Canon FD 50mm 1.4 SSC

[cully_r]

<p>I came across this old lens in the photography lab at my school. It seemed solid in construction yet had some fungus on the inside. "No problem" I thought. "I'll disassemble and clean it up". When I disassembled it I discovered that the internal elements had bad fungus growth which appears to have stripped patches of coating away from the glass. This is causing a weird "haze" in the viewfinder. Is there anything that can be done to remove it the rest of the way to make at least an optically better path for light or is it a lost cause? Vinegar perhaps?<br>

Thanks!<br>

Cully</p>

 

[JDMvW]

<p>The "weird haze" should simply be retitled "Canon Glow" and the lens used for soft focus portrait work. ;)<br>

Seriously, if the integrity of the glass, even the coatings, is affected, any attempt to restore the lens to something close to original function is complicated and expensive, if even possible.<br>

The original lens in good shape is a superb one, by the way.</p>

<p>see also: http://www.photo.net/canon-fd-camera-forum/00cFwe </p>

 

[steven_clark]

<p>Coatings are applied with a vapor or even vacuum deposition process if I remember correctly. You are not equipped.</p>

[mark_pierlot]

<p>The solution to this problem is simply to pick up a fungus- and haze-free replacement of the lens. It'll only cost you a few visits to Starbucks.</p>

<p>As JDM has said, it's a fabulous lens.</p>

[cully_r]

<p>I removed the coating from the effected elements, Normally I'd have never attempted this but the lens was trashed anyways. The two effected elements are actually in contact with each other so it seems to have not affected image quality. The lens isn't in great internal shape anyways, it appears smudged and oily (Likely from disassembly). I'd like to pick up another plus an EOS conversion kit because they are, as has been said, Really quite beautiful lenses. </p>

[mwmcbroom]

<p>I have a couple 50/1.4 SSCs and I love mine. But be aware that, if you get a "conversion kit," which is actually an adapter, for mounting FD lenses to EOS cameras, there are a few things you need to be aware of.</p>

<p>These adapters for FD to EOS exist in two types -- those with corrective glass for infinity focus and those without, where infinity focus isn't possible.</p>

<p>The adapters with the corrective glass don't handle fast lenses very well. Apertures wider than about f/2.8 usually result in images with amounts of flare varying from extreme to merely image ruining. A lot of folks will tell you that they hopelessly degrade images, but this isn't really true, once you're shooting at apertures of f/4 or so or smaller. It's been my own experience that, once you've stopped the lens down enough, there is little if any image degradation. But these adapters really ruin the whole point of using a lens at apertures of f/2.8 or wider.</p>

<p>Most of these adapters with the glass elements are designed such the glass elements can be removed, so that you're able to use them both ways. But with a 50/1.4 and the glass element removed, your maximum focusing distance is somewhere between 3 and 4 feet. So they're good for macro work, but little else.</p>

<p>If you're really interested in using a good 50/1.4 on your EOS camera, my advice is to get a Nikon or Olympus or Pentax -- or one of a few others -- and buy an adapter for your EOS that will still allow for infinity focus without the need of any glass elements getting in the way.</p>

<p> </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>I think that the FD 50mm f/1.4 is so good and such a bargain, even in great shape, that it deserves a try with a good example-- but not on an EOS EF-mount camera. Pick up a nice older FD-mount camera (one of the A series, for example). Some of them are very inexpensive, less than the lens, even.<br>

For ease of use for fine old glass, the best shot is a pre-AI (=non-AI) Nikon F mount lens. They adapt more easily for TTL metering and manual focus and stop-down than even the Pentax or Olympus lenses. Pentax K-mount lenses will adapt, but are a little fiddly.<br>

In the early, M-42 screw mount lenses, the biggest bargains are some of the East German Zeiss Jena lenses. There are also some excellent Soviet copies of Zeiss lenses in this mount.<br>

However, the world of shooting old manual lenses on modern AF cameras is for fun, not really for for "business".</p>

[Robin Smith]

<p>It is interesting that the FD 50/1.4 gets such positive opinions, whereas the current EF 50/1.4 - pretty well the same lens is now regarded as so-so. Such is the "march of progress". Sometimes I think vintage camera enthusiasts have more brains than the young bucks entering the field. I agree with the others, though, I would just buy another one. I got a very nice SSC for about $40. It was always a good lens, albeit with plenty of coma wide open.</p>