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Archive 2014 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

jamesf99
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

I hope someone can help answer what i thought was an easy question, but after searching "a6000 fd lenses" I came up almost empty.

In short, I'd like to use some of my old FD lenses on Sony camera(s) - I have some of the basic, but relatively fast, primes, (amended list)

24 f/2,
35 f/2,
50 f/1.2, f/1.4 and f/1.8,
85 f/1.8 and a pristine 85 f/1.2L.

I don't even know which ones are good anymore as I haven't used them in so long, but assuming they're all functional, can anyone comment on what I can expect when using these with a Sony a6000 (or A7 II?) and the best way to adapt them?

Any help or thoughts appreciated.

Thanks, Jim

N.B. I modified the title to include EF lenses if anyone has advice there too.

Edited on Nov 26, 2014 at 08:12 AM · View previous versions

Nov 23, 2014 at 07:14 AM

mcbroomf
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

There a long standing Canon FD thread here started last year. It's probably overrun by A7x images by now but it starts with some from Philip Reeve on a Nex 6. Not sure how many a6000 posts there might be. If you search for Canon FD only you'll get a lot of other lens info
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1253143/0

I have the 35/2 and 20/2.8 which are both excellent. I thin kthe 24/2 get good reviews and of course the 85L is excellent (I've thought about switching my EF for an FD).

There are a number of adapters on the market (ebay for eg). I've had no issues with any of them.

Mike

Nov 23, 2014 at 07:46 AM

mcbroomf
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

For EF lenses you need an adapter that will give you control over the aperture. They all come with AF but it's very slow. Metabones are the most expensive but again there are many others.

Nov 23, 2014 at 07:48 AM

jamesf99
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

Thanks for the suggestions Mike and I'll check out the thread. There's nothing in the new Sony forum either.

Anyway, it's been a long time since I was interested in new gear (overwhelming Canon fatigue and disappointment) but it sure seems like Sony is one of the companies that cares about photographers and is offering new choices. I've been thinking of getting an a6000 for months now, and the new a7 ii may make a nice addition.

Do you currently use an a6000 or an a7/R/s body?

Thanks again. Jim

Nov 23, 2014 at 08:04 AM

Kingfishphoto
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

I would think using your FD lenses on the A6000, that you will be very pleased. The 85L should jump out at you so to speak. I have only FD normals, zooms and teles, and iam well pleased with the results. I use just the cheap adapters with the following FD lenses.
FL 50 F1.4, 50 F1.8, 50 macro, 100 macro, 200 F2.8 IF, 300 F4 L, 400 FD F4.5 and 85-300 . MyNex-7 and A7 give nice results with these FDs also. I think its a ball to use these legacy lens from the past. Good luck shooting.
Harry Palmer

Nov 23, 2014 at 08:16 AM

mcbroomf
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

I use an A7r. I used to use Canon (1ds2 then 3) but I bought a Nex 5N body a long time ago and was shocked at the low ISO dynamic range and file malleability, and I've not looked back. I rarely use Fusion or HDR now.

I did buy the a6000 as a backup to the A7r but returned it and got a 2nd used A7r.

The new Sony thread is for Sony lenses on Sony bodies so you'll find all the alt lenses on Sony body threads have been left here.

Nov 23, 2014 at 08:20 AM

jamesf99
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

Kingfishphoto wrote:
I would think using your FD lenses on the A6000, that you will be very pleased. The 85L should jump out at you so to speak. I have only FD normals, zooms and teles, and iam well pleased with the results. I use just the cheap adapters with the following FD lenses.
FL 50 F1.4, 50 F1.8, 50 macro, 100 macro, 200 F2.8 IF, 300 F4 L, 400 FD F4.5 and 85-300 . MyNex-7 and A7 give nice results with these FDs also. I think its a ball to use these legacy lens from the past. Good luck shooting.
Harry Palmer

I feel like a nube (less than a noob

) with Sony gear, but it seems like the spark I need to make shooting fun again.

That's an impressive list of FD lenses you have. I imagine the 300/400 lenses must be fun on a little a6000.

Any experience with a regular 85mm f/1.8 on it? Since it's quite a bit smaller/lighter than my 85L I'm wondering what results I can get and if it will make a good daily selection for a "longer" prime.

Nov 23, 2014 at 09:25 AM

Phillip Reeve
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

All you lenses will worke nicely on the a6000 and even nicer on a Sony Alpha 7

Personally I enjoy all my legacy glass more on the a7 than on the a6000 because the focal lenghts are more useful and I prefer the nicer files and the nicer look the lenses give me on a FF sensor.

Nov 23, 2014 at 09:35 AM

Kingfishphoto
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

Jamesf99 , i havent used the FD 85s on my Sony bodies. Someone else will chave to answer your inquiry about the 85 F1.8 lens on the A6000.
Harry Palmer

Nov 23, 2014 at 09:43 AM

Jman13
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

The 85/1.8 is fairly good on it. It's acceptable wide open (not super sharp but definitely usable), and very good stopped down to f/2.8.

