What are the options to use FD-lenses with digital ?

[jarski]

Am Nikon SLR-user myself, but those fine Canon FD L-glasses that every now and then pop up in net auctions are very tempting. With Nikon, I would have to use adaptor with optical element in it (for infinity focus), which is a no-no for me. Same goes if one adapts FD to EOS body ?

New 4/3 cameras can be used pretty much all legacy glass, but in-camera crop is too severe (for me, am not looking for debate wether this crop factor is significant or not).

So are there viable digital options to use FD-lenses: moderate crop, modern sensor and affordable price. Are there other big brands besides Pentax available for the job, and how well does it fit into this picture ? thanks for your inputs 🙂

 

[Uwe_Nds]

AFAIK, there are no options apart from 4/3. That's why Canon FD-lenses are so cheap.
Are there FD-Pentax-adapters available?

Cheers,
Uwe

EDIT: the Canon FD registration is 42 mm, whereas Pentax K-mount's is 45.5 mm - so also no chance. :-(

 

[Steve M.]

Here's your best info on something like this

. Go to www.leitax.com. I am pretty sure you're out of luck w/ the FD lenses due to distance to film plane issues, but the early Leica R glass can be found at reasonable prices. Once you use the Leica optics the Canon FD, while good, won't do it for you. The other problem w/ using FD lenses is there is no way to actuate the mechanical lever to change apertures.

If you're dead set on using the FD glass I think you'll have to get an EOS body (for the same price or lower you can get the Leitax kit and a Leica R lens so I don't see the point on this, but you can do it). Go to fleabay and type in "AF confirm Canon FD lens to EOS" and you'll find an adapter w/ no optical element that focuses to infinity and lets you change the lens aperture in the camera's AV mode.

There may be other options but I'm not aware of them.

 

[FA Limited]

You can use FD lenses on EF cameras with an adaptor as well, but to be perfectly honest - the quality sucks. In order to get results worth even considering, you need to get the real Canon-made adapter, which is both pricey and rare. The cheap knock-offs are just crap.

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/fdlenses/fdeos.htm

 

[jarski]

If you're dead set on using the FD glass I think you'll have to get an EOS body (for the same price or lower you can get the Leitax kit and a Leica R lens so I don't see the point on this, but you can do it). Go to fleabay and type in "AF confirm Canon FD lens to EOS" and you'll find an adapter w/ no optical element that focuses to infinity and lets you change the lens aperture in the camera's AV mode.

thanks, didnt knew this adapter really existed. although I dont currently have any FD-glass, would be interesting to try some of them. perhaps using el cheapo old Digital Rebel and this adapter 🙂

ps. Leitax I know, and have adapted one Summicron-R using it:

 

[rxmd]

If you're dead set on using the FD glass I think you'll have to get an EOS body (for the same price or lower you can get the Leitax kit and a Leica R lens so I don't see the point on this, but you can do it). Go to fleabay and type in "AF confirm Canon FD lens to EOS" and you'll find an adapter w/ no optical element that focuses to infinity and lets you change the lens aperture in the camera's AV mode.

If it contains no optical elements, it will not focus to infinity.
If it focuses to infinity, it will contain optical elements and its quality will suck.

There is no other type of adapter, "AF confirm" or otherwise (if there is, please show, but it's a physical impossibility). People have been hoping quite hard that one exists, but unfortunately it doesn't.

If you spend lots of money, you can get a Canon adapter whose quality won't suck, but which will work only with about five very long, expensive and exotic lenses and act as an 1.27x teleconverter on them. Or the Canon Macro converter, which falls under the "no optical elements" category above and won't focus to infinity.

For FD lenses on a DSLR (EOS or otherwise) there is no other option.

The only other options currently are to use them on Micro 4/3 (crop 2x), or to use them on a digital rangefinder. With the Canon Lens Mount Converter B, you get a relatively cheap adapter for FD lenses to M39 Leica thread mount; with an LTM-M adapter you can put that on an M8 or an R-D1. You will only get scale focusing, and there will be a moderate crop (1.3 or 1.5 respectively), but the lenses will work. On an M9, they would work full frame.

 

[hans voralberg]

To sum it up, FD sucks on digital lol. You're most realistic bet is 4/3

 

[Prosaic™]

New 4/3 cameras can be used pretty much all legacy glass, but in-camera crop is too severe (for me, am not looking for debate wether this crop factor is significant or not).

Another option might be the Samsung NX. APS-C sized sensor without a mirror.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0903/09030201samsungnxsystem.asp

 

[jarski]

Another option might be the Samsung NX. APS-C sized sensor without a mirror.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0903/09030201samsungnxsystem.asp

yes, this camera has been rumored already when Panasonic came out with GH1. since then its been quiet, but this would indeed be one good alternative.

..first model of NX Series will be available in the second-half of 2009