Canon FD 35mm f2 SSC
- Thread starter BillN_33
- Start date
- Messages
- 8,067
- Name
- David
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Early FD glass is very popular with videographers- hence the price!
- Messages
- 5,391
- Name
- Lee
- Edit My Images
- Yes
35mm Yashica primes are just as bad....
Looks like I'm sticking with 28mm instead. And I've been looking for a 35mm for a while.
Looks like I'm sticking with 28mm instead. And I've been looking for a 35mm for a while.
OP
- Messages
- 12,839
- Name
- Bill
- Edit My Images
- No
£895 - that's asking a bit "much"
I thought all this model were concaved - but breach-locked were nice - much prettier to look at!!
(I'm sure I've still got mine, somewhere!!)
I thought all this model were concaved - but breach-locked were nice - much prettier to look at!!
Canon FD (breech lock) 35mm f2 S.S.C *NEAR MINT - CONCAVE* | eBay
Immaculate example of the sought after concave version of this amazing lens. Body is in excellent condition with only minor signs of use, focus is smooth, and the glass is free from any dust or marks.
www.ebay.co.uk
(I'm sure I've still got mine, somewhere!!)
Last edited:
- Messages
- 5,391
- Name
- Lee
- Edit My Images
- Yes
My Yashica ML range was perfectly acceptable on the A7. I've not used any on the A7Riii since getting that.
- Messages
- 9,040
- Name
- Rob Telford
- Edit My Images
- No
I have one that I use mostly on Sony A7-series bodies and occasionally on film.
I have owned mine for about 15 years. I certainly didn't pay £600 for it! It's earned its keep - I have made sales of photos with this lens that have earned my investment back several times over.
It's a nice lens, sharp enough with pleasant rendering and no complex distortion. Solidly-constructed with a breech lock mount like all the earlier FDs.
The thing that often gets people excited is the Thorium-doped glass on the concave-front element version, which is mildly radioactive. There's novelty value in that, but also over the 50+ years, due to the radioactivity, the glass takes on a distinct yellow tint.
This makes it fabulous for shooting with black and white film (the main reason I bought mine) as you effectively have a built-in yellow filter without the nuisance of a filter.
For digital use, it can be corrected well enough with a simple white balance adjustment, although I probably wouldn't use it like this for colour-critical work.
If you really don't like yellow glass in your lenses, leave the lens in strong sunlight for a few days and allegedly the UV knocks some subatomic particles back into place and make it clear again.
Some examples, with hundreds more here if you are interested.
Rose Morris by Rob Telford, on Flickr
Sandown Pier by Rob Telford, on Flickr
Flutes by Rob Telford, on Flickr
Jon Auer by Rob Telford, on Flickr
I have owned mine for about 15 years. I certainly didn't pay £600 for it! It's earned its keep - I have made sales of photos with this lens that have earned my investment back several times over.
It's a nice lens, sharp enough with pleasant rendering and no complex distortion. Solidly-constructed with a breech lock mount like all the earlier FDs.
The thing that often gets people excited is the Thorium-doped glass on the concave-front element version, which is mildly radioactive. There's novelty value in that, but also over the 50+ years, due to the radioactivity, the glass takes on a distinct yellow tint.
This makes it fabulous for shooting with black and white film (the main reason I bought mine) as you effectively have a built-in yellow filter without the nuisance of a filter.
For digital use, it can be corrected well enough with a simple white balance adjustment, although I probably wouldn't use it like this for colour-critical work.
If you really don't like yellow glass in your lenses, leave the lens in strong sunlight for a few days and allegedly the UV knocks some subatomic particles back into place and make it clear again.
Some examples, with hundreds more here if you are interested.
Rose Morris by Rob Telford, on Flickr
Sandown Pier by Rob Telford, on Flickr
Flutes by Rob Telford, on Flickr
Jon Auer by Rob Telford, on Flickr
Last edited:
OP
- Messages
- 12,839
- Name
- Bill
- Edit My Images
- No
Thanks Rob for some great info - I found mine and I must admit since I got it out and inspected it I have a headache coming on
woof woof
I like a nice Chianti
- Messages
- 39,826
- Name
- Alan
- Edit My Images
- No
I have the newer FD lenses rather than the breech lock ones but I do have a breech lock 50mm f1.8. I bought it mainly for the build rather than any optical quality.
I can see the appeal in these very well built older lenses but I don't think I'll be paying the prices that 35mm goes for. Good luck though to those who will.
I can see the appeal in these very well built older lenses but I don't think I'll be paying the prices that 35mm goes for. Good luck though to those who will.
OP
- Messages
- 12,839
- Name
- Bill
- Edit My Images
- No
Most Canon FD lenses are very reasonably priced - this one seems to be an exception for some reason or another - I'd like to try mine on the Zf but I just need to get an adapter, just cannot decide which!
- Messages
- 9,040
- Name
- Rob Telford
- Edit My Images
- No
If you want an FD 35mm the concave front-element SSC is the sharpest you can buy and at f/2 it's as fast as any that Canon ever made for a manual focus SLR.
As @Mr Perceptive mentioned earlier, video and cinema guys have discovered FD lenses in recent years and they have very deep pockets compared to stills photographers.
woof woof
I like a nice Chianti
- Messages
- 39,826
- Name
- Alan
- Edit My Images
- No
Funny if FD's are getting more attention than other makes. No offence to FD fans but I've always viewed them as also rans, competent enough but not the best for optical quality, build or appeal. Just my VHO.
The seller linked above is now offering a discount. Still a pretty high price though.
Last edited: