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Canon FD to EOS adapter?



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 4th 04, 05:43 AM
FrantzUnlimited
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Default Canon FD to EOS adapter?

I read or imagined reading about a new product for using Canon FD lenses on the
newer EOS cameras. Did I imagine this? Or does someone else remember reading
it or seeing it and where?
David Frantz
  #2  
Old May 4th 04, 08:17 AM
Jack-of-the-Dust
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"FrantzUnlimited" wrote in message
...
I read or imagined reading about a new product for using Canon FD lenses

on the
newer EOS cameras. Did I imagine this? Or does someone else remember

reading
it or seeing it and where?
David Frantz


Since the lens communicates with the body in the EOS, I should think that
such an adapter would by its very nature be either very limited in its
functions, or cost more than a new lens.
I have seen odd adapters years ago offering lens to body exchange, but they
were also limited in metering abilities.
And aren't the FD lens the ones that utilize the breach lock?
Sounds like a wistful imagination IMHO.



  #3  
Old May 4th 04, 02:32 PM
Michael Benveniste
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"FrantzUnlimited" wrote in message
...
I read or imagined reading about a new product for using Canon FD lenses

on the
newer EOS cameras. Did I imagine this? Or does someone else remember

reading
it or seeing it and where?


I don't know of a new product, but there were some in the 1980's. Because
of
the smaller register distance of the EOS, all either used optics or lost
infinity focus, and lost all automatic. For an example, see:
http://www.wildpicture.com/pages/pho...econverter.htm

--
Michael Benveniste --
Spam and UCE professionally evaluated for $419. Use this email
address only to submit mail for evaluation.


  #4  
Old May 5th 04, 02:59 PM
Budwich
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There are "two types" of adapters. One is a "cheap adapter" (made by a
number of "manufacturers") where you will lose "infinity focus", the other
is a very expensive one that only Canon produced and you don't lose
"inifinity focus" but it only works with mostly "L" series lens (which are
typically very expensive).


"Meghan Noecker" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 4 May 2004 09:32:48 -0400, "Michael Benveniste"
wrote:

"FrantzUnlimited" wrote in message
...
I read or imagined reading about a new product for using Canon FD

lenses
on the
newer EOS cameras. Did I imagine this? Or does someone else remember

reading
it or seeing it and where?


I don't know of a new product, but there were some in the 1980's.

Because
of
the smaller register distance of the EOS, all either used optics or lost
infinity focus, and lost all automatic. For an example, see:
http://www.wildpicture.com/pages/pho...econverter.htm


There is one being sold by a vendor on ebay. He claims it does not
lose infinity focusing. I'm not sure that I trust it, but I may try it
when I get a digital body. I currently shoot with teh T90, and I have
some really nice lenses for the FD mount. It would take me years to
afford the same lenses in autofocus. It would be nice to continue
using some of my best FD lenses will saving up the money to replace
them.


Meghan & the Zoo Crew
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com



  #5  
Old May 7th 04, 02:57 PM
Budwich
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In terms of the difference and the possibility of working with a digital
camera, it is there. Basically, the cheaper variety (in general again), are
just mechanical couplers that allow the lens to fit a body. What they do is
introduce space thus changing the focal distance. Digital cameras do this
with "normal lens" without the adapter (ie. the focal distance is changed)
because of how the camera and pickup are built. Thus, I "mis-stated" a
bit... sorry, I should have read your comment more closely. However, for
film body cameras, you will need the expensive adapter to use some FD lens
on an EOS film body camera. The expensive adapter has optics in it to
"adjusted" the focal distance. There is one cheaper model (third party) but
from comments else where it does not result in a very good picture because
of other "optical issues".

As for working with all lens on a digital body, I would think this is
probably OK as it is a mechanical adapter. The reason for the "restriction"
on the expensive canon adapter is that the lens element ( I think) in the
adapter get in the way of the rear of most non-"L" series lens... if I
remember the discussions in the past. Hope that helps a bit more.


"Meghan Noecker" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 05 May 2004 13:59:22 GMT, "Budwich"
wrote:

There are "two types" of adapters. One is a "cheap adapter" (made by a
number of "manufacturers") where you will lose "infinity focus", the

other
is a very expensive one that only Canon produced and you don't lose
"inifinity focus" but it only works with mostly "L" series lens (which

are
typically very expensive).


This is what I have read on the canon sites. The guy selling on ebay
has several, and I suspect they are the cheap kind. But when I asked
him, he insists that they do not lose infinity, and he is promoting
them for use with digital cameras.

I specifically asked him about the infinity focus and also if it
needed a different focusing screen. Also, if it worked with all lenses
as I believe they only work with lenses that have the recessed rear
lens.

I was not confident with his answers, but I may enquire again once I
have a digital SLR body.

I would love to be able to shoot wildlife with a digital camera, and I
have a wonderful 150-500mm/ f/5.6 that is great for that. But I cannot
afford the autofocus version.


Meghan & the Zoo Crew
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com



  #6  
Old May 7th 04, 09:09 PM
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I owned both Canon adapters at one time.

The glassless version acts like an extension
tube so most lenses loose infinity focus.
This would be the adapter to use for
wide-angle lenses, as DOF might still
get acceptable focus for infinity.

