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55mm 1.2 AL vs 55mm 1.2 Aspherical


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I posted this on the last post, but not many are reading it anymore-

so here it is here. I know the AL version came out in 71 and the

Aspherical version was I think 73 or 74. Besides the AL being the

more collectable version, what is the real difference between these

two lenses optically? Why is the AL version more collectable or

listed as possibly being better? They're both aspherical lenses.

 

My benchmark for quality as I have it now is the nFD 50mm 1.4 lens.

I'd like to see how these f1.2 lenses fair against it. Any opinions

welcome.

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The AL was handmade and hand fit the Asperical marked version was a more production version as Canon learned how to better grow the aspherical elements rather then grinding them from raw crystals. The first version is also rarer and older both tend to make an item more valuable.

 

Optically you would never see a differance.

 

If you want to know how the 55mm f1.2 Al or Aspherical compares to your f1.4 you will have to conduct the test as sample and time induced variations in individual samples would make anyone elses test immaterial.

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"Optically you would never see a differance."

 

That's just what I wanted to know. I hear the coatings may be different though. One person commented the 55mm asphericals beat out the 50mm 1.2L even. Not sure if that is true, but these 55s seems to have a good reputation.

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The AL and the ASPHERICAL 55mm's usually make it back to Japan or other Asian markets. At least thats what I've noticed on ebay usa over the last 7 years. The first two breechmount versions always trade higher than the bayonet mount L.

 

A fellow FD'r had both for a bit: Aspherical and L and he kept the Aspherical. He mentioned the earlier version Aspherical was leica~like when compared to his L.

 

Lindy

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According to the Canon Camera Museum Website, the Aspherical version came out in March '75. As far as I can see, it weighs a few grams less. Molded aspherics didn't come out till the mid '80's so the older aspherical elements needed to be ground and then manually figured. I understand that by then, Canon figured out a way to mechanize the figuring.

 

I picked up one of these which was built in '79 for a song. I have made some great (to me) images with it. Compared to the new FD 50 f/1.4, at larger apertures it has an smoother rendition with more fine details showing. The new 50 just doesn't resolve the shades and details as well as the 55. I have an image shot at f/1.2 where my silhouette is clearly visble in the reflected sparkle of one of my twins' eyes.

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The AL version is an early chrome nose lens with a gold trim ring similar to the red ring of an L lens. It also has a specially marked "55 f/1.2 AL" blue striped front cap, equally as rare. Its filter ring is made of brass, for chrome plating purposes, hence the difference in weight over the SSC version. Both lenses in question are SSC coated. The price will almost certainly be higher for the chrome nose AL version as it is more collectable, especially overseas.

 

"as Canon learned how to better grow the aspherical elements rather then grinding them from raw crystals."

 

Sorry Mark but this information is embarrassingly incorrect. While true the aspherical element of the AL lens is hand ground and the lens is hand assembled the difference has nothing to do with growing crystals. It is the Fluorite elements where Canon pioneered the technology to artificially grow. Aspherical Elements are standard formula crown/flint glass and the word Aspherical describes the lens's shape as not being a true and constant radius. These element do not focus light at one specific spot as spherical elements do. This eliminates flare and corrects all types of aberrations at maximum aperture which ultimately decreases distortion and increases contrast and resolution.

 

Eventually Canon developed a technique to machine grind this revolutionary element. With the increased precision of machine grinding hand assembly was no longer necessary and at this time the lens was renamed to SSC Aspherical.

 

It may be true you personally may not see an immediate difference between a standard lens and an aspherical element containing but there will be a difference, even something as simple as your portrait's ear being the true and correct shape and of the appropriate size. These are the things that you may not be able to put your finger on but will give more professional results. Here is the link to an FD 50 f/1.4 versus 55 f/1.2 SSC Aspherical test you are looking for;

 

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/japan/CanonFD/FD50.html

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At least the price was reduced form the initial version (AL chrome nose: 145.000 yen), SSC-AL (147.000 yen) to SSC-Aspherical (80.000 yen) probably due to a better cost-effective way of manufacturing. I never read there is any difference in lens design or performance. In the same time the spherical 1.2/55 rised from 39.000 to 50.000 yen according to Canon Camera Museum. In comparison: NewFD 1.2L/50mm was 90.000 yen, 1.2L/85mm about 110.000 yen (probably export prices were higher than domestic; 300 yen=1 USD then).

