Overhauling Canon FD 50mm f1.8

[Zang]

Happy Sunday everyone!

This is me turning a non-working junk into a nice lens

the problem I had was the aperture was not working at all. Everything inside got scrambled and the blades were full of oil.

Having experience with Nikon, I can tell that Canon FD aperture coupling is design disaster. I am not surprise they scraped FD mount completely in late 80s.

Cheers,
Zang

[MEPER]

Picture of lens still looks like "junk"?    …...not a nice working lens?
How did to adjust for infinity?     …..by marking the helicoid and try to assemble exactly like it was?

[Zang]

I put together everything as it was, but it missed the infinity (tested on film SLR). My guess is the infinity was wrong previously. I nailed the infinity by slightly adjusting the focus ring position as shown in the picture.

Cheers,
Zang

[Zang]

Picture of lens still looks like "junk"?    …...not a nice working lens?
...

It was dirty oily and stiff to the degree that no one would think trying it would be fun ... beside I had no way to use FD

[MEPER]

But now you can use it.....on a Z-body?

[Zang]

I do not have Z. I have just bought NEX6 for $35 and when waiting for the Yashica mount Matt sent me from Vermont, I found an FD adapter for $3

[MEPER]

That was cheap…….for both…..think there are many good FD-lenses…….

[Zang]

btw... someone gave me the lens with a body for free. The lens was not functioning. The camera is fully mechanical and has non-working 8s shutter speed. I used them for decoration hanging over my desk. Now, only the body is left as the decoration

[MEPER]

I read that Stanley Kubrick got a Canon 50/1.4 modified for use on movie camera......so must have been good.
The same with a Nikkor 180/2.8.

[Zang]

That was cheap…….for both…..think there are many good FD-lenses…….

Yeah, the adapter is Fotga brand that probably costs $10 new on Amazon. I burned more on gas to pick it up than for the actual adapter. The result is pretty impressive. This one was wide open at 1.8.

[MEPER]

Yes, nice wide open sharpness…..good lens for the price…..

[MEPER]

According to the information in the video:
https://petapixel.com/2015/04/01/a-look-at-the-camera-lenses-used-by-stanley-kubrick-over-his-career/

...the Canon lens Kubrick used was a FD 35/1.4     …..maybe if you can get it for a few $ you could test this lens also. It probably performs well wide open.....

[Zang]

According to the information in the video:
https://petapixel.com/2015/04/01/a-look-at-the-camera-lenses-used-by-stanley-kubrick-over-his-career/

...the Canon lens Kubrick used was a FD 35/1.4     …..maybe if you can get it for a few $ you could test this lens also. It probably performs well wide open.....

Thanks for sharing the interesting video! FD lenses are pretty rare here now, though.

Cheers,
Zang

[MEPER]

I can't find a picture of a FD 35/1.4   ….so I wonder if it was a 35/1.4 or maybe a 50/1.4.

[Zang]

I can't find a picture of a FD 35/1.4   ….so I wonder if it was a 35/1.4 or maybe a 50/1.4.

Yeah, 50/1.4 could be the one