Author Topic: Canon FDn 50mm f/1.8 ***** (Read 3605 times)

Sixty4 · « **on:** June 13, 2010, 02:43:46 AM »

Original

- Sample @ f/2
- Sample @ f/2.8

Olympus PEN E-P1
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: -0.3 EV

voyager · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2010, 10:04:19 AM »

That lens looks almost perfect on the E-P1. Where did you get your adapter?

Centauri27 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 14, 2010, 10:53:32 AM »

Nice... And if I'm not mistaken, manual aperture control is possible with an FD lens on a m/43 adapter, right? I should never had sold my FD lens years ago.

voyager · « **Reply #3 on:** June 14, 2010, 05:59:11 PM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on June 14, 2010, 10:53:32 AM

Nice... And if I'm not mistaken, manual aperture control is possible with an FD lens on a m/43 adapter, right? I should never had sold my FD lens years ago.

Yes, only EF lenses don't have that capability from Canon.

StellaBlack · « **Reply #4 on:** July 16, 2010, 07:24:17 AM »

I just picked one of these up on ebay a week ago. Now I am just waiting for the adapter to come in.

Centauri27 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 04, 2010, 11:18:57 AM »

I took some test shots with my Canon FD 50mm at different apertures. You can view them here:

http://lumfamily.smugmug.com/Other/Canon-FD-50/14047217_iJAdJ#1033912202_vxE8Y

You'll notice that at wide open, the lens is very soft (especially the corners). It's okay at f/2.8, better at f/4, and appears to hit maximum sharpness at f/5.6.

This was taken on an E-P1 @ ISO 200. The camera was mounted on a tripod with IS turned off. I was about 6 feet away from the cabinet, but the camera was not exactly perpendicular to the cabinet due to the sofa, so this may have contributed slightly to the softness at wide open.

Ray · « **Reply #6 on:** May 02, 2011, 01:40:30 PM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on October 04, 2010, 11:18:57 AM

I took some test shots with my Canon FD 50mm at different apertures. You can view them here:

You'll notice that at wide open, the lens is very soft (especially the corners). It's okay at f/2.8, better at f/4, and appears to hit maximum sharpness at f/5.6.

This was taken on an E-P1 @ ISO 200. The camera was mounted on a tripod with IS turned off. I was about 6 feet away from the cabinet, but the camera was not exactly perpendicular to the cabinet due to the sofa, so this may have contributed slightly to the softness at wide open.

Samples of this lens may vary because mine is very sharp wide open, no softness at all, here's a f1.8 at ISO 100 picture from a cityclock that is about 50 meters outside from my window, shot was from behind glass, no postprocessing: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5104/5681081061_b710fbdcee_b.jpg and here's another one at f1.8 and ISO 800 with a small amount of postprocessing: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5147/5680973521_d674e049b0_b.jpg. Both pictures shot handheld b.t.w.

Edit: Camera used was a Panasonic G1

Centauri27 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 03, 2011, 11:05:57 AM »

Quote from: Jus on May 02, 2011, 01:40:30 PM

Samples of this lens may vary because mine is very sharp wide open, no softness at all, here's a f1.8 at ISO 100 picture from a cityclock that is about 50 meters outside from my window, shot was from behind glass, no postprocessing:

Did you take any other shots with the lens stopped down? If you don't have anything to compare it against, any image can appear to be reasonably sharp. I'm sure if you shot again at f/5.6, you'll see more detail in the sign.

Ray · « **Reply #8 on:** May 03, 2011, 11:28:36 AM »

Quote from: Centauri27 on May 03, 2011, 11:05:57 AM

Did you take any other shots with the lens stopped down? If you don't have anything to compare it against, any image can appear to be reasonably sharp. I'm sure if you shot again at f/5.6, you'll see more detail in the sign.

Infact I did and as common with almost all optics the image becomes somewhat sharper when stopped down but not that much, this copy is very sharp wide open, not much room for improvement really.

Jman · « **Reply #9 on:** May 27, 2011, 04:10:20 PM »

I just got a mint copy of this lens for $20, and if there's copy variation, this is a good one. It is VERY sharp wide open, and extremely sharp from f/2.8 and smaller. I would say it appears to be the sharpest wide open of all my 50mm-ish lenses, save the OM 50/3.5 Macro and Panny 45/2.8, but those are slower and are macro lenses, so they should be razor sharp. (for reference, I use the Hexanon 40/1.8, 50/1.7 and 57/1.2, the Voigtlander 40/1.4 and the Rokkor 50/1.4 on m4/3)

It is at least as sharp, if not slightly sharper than my Hexanon 57mm f/1.2 @ f/1.8 (though, of course, the Hex can do f/1.2 and f/1.4, and this can't...plus it has nicer bokeh than the Canon).

Bokeh is a little busy, but not too bad. Contrast is pretty good. Haven't shot enough to get a good feel of the color.

Here's a quick shot of my daughter at f/1.8:

M5-User · « **Reply #10 on:** May 27, 2011, 05:09:28 PM »

What a good photo... the sharpness is spectacular as you say...
Canon made 4 variations of the FD lenses, if I remember correctly. The older (maybe better) have a "Chrome Nose". (basically an FL mount that was modernized), and no SSC on the brand rim. The SSC where the 2nd variation, "Black Nose", then the FDn with a modified mount with and a lock tab, was the 3rd version (read cheaper to make, plastic breach lock ring replaced the chrome ring). and then a 4th variation with some lenses had a plastic mount.

Jman · « **Reply #11 on:** May 28, 2011, 01:28:11 PM »

Three from today...painting fun! All are wide open, natural light:

chrism_scotland · « **Reply #12 on:** July 17, 2011, 07:35:35 AM »

First time out with my newly acquired Canon FD 1.8 on my Olympus EP1

Brolz · « **Reply #13 on:** January 23, 2012, 09:18:45 PM »

I just got this lens last week. Hope it's ok to post some shots of my E-PL1 with it. I took a few pics of the desserts my wife made for our God-Daughter's Birthday this past weekend. I'm really lovin this lens!!!

Canon FDn 50mm f/1.8 *****