robbz_fotoz

<p>on the phone with E bay right now. Interesting my service rep is from Southeast Asia and I was wondering if I could get a neutral party. Well, no to that thought. So I hung up and called back. Before I could continue I was asked my name which is an authorized party the new rep said he didn't see that (e Bay NEVER updates their records, so I hung up and called and did a Bruce / Caitlyn Jenner thing and it went ok after that - both bizarre and hilarious) The buyer who does not understand the lens must be removed from the "A" for proper exposure wants a partial return - just the lens. E bay has advised their protection policy is void if I accept just one of the auction items so I have requested EVERYTHING to be returned. If the buyer refuses I will probably lose the items but I will get a total refund. If the items are returned damaged the claim is escalated. I have serial numbers to verify what I shipped too. It was established in my futile conversation yesterday the buyer has 4 Canon 50mm 1.8 lenses in his collection already so it is obvious he just did not want this lens. E bay did say it's "all or nothing". He can't ask for one item to be replaced. So that did make me feel a tad better. We'll see how this dog and pony show turns out. I have persevered with e Bay for years why I must be masochist. For Carl Follstad: my buyer was from Virginia actually but is originally from SE Asia. Whether they are outside or inside the US it has been my experience they have the same venue. Cheat and Fraud.</p>

<p>I have a brand new 50mm 1.8 FDn lens that was found in a storage garage in Alaska, completely sealed, with all paperwork t ... I was the first person to use it ! It was produced in the very late 80s. The person who sold it to me explained it was NOS from a high school film photo class that was never used ... guess what ! the lock button sticks occasionally ... does the lens stay on ? As that famous lady governor from Alaska once say "You Betcha !". The button might stay depressed but the lens STILL works and stays on secure. The buyer first wanted another 50mm F 1.8 then he wanted me to send him 75 dollars so he could buy another lens. Keep in mind the entire auction for the Canon AV-1 body, 50mm FDn lens, A winder, lens hood, all body and lens caps sold for a BIN price of 49.95 with free shipping. The last time I checked, OFAS was an auction site not a give away center. I may realize about 41 dollars after postage and commissions are subtracted. Now he wants a total refund BEFORE he ships the entire auction back, so I will contact E bay in the morning and tell them what was discussed. Refunds are issued only after auction items are returned. I attempted to talk with him this afternoon but he has a very heavy accent and it was difficult. I did understand quite clearly the request for 75 dollars though. That to me sounds like a swindle. I'll keep you all posted. Lots of bogus buyers out there. Beware. For Paul Wheatland ... I have not used my personal AV-1 in a year and I seem to forget if that is one of the bodies that will not allow FDn lens to mount or if it's the AL-1 QF. I will research that now before I climb into bed and advise OFAS in the morning. Thank you for listening to my tale of woe you all have been very helpful. </p><div></div>

<p>well, according to my friend the button is just stuck so I didn't advise pulling it or using more force. He's been using FDn lenses for a long time. Just 4 years. Ok ... he's sending it back to me and I'll send him another. He's from Southeast Asia, and we did have a bit of a communication problem but once I got in synch talking to him via phone he was fine. And he was describing it exactly as the square lock button would not come out. It went ok after all and I was glad he took the initiative to call me. I did have to do a math problem for him though, he wanted a replacement lens on E bay which he claimed would run 75 dollars, and he wanted a 75 dollar refund for a 49 dollar BIN item. Now that one deserved a good eye roll !</p>

<p>thank you Steven. This person is saying the lens never mounts. He is implying the lens just slides on and off the camera mount yet he claims to have a lot of experience with Canon FD and FDn lenses. I wanted to ask him what he was smoking when he was attempting to mount the lens but of course I did not. I do not know how a lens could just "slide" over the Camera with the metal tabs. He's not offering too much info. I've contacted E bay and was told if the lens does come back to me in some way modified the buyer does not get a refund. The lens was sold with a Canon AV-1 and he does like the camera however so I am beginning to wonder if his problem is legit.</p>

<p>Sold a Canon AV-1 body recently and a Canon 50mm F1.8 FDn lens. I have far too many vintage Canon A, F, and T SLR film bodies. Both camera and lens were tested by a technician at Authorized Camera Repair in Willow Grove, PA. I had no qualms about selling this camera. The foam and seals were very good, there was no squeal, it was a nice set up. The lens had also been attached on an AL-1 body and it mounted on and off fine. The buyer is now telling me "I received the item but there is an issue that the lens does not lock on the camera mount (The lens release button does not pop out)." I've never had this problem. I am wondering if putting the rear lens cap on this lens before I shipped it out caused this issue ? I have never had a Canon FDn lens mounting problem ever with Canon bodies, either A, F, or T. While I prefer the original silver ring FD breech mount lenses from Canon, I have no issue with the FDn lens and have about 7 FDn's in my arsenal. Never a problem. My question: has anyone had this problem - where the lens release button does not pop out ? <br /></p>

<p>absolutely a bargain for me, it was all of 25.00 and included the Olympic cap and rear cap too. It looks pristine and I can't believe it was never used that much. Great potential waiting for a workout. I have a few A bodies and a T-90 it will fit just fine.</p>

<p>Hi Bill C: yes Longwood's annual Christmas lights display outside starts this weekend I believe. Twilight photos are wonderful if one is lucky. Inside is fine too but no tripods or monopods inside only, just outside. I have gone every year for awhile and it can be a great experience if one goes on the weekdays. Memberships are affordable too imho. I live 30 miles from LW and trust with some family issues it can be very therapeutic to spend a day.</p>

<p>thank you Bill C for the update. I hope to christen the lens sometime this coming month hopefully at Longwood Gardens. I will post whatever good images I am lucky to make.</p>

