You should look here : http://fdreview.com/
and here : http://www.photozone.de/active/survey/querylenstxt.jsp?filter=%22brand=%27Canon%20FD%27%22
I advise you the 80-200L F4 (or maybe the 300L if you really need something that long)
I think the best relatively cheap lenses are :
FD 35 SSC F2 (Concave (down to F16) or convex (down to F22), they are both excellent) : around 150 USD
FD 50 1.4 SSC around 50 USD
FD 85 1.8 SSC around 50 USD
FD 135 2.5 SC around 50 USD
I personaly use 35-105 F3.5(around 70 USD) and 80-200L F4(around 200 USD) a lot (both with a Canon F1 and Lumix GH2) during daytime, because the quality is good enough for me, and I can do most of the photo I like with them. I think they are also good enough for video, when used as "multi-fixed focal length" more then zoom lenses.
I prefer the build quality of the older breech lock lenses to the newer nFD equivalent, but they are heavier, and apparently not optically better then the more compact nFD.
Something great with FD lens is that you can test a lot of lenses for cheap, and sell them if they don't suit you for the same price you paid for
@x_worpig_x Thanks, I've looked around thebay, however I have kinda boycotted them, plus I am in Japan anyways, so shipping is a bear. I actually was planning on going to Akihabara this week and doing a combo of shooting with VY Canis Majoris, and hunting down FD lenses, however it's been raining all week so the plans are on hold. I think I have an advantage here in Japan in that allot of people want the newest and best camera equipment, so older lenses can be pretty cheap at the right shop. However I think the humidity (mold) here is going to be the enemy and spoiler of many a good find.
@mee Check Ebay for cheap 50mm. There are tons.
I just picked up my first FD lens today from a local antique shop. It is a 100-300mm 5.6 lens with Macro. It is the pull slide kind very light (considering it's size) and everything seems to be working extremely smooth. It looked spotless in the shop but at home I can see the slightest haze inside. I am ok with it, but out of curiosity how much does it cost to get the lens serviced/cleaned, who should I trust to do it, etc.. ? It doesn't look like mold and is about as slight as a haze gets imho. Anyways I am excited all the same. Now I just have to wait for my adapter to get here. In the mean time I am keeping my eyes open for a cheap 50mm. With that one I am aiming for pristine.
I shot my first feature on a Sony HDCAM with a lens that had strong purple/green fringing, so I feel I'm pretty sensitive to it. I don't see it on any of my FD lenses.
Hey FD owners, have you found any problems with spherochromatism? Citing Ken Rockwell "This means that outlines of out-of-focus highlights are slightly tinged with green in the background, and with magenta if you have anything out of focus in the foreground."
Fast Voigtlander lenses have it in spades, specially full wide open. Once I find it it really bugs me, and not much people seem worried about it. Everybody seems much more worried about comparing the sharpness of flat frames, which might be important for photography, but I don't think it's that critical for HD video. If I get a fast lens it's because I want a nice shallow DOF, not a greenish background and a purple-ish foreground that I need to close a couple of (expensive) stops to correct...
So... How do fast FD lenses perform on chromatic aberrations and spherochromatism? I'm mostly interested on a fast 35, 50 and 85.
Thanks.
I had the Canon 50/1.2 SSC Aspherical, 85/1.2 and 135/2.0. I used to shoot those fast lenses around 1.8-2.8. I also like the Vivitar Series 1 28/1.9 and 135/2.3 (as well as the Takumar 85/1.9).
Does anybody know of Panagor lenses? I just bought one FD mount 35mm F2 for $35. I can not find much information. Is it a decent price, I think so? Maybe I will post some samples when it arrives if someone is interested.
edit UPDATE: jan 17th: (got it today. It looks brand new, in a nice leathery hard case a la 70:ties. Everything in mint condition. Original lens cap. Above what I expected. Has a nice sturdy feel to it. Focus pulling is going to be bothersome. Has long range, like canon FD 50mm 1.4). Further investigation made clear Panagor was the Kiron brand but for Europe. Some Nikon engineers decided to start their own company. I saw the same lens but for Nikon mount: 150 euro on ebay.:D Always nice to find a steal. Will wait till tomorrow to do some testing. Can upload a few clips, and a few photos.
$35 would otherwise give me (in Sweden) 1 Bic Mac Meal, 1 pizza, 1 pack of ciggies and 2 beers at the pub. :P I am happy... This lens will last me. FRAK it will even outlive me ha ha, if taken care of :D
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