Nov 23, 2014 at 09:44 AM

LightShow
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

Once you get used to the idiosyncrasies of the FD mount it's fairly smooth sailing, the 85/1.8 is a relitivly good 85, has more CA than I'd like, but it's not that big of a deal since it's quite easy to fix in post, it's size is what makes it so useful, it's only slightly longer then the 50/1.4 & 24/2.8, they make a nice compact travel kit with quite good ergonomics, the 24/2 is slightly bigger, and the 24/1.4 is bigger still, but way more fun.
I had a blast using my NEX-7 with legacy manual lenses, even though I prefer the EVF location on my NEX-7, I find that I'm using my A7r almost exclusively, Mostly because I think I'm done with crop sensors, 99% of my lenses were designed for FF.
CaNikon will have to produce an amazing mirrorless camera if they want my money, I will be content for a few years I think.

Nov 23, 2014 at 10:48 AM

kahren
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

all the FD lenses you listed are pretty good, they will work nicely on a6k, but i think you should pickup a lens turbo to take advantage of the full image circle that they project or get an a7

Nov 23, 2014 at 05:30 PM

mcbroomf
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

There's also this Nex image thread. As the a6000 is in the Nex family there are some posts there. The last page at the moment has some a6000/FD from long lenses from Philip
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/969329/704#lastmessage

Nov 24, 2014 at 08:42 AM

mcbroomf
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

Just a hint about searching a thread in FM. It's easier to use google. Someone posted this hint a while ago.

Find a thread you're interested in searching and ID the thread number, ie the Nex thread is 969329. Insert your search term at the beginning in quotes, followed by site: and the full thread address, as follows for a search for Canon FD on the Nex thread

"Canon FD" site:fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/969329

This search returns an instance for every page that Canon FD is used on the Nex thread. You can open each page (which is a bit tedious) and do a search for Canon FD to find out if there's anything of interest. Unfortunately it wont pick up Canon FD in the frame of an image

Mike

Nov 24, 2014 at 08:51 AM

jamesf99
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

mcbroomf wrote:
Just a hint about searching a thread in FM. It's easier to use google. Someone posted this hint a while ago.

Find a thread you're interested in searching and ID the thread number, ie the Nex thread is 969329. Insert your search term at the beginning in quotes, followed by site: and the full thread address, as follows for a search for Canon FD on the Nex thread

"Canon FD" site:fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/969329

This search returns an instance for every page that Canon FD is used on the Nex thread. You can open each page (which is a bit tedious) and do a search for...Show more →

Thanks for the tip Mike. Helped me find a few things that might have been difficult otherwise.

Nov 25, 2014 at 09:08 AM

spada
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

as for the adapter, I really like this one for my FDn 35mm f/2.8 (which is a spectacular little lens)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331115784966?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Nov 25, 2014 at 09:24 AM

jamesf99
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

LightShow wrote:
Once you get used to the idiosyncrasies of the FD mount it's fairly smooth sailing, the 85/1.8 is a relitivly good 85, has more CA than I'd like, but it's not that big of a deal since it's quite easy to fix in post, it's size is what makes it so useful, it's only slightly longer then the 50/1.4 & 24/2.8, they make a nice compact travel kit with quite good ergonomics, the 24/2 is slightly bigger, and the 24/1.4 is bigger still, but way more fun.
I had a blast using my NEX-7 with legacy manual lenses, even though I...Show more →

I haven't owned a cropped camera (except the 1d3) or lens in almost 10 years so it will be a change. I want something smaller that I can carry around more often though, and the a72 hasn't been released here yet, so I'm in a quandary...... Anyway, I'm looking forward to trying the 85s (1.2/1.8) on an a6000. I guess I have to buy one first.

BTW - I can't decide if I want the kit lens as well, or just the body. On another note, I think I have an old 50mm f/1.2 around here, so I hope that works as well.

Nov 26, 2014 at 08:09 AM

jamesf99
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

Nov 26, 2014 at 08:14 AM

jamesf99
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

Jman13 wrote:
The 85/1.8 is fairly good on it. It's acceptable wide open (not super sharp but definitely usable), and very good stopped down to f/2.8.

thanks for the tip. Good info...

Nov 26, 2014 at 08:17 AM

jamesf99
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · a6000 and Canon FD/EF lenses

kahren wrote:
all the FD lenses you listed are pretty good, they will work nicely on a6k, but i think you should pickup a lens turbo to take advantage of the full image circle that they project or get an a7

Are you using this and can you show with/without images to show the difference?

I see that they also have one for EF as well, which could be nice.

Nov 26, 2014 at 08:23 AM

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