FD lens to EF/EOS with infinity focus, Focus confirm and Manual Aperture

[mickyj]

I have a Canon FD 50 mm 1.4 lens (New style). It is super fast and I love it.
Is there a way to simply attach this to an EOS body with an adaptor and not have to modify anything?
I ask as I now have this lens working with a modified adaptor and wonder if I did this the hard way.

I took my lens, I then enabled Manual Aperture (py pushing in the pins and twisting the back around like this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juGX1XyZ6WI)

I then used the toothpick method to leave the lens in a state where I could change aperture from the lens aperture ring
(http://blog.jag35.com/new/blog/the-toothpick-trick/)

I then purchased an FD to EOS adaptor with glass inset to allow focus at infinity, Focus confirm
(http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Canon-FD-FL-Lens-to-EOS-EF-Adapter-Top-quality-Brass-made-Infinity-Focus-DC263-/181094313871?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item2a2a0fef8f#ht_3437wt_1170)

I found that with manual aperture set, I could not use the FD to EOS adaptor as rotating the back of the lens exposed little metal lugs that prevented the FD to EOS adaptor mating. If I rotate everything back, the adaptor fits but at a stuck aperture I cant change.

I then used a hacksaw to cut additional grooves into the adaptor to slide over the newly exposed metal lugs and got it to mate.
As this removed the ability for the adaptor to stay attached (It would not lock on), I then had to use cloth tape to hold the lens and adaptor together.

Now I can attach my lens to the EOS camera. I can set the Aperture via the dial, I have infinity focus and focus confirm but this was a lot of work just so I could get Manual Aperture.

The default behaviour without the manual mod is either wide open or almost closed with an inability to be changed.

I don't mind so much as I have a working design and I only had to pay $25 for the adaptor and had to spend some time to cut it up but I wanted to get other peoples feedback.

Thanks

[jjphoto]

I don't think I can help answer your question but I suspect the folks here can: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/55 . Most people who adapt FD to EF go to the effort of modifying the FD mount so that infinity focus can be achieved. It's not worth the effort except with a few select lenses.

I'm all for using alternative/legacy lenses on digital bodies but some times you need to know when you're beaten or when the results are simply not worth the effort. I think the later might fit your situation as the FD>EF adapters with optical correction are know for their inferior optical quality. But this can also work for you, if you like that kind of thing.

I have an FD>EF without correction lens but I only use it on an FL lens which has a stop down ring on the lens itself (so I don't have the issues that you've had to contend with). The adapter has an internal pin which I suspect stops the lens down to the working aperture. I can't test it as I have no FD, only an FL lens. I find the adapter quite useless as you can only shoot 'macro' with it.

I think you're best off using your lens on a body that allows you to achieve infinity without any optical correction in the adapter however the present options are in my opinion poor in that only crop sensors are available. Hopefully one day soon there will be a FF NEX or similar from CaNikon.

Do you have any sample of the image quality of the lens that you could post? I'd be interested in seeing how the lens performs wide open with the correction lens.

[mickyj]

I have taken some nice shots with this lens but when I did a deliberate test shot .... saw many issues.
I will have to take more test shots as the other photos I took, originally looked nice.

test shot
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2878/9183586028_403f21fdae_b_d.jpg

Lens and adaptor
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5338/9183640954_bc58eae02f_b_d.jpg

Modified Adaptor
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7289/9181436181_6fa938e48e_b_d.jpg

[ameerat42]

Mickey. I see you've undertaken another enterprise.
How's the astrophot?
Am.

[mickyj]

Mickey. I see you've undertaken another enterprise.
How's the astrophot?
Am.

Actually, other than some shots straight of the camera with a 23-70 L lens, I have not yet found the time to use the telescope. I took some shots of the latest eclipse with the PST and they came out noce. I really need to find some time.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5510/9056293498_7f6b98cb87_b_d.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5450/9056265354_b9f10c3c7e_b_d.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/9056242994_660211f02e_b_d.jpg

[mickyj]

It seems the consensus is, the first two stops are fuzzy (1.4/1.8) After than it looks very sharp. This is a common comment online with FD to EOS adaptors.
I tried to create test photos with objects in each corner.

I took these at f8, hand held built in flash, Canon 7d.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5476/9192637786_6fb881e45a_b_d.jpg
Flickr may let you download the full size here http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickyj_photos/9192637786/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3699/9189836891_b4c6f2eacb_b_d.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickyj_photos/9189836891/sizes/o/in/photostream/

100% crop (This is about 1 inch in size - a model of a camera)
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/9189832167_e3e8c6b6b5_b_d.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickyj_photos/9189832167/sizes/o/in/photostream/

[mickyj]

I should mention that these objects were standing up on a white table so there will be some distortion due to the items at the bottom being closer and the focal plane not being directly parellel to all objects. The glare is not the lens or adaptor (unlike the first test image I took). The built in flash produced the harsh light and reflected off the table back onto the items

[ameerat42]

Best to try it on a flat pattern, Micky.
Draw/print up a grid/lay a page of print flat to photograph.
Am.