Black Breechlock Rings?

In his book "Canon A Celebration", author Brian Long mentions the factory producing a quantity of breechlock lenses with black-finished

locking rings (instead of chrome) during its transition to New FD lenses. The black rings were an aesthetic update to help boost sales of this older inventory. Has anyone here ever seen one of these? It's an interesting little oddity, if true!

<p>Nope, just aftermarket ones. Just looking at my collection, I have a couple of Vivitars and a Tamron AD2 mount that have black rings. I've never heard of these black-ringed Canon FD lenses. Something to keep one's eyes peeled for, though. They might have collectible value some day, if they don't already.</p>

<p>I been around Canon stuff since the AE-1 came out and I have never seen a black locking ring. I've owned well over 150 Canon made FD mount lenses over the years. And I have been the moderator here for hmmmm a long time LOL. Been on various and multiple Canon FD related forums And I want to say this is the first time I think anyone has even mentioned the idea.</p>

<p>I could be out of touch.</p>

<p>There was a black breechlock FD lens on eBay a few weeks back. I think it was a 55/1.2. I never saw one before and did a double-take when I first saw it. Definitely unique. </p>

<p>Jim, I saw that one too. I thought it had been painted since I'd never seen one before.</p>

<p>There are some Vivitar lenses which were made in both silver and black color rings. </p>

<p>I looked, admittedly rather quickly, and didn't find any mention of black lock rings in either Skopec's <em>Canon Manual-focus...</em> or in Shell's <em>Canon Compendium</em> (Hove).</p>

<p>BTW, typically Shell calls it a "breach-lock". The correct word is as spelled here-"breech-lock", I think ( http://www.gingersoftware.com/english-online/spelling-book/confusing-words/breech-breach )</p>

<p>Looking quickly through the images at the <a href="http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/lens/index.html">Canon Museum</a>, I also don't see any black rings...</p>

I looked back and found the black-ringed FD 55/1.2 on eBay...it's a chrome-nosed non-SSC marked lens, which makes

me skeptical that it's authentic! Inventories of that earliest FD 55 should've been long gone by the time New FD lenses

were marketed...but who knows? It could also be a repair bench special, "customized" during service with non-original

parts (or paint)

 

Keep your eyes peeled, gents.

<p><a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-55-mm-f-1-2-F-1-2-F1-2-1-1-2-50mm-f-1-2-1-1-2-FL-FD-Lens-Mint-Condition-/111035649599?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item19da3d8e3f&nma=true&si=V7%252B5vv1ydeikNYfWyzXtYlmU7c8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557">Here</a> it is.</p>

<ul>

<li>My interest in Canon cameras began in February 1972 when I received my FTb with its FD50mm f/1.4 chrome nose lens. I have never owned nor even seen any Canon made breech lock lenses with breech rings finished in black. All Canon made breech rings I've seen are chrome plated brass. This includes all of my Canonflex R and FL lenses as well.</li>

<li>The lenses being offered by the seller on eBay with black breech rings do not look original to me (chrome nose FD55mm f/1.2, FD50mm f/1.4 SSC, FD50mm f/1.8 SC). In fact, all of these offerings appear to have been refinished to some extent. The breech rings appear to be chrome plated under the black paint. The "Canon" on the ID rings were painted white on all lenses that I've seen, never yellow. I've never seen an "S.C." lens with the SC painted in any color other than white. On all FD breech lock aperture rings, the focal length and AE setting ("A" or the "green circle") are always painted green, not yellow as on the chrome nosed FD55mm f/1.2 nor red as on the FD50mm f/1.8 SC lenses being sold. The build code on the chrome nose FD55mm f/1.2 is L1104, or November 1971. No way is the black finish on the breech ring factory original. Also, his claim that his non-aspherical chrome nose FD55mm f/1.2 has thorium glass is dead wrong.</li>

</ul>

<p>Brian Long didn't write his book alone. He relied on both Hiroyoshi Kawana and Shinichi Tenno, of Canon, to supply historical information.</p>

<p>Canon very well may have produced a small number of black breechlock rings that ended up on a limited amount of lenses. The fact that I haven't seen one in the flesh doesn't mean they don't exist.<br>

<br /> Whatever, it definitely makes for interesting conversation.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Gordon, you have a perceptive eye. I just pulled out my chrome nose 55/1.2 to confirm what you mention. The shape of the breech-lock ring on the f/1.2 lenses is different from others, and it's the right shape, just the wrong color. I too suspect it was painted enamel black for some reason.</p>

