FD adapters??

[diegoespinoza]

I was wondering if someone had tried using a FD lens on a newer digital model, the new Canons with EF, EF-S mounts, I've heard of adapters but don't know of anyone who actually has one. if someone knows who could tell me about it, quality, struggles, how reliable is it, anything.


thanks.

[inkista]

I've never used an FD adapter. General wisdom is it may or may not be worth it, since the adapter has to include a glass element and act like a very short teleconverter for the lens to achieve focus to infinity. Since these adapters are generally low cost, you're adding low-cost glass to your lens. Some folks get great results, others not so much. It depends on the lens you're adapting, your adapater, and how critical you are of image quality.

I have used manual focus lenses in the Contax-Yashica, Olympus OM, Nikon F, and Leica-R mounts with my Canon EOS dSLRs with simple adapter rings (these mounts do not need the glass element). The usability is less than you would get with an EOS lens, but the image quality can be very good. You obviously have no autofocus, and no aperture control from the camera, since there is no electronic communication between the lens and the body. What may be less obvious is that your EXIF information is going to be missing lens information: focal length, aperture used, max. aperture, etc. And that you will be using stop-down metering (i.e., the lens aperture will actually be stopped down while you work). This will make the viewfinder dimmer.

If you want to use FD lenses with a simple ring adapter, you either have to give up focus to infinity, or find a mount that's got a smaller sensor-to-mount-flange distance than the FD/FL mount did. In digital camera bodies, this would probably mean micro four-thirds, Sony NEX, or Samsung NX.

[OsmosisStudios]

The other, extreme option, is mount replacement. If the lens truly is a gem, it can be worthwhile to have the FD mount simply replaced with an EF one. This doesn't allow for autofocus, but it would allow you to use the lens on an EF or EF-S body. The downside: It's not cheap, and in many cases the lenses you'd be modifying may be worth more as collection items (in their native FD) than as actual working lenses on EF.

A friend uses an old FD 50/1.4 with a mount transplanted. The lens only cost him $25 and he had it re-mounted for something like $125 (all old, after shipping). In short, he got a $150 Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 to work flawlessly on his 5DmkII.

[diegoespinoza]

well, I got an adapter for an old M42 Pentax lens that I already have this is a faster lens it goes to f1.8, I figured since it was only $7 for the adapter and I own the lens already I will try it out once it arrives and let you guys know.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by diegoespinoza

well, I got an adapter for an old M42 Pentax lens that I already have this is a faster lens it goes to f1.8, I figured since it was only $7 for the adapter and I own the lens already I will try it out once it arrives and let you guys know.

M42 and FD are VERY different. You CAN adapt an M42 lens with just an adaptor ring; FD isn't the same

[diegoespinoza]

oh yeah, that is what I did, instead of investing on a FD lens an d adapter, I just bought the ring since I already own the M42 lens, gonna try that for now.