Yet another hidden gem?

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Archive 2009 · Yet another hidden gem?

cogitech
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p.1 #1 · Yet another hidden gem?

FD 24/2 (not quite converted) wide open on 5D. Keep in mind these are hand-held (in more ways than one) at ISO 1600 at 1/15th and 1/30th...

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100% (there is minimal sharpening on the RAW (150 of 400 in Bibble):

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100% from the next shot in the series. Talk about detail :

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I think I'm going to like this one.

Nov 20, 2009 at 04:44 AM

helimat
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p.1 #2 · Yet another hidden gem?

Nice find... Once again Paul.

Did ya buy a batch of ten?

Nov 20, 2009 at 05:29 AM

Anden
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p.1 #3 · Yet another hidden gem?

Nice!

Nov 20, 2009 at 05:49 AM

thrice
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p.1 #4 · Yet another hidden gem?

QUICK! everyone buy and convert them and sit on them til the price skyrockets

Nov 20, 2009 at 05:55 AM

sirimiri
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p.1 #5 · Yet another hidden gem?

Hmmm...how does it look "in living color"?

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:36 AM

Mr.Burns
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p.1 #6 · Yet another hidden gem?

The first one kinda reminds me of a LensBaby shot.

I like the look.

-Mickey

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:53 AM

philber
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p.1 #7 · Yet another hidden gem?

Nah! a man of your ability could produce a shot like that from a pinhole in a matchbox, Paul! I am surprised that, to make matters just a bit more challenging, you didn't chosoe to do it while she blinked

Nov 20, 2009 at 07:00 AM

cogitech
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p.1 #8 · Yet another hidden gem?

sirimiri wrote:
Hmmm...how does it look "in living color"?

I have no idea, as these were taken under crappy indoor lighting. I haven't even mounted the lens on my camera yet, to be honest. Once I finish the conversion (which I've figured out quite easily) I will put it through more thorough testing and post some stuff.

Edited on Nov 20, 2009 at 12:24 PM · View previous versions

Nov 20, 2009 at 12:19 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #9 · Yet another hidden gem?

Mr.Burns wrote:
The first one kinda reminds me of a LensBaby shot.

I like the look.

-Mickey

That makes sense, since I was holding the camera to my face with my right hand and holding the lens near the camera with the other hand. To focus, the mountless lens had to be held about 3-4mm away from the camera mount flange, so some tilt and shift was inevitable (I'm not that good). Sort of like Anden's Franken-tilt, but without the lens pouch "bellows".

Nov 20, 2009 at 12:23 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #10 · Yet another hidden gem?

philber wrote:
Nah! a man of your ability could produce a shot like that from a pinhole in a matchbox, Paul! I am surprised that, to make matters just a bit more challenging, you didn't chosoe to do it while she blinked

. Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I think I really would have needed AF if she had blinked

Nov 20, 2009 at 12:28 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #11 · Yet another hidden gem?

simiri, I've corrected the white balance quickly on a couple and dumped them out in colour. Probably not the best shots to judge colour with though, at 1600 under incandescent.

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Nov 20, 2009 at 12:38 PM

pengland
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p.1 #12 · Yet another hidden gem?

A couple from my nFD 24 f2 taken this morning wide open.....5D....no PP.

Nov 20, 2009 at 05:00 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #13 · Yet another hidden gem?

Nice samples, Nick!

I'm excited to finish mine and get outside for some testing. I've read very good things about this lens. Some people call it the best lens in the FD line-up. Looking forward to seeing how it performs stopped down, as well.

This is a pretty easy conversion, eh? I'm not done yet, but it is so obvious what needs to be done.

Nov 20, 2009 at 05:13 PM

burningheart
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p.1 #14 · Yet another hidden gem?

Hi Paul

Congrats on the 24 there are a few gems hidden in the FD line besides the 50L and 85L. To point out a few others for you of high regard 35 F2, 35-105 F3.5, 85 1.8, 80-200 L, 200 F4 macro and 400 F4.5.

Nov 20, 2009 at 05:28 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #15 · Yet another hidden gem?

burningheart wrote:
Hi Paul

Congrats on the 24 there are a few gems hidden in the FD line besides the 50L and 85L. To point out a few others for you of high regard 35 F2, 35-105 F3.5, 85 1.8, 80-200 L, 200 F4 macro and 400 F4.5.

Yes, I've already converted the 35/2 SSC (concave), and I love it.

