I used to use one with my film camera back in the day for night photography and stuff. Just not with long lenses. Mine was home-made tho. Just a cup and a half of rice inside two thick-wall balloons. (like one balloon inside the other and then add rice to the inner one with a funnel). I probably still wouldn't "buy" anything like that but I'll have to give another free homemade one a try with long lenses one day.
The original Fluorite 300mm is not that common in the US, and very pricey at best; along with very long rotation focus (double-helical - not internal). The 400 f4.5 with the EH-98 hood is just impossible to find anywhere...just my 2 cents...
Wait, what? No, all of the Canon 300mm f/2.8L lenses use fluorite. But there may be a model which has escaped me.
There's the original black body green stripe 300/2.8 S.S.C. which uses natural fluorite,
there's the white body red stripe 300/2.8L with the FD chrome mount ring that used natural fluorite,
and there's the newer FDn white body red stripe with black mount ring that uses farmed fluorite and UD elements.
There are two kinds of fluorite used in these lenses. Naturally occurring mined fluorite and "Artificially" grown fluorite crystals derived from calcium fluoride. The later is optically superior from what I understand and also much less expensive.
Unless you're a collector and getting the lens for historical reasons you want the 300/2.8L white body, red stripe, black mount ring. I believe this version also has a shorter MFD too which is nicer to have!
Of those three the first one might be rare (although there are 4 of them on ebay right now) and the second might be a little rare but who cares? (besides collectors I mean ) I guess most here will be interested in the third one which isn't very rare. At least I can always find one on e-bay or on the Japanese auction sites.
Bifurcator wrote:
Wait, what? No, all of the Canon 300mm f/2.8L lenses use fluorite. But there may be a model which has escaped me.
Yup...I always knew that...
Bifurcator wrote:
There's the original black body green stripe 300/2.8 S.S.C. which uses natural fluorite,
there's the white body red stripe 300/2.8L with the FD chrome mount ring that used natural fluorite, and there's the newer FDn white body red stripe with black mount ring that uses farmed fluorite and UD elements.
There are two kinds of fluorite used in these lenses. Naturally occurring mined fluorite and "Artificially" grown fluorite crystals derived from calcium fluoride. The later is optically superior from what I understand and also much less expensive.
Nope...sorry because Canon never used any natural fluorite in these lenses. According to my Canon Interchangeable Lens Guide (by Canon, Inc. 1969), and I quote from pages 101 and 102;
"Though small crystals of fluorite have been used in microscopes, the scarcity of large-size crystals in natural fluorite and the high cost of producing artifical ones have prevented their being used in photographic lenses except for certain research work. Canon research engineers have now succeeded in making artifical crystals large enough for use in optical lenses. They have also managed to keep manufacturing costs within reasonable limits."
The chapter goes on about the other interesting characteristics, including the fact that the optical bandpass extends from 380-850 nanometers, which is wider than I thought (near UV to near IR).
So, let's keep buying, collecting, and shooting (photos that is... ).
Regards,
Edd
Aug 08, 2012 at 05:12 AM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
.
) I guess most here will be interested in the third one which isn't very rare. At least I can always find one on e-bay or on the Japanese auction sites. 
