Canon FD Manual Focus 85mm F/1.2L

• • 7 Comments

Cheesycam GH2GH2 (1 of 2)

Just listed out my Canon 85mm F/1.2L in the classifieds https://bit.ly/e608Tp. There she is seen on the Panasonic GH2 (above). Sad to see her go, I thought of her as a nice collectors piece, but she hasn't seen much use lately. If you're working on MFT (micro four thirds) like Panasonic AF100 or Sony cameras like the new FS100 with a shallow sensor-to-flange ratio you might get the best use out of these old lenses.

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Now this FD 85mm F/1.2L is a bit of an oddity and fetches for a higher price, but for other great inexpensive Manual Focus lenses that can be had for less than $30 dollars, check out the link below. Just make sure you get the right adapter for the right type of lens you're looking at. These days you can practically find an adapter to mount just about any brand lens to any type of camera (or course results will vary).

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7 thoughts on “Canon FD Manual Focus 85mm F/1.2L”

  1. Emm

     Post author

    @von - It would actually add an additional crop factor. Not a good route for trying to go wide.

  2. von

    Does anyone know if the FD adapter (with glass) negates the 1.6x crop factor of a t2i. I'm trying to find a cheaper lens that will give me a 35mm view, but I don't know if I should go for a 35mm in the FD field or something smaller.

  3. Lensdude

    Adapting FD lenses to the EF mount can be a real pain. Its only worth doing with the real "rock stars" of the FD line. This lens qualifies. I would look at forums like the Alt section of Fredmiranda to see how others have made this FD to EOS mount surgery work...

  4.

    Yeah, I don't ever see these $20-$30 wonders that everyone always claims. Seems that since everyone started raving about the old FD lenses as inexpensive alternatives that the prices have hit the $70-$250 range. Still cheaper than most modern lenses, but not the steals they may have once been.

  5. Emm

     Post author

    @garrett - To clarify, some Canon adapters have a glass element. As in the article, the cameras with shallow sensor-to-flange ratios (mirrorless) don't require the additional glass element. On my GH2 I have an adapter that does not have the glass element. For Canon cameras because of the mirror, the sensors are further back. The M43 cameras or mirrorless Sony cameras seem to adapt pretty much any lens very nicely.

  6. garrett

    The FD lens get a lot of flak if you plan on adapting. The adapters have an extra glass element in them, for some reason, which will affect your image. This is why the FD series are far cheaper than other retro lenses on ebay, like Contax/Yashica Zeiss. The 85mm 1.4 C/Y fetches around $600.

  7.

    Yeah, you can actually pick up some Russian primes (I forget the name) that were actually made by the same peeps from Zeiss, just 40 years ago, all metal construction, hard to beat for $20. Also you can pick up some unique lenses and not everyone has. I had a Sigma 28mm F/2.8 Mini-macro Ultra-wide... whatever that means. I was actually really sharp and great quality with a minute fish-eye effect that was actually pretty cool and unique. I bought it for 30 and sold it for 80, go figure.

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