<p>Just a side note about the description you attribute to the seller, it isn't the sellers description. This is a description that eBay inserts -- the one with the mention of the thorium glass, that is. The seller cannot edit this content. I have found in the past that these eBay descriptions are often rife with errors. So getting it wrong regarding the thorium glass doesn't particularly surprise me. I've even felt compelled to point out the eBay description errors in my own description of the item I was selling. So, just so's ya know and all . . .</p>

 

<p>Michael, you're right, the thorium reference is in the canned eBay description. I'm aware that such boilerplate is available to sellers. I just had the mistaken impression that the seller had customized it for his own use.</p>

<p>Jim, I don't have Brian Long's book. Does he provide any photos or attribute his information about factory made black breech ring lenses to his Canon contacts? Even if they do exist, I personally would not place any added value on such lenses unless they have some other unique or special features.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Jim, I don't have Brian Long's book. Does he provide any photos or attribute his information about factory made black breech ring lenses to his Canon contacts?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Jus that Shinichi Tenno was his go-to man for anything related to Canon's history. One assumes that Tenno, who works for Canon, reviewed what Brian Long wrote before it was published.</p>

<p>You'd have to contact Brian Long if you want more information. Try the publisher, The Crowood Press. </p>

<p>Hmm ... very suspicious offer, I think. Also the lens cap does not look like an original FD lens cap to me, seems more like an EOS lens cap what with the silver print that stands out.<br>

The breech lock ring looks very much like the one used by Vivitar, as if the Vivitar breech lock had been transferred to the Canon lens, but why on earth do that? The seller does not brag about it having a unique breec lock ring, so what's the use?</p>

<p>The lens cap shown with the FD 55mm f/1.2 is indeed a Canon EOS E-58 cap. However, the seller does not claim that it nor the generic cap for the FD 50mm f/1.8 SC to be the original ones. He does correctly describe the cap for the FD 50mm f/1.4 SSC to be the original Canon cap.</p>

<p>On the fifth picture you can compare the finish on the aperture ring with the finish on the breech locking ring. The finish below the orange dot on the locking ring looks hand painted compared with the finish on the aperture ring. Also the paint on the locking ring looks as if it is wearing through to the chrome in places on the ridges.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"I too suspect it was painted enamel black for some reason." <strong><em>Michael M.</em></strong></p>

</blockquote>

<p>I agree, close inspection of the magnified images proves it.<br>

<strong>Lipstick on the pig</strong> maybe?</p>

<p>The sample pic that the seller has on the ad is even stranger than the lens lock :)</p>

<p>I suspect it's been painted, and hopefully they took the chrome off first. Looks nice tough. Not one of my favorite lens mounts anyway. Effective, but unnecessarily complicated. Just putting a lens cap on the rear is not "normal".</p>

<p>I have to chime in with my two cents. First word that comes to my mind is bogus ! The price is too high for the seller not to have mentioned how "rare" the black breech mount is as opposed to the silver. Just too rare for the seller not to mention SOMETHING about the mount. If it's legit hes missing a good selling point. And apparently Mr. P T Barnum-with-the-seemingly-bogus Canon lens is still trying to match the lens up with a sucker with deep pockets. Good luck, but as we know, there's a sucker born every minute. He might sell it. I say we all bombard his e mail and ask him about the black mount and see how he handles it.</p>

<p>Notice the 'gold' lettering of the focal length (55mm) and the 'o' normally green on these lenses. This seller is also selling an FD 50mm F 1.4 SSC and a new FD 50mm F1.4 similarly 'done up'<br /> Here they are:<br>

<br /> SSC listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/111012311824<br>

nFD listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/111048306522<br>

The SSC has the black breech ring and gold CANON lettering on the front ring, but has the normal green 50mm and A on the aperture ring. The new mount has the same gold CANON lettering on the front and on the feet scale & focal length as well as a gold A.<br /> <br />I think these have all been altered, and not by Canon. That's because he sold a similar nFD 50/1.4 earlier that I noticed. This one had a six digit serial # (210053) and a T date code while the one currently up for sale has a serial 3,162,180 with the SAME T608 date code !!!<br>

Here is the listing of the sold one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/111010324497 <br>

The FD 50/1.8 SC is here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/111055208036 It is similarly suspicious, I mean Red lettering on the aperture ring and a RED 'SC' ???? I don't think so.</p>

<p>I believe there is some serious fakery going on here.</p>

<p>He's calling these out as rare 'Gold Edition' and I'm seriously considering reporting them as forgeries.</p>