Canon FD pride thread...because this board is too Nikon biased.

[farlymac]

My oldest brother was the Canon guy, while I usually had Nikons. Then a couple of years ago, I decided to gift him some Canon gear to replace what he lost in a house fire. Having been stuck with the leftovers (you know, sometimes to get a lens you have to take the body it's on, and vice-verse), I started using them. Now I've got several bodies and lenses of my own (Pellix, FT, FT-b, FT-bn, A-1, AE-1 Program, T-50, T-70 bodies with FL, FD, and FDn lenses).

Undoubtedly one of the quirkiest cameras I've ever owned.

Canon A-1 by P F McFarland, on Flickr

But I like it.

Gateway by P F McFarland, on Flickr

Mount Joy Manse 5 by P F McFarland, on Flickr

Haying Days Are Over by P F McFarland, on Flickr

PF

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

So you want Aston? You'll get Aston:

Great, thanks! Not being a particular expert on Astons, nevertheless, I think that's a DB4 as opposed to DB5 which has a somewhat more streamlined front. I'm not certain, but the presence of the bonnet scoop on this example may even signify that it's a DB4GT? In which case, a particularly desirable example. Personally, I always thought the DB6 Vantage was the pick of the bunch, but any of the DB series are gorgeous and desirable motors. Great pics.
Cheers
Brett

 

[Fixcinater]

I've gotten a few pieces of FD gear after a time spent on EOS digitals and an EOS 3.

I started out with my father's TX + breech lock 50/1.8 and while it now needs servicing, I'm thinking the money might be better spent on an F1 body.

Anyway, I've got the 24/2, FL50/1.4, FD50/1.4 SSC, FD70-210 for lenses and an AE1P, FTQL and A1 right now for bodies.

I also have a bunch of Canon adapters so I can use my Pentax or other M42 lenses on the FT, or the FD/FL lenses on my Canon 7 or M3. It's only really useful with the wides, though...being scale focus and all.

 

[Wulfthari]

Great, thanks! Not being a particular expert on Astons, nevertheless, I think that's a DB4 as opposed to DB5 which has a somewhat more streamlined front. I'm not certain, but the presence of the bonnet scoop on this example may even signify that it's a DB4GT? In which case, a particularly desirable example. Personally, I always thought the DB6 Vantage was the pick of the bunch, but any of the DB series are gorgeous and desirable motors. Great pics.
Cheers
Brett

Probably you are right, I'm not that great in AM lore.

Another Canon F-1 Old shot of a car:

 

[mfunnell]

Who says you need an EOS camera and EF lens to autofocus?

Who says you need an EOS camera and EF lens to autofocus?

Who says you need an EOS camera and EF lens to autofocus?





...Mike

 

[wakarimasen]

Looks like the sort of set-up Darth Vader would use 😱

 

[Wulfthari]

Who says you need an EOS camera and EF lens to autofocus?





...Mike

Congratulations! The T80 is an interesting camera, a pity that it's not repairable anymore, my tech tried to fix it one but he couldn't make it, but inside it looks very sophisticated...regarding the first lens, is the infamous FD autofocus zoom described in certain catalogues? I've never seen it before...does it work properly?

Now I assume it's time for another of my bad pics...taken with my FTb, FD 50 mm f1.4 S.S.C., YG filter and BW40CN:

 

[mfunnell]

regarding the first lens, is the infamous FD autofocus zoom described in certain catalogues? I've never seen it before...does it work properly?

Yes, I'm pretty sure it is that lens:

(please excuse the P&S photo with flash: it was the best I could do under the circumstances)

Yes, it does autofocus. But like the dancing bear, it's not so much that it dances well but more that it dances at all. The 35-70 equivalent for the T80 performs better and is smaller and lighter. (And, yes, even the EOS 650 and first-generation EF 35-70 outperform both.)

...Mike

 

[ronnies]

My small FD collection. The A-1 on the MA drive has been with me since 1981 and the FTb from not long after that.

Missing from the photos is the 28mm f/2.8, another 50mm f/1.8 and 35-105mm f/3.5.

Driven by F4ronnie, on Flickr

Canon AE-1 by F4ronnie, on Flickr

Canon FTb by F4ronnie, on Flickr

Canon A-1 by F4ronnie, on Flickr

 

[Bob Michaels]

Boot Hill Saloon - Daytona Beach Bike Week 1973

Boot Hill Saloon - Daytona Beach Bike Week 1973

High probability shot with the original mechanical F-1 and a Canon 35mm f2 lens as that was my standard gear back in '73

 

[dogberryjr]

Yeah, I guess I like the FD system.

A mess of Canon FD by dogberryjr, on Flickr

 

[Texsport]

I'm a piker compared to some of the dedicated FD enthusiasts here.