 

The Chrome-Nose 1.4/50 was just 22.000 yen. Thios is a very sharp lens. I just manage to get a late 1.2/55mm Aspherical, but I seriously doubt it will be 4x as good.

 

Maybe todays collectors prices represents their initial market price, and rareness more than their actual difference in terms of design and performance.

 

cheers, Frank

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  • 11 years later...

There are actually THREE different versions of the 55mm F1.2 AL / Aspherical lens. These correspond with the three different version of breech ring FD lenses. All three have the same optical formula

 

The first version had the "chrome nose". The aperture ring had a green "o" for auto exposure (which was only possible at the time this lens was made if one had an F-1 with the Servo EE Finder), and there was no locking of the aperture ring when set on "o". The breech ring could be turned freely, there was no locking detent on the ring. This 55mm had blue AL letters on the barrel front and a gold line around the front of the barrel. It had SSC coating but it is not marked. These were made up to around early 1973.

 

The second version, made from 1973 to around 1976 or so, had black nose (complaints about flare, etc led both Canon & nikon and well as others to make the front of the barrels black). This version has SC or SSC as appropriate for the lens coating. The aperture ring still had a green "o" but there was a chrome button that one had to push to put on the lens on or to take the lens off of "o". The breech ring now had a locking detent to prevent the ring from turning unless one put a cap on or put the lens onto a body. The breech ring was also spring loaded to turn slightly to aid in getting the lens mounted. The 55mm Aspherical still the blue AL and the gold line, but also added the SSC letters on the barrel.

 

The third version changed the green "o" to an "A" and the chrome aperture ring auto lock release went from chrome to black. This change was probably made to match up with the nomenclature in the new A-series bodies. This third version also used plastic front barrels in a few of the lenses, most notably the FD 50mm F1.8 SC. The 55mm Aspherical lens no longer had the blue AL or the gold line but the word "ASPHERICAL" in gold lettering before the red SSC letters.

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There are actually THREE different versions of the 55mm F1.2 AL / Aspherical lens. These correspond with the three different version of breech ring FD lenses. All three have the same optical formula. The first two versions had hand ground and polished aspherical elements. The third version had machine ground and polished aspherical elements.

 

The first version had the "chrome nose". The aperture ring had a green "o" for auto exposure (which was only possible at the time this lens was made if one had an F-1 with the Servo EE Finder), and there was no locking of the aperture ring when set on "o". The breech ring could be turned freely, there was no locking detent on the ring. This 55mm had blue AL letters on the barrel front and a gold line around the front of the barrel. It had SSC coating but it is not marked. These were made up to around early 1973.

 

The second version, made from 1973 to around 1976 or so, had black nose (complaints about flare, etc led both Canon & nikon and well as others to make the front of the barrels black). This version has SC or SSC as appropriate for the lens coating. The aperture ring still had a green "o" but there was a chrome button that one had to push to put on the lens on or to take the lens off of "o". The breech ring now had a locking detent to prevent the ring from turning unless one put a cap on or put the lens onto a body. The breech ring was also spring loaded to turn slightly to aid in getting the lens mounted. The 55mm Aspherical still the blue AL and the gold line, but also added the SSC letters on the barrel.

 

The third version changed the green "o" to an "A" and the chrome aperture ring auto lock release went from chrome to black. This change was probably made to match up with the nomenclature in the new A-series bodies. This third version also used plastic front barrels in a few of the lenses, most notably the FD 50mm F1.8 SC. The 55mm Aspherical lens no longer had the blue AL or the gold line but the word "ASPHERICAL" in gold lettering before the red SSC letters.

