gerry_morgan

<p>A couple of bigger guns from the lens arsenal...<br>

<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8531/8540904327_2b8f98c243_b.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>I took this "family photo" a while back.<br>

<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8515/8542006406_e827ee4fb5_b.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Yes, the 'tilting' part of the Canon 35 TS lens was pretty unusual at the time for a 35mm format lens. I seem to recall Nikon had 28mm and 35mm Nikkor PC (Perspective Control) lenses, and Olympus had a Zuiko 35mm Shift (and much later a 24mm Shift) lens, but all of these lenses remained aligned with the film plane and didn't accommodate off-axis tilting the way the Canon did. Did other manufacturers have shift lenses, too? Did any third party companies ever come out with these?</p>

<p>Jerome, the FD 28-85mm f/4 is a *splendid* performer. Newer design, introduced much later in the FD-era (1985, I believe). I find that my copy balances contrast and sharpness very well. Mine is ever so slightly soft in the extreme corners at 28mm wide open, but this disappears at f/5.6. It's also lighter weight than its predecessors, with a plastic body. On this particular lens, I don't find that to be a disadvantage, however. It has a very nice feel and balances well on whatever body you place behind it. Nice grippy focusing ring, too.</p>

<p>I tend to reach for this lens instead of the 35-105mm whenever I want just a little bit extra reach on the wide end, such as parades or such with large crowds when I need to optically 'step back' to get a specific vantage point.</p>

 

<p>I thought it might be fun to take a quick "family portrait" of some of the mid-zoom Canon FD lenses mentioned in this particular thread lined up next to each other.</p>

<p>Left to right:</p>

<p>Canon nFD 28-50mm f/3.5<br />Canon nFD 35-70mm f/2.8-3.5<br />Canon nFD 35-105mm f/3.5<br />Canon nFD 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5<br />Canon nFD 28-85mm f/4<br />Canon nFD 50-135mm f/3.5</p>

<p>Couple of comments about some of these lenses from my perspective: The 28-50 is really a decent performer with good sharpness that can hold its own in this range. On this lens I find the two-touch convenient for precise framing. The 50-135 is an amazingly heavy lens. I find myself reaching for this "pool" of lenses when I want a quick travel lens – the 28-50 comes along if I know I might be in close quarters.</p><div></div>

<p>If you've ruled out the usual suspects (e.g. old battery, dirty contacts, stuck exposure button to the left of the lens mount, etc.), then it's probably much more economically viable to look for another AE-1 body than attempt to have yours diagnosed and/or corrected by a camera repair technician.</p>

<p>The fact that your auction came with three lenses in good condition means the transaction wasn't a total loss. Just find another AE-1 and put those lenses to good use.</p>

<p>Frank, thanks - that's an encouraging response.</p>

<p>Has anyone ordered and/or received anything from Jon recently (i.e. past 30-60 days)? I can't seem to find an adequate way to get a hold of him, my e-mail to him hasn't been answered/returned, and he doesn't appear to have any current kits for sale under his Interslice auction site storefront. Does his kit "availability" just go through some natural cycles, and I'm trying to catch him during his "off-season", or is he now out of the seal kit-making business, or did something happen to him or his business that I just don't know about?</p>

<p>I last ordered/received a few kits from him about eight (8) months ago.</p>

 

<p>John, I think I understand what your issue with the "E" focusing screen is probably related to, now that you mentioned that you're using the FD 100mm f/4 Macro lens. This lens has a <strong>*large* </strong>helical extension range, and while it may be quite usable at infinity focus with the "E" screen, as you crank the focusing ring towards minimum focusing distance the lens elements move farther and farther away from the lens mounting flange very quickly, resulting in a significant light loss. So, from the viewer's perspective, the focusing screen may start looking like he's using an f/5.6 aperture lens. Throw the Extension Tube 50 between the lens and camera and it probably starts looking more like f/8 or worse.</p>

<p>As others have mentioned, you may find focusing easier with this lens by using an all-matte screen, or one of my favorites, the Grid ("D") screen. Good luck!</p>

<p>Eric's book arrived at my front door today, thanks to Amazon. One hundred thirty-one pages of heavenly goodness within...</p>