But my collection includes several of my favorite pieces of equipment:

FD Cameras - (2) T90 and (4) EF (Probably my main astrophotography 35mm camera - with Cinestill 800T film)
FD Lenses --- 24/1.4, 35/2 Radioactive, 50/1.2, and 400/4.5 ( + Vivitar 90/2.5 Bokina and 90-180/4.5 FF Macro)

+ Lots of digital and m43 adapters

Texsport

 

[Wulfthari]

Yes, I'm pretty sure it is that lens:

(please excuse the P&S photo with flash: it was the best I could do under the circumstances)

Yes, it does autofocus. But like the dancing bear, it's not so much that it dances well but more that it dances at all. The 35-70 equivalent for the T80 performs better and is smaller and lighter. (And, yes, even the EOS 650 and first-generation EF 35-70 outperform both.)

...Mike

Interesting...but from that era I've seen worst:

Of course all these designs that aimed to obtained a "self contained" focus in the lenses in order not to change mounting (Pentax ME-F, Nikon F3AS, T80, Chinon, Ricoh...) were all destined to fail, Minolta got it right.

High probability shot with the original mechanical F-1 and a Canon 35mm f2 lens as that was my standard gear back in '73

One of the best shots I've seen here!

My humble contribution for today: F-1AE, FD50mm f1.4, Portra 160.

 

[nikon_sam]

 

[Kiwijohn]

FL, FD, FDn.
The FX was a good score with one of the fastest SLR lens around at the time. A 35mm f2.5 is a bit better for landscapes.
Still trying to get an EF that works properly or make 1 good 1 from the 2 I have.
I'm up to about 6 T70s now, cheap & cheerful until the winder dies. Then just buy another on the bay. A 35-105 f3.5-4.5 is a useful allrounder for travels by bike, though my EF-M is much lighter. I think the FD lens is easier to focus though.

 

[Sid836]

 

[Benjamin Marks]

F3 tribute, F2 tribute, F6 tribute...sooner we'll get a Nikon Coolpix tribute.

It's time to bring some balance in the equation so if you have a "FD dead system" camera and pics you're welcome to post your gear and pics here, F-1s old and new, FTBs, A series, T series...whatever.

. . .funny. When I was a kid, the two cameras I lusted after were a Nikon F3HP and a Leica M6. Just never had any love for Canon, until the EOS cameras came out. And what an uproar did that cause . . . no backwards lens compatibility? Ugh. But, man was the design of those things slick. I briefly owned a Digi-Rebel and then a Canon 5D as a platform for my Nikon lenses, but then gleefully abandoned them when Nikon came out with a camera that performed well with legacy lenses and produced decent images over ISO 800. So, yeah. I've got the bias, and I have got it bad. 😉

Canon FD users: what are the star lenses of that line? Now that we can slap any old lenses that we want on our mirrorless wonders, I have been playing with (and loving) Konica's lens line. Man, what underrated glass! But I would love to pick the brains of the Canon-scenti. If you could buy one world-beating Canon FD lens, what would it be?

 

[Wulfthari]

Canon FD users: what are the star lenses of that line? Now that we can slap any old lenses that we want on our mirrorless wonders, I have been playing with (and loving) Konica's lens line. Man, what underrated glass! But I would love to pick the brains of the Canon-scenti. If you could buy one world-beating Canon FD lens, what would it be?

Actually I opened this thread and I wanted to call it "F1 tribute" but then I thought that perhaps a lot of people had other FD cameras like FTbs, A-1s, AE-1s, T series cameras etc...so a general FD thread would have been more welcome. It should be a thread about the cameras, not necessary the lenses, and BTW I assume the glass of most EFs is the same as FDns but they were just reworked for the system.

Personally on lenses I'm more a Pentax guy to be honest, but if I had to choose an emblematic FD lenses that would be the 85 mm f1.2 L, I think it's still the best of its class. The 50 mm f1.2L would also be a good choice but at the moment I have the standard lens that performs decently.

Among the ones I have I like very much the 58 mm f1.2 even if it's very heavy...at f2.8 the sharpness is this one:

Open wide it's something like this:

At f8.0 it's something like this:

In terms of cameras I seriously think the F-1N is the best SLR ever, and I also have a LX (second) and F-2 to compare (3rd place).

 

[Denverdad]

Great topic! Before switching to medium format film about 6 years ago, my Canon FD gear served me quite well. In fact FD has always had a special place in my heart, having received an A-1 and two lenses as my first "real" camera kit as a present when I was a young teenager. Although I have since sold off my FD bodies (the original A-1 and two T90's), I continue to enjoy and use many great FD lenses, thanks to adapters which allow using them with today's mirrorless digital cameras. Among my favorite images made fully with FD gear is this one:

Crystal Mill near Marble Colorado, from 2009 (Canon T90, 24mm f/2.0, Velvia 50)

Jeff
​

 

[Ezzie]

Understand why you like it Jeff, spectacular