The other version has one or more lens
elements built into it. This allows
the lens to maintain infinity focus.
However, the adapter now acts like a
tele converter (I think it's something
like 1.1x or 1.2x). This also means
that some lens speed is lost (as with
any tele converter). I'm thinking
Canon recommended it for use with
telephoto lenses only, because they
may have corrected for longer focal
lengths. There is no protruding
element in the adapter to prevent use
on wide-angle lenses, but performance
would suffer.

Neither adapter fulfilled its promise,
and usefulness turned out to be rather
limited.

The main problem lies in the lack of
autofocus for the lens, conbined with
the lack of focusing aids on the focusing
screen (at least for the Rebel and Elan
families of Canon bodies and for the
entry level Canon DSLRs). If your FD
lens is not 2.8 or faster, the focusing
screen would be more or less dim as
well.

We are also talking manual aperture, so
the lens must be stopped down manually
prior to taking the photograph, and
then opened again for focusing the next
photograph.

Also, since those adapters aren't
exactly cheap, unless you have really
expensive FD glass, it would make more
sense to sell your FD equipment, save the
money you would have spent on the adapter,
and get yourself some EF gear for it.

Here are some "great value for money"
EOS lenses:

lens used new
EF 15 2.8 Fisheye $370-$420
EF 20 2.8USM $275-$350 $400-$450
EF 24 2.8 $170-$225 $270-$280?
EF 28 2.8 $100-$150 $160-$170
EF 35 2.0 $100-$175 $215-$230
EF 50 1.8 metal $ 65-$100
EF 50 1.8 II $ 35-$ 65 $ 65-$ 75
EF 50 1.4USM $240-$275 $290-$310
EF 50 2.5 Macro $165-$200 $240-$260
EF 85 1.8USM $275-$300 $320-$340
EF 100 2USM $275-$335 $370-$390



Lars
--
.~. Lars Michael
/V\
/(_)\
http://www.larsmichael.com/
^^ ^^
  #8  
Old May 10th 04, 09:09 PM
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Meghan Noecker wrote:

What I will do is buy a digital body and then one lens at a time.
Unfortunately, It will be a long time before I can replace my best
lenses. My 85mm f/1.2 lens is about $1200 used in the autofocus
version. So, I have to stick with manual focus to use that lens.


While there is a EF version of the 85mm/1.2 available, it
is not as good optically and with slower AF than the 85mm/1.8,
which is one of the lenses recommended earlier.

BTW, the 85mm/1.8 and the 100mm/2.0 are among the sharpest
lenses Canon has to offer, the 50/1.4 falls into the same
category.

Also, I love going to a nearby wildlife park, but I usually spent
$50-100 each time on film and processing. I have a great 150-500mm
f/5.6 lens. I've also got a nice 400mm f/5.6 that I can easily
handhold while on the tram ride. And I also have a nice 80-200mm f/2.8
lens. All of these have the recessed rear lens allowing use of the
1.4x teleconverter. These 4 lenses are the mainstay of my business.
Yet they are all pretty spendy, 2-3 times the cost of the manual focus
lenses, and that's used.


It sounds like you are not going to spend $4k to $8k to get a
Canon 1Ds or 1D mkII, so if you want to do Canon DSLR, you
are talking either a 10D, 300D, or a used D60 or D30. All of
these bodies have a cropping factor of 1.6, so you'll only
need 300mm of focal length to approximate the same angle of
view of the 500mm on your FD system.

I would say you have plenty of options even if you're on a
budget.

200mm/2.8 (equivalent 320mm FOV)
200mm/2.8 * 1.4 gets you 280mm/4.0 (equivalent 450mm FOV)
200mm/2.8 * 2.0 gets you 400mm/5.6 (equivalent 640mm FOV)

The 200 2.8L sells for $635 at B&H, and combined with the
1.4x ($280) and 2x ($280) it would exceed the capabilities
in speed and long focal length of your current 150-500 lens,
it would also get you a decent 450mm FOV at f/4 which is one
stop faster than your current 400/5.6. It does not quite
get to 700mm (150-500mm with 1.4x), but almost, and it is
a stop faster. So this $1200 set might replace the
150-500mm and the 400mm lenses, assuming that your use the
long end of your 150-500mm more than the short end (you
have the faster 80-200 for the 150mm range).

Alternatively, you could look at the 70-200/4L ($550)
plus 1.4x to cover 115-450mm FOV (115-320mm FOV at f/4
and 320-450mm FOV at f/5.6). This would set you back
$830, but it won't quite cover the same range as your
150-500mm.

The 80-200mm 2.8 would be more difficult to replace
(there is no 50-125mm 2.8 in Canon's lens lineup
which would replace your lens). One approach would be
to get a 50mm 1.8 ($75) or 1.4 ($295) combined with a
85/1.8 ($325) or 100mm/2 ($370) or 100mm/2.8 macro
($450).

The only not-so-expensive, but still usable zoom
lens that would could that range is the
28-135/3.5-5.6 IS lens ($394), but it is way slower
that what you are used to, although it offers image
stabilization.

I suggest you calculate how much your FD glass will
sell for, add $100 (for the FD to EOS adapter), and
I'm thinking it would be very close to paying for the
EF lenses suggested above (e.g. 50/1.8, 85/1.8,
70-200/4, 1.4x for $1230 new).

Lars
--
.~. Lars Michael
/V\
/(_)\
http://www.larsmichael.com/
^^ ^^
 




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