lee_brand

Hi Lisa. I hava a range on FD Camons - T90, F1, AE1P, AL1, FTB. The T90 is streets ahead of any of the others - but there is a downside - it is very, very heavy (known as "the tank"), not really meant for carting around. If it breaks you may have a problem. If you are strong or dont go hiking then this may not be an issue. The A1-P is my backup body. It is small, basic and reliable.

 

The place to look at FD Canons is:

 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/canont90/index.htm

 

I think that the top price that you should have to pay for a T90 is $600 - $800 - that is what we pay here in South Africa now.

Hi. I have had this before too. The trick is to make sure that the cap is correctly seated within the breech mount - jiggle it from side to side while holding the lens inself. If you can seat it better then you should be able to release the ring. Failing that you could burn it of with a blowtorch?

Hi - need more info. Is it a front element cap? Plastic or metal? If it is a back cap then you may find that you actually have to turn the cap independantly of the mounting ring and seat the cap before the ring will turn to disengage it. There is a locating pin within the mount that lines up with a notch on the cap.

Hi - I have a 500/8 Tokina mirror (cost $45). Not a bad lens if you understand it's limitations I guess. It is difficult to focus - and the moon is still this side of infinity! The aperture is not "really" f8 on my T90 - f9.5+ exposes better. Contrast is a bit washed out and you need to use fast film - 400 is good, 100 is a lesson in frustration.

 

The results are surprisingly sharp, in general, and itallows you to "reach out" using a very compact little lens! Try and pack a 500/5.6 in your vest pocket! It is also easy to spot the use of a mirror lens, although the little rings are not always distracting.

Hi Gregory. Thanks for your comments. Not as bad as anticipated. I will see how it goes - I guess a 2x on this is not going to work terribly well :-)

Hi - Has anyone used this lens? How well did it work? - I see

the "photodo" rating is poor at 1.9. I can get one fairly cheaply (>

$100) and I would use it for nature shots. I use a Sigma Zoom (80-

300) that I am not particularly thrilled with. Also the extra 100mm

may be usefull. I have searched the archives but they all refer to

the newer ATX AF lenses wich seem to be quite good.

It is, if not THE Best, certainly one of the best cameras that Canon ever made.

Hi - I would not do it to my T90! To the best of my knowledge there are essentially two ways of firing the flash - either a mechanical switch or a solid state switch. The mechanical switch can take any voltage really - the solid state switch will always have an upper voltage limit. I dont know that a T90 uses solid state switching - I suspect it does - and the trigger voltages of the Canon flashes is right down at aroung 6-9 volts. Use a voltage converter or get another flash. I would not put anything over 15 volts into my T90.

Gee Wiz - you are brave but treacherous respondent!

 

I suggest that the FD range may be a tad old and you say you are abondonong it (for EOS) completely!!! The guys are going to rip you to shreds.

Hi. Thanks for your interesting responses - Maybe I just needed some reassurance :-)

 

Bailey - no offence intended by the last question of my posting, It was meant to get you going and withdrawn after David's answer. I reject the premise too.

 

Garvey - I am talking about the manufacturing processes, tools and skills required in a factory to make these old beasts (T90/F1n). The machining (milling) cost of one of those little brass bits costs more than a EOS chassis does to make.

 

Anyway I am going to keep going with my FD stuff for a few more years!

Sorry - I can actually spell "obsolete" - and based on David's answer I withdraw the question :-)

Are we all stiil using the Canon FD series because we are not

interested in the new EOS stuff or is it because it is so cheap to

buy on the used market? Or is it some other reason?

 

The reason why I am still with the FD stuff is because of my T90. I

love this camera and cannot afford to replace it with a "pro" level

EOS. I am able to buy lenses for it now at unbelivably low prices - I

live in South Africa so I pay in Rands (=$0.10) - for example I

bought a mint SCC Canon 200mm for $15.00 the other day.

 

I have a whole collection of other Canon bodies - I only really use

an AE1-P (second to the T90) and "collect" the rest. If you have a

close look at the design and manufacturing cost of these old bodies

you get an idea of what they would cost to make today - all metal

construction, machined brass and alloy chassis. None of the modern

EOS's come close (of the ones I've seen anyway). I have noticed that

the glass on the new EOS series is generally very good - better "in

general" than the FD glass - must be the new manufacturing and

computer technology I guess?

 

So why do you still buy/collect/use a totally obsete camera system?

Hi. The A1 is getting a bit long in the tooth :-), but it is still very sophisticated inside. This is definitly not a camera to learn camera repair with. Problems with the shutter/shutter magnets are horifyingly fiddley to fix. I suggest that you make sure the battery connections are shiny and get new batteries. Is the mirror stuck? Is the shutter closed? You may be able to unhang the mirror. Other than that get a quote from a pro.

 

I have an Ftb, AE1P, F1, AL1 and T90 - all work, but the older ones need to be used ocasionaly or they also play up.

Hi - my answer is different - and I am not sure that it is correct.

 

I was comparing the old Weston III with my Lunasix 3 (set on reflected light). If you use the F16/inverse filmspeed rule on the Lunasix you get an EV value of 15 - to get an EV value of 15 (and F16 at 125)on the Weston (not measuring any light on either yet!) you need to set the Weson "rating" to 500 for 100 ASA film!

 

Once you do this and measure some light then the Weston is +/- 1 stop away from the Lunasix - which I know to be correct.