet, but a nice looking copy is on its way.

S


That's about my experience with these lenses, the MD 100 mm f/4 is slightly better wide open in the corners at infinity than the FD 100 mm f/4 but as soon as the diaphragm is stopped down to f/5,6 they are about equal. In fact, the earlier FD is not larger than the latter but much longer and heavier and thus very front-heavy. On the other hand, the front lens is shielded against stray light by the front barrel which functions as a lens hood while the later version needs an additional BT-52 to protect the front lens. Recently, I acquired a "beater" copy (clean lenses though) of the Nikkor 105 mm f/4 and I'm quite impressed by its sharpness wide openness which seems to be about as good as the sharpness of the Minolta MD. And I really like the retractable built-in lens hood.
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