<p>Great job, Eric! Your book is concise and nicely-written.</p>

<p>John, that's odd about your laser (L) "E" screen. I use this same screen with my F-1n, and it is absolutely superb and "spot-on" with its focusing. I mainly use this screen with largish-aperture, medium-to-wide angle fixed focal length lenses.</p>

<p>What are your lenses of choice? If you like the concept of the split/microprism screen, maybe you should try a different sample of the LE screen. I definitely recommend the laser screen over the first-generation "E" screen – to me it makes an unbelievable difference in image brightness.</p>

<p>Another consideration – could something in your F-1's light path be out of alignment?</p>

<p>Definitely taken before July, but I <strong>found</strong> it in July, if that counts.</p><div></div>

<p>Yeah, that's it... I knew that little piece of plastic had to have a very important-sounding name...</p>

Is your lens a chrome-ring breech lock FD, or a later FDn version that mounts in a "bayonet" fashion? The aperture

lever doesn't lock on the newer series as far as I know, but instead requires the use of a small, easy-to-misplace

plastic device of which I think I own about ten (10) but in reality only know where two (2) are...

<p>Just in case a picture helps, here is an AE-1 battery compartment showing the spring-loaded "prong" in the bottom to which Peter referred.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Chris, thank you for your very comprehensive and informative response. You've actually convinced me to add a two-touch 80-200 f/4 zoom to my lens arsenal. I'm always looking for a new excuse to add another FD lens to my inventory! :-)</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses so far. I see how the rotating front barrel of the 80-200mm f/4 L (and probably the original two-touch, for that matter) would end up rotating the flash head attached to the front bayonet.</p>

<p>From reading the ML-1 instructions again (especially *between the lines*), it seems like it was Canon's intent to have users adjust the magnification level using the *zoom* control, and with the close-up lens attached to the front, focus the image by physically moving the entire set-up closer or farther away. This weekend I will just try it and see how practical that is in real life.</p>

<p>On another note, a functional "enhancement" I'm working on for the ML-1 Macrolite is creating polarized thin film "inserts" for the two flash heads. These, in combination with a lens-mounted polarizing filter, should allow me to set the flash output wavelength to a 90° differential to the waves traveling back to the lens. I got this idea from looking at the Olympus T-10 Ringlight and its optional Circ-Pol filter that can be attached.</p>

<p>I may end up experiencing such a reduction of light output from the flash to make it not worth it, but I thought it would be fun to try anyway.</p>

 

<p>Hi folks -<br>

I am very interested to know if anyone has experience with this particular setup (specifically this zoom lens). The instruction manual for the Macrolite ML-1 flash unit indicates that a very "flexible" arrangement is to use the earlier 80-200mm f/4 two-touch zoom in combination with a 58mm close-up lens. Since I don't have the earlier two-touch, but do have the 80-200mm f/4 L, would this lens, in combination with the ML-1 and a new-generation 58mm 500D close-up lens produce worthwhile results as it relates to the realm of macro flash photography?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance --</p>

<p>Jim, you may find that 72mm is the upper "sweet spot" for filter diameter size in the Canon FD series. Just thought I'd mention that since the 85mm f/1.2 (assuming that's what you meant) and the 20mm f/2.8 are on your list. On the wide angle side, the 17mm, 20mm and 24mm f/1.4 take 72mm filters. On the short telephoto side, the 85mm f/1.2, 135mm f/2 and 200 f/2.8 also take 72mm filters. Several zooms as well.</p>

<p>From your list, every lens you mention with the exception of the "85" and "20" can be accommodated by your 67mm filters and step-up ring scheme.</p>

<p>Mark P, a page close to your linked pages, describing the <a href="http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/shared/windera2/index.htm">Winder A2</a>, mentions *possible* compatibility with the Canon New F-1 (F-1N). Interesting... can't say that I've tried this, nor do I really want to. Has anyone else?</p>

<p>MS, I have reference information from two sources that disagrees as to the correct hood for this lens – looks like it's either the BW-58B or BW-58C.</p>

<p>Fascinating! It has a little bit of the same feeling as the Pentax LX Titan and Millenium editions (i.e. simply not what you're expecting after black has been "embedded" in your brain for so long).</p>

<p>And #2:</p><div></div>

<p>Two photos I took in mid-October, 2010 while on a business trip to western Massachusetts (had my weekend free):</p><div></div>

<p>Hats off to the mighty F-1!</p><div></div>