I agree about the 35-105/3.5 as it was one of my favourites back in my AE-1P days. I converted a copy of that one too and it turned out to be a crap sample. I might do another some day.

I'm pretty content at 85mm these days (Rokinon) and for tele I have the FD 300/4 L converted (which is stunning!) and an AF 70-210/2.8 Zoom that is sufficient.

Nov 20, 2009 at 05:43 PM

Sam N
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p.1 #16 · Yet another hidden gem?

I asked about converting this lens a while back and got no response. I've seen tests of it that say it's extremely sharp, but I'm not sure if it'll clear a 5D/5DII mirror. If it will, I'm all for converting it.

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:14 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #17 · Yet another hidden gem?

As far as I can tell, it'll clear an unshaved mirror at infinity, but I cannot be sure just yet. I'll know more after the weekend. Maybe Nick can comment on this.

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:36 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #18 · Yet another hidden gem?

BTW, I know some of you must be wondering why the hell I've bought this lens since my main agenda has been selling stuff these days. Let's just say I couldn't pass up a deal this good

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:44 PM

Ed Sawyer
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p.1 #19 · Yet another hidden gem?

The bokeh on the nFD one seems a bit busier than Paul's samples...

-Ed

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:58 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #20 · Yet another hidden gem?

Ed Sawyer wrote:
The bokeh on the nFD one seems a bit busier than Paul's samples...

-Ed

I noticed this too, but oddly enough the lenses are identical. Canon only ever made the nFD version. I forgot to prepend the "n" in my original post.

Maybe it is because my "hand-holding" resulted in a closer-than-normal minimum focus distance (tube effect), resulting in narrower DOF and more blur. Also, the lighting is much more bright/contrasty in Nick's samples.

Nov 20, 2009 at 07:17 PM

pengland
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p.1 #21 · Yet another hidden gem?

cogitech wrote:
Nice samples, Nick!

I'm excited to finish mine and get outside for some testing. I've read very good things about this lens. Some people call it the best lens in the FD line-up. Looking forward to seeing how it performs stopped down, as well.

This is a pretty easy conversion, eh? I'm not done yet, but it is so obvious what needs to be done.

Thanks Paul,

The nFD conversions are a breeze now that I have developed a ``kit`` to do it. The mounting screw locations and spacer requirements are identical in all the nFD lenses. I always have several M42/EOS adapters drilled with countersunk holes ready to go as well as dozens of spacers with holes and aperture ring "undercuts". When I get an nFD lens now I only have to drill out and re-tap the screw holes and fabricate the aperture control mechanism (which I have also stream-lined to some degree).

Although I have now shaved the mirror on my 5D I can confirm that the nFD 24/2 did clear before shaving.

A word of caution on the the 24mm nFDs. I converted an f 2.8 version first and I can report that the design was identical. In both lenses there was a set of bushings that I have never encountered in any other lens. The bushings are tiny....maybe 4mm in dia. In both lenses these bushings were worn out or had broken down from old lubricant. The lenses were both functional as they were but there was some "lost motion" in the focus rings as well as a tendency for the focus to creep under certain conditions when gravity could take hold. I ended up machining new bushings from teflon that work great.

Nov 20, 2009 at 07:48 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #22 · Yet another hidden gem?

I wish I had your time and access to tools!

My plan is to modify an existing part (the spacer/ring that is secured to the barrel with the three larger screws, and holds the aperture ring down) and use it as a spacer for the new mount. I'll likely spend hours filing/sanding it down to the right thickness.

Stage two will be the new aperture mechanism, which looks dead simple on this one. I've got some semi-soft aluminum that'll do the trick.

Stage three will be to rough-up the bottom surface of the M42-EOS adapter and then just JB-Weld the bugger on there

I'm sure yours will be much prettier

Nov 20, 2009 at 08:49 PM

pengland
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p.1 #23 · Yet another hidden gem?

Paul,

I owe you a lot for getting me started in the alt and conversion arena. If you give me your mailing address I will send you one of my spacers....no charge. It doubles as a screw hole template as well to guarantee accurate centering and radial (relative to the camera...aperture scale on top) positioning of your M42 adapter.....and thereby your lens.

Nick

Nov 20, 2009 at 09:50 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #24 · Yet another hidden gem?

NIck, you have PM

Thanks!

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:44 PM

TWoK
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p.1 #25 · Yet another hidden gem?

Looks pretty similar to the Nikkor 24/2. I'm surprised you're not going to try a MF 24L

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:56 PM


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