My 35 f/2 SSC (concave, f16) has sat now for 10 years. It appears it could have a second life in store. I'll take some images and put it up for sale here shortly. Anyone care to 'objectively' : ) suggest an asking price? The lens shows normal wear on the barrel, and glass is clear and flawless.
I only now understand what makes it unusual. One bit I haven't heard anything about is a version that also has B&H/Canon, rather than just Canon. Many years ago at the annual camera show a dealer showed a bit too much interest in it, that was what made me hold on to it in fact. Anyone know if the B&H addition makes it special?
I always disassemble FD SSC lenses and machine down the stock. Once I determined the reduction amount it was the same for five different SSC lenses (50 1.4, 24 2.8, 28 2.0, 85 1.8, 35 2.0) I converted. Infinity tuning required only a minute tweak.
Machining provided several advantages. Obviously the lens group is set safely aside from the hazards of the workshop but also the stock can be properly positioned in the lathe to guarantee accurate material removal. Lapping and less precise methods could result in irregularities that could cause the lens to be mounted such that rear element is closer to the camera sensor on one side as compared to the opposite side. Lapping (sanding) is the most accurate manual method of material removal but it depends on the experience of the individual and technique used. No matter what method is used, a micrometer and/or vernier is indispensable to verify consistency of the finished product. In some cases (irregular shaped backs) it is impossible to verify consistency with such instruments without taking an initial set of readings in several places all the way around the circumference of the part being reduced. These readings are then used as points of reference during the process.
When you are working within fractions of a millimeter for the lens to be mounted at the correct register distance it is quite possible that one part of the rear element could be at the correct register distance while the opposite side could be out 1/4 of a millimeter or more without the difference at the mount being detectable with the naked eye. The impact on your pics however could range from slight to dramatic differences in image quality and distortion edge to edge across the frame.
The disassembly is easy and safe. Take pictures across the rear of the lens with the lens positioned at infinity before disassembly to get a ballpark position of the rear element relative to the stock. Also use a marker to mark the position of the lens group relative to the stock. When disassembling the lens group from the helicoid keep your marker nearby. Slowly rotate the lens group out of the helicoid. At the exact point of separation, hold the two parts in one hand and make a mark on the group and helicoid. When you reassemble the lens you simply line up these marks as the starting point and gently "work" the lens back into the threads of the helicoid. If you start the group in "too early" the marks you made at the opposite end of the group will never line up. If you start "too late" you will pass the mark and have to "wind back" to get them to line up. Once you have done it a few times and get used to positioning the parts properly to each other to start threading and also marking things properly, everything will go back together properly on the first attempt.
I realize that not everyone has access to a lathe as I do. I just thought it was important to point out the necessity to maintain the highest level of accuracy within the limits of the tools that one uses to carry out this kind of modification.
cogitech wrote:
........I read about 5 (or is it 6?) different versions being produced, the first 4 of which use rare earth and a concave front element. Only the fourth version employed this complex design and was also SSC coated, which is the reason I selected this specific one..........
Paul, I have a 35 mm f 2 SSC as well, and remembering it as a very nice lens in analog days - but just to make sure - does all the SSC's have the floating elements?
Its serial is 1279XX, the coatings don't look as yellow as the zuiko 50 1.4 /rare earth. It has a black nose, therefore might be version II.
montespluga wrote:
Paul, I have a 35 mm f 2 SSC as well, and remembering it as a very nice lens in analog days - but just to make sure - does all the SSC's have the floating elements?
Its serial is 1279XX, the coatings don't look as yellow as the zuiko 50 1.4 /rare earth. It has a black nose, therefore might be version II.
I have the same version as Paul (concave front element and Min f16). The serial number is quite a bit lower than yours....79551.
I'll post the lens tests for this lens soon (SSC v.1), from Modern Photo and Pop Photo. It does quite well in the center wide-open (as good as zuiko or better, numbers-wise I think), but not as good in the corners. YMMV of course.
pengland wrote:
I always disassemble FD SSC lenses and machine down the stock. Once I determined the reduction amount it was the same for five different SSC lenses (50 1.4, 24 2.8, 28 2.0, 85 1.8, 35 2.0) I converted. Infinity tuning required only a minute tweak.
How much (in mm) is the reduction amount which you take off from the stock?
The rest you wrote is 100% true, particularly the marking of the helix I could not have described better!
m-a-x wrote:
How much (in mm) is the reduction amount which you take off from the stock?
The rest you wrote is 100% true, particularly the marking of the helix I could not have described better!
Regards, Alex
I found that removing 1.10mm puts me in the "sweet spot" for the particular M42 to EOS adapters that I purchase from a supplier in China. Adapter flange thickness can vary but 1.10 mm should put the lens very close to its factory infinity setting.
pengland wrote:
I always disassemble FD SSC lenses and machine down the stock. Once I determined the reduction amount it was the same for five different SSC lenses (50 1.4, 24 2.8, 28 2.0, 85 1.8, 35 2.0) I converted.
Are you refering to the earlier non "nFD" lenses with the silver breach lock?
or only SSC coated FD lenses, both nFD and older breach lock FD?
JimBuchanan wrote:
Are you refering to the earlier non "nFD" lenses with the silver breach lock?
or only SSC coated FD lenses, both nFD and older breach lock FD?
Just to clarify.
Jim,
Yes....clarification is required here. I am referring to the earlier non "nFD" family of lenses with the silver breech lock with the red SSC designation.
A few more (on my 5D, as usual). 100% crops have only mild capture sharpening on the RAWs, as usual. I only output sharpen my full images, not my crops.
Some people say this lens has excessive barrel distortion. It is there, but I wouldn't call it excessive. It does have significant field curvature, though:
Ed Sawyer wrote:
your first test shots were better/sharper. Maybe not quite at infinity yet? hard to say.
For wide open at infinity, I couldn't really hope for better. The lens actually goes a hair beyond infinity. Check out the rest of the shots I posted after your post, particularly the f8 test.
