Going to FD

[lazybird]

Hello!

 

I'm going to buy FD system soon. A question about lenses. Sure

enough, the 50 f/1.4 will be the first one. Then I need something

from portrait range -- what would you recommend me, that costs around

$100 or so? Babies will be shooting a lot, and very fast babies at

that! :o) While exploring Canon's lens range I've found 3 candidates -

- 85mm f/1.8 (1.2 seems to be very expensive for me), FD100mm f/2.8

(don't know about price and availability of f/2 version) and 135mm

f/2.8 (there was f/2.5 version, right?). What I've missed? May be I

should look for a zoom?

 

Then about T-70. I fear, but T-90 will cost about $500 for me -- too

much. Will I have an ability to control aperture on T-70 as it only

has a shutter-priority future? Does it display it at all?

 

Thank a lot!

[s2vach]

the t70 looks like a piece of junk to me. get an a1 if you wanna go cheap, it has ap priority and shut priority.

[michael_butler1]

The FD 100mm f/2.8 is a fine lens and in your price range. Make sure you get

one that doesn't have any fungus or oil on the diaphram blades. Also make

sure that the focusing barrel moves smoothly and the aperature ring

click-stops the way it should. The 85 and 135mm lengths will probably cost

you a little bit more.

 

I never used the T70, but I got the impression it was designed as a point,

focus, and shoot camera with several programmed exposure modes. It does

have a manual exposure mode, however. And the companion 277T

Speedlight might be more convenient for your portrait photography.

 

The AE-1 Program or A-1, although less technologically advanced, would

give you more control over your photography. The old EF and FTb were solid

Canon cameras, too.

 

here's a URL that may help you.

 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/t7

0/index.htm

 

Cheers,

[GerrySiegel]

You can't do better than a used Canon A-1,(was the top of the

A line and still performs aperture,shutter,stop down, the works,and still servicable) and the 100mm f 2.8 is not bad bargain for portraits,more easy to find than the 85mm. You can get a low cost winder,about $80.00 to fit the A-1 too,add that to the list if you go that route. You can live without the zoom for now. I did that for many years. Think budget,always buy within budget then sell and upgrade,right. T90 is much nicer but double the price of a used A-1,very nice if you can swing it though,they are coming down in price if you get lucky. Start with two lenses and see how it goes. Profound basic advice,but that's all I got today. You can make money with an older FD system and get happy customers. Isn't that a nice feeling,Sergey?

[billballardphotography]

For what you're looking for, I have to agree the A1 is a much better choice over the T-70.

 

As far as lenses go, I shot many fine portaits with the 85 f1.8 and the 100 f2.8.

 

Best regards -

[canon man]

If you can't afford a T90 then get an A1 then look for a power winder. You can genaerally find an A1 with winder in a package on ebay for 200 bucks it will be a fine camera for toying around. try looking into third party lenses such as Tamron If anything gets better with time it is optical technology. The owner of the camera shop in my town bought a Pheonix 100 macro and says he loves the images he gets. I guess they're pretty sharp and contrasy and Pheonix lenses are pretty inexpensive. They must be pretty good seeing as how Frank is a picky son of a gun when it comes to Photgraphy. If cost is the issue that would be your best bet.

[lazybird]

Thank you guys, I will think about A-1 (instead of T-70). :)

The only thing that troubles me (a bit) is the battery -- I don't know will I be able to find it here, in Russia.

 

I've looked to the http://mywebpages.comcast.net/starka/CanonFD_ebay2.htm page and have found out that 135 f/2.8 can cost about $100 -- right? It's OK if the price will be a bit more. What is the better choice between 100 f/2.8 and 135 f/2.8 -- or the difference is only in focus lenght (and I should buy both :)?

[lazybird]

The winder for A-1 -- what batteries it is using?

[lee_brand]

Hi. 4 x AA penlights - either 1.5v or 1.2v re-chargeable.

[GerrySiegel]

A-1,still a fine machine,never has gone out of style,doesnt have fancy metering, but good solid centerweighted metering,bright finder,bright finder readout, Sergey,it uses a common 6 volt small silver oxide or alkaline,your choice (PX 28 is one number) battery. Bunch of cameras were designed around it I do believe and I think you will find it in Russia I am confident and if not,import it in from Germany(Varta name comes to mind) wherever/ have someone abroad in school mail you couple. One silver oxide will last as long as a year- the camera electronics were that efficient you know. The winder takes ordinary AA cells. Read up on the A-1 on the Malaysia web site. Tells all about it. Get one that has had the mirror mechanism lubricated, its the only thing that seems to dry out after 15 years,but not a tough fix either. Good luck. T-70 doesnt excite me either,like the other folk. A T90 wannabee is what I see it.

[._._z]

I bought the 135/2.8 new in 1981 and still own and use it and am crazy about it. 135mm isn't as popular a focal length as it used to be, so prices for these lenses tend to be a bargain.

 

The 135 is said to be not as sharp as the 100. That's not to say that it is unsharp, just that it isn't the sharpest FD telephoto lens out there. For portraits that's actually a plus -- no one wants to see every crease and pore on someone's face anyway. (For portraits, a good zoom is also useful, but FD zooms are not as good as recently designed zooms.)

 

Sergey, if you are shooting fast babies, don't look for a fast lens -- look for a good flash! Flash will let you use a smaller aperture, thus increasing your depth-of-field. Middle-apertures are where lenses perform best, which is another advantage.

[ben_rubinstein___mancheste]

The battery is spec-ed for 500 rolls of film, that's quite a lot of film for one year!

[._._z]

"The battery is spec-ed for 500 rolls of film"

 

I'm sure that was determined by not metering at all, shooting only in warm weather, and at fast shutter speeds.

 

But it's not a realistic rating if you meter, shoot in slow speeds (including the occasional 'Bulb' setting) and/or in the winter.

[billangel]

Re: "...What I've missed? May be I should look for a zoom?"

 

One lens that I think you should look to pick up is the Vivitar Series I 70-210 f2.8-4.0 Macro Focussing Zoom in the Canon FD mount.

It's a versatile and high quality lens.

[max_de_hertelendy]

I have the old 135/2.5 breechlock and it's very, very good. stopped down to 5.6 is very sharp, and wide open it has some comma that looks great on portraits, bokeh is nice. I think it was meant to work that way (may be more in a Leica way). It's a heavy lens, built quality is outstanding, I have no problem with that but I haven't tried it with light bodies. It has a very good and well built hood, much better that newer versions. It's a cheap lens these days, not multicoated, but flare is perfectly controlled if you use the built-in hood.

[mads_hammerich]

If you consider two lenses, then go for a 28mm and the 85mm

f1.8. Its a wonderfull lens. I still use it when I do not want to break

my back showing off with the 85mmf/1.2L.

Make the beautifull stuff with the 85mm and the fun and drama

with the 28mm!

 

As for houses: If you can find a well cared for FTQL selling at

100$ or so do buy it!! Its the most reliable camera house I ever

worked with. Look for data at the malaysian site.

Best regards Mads