<p>Bill C ! are you a night owl too ? I love these images -- you really did the lens "justice" and used it for it's max potential. I too would not think the lens would work as well as indoor lens vs an outdoor lens but I do 90 percent of my images outside so that isn't an issue. I do think the "L" comparison is right on. Now I have to get some film and try it out at Longwood Gardens. Not sure what is still available outside to photograph but I'll have an adventure I'm sure. Your images are fine !</p>

<p>I was happy to see this post as I too have this lens and have not had a chance to use it. It is quite clean, it is not heavy, and I intend to use it with my Canon T-90. The lens has been bashed in other on line reports and I can not see why. Your photos are commendable ! Thanks for posting !</p>

<p>FD favorites ? 50mm f 1.4, preferably the Breech Mount, FDn 35-105 f 3.5, a little heavy but not a big issue, and the FDn 100mm Macro, f 4.0. Now I do use the 70-210mm zoom a lot too and find it to be a very sharp lens.</p>

<p>I have to admit I don't use my T-90 enough. But the big difference between the T-70 and the T-90 is mainly the weight and the ergonomics. Easy to hold the T-90 set it in A and start shooting then get to know the camera better. I do still love my T-70 however. Great camera bag buddies these two "T" bodies.</p>

<p>my only experience with a Canon A-1 that was used in the rain was in 1989, in the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. While it did work during the trip, it apparently got too wet and Mr. A-1 began to bite the dust within months. I missed that sucker like it was my right hand Some 22 years later I found an almost new-still in the box-Canon A-1 from a Canadian seller I jumped and it's been heaven ever since. Like having my right hand back ! But lesson learned ... the A-1 with all of it's electronics is really not a wet weather camera. For that type of shooting I'm thinking the F-1 would do much better.</p>

<p>oh, about that battery door ... I've seen some wild fixes that work. One of my (least) favorites is mounting a Canon A Winder (no, don't use an A-2 winder as the design will not work) which keeps the camera battery door shut if its been compromised. My local camera repair shop has fixed my body at a reasonable cost. I am a Canon A body junkie having every one but the AT.</p>

<p>love my Canon AL-1 bodies have two ... easy to maintain or re-furbish plus they use all the glorious FD glass !</p>

<p>don't know if one can say digital is better, it's progress though, that's how I see it (no pun intended). But I'm still an almost daily film user. I still have a little stash of frozen film, so that feeds my pursuit of film fun. When I'm shooting film though it is a bit like time travel, a 30 year old camera, old (pristine) Canon FD glass, and time really, really slows down. You savor the moment instead of the rush of instant gratification of digital. For the sake of sharing "on the spot" in a social setting, digital is best of course. I think the question is "are digital pictures better than analog pictures" ? There are definitely more people out in the photo cosmos today shooting on their DSLRs or the smart phones but are those pictures really better than if someone was taking the time to make a film image ? Quantity vs quality. I do know that living and learning through the "film" age has made me a better digital photographer.</p>

<p>most any Canon A body is worth resurrecting ! And all of the FD glass that is still readily available ? wow ... it sure keeps the fun of photography at our fingertips.</p>

<p>no matter what price you pay factor in the camera body may need a general re-furbishing ... new light seals, new mirror foam, mirror assembly may need lube to stop the "squeal" that comes from age and that which eventually will kill the camera if left un-attended. I recently had a nice A-1 body re-furbed it cost about 62 dollars with tax. The camera will now outlive me and I will continue to enjoy my Canon FD lenses. The A-1 was made from 1978 to 1985 so most of the available ones are pushing 30 years old.</p>

<p>oh, and one more thingie ... the AE-1 program is available in a plethora of silver and black bodies, all black bodies are hard to come by. The A-1 was always black. If that's an issue for you, just saying.</p><div></div>

<p>just my two cents ... the A-1 was an original, intuitive camera and complete with easy to read digital settings inside. The A-1 Program was nicely accessorized, the screens could be changed by the user, but still had that dang needle inside. Definitely NOT as progressive as the A-1. My current daily user has no brassing, was recently re-furbed with new mirror foam and had the squeak removed (it's an age thing - remember this cameras was issued in 1978) -- price of the camera with nifty fifty 50mm 1.8 (I do prefer the 1.4 though) with a refurb ? 139.00 and worth it IMHO. Btw, I have the AE-1 Program, and it's a good alternative. If you can swing the cost of both, go for it, if not, make it the A-1.</p>

<p>Keith: 149.00 I believe is a great price for a clean, cased, example of a 100mm 2.8 lens. I will be purchasing this in the very near future. It's the right "weight" for me, some FDn's just seem too light for my liking. Hope to follow up with photos when it arrives. And thank you for your more than welcome post, as you probably know I'm a breech mount Canon lens kinda guy !</p>

<p>followup: I managed to get the flash for free - no cost ! But can't test it til the battery holder arrives in the mail (it needs an AP-1 battery holder - readily available after mark item). But to do off camera work I also need a DSC-3 cable that goes on the camera and the flash sits on the other end. I would think the DSC-3 would have to be dedicated like the dedicated flash module the flash (gun) is attached to. Correct me if I'm wrong. So far I've found 5 and some will say "for DM" which I would think means dedicated to Minolta. Perhaps I need one that sez "DC"? I hope someone can assist.</p>

<p>I'm sure there is a quick fix for this: I have both metal and plastic lens hoods, a BS-55, a BT-55 and a plastic BT-58 all in rather pristine condition, but with a loose fit I've been advised that melting white paraffin wax, then rubbing a very thin coat on the inside edge would solve this problem. Not sure, but I am betting there's someone here who's had this problem and solved it.</p>