FD 100mm f/2.8 question

[mark_pierlot]

I'm wondering whether anyone knows what the coating is on the FD 100mm f/2.8

chrome nose. The Canon Camera Museum lists the subsequent FD 100mm as SSC, but

gives no information on the coating of the earlier lens. Also, does anyone

have any experience with the FD 100mm f/2.8 versus the New FD 100mm f/2? I

usually opt for the faster lens, but have an opportunity to get the older,

slower chrome nose at a very good price.

[SCL]

Photozone, in the lens survey section, indicates the f/2 is much sharper than the 2.8 wide open. Stopped down to around f5.6 the differences are negligible.

[awahlster]

The Chrome nose has S.S.C. Coating Canon just hadn't gotten around to using the S.S.C. as a marketing thing yet

 

The f2.0 is sharper wide open and maybe maybe a tiny tiny bit more at f2.8 But neither of us is good enough to tell by f4.0 and smaller.

 

I have owned a chrome nose the S.S.C. and nFD f2.8's and currently own the f2.8 S.S.C. and F2.0 nFD

[gordon_yee]

The information I have indicates that, of the original group of FD lenses introduced in 1971 with the F-1, only the two FD 50mm f/1.2 lenses (aspherical and non-aspherical) had the Super Spectra Coating. The chrome nose FD 100mm f/2.8 as well as all of the other original FD lenses are listed as having Spectra Coating.

[gordon_yee]

My reply should have read "the two FD 55mm f/1.2 lenses."

[awahlster]

MY bust in checking the 1971 Canon FD lens instructions I find Gordon is mostly right. He left out the 7.5mm f5.6 as also being listed as having Super Spectral Coating.

[gordon_yee]

Mark, my copy of the Canon F1 brochure dated 11/1970 shows the 7.5mm fisheye as having Spectra Coating. However, Canon's FD lens instructions dated 06/1971 (available on Christian Rolinger's site) indicates Super Spectra Coating for this lens. It's never been clear to me if (a) Canon changed the coating at some point before the SSC lenses were introduced, (b) the 11/1970 brochure is incorrect, or © Canon changed its mind and applied the SSC to the first generation of 7.5mm lenses.

[awahlster]

Well one way to look at it would be from the dates. The F-1 brochure was printed 7 months before the first version of the 7.5mm f5.6 came to market while the 6/71 FD lens instruction is from the same month the lens was released. I would assume the later printing would have the move up to date info.

[User_502260]

I have two chrome front 100/2.8 FD lenses and a black front FD SSC. You can tell just by looking that the chrome front lenses have an older amber colored coating. If you are not shooting right into the sun then either lens wil give good results. I have an 85/1.8 New FD, which I like. I don't know whether the 100/2 has any advantage over the faster 85/1.8 apart from the slightly longer focal length. As an available light lens for shooting subjects at a distance I think the 85/1.8 is fine. Any lens this fast will give very little usable depth of field up close when wide open. The extra speed can help you focus but the look of the tips of the eyeballs being in sharp focus while the rest of the image is out of focus is, in my opinion, overdone.

[mark_pierlot]

I ended up getting the early FD 100mm f/2.8 for a steal, and I'm glad I did: it's absolutely pristine. I'm still planning on picking up an FDn 100mm f/2 later (to add to my FDn 85mm f/1.2 L and FDn 135mm f/2), but for now I'll just enjoy using my first chrome nose...