17mm F4 lens with extension

<p>Hello, I'm in the mood to try some wide angle macro shots with my FD 17mm lens which, unlike earlier breech-lock lenses, does not have a lever for locking down the aperture. The old Canon M5 is apparently the thinnest ring available, perhaps the thinnest one ever made for a 35mm camera. I've never handled any of the FD extension rings, so my question is, will the M5 enable me to stop down the aperture? Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>No unless you are using the lens on manual. Your going to be mm's from your subject.</p>

<p >I have a 5mm Canon close-up ring and no, you won't be able to operate the lens aperture on manual when using an FDn lens with this ring (I assume you have an FDn lens). The only way to operate an FDn on manual is to buy the Canon-made aperture thingy (plastic), or to fashion something of your own design that you place between the aperture stop-down lever and the body of the lens (far side of the groove the aperture stop-down lever). I've never tried this, but I've heard of people using a paper clip to make an FDn lens aperture operate on manual. Hope this helps.</p>

<p>I use a small piece of plastic, cut to fit, to control the diaphragm.</p>

<p>Stephen, could you show us a picture? I’d like to see fashion one too.</p>

<p>Maybe 30 years ago I recall being at a camera store and seeing literally hundreds of the Canon-made plastic aperture things in a drawer. They were in small, plastic bags. I should have bought a few dozen.</p>

<p>Yep, I figured it wouldn't be able to stop the lens down. I had one of those plastic things, but it got lost.</p>