Canon FD 1.8 50mm lens

[don_coppola]

<p>Can anyone verify the minimum focusing distance for the later version of this lens that stops down to f22? On KEH's site, its listed as 2'. I thought it was 18" . The earlier (& heavier)1.8 had a minimum aperture of f16 & focused down to 2'. Thanks</p>

[SCL]

<p>Mir.com lists the focusing scale as 2-30ft then infinity.</p>

[michael_linn]

<p>The later version's official minimum focusing distance is 22" film plane to subject at f1.8.</p>

[jeffrey_e]

<p>I always understood that Canon set the minimum focusing distance for their lenses to focus at 10X the focal length of the lens. </p>

<p>For that lens, that would mean 10cm or about 18 inches. Though I've not tested mine, it looks like it is set up to focus at 18 inches.<br>

The lens has a minimum marking showing 2 feet, but the lens actually turns beyond that point whichi I would guess to be 18 inches.</p>

[michael_linn]

<p>Try testing it as I did, and report what you find. It's 22 inches film plane to subject. The film plane is marked clearly on most Canon FD mount cameras.</p>

[david_smith110]

<p>From the Canon Museum, which btw is a great resource for most all canon gear. These pages are chock full of stats from Canon themselves.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/lens/nfd/data/50-100/nfd_50_18.html">http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/lens/nfd/data/50-100/nfd_50_18.html</a></p>

<p>I think thats the one your looking for.</p>

[maderik]

<p>It's the 50mm f/1.4 that focuses down to 18" (well 17.7") from the film plane. </p>

[jeffrey_e]

<p>Michael, you've now got me curious. I'll have to make a point of doing a test on my 1.8. </p>

[thomas_goehler]

<p>Jeffrey, 10 times the focal length is not 10cm in metric systems, it's actually 50cm (10x 50mm = 500mm = 50cm), that'd be 19.68 inches.</p>

<p> </p>

[don_coppola]

<p>Thanks for all the responses. I tested my older 1.8 (min.aperture f16) that has the same distance markings as the newer version w/my TX. Closest focus was between 22 & 23". I'm not up on all the FD lenses but I think Eric is right in that it's the 1.4 that gets down to 18".</p>

[jeffrey_e]

<p>Thomas: right. I should have done the arithmatic. 19.68 sounds about right...</p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is a page from the 1981 Canon Lens Work showing all of the 50mm lenses.</p><div></div>

[jeffrey_e]

<p>The Canon document only shows the distance scale, and I may be missing something but I don't think that address the minimum focusing distance. My 1.8 will turn beyond the minimum marked on the scale.</p>