OLD FDs vs NEW FDNs for GH2? Got Confused!

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exttreem

Active member
Hi everyone!

I am just confused about this topic as I found an Old FD lens which is stated 'SSC' with rear white rim, in very good condition on ebay for $100.

And another I found is the New FDn lens with black rim in Very Good Condition for $130.

Now many said that there is no difference in the Look of these two. Maybe this is true, but my compare factor is mainly Sharpness.

How sharp these two lenses are if comparing Old and New?
Is the FDn is more sharper than old FDs?
Please share your Experience about the Look & Sharpness.

:dankk2:
 
The main difference you will find is in the lens coating. The FD lenses with the silver mounting ring came with different coatings, with the final version being SSC. When Canon went to the black ring, all their lenses received the SSC coating but they do not have the markings that the previous versions did. If you are buying the older versions, make sure they are marked as SSC. Otherwise, from my understanding, the optics are identical.
 
Well, somewhere I read on the web that FDn has much more sharpness than the Old FDs.
Is this really true? :undecided
 
I have a 55m F1.2 S.S.C and it is one of my sharpest lenses at about F1.4-F2.0. It is soft wide open but pretty much all lenses are at least a little soft at extremely wide apertures.
 
i've a few of each type...

35mm f3.5 (FD Breechlock) silver lock & nose (older)

28mm F2.8 (FD Bayonet) all black (newer)

i find the older 35mm Breechlock FD to be far sharper than the 28mm Bayonet FD at a similar F stop.

like mpgxsvcd i too have a Breechlock 55m F1.2 S.S.C and its beautifully sharp at 1.4+

i was told by the guy i bought the lens from who worked for canon in the 70's-80's and now refurbishes manual lenses that the older Breechlock 55m F1.2 FD was better than the newer L version of the lens.

altho the newer FD's are smaller, lighter and may have a better lens coating, the quality of the lens may not be visibly better.

the older Breechlock lenses without the S.S.Coating are more likely to encounter ghosting from a stray bit of light bouncing around.
 
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That means I have to drop my plan of buying new FD lenses, and buy Old lenses with White Ring?
both 28mm and 50mm?
 
I only bought a newer all-black 50mm f1.4 FD lens, because I prefer the 52mm filter thread size. It's just something to keep in mind before buying one with the silver ring...
 
I'm not even sure I would notice a difference image-wise between the older S.S.C and the newer ones. You can really go with the newer ones if that's what suits you better for whatever reason - no need to drop plans.
 
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