Opinions on the Canon FDn 300mm 4.0 "non-L"?

connloyalist · Joined: 22 Jul 2020 Posts: 345 Location: the Netherlands

When googling "review Canon FD 300mm 4.0" pretty much everything discusses the L version. The only thing I can find is the mir.com.my overview of all the FD 300mm lenses (https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/fdlenses/300mm.htm)

Any opinions on the standard, "non-L" F4.0 version? It is quite a bit cheaper and also somewhat easier to find.

Regards, C.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

I owned the new FD 300mm f/4 for several years and used it a lot. It was not without its problems, but once I understood what they were, I was able to modify the way I used it, to excellent results.

The big problem with the plain 300mm f/4 is chromatic aberrations. In situations where there is bright sun and hard lines, CAs abounded. The hard lines in the frame had lots of magenta and green fringing. So I learned not to use it in these sorts of environments. Now, this was when I was shooting slides, so nowadays, with some good post processing software, the CAs can be reined in. In fact, in the photo below, some green and magenta fringing is still evident.

I found sharpness and contrast to be excellent, even when shooting with the lens wide open.

Canon F-1, Canon nFD 300mm f/4, Kodachrome 64

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 4041 Location: Switzerland

connloyalist · Joined: 22 Jul 2020 Posts: 345 Location: the Netherlands

Sorry for not responding sooner.

@cooltouch: that is a beautiful picture!

I didn't really plan on becoming a lens collector, it just kind of "happened" Wink

Actually I consider myself more of a lens explorer: it is not my goal to collect every specimen of a particular series. I tend to buy lenses that are either useful to me (I use manual focus lenses almost exclusively), or that pique my curiosity. I rarely exceed 200 euros when buying a lens; in other words I don't own anything really valuable in that regard.

I currently own three 300mm lenses:
- Canon nFD 300mm 5.6
- Tokina preset 300mm 5.5 in EXA mount
- Tokina tele-auto 300mm 5.5 in M42 mount

The older Tokina preset is in my opinion better that the (slightly) later tele-auto version. The preset is longer (physical length of the lens), but weighs about 100 grams less than the tele-auto and my example is also optically better that the tele-auto I own. The Canon nFD 300mm 5.6 is smaller and lighter than both of them but optically the Tokina 300mm preset gives it a run for its money.

I was considering picking up a 300mm that is a bit faster even though for me this takes the weight into tripod-only territory. Another candidate besides the Canon is the Olympus OM 300mm 4.5. Price wise, looking at what 300mm 4.x "non-L" lenses go for I suspect I would end up somewhere between 200 and 300 euros.

Regards, C.

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 4041 Location: Switzerland

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

I forgot to mention in my earlier post -- there's a zoom that reaches 300mm that is well worth considering.

The Tokina AT-X SD 100-300mm f/4. This is a very sharp optic and is the sharpest zoom I own that reaches out to 300mm (I own four, including a Canon and a Nikkor ED).

The AT-X SD 100-300 can often be found for well under your $200 price ceiling. Well worth considering.

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 4041 Location: Switzerland

I've just been comparing a dozen or so 300mm lenses, mainly f4 and f4.5:

As you can see there are a few pretty nice ones, such as the Canon FD 2.8/300mm Fluorite, the Nikkor Ai 4.5/300mm "non-IF", and the Pentax M* 4/300mm as wll as the later F* 4.5/300mm IF-ED, and the Mamyia CS 4/300mm.

Sadly the weather conditions were not favourable; too much haze and slightly changing light. I therefore do not publish the results; I rather will wait until the weather conditions are acceptable.

However, I can say that my nFD 4/300mm IF performs sligtly inferior to my nFD 5.6/300mm, and that my FD 2.8/300mm Fluorite performs a bit better than the nFD 5.6/300mm IF. That said, lenses such as the Mamiya Sekor C 5.6/300mm ULD or the ED Nikkor Ai 4.5/300mm "non-IF" are visibly better than the Canon FD 2.8/300mm Fluorite.

I'll publish images as soon as the weather becomes stable again.

S

EDIT - from left to right:

Canon nFD 5.6/300mm
Canon nFD 4/300mm
Canon FD 2.8/300mm Fluorite
Mamiya Sekor C 5.6/300mm ULD
Nikon Nikkor AiS 4.5/300mm IF-ED
Minolta Rokkor MD-II 4.5/300mm IF
Konica Hexanon AR 4.5/300mm
Olympus Zuiko OM 4.5/300mm
Mamiya Sekor CS 4/300mm
Pentax M* 4/300mm
Pentax F* 4.5/300mm IF-ED
Nikon Nikkor AiS 4.5/300mm ED

marcusBMG · Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Posts: 1318 Location: Conwy N Wales

A very fine collection there Steve, look forward to seeing your results.

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 4041 Location: Switzerland