Canon FD lens video sample

A

alaskacameradude

Veteran
OK, I've been pretty busy lately, but I wanted to post something for everyone who has had questions about
using old Canon FD lenses on the FS 100. I have bought a few of them off ebay, great prices on them in general.
They seem to work very well with the FS 100 in my opinion. I personally really like the look, but others may
not. This particular video was shot with a Vivitar 28-90mm F2.8 that I bought off ebay for $70. I put a
step up ring on it and used my Heliopan. Because the lens is bigger and heavier than the stock lens, I got
a cheap rails/lens support/sunshade option off ebay for $80. This is what the rig looks like

IMG_0196.jpgIMG_0197.jpgIMG_0201.jpg

Anyways, this combo works really nice. I am a little spoiled by the kit lens range, and wish the FD lens was both
a little wider and a little longer (a 20-100 F2.8 lens would be TERRIFIC, but I doubt they exist for any reasonable price).
That being said, this was the best ranging 'fast' lens I could find.....and to be honest, it's quite good. I am now officially
a ebay addict as I search around for hidden 'gems' in the FD mount. Again this video was shot entirely with the 28-90 F2.8.
It's a typical test video, nothing too exciting, but you can get an idea of what an FD lens might look like as it is all entirely
ungraded.....I didn't even fix exposure. If I messed it up when shooting, it stayed that way (mostly because I'm pretty busy shooting
and editing for clients right now) so nothing was touched up at all. Here's the video link:

http://vimeo.com/33798772
 
I can't swear to it, but I think so. I know the aperture ring remains at F2.8, if it does lose any light it is hardly noticeable, as you can usually
see the 'ramping' with your eye as the exposure changes as you zoom in. I am not a lens expert or anything, but it was on ebay as a F2.8 lens.
Pretty nice lens in general, seems like a useful range from 'kinda' wide to 'kinda' tight.....I like it even if it is an old school 'telescoping'
type lens.
 
Update.....I JUST received an F1.4 50mm FD lens about 2 minutes ago. OMG it is just amazing. If you have a chance to shoot with one,
I am telling you, give it a try. I think it will be my 'default' interview lens. And I'm NOT a person that traditionally likes primes,
but, the image from the 50mm 1.4 is just stunning.....
 
I'm about to buy a 28-85mm f4 from the Canon FD range, looking forward to it, you'll definitely enjoy the 50mm f1.4!
 
LiamR said:
I'm about to buy a 28-85mm f4 from the Canon FD range, looking forward to it, you'll definitely enjoy the 50mm f1.4!
Click to expand...

You aren't kidding. It's really nice....another $70 special. I've been impressed with the condition of the FD lenses I've
been getting. There must be a lot of photographers out there who had FD lenses and took really good care of them.
 
alaskacameradude said:
You aren't kidding. It's really nice....another $70 special. I've been impressed with the condition of the FD lenses I've
been getting. There must be a lot of photographers out there who had FD lenses and took really good care of them.
Click to expand...

Yep, we have to stop talking them up so much or else people will catch on and increase the price.... -_-
 
LiamR said:
Yep, we have to stop talking them up so much or else people will catch on and increase the price.... -_-
Click to expand...

It's already happening, my first one was $20, my last one was $70. Please forget everything I said, FD lenses totally suck, modern
lenses are much better and everything I've shot has actually been with $30000 PL mount glass. Move along folks, nothing to see here...
:laugh:
 
Kraut69 said:
Is that lens F2.8 at 90mm?
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I think that lens, if it is a Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm, is a f2.8 -3.5. I really like the Vivitar Series 1 zooms, I have a 70-210mm and a 28-105mm. They are both in the f2.8 to 3.5 range. Their lenses were highly regarded when they were introduced in the 1970's and were considered innovative lenses in the quality to cost department. The did make some compromises in their design to deliver high quality optics. They are not parfocal and are not constant aperture. I swear through, with the 70-210, even though I know it is not a true parfocal, in quick testing, it came very close. I want to try it some more.

The Vivitar zooms were manufactured in different mounts, most of which work on the FS100. I bought mine with Nikon F mounts, just to stay consistent with the Nikkor prime set that I have. I do want to pick up some Canon manufactured FD lenses and try them also, from images I have seen posted, they look pretty good. There doesn't seem to be fast wide FDs, that I can find, and I have noticed that the price is starting to go up as well.

EDIT: The Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm lenses has a very good macro function and can be purchased in a varied of lens mounts very inexpensively. I believe I paid $35 for mine in early 2010. The 28-105mm might also have a macro function, but I have not checked. It is a bit more expensive. I got it a couple of months ago and paid about $110 in Nikon F mount.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivitar

http://www.robertstech.com/vivitar.htm

Here is the Wikipedia page on FD lenses. There does seem to have been a 20mm f2.8 made.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_FD_lens_mount
 
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Any of you tried the FD 50mm 1.2? Is it really worth the extra money over the 1.4?

I've spotted both on a local 2nd hand site. The 1.4 goes for around 178 and the 1.2 for around 350. Don't see how the 1.2 would deliver an image that is twice as good as the 1.4.
 
legrevedotcom said:
Any of you tried the FD 50mm 1.2? Is it really worth the extra money over the 1.4?

I've spotted both on a local 2nd hand site. The 1.4 goes for around 178 and the 1.2 for around 350. Don't see how the 1.2 would deliver an image that is twice as good as the 1.4.
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It looks like there are two versions of the 1.2 -- one of them is an "L" (Luxury) series lens, which would have a red stripe on the barrel. The "L" version would have higher-quality optics.

Not sure about the non-L 1.2 vs. the 1.4, except that from a web page I found, it is apparently newer, so there may have been some refinements?


Here is what I found: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/fdlenses/50mm.htm
 
L lenses are Canons top of the line . They even had L series lenses in the FD days. If you ebay search type in FD L and you'll see primes and zoom L's with the red stripe on the barrel. Whether they are better I haven't seen any definitive proof.
 
Just found a guy willing to sell me that 20mm 2.8 for 125 including the leather pouch (that got me straight away :P)... Anyways, I'm a gear freak, so I'm inclined to think that this price is still ok given that it's in full functional condition.
 
legrevedotcom said:
Just found a guy willing to sell me that 20mm 2.8 for 125 including the leather pouch (that got me straight away :P)... Anyways, I'm a gear freak, so I'm inclined to think that this price is still ok given that it's in full functional condition.
Click to expand...

If that lenses is in good shape, that is a good price. I have been looking around on eBay and it looks like the going price is north of $250.

Here is the Ken Rockwell review of that lens, well, a version of the lens anyway.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/20.htm
 
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