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I have a pair of 55 Asphericals: the 55/1.2 AL SSC (a beautiful piece!) and a later 55/1.2 SSC Aspherical. The difference between them is easily seen through a viewfinder: the former's glass has browned substantially, while the latter remains very clear. I have also seen 55/1.2 SSC Asphericals which were almost beer bottle brown...seriously. So whether Canon made a running change in glass formulation or these anomalies are related to slightly different trace elements content (like thorium) I do not know, but to me the second theory seems more likely.

 

It's interesting to read Leica expert Erwin Puts' comparison of the top standard lenses done some years ago. When all was said and done, he called Canon's FD 55/1.2 Aspherical the best of the best!

Edited by rick_janes
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I have a pair of 55 Asphericals: the 55/1.2 AL SSC (a beautiful piece!) and a later 55/1.2 SSC Aspherical. The difference between them is easily seen through a viewfinder: the former's glass has browned substantially, while the latter remains very clear. I have also seen 55/1.2 SSC Asphericals which were almost beer bottle brown...seriously. So whether Canon made a running change in glass formulation or these anomalies are related to slightly different trace elements content (like thorium) I do not know, but to me the second theory seems more likely.

 

It's interesting to read Leica expert Erwin Puts' comparison of the top standard lenses done some years ago. When all was said and done, he called Canon's FD 55/1.2 Aspherical the best of the best!

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Not just trace elements, apparently these are RADIOACTIVE thorium glass element(s) in this lens, just like the concave front element FD 35/2. Unless bleached by UV light the degree of yellow to brown darkening corresponds to degree of radioactivity. SO as an act of kindness I would be willing to take the darker lens into protective custody for a mere $100 USD (g). Seriously be careful. There may be gamma radiation involved.
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Thorium is a very common terrestrial element in soil and rocks. Its most abundant isotope is Th-232 (comprising 99.98% of all natural thorium) and with a 14 billion year half-life you'd have to be a very patient man to see a given atom of it decay. I think the most exciting gamma in its decay chain to stable lead-208 is a 2.6 MeV gamma sometimes emitted by thallium-208. But in the greater scheme of things...not very scintillating!

 

Some years ago I would undergo periodic whole body counts to determine if I'd ingested any radioactive materials at work, and my trace always showed a very healthy potassium-40 spike! Yep, that's from the daily banana! Tasty, but again not very exciting.

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  • 1 year later...
I have a 55/1.2 SSC Aspherical, with yearcode O800 (1974) and lensnumber 55208. It looks like its the second version, the aperture ring has a green "o" and a chrome button, but on the front of te lens is the gold-yellow 'Aspherical', no blue AL code and no goldline. ( The suncap is all metal with code B S-58 ) It is not as Yellow as my 35/2 concave.
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  • 4 weeks later...
I have a 1978 July S709 55/1.2 SSC Aspherical and mine has the so called 'clear glass' as they were described by some of the USA dealers. My button is black and has a green 'A'. I wrote down that my serial # for that lens was 119708, on a separate piece of paper when the lens was packed away, but I must check it again as my other aspherical lenses are just 5 serials, not 6, both built in 1977.
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  • 4 weeks later...
I did check the serial # on my clear-type lens and it were correct. Perhaps the clear glass 55/1.2 SSC Aspherical lenses were given a new serial # to differ the older ones, who knows. I checked on Ebay recently and found their were about 10 for sale which varied from #19242 (blue AL) through #76663 (warm) to #136258 (clear).
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  • 4 months later...
I just noticed that there are 3 or 4 different FD55mm f1.2 AL lenses for sale on E*** (through Australia) at the moment. I wrote the serial numbers of 3 of them and forgot the 4th one, if anyone is interested. One seems a very earlier one. No, I can't and won't, at @ $6,000 USD with shipping plus GST. Interesting though.
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