topic Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera in EF & RF Lenses

Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

osuiloveyou — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 18:08:57 GMT

I recently bought a used Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 L Lens and did not realize it would not fit on my canon 60D. Is there some sort of adapter that I can purchase to make this lense compatible with my camera?

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

Skirball — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:45:56 GMT

Yes, there are adapters, but all of them have their limitations. If you search for Canon FD to EOS mount you'll see plenty.

The really cheap ones are just a ring that match up the mounts. They prevent any kind of autofocus, and many will even prevent you from changing the aperture. They'll also prevent you from focusing at distant objects, so they're really only good for macros.

There are also some cheap ones that have optics in them, allowing autofocus. But the optics are poor and the image quality suffers dramatically.

Then you have the Canon adapter, which has quality optics in it. But it's quite expensive (~$500+) and will only work with a few lenses.

If you have the option to return the lens, I would. Sorry, but it's more trouble than it's worth. It'd be one thing if you had a whole collection of expensive FD lenses. Barring that, stick with EF/EF-S mounts.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

MikeSowsun — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 00:34:18 GMT

The Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 L is an exceptional piece of glass and routinely sells for about $700 - $1,000

If you can afford to buy this lens, I think it is well worth the time and effort to make it usable on today's modern DSLR's like your 60D.

You can have it professionally modified for about $250 or buy a do it yourself kit from EdMika for about $99:

http://www.edmika.com/#

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

osuiloveyou — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 11:57:23 GMT

Hi Mike!

Is there a comparable lense that you would recommend for the 60D. I'm thinking about returning this one and forgoing the hassel of trying to find someone local to modify it professionally.

thank you so much for your help!

Nikki

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

MikeSowsun — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 12:33:06 GMT

How much did you pay for that lens?

How much do you want to spend?

Does it have to be 85mm and f/1.2 ?

The comparable lens for the 60D would be the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II but it costs $2,100.00 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/423691-USA/Canon_1056B002AA_EF_85mm_f_1_2L_II.html

There was also a earlier version of this lens which you could probably find used for about $1,000.00

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Lenses-/3323/i.html?LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&_from=R40%7CR40&_sop=15&_nkw=Canon+EF+85+mm+F%2F1.2+L+USM+Lens

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

osuiloveyou — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 12:55:12 GMT

Thank you for the link. I spend $800 with shipping for the lense. I don't want to go to far over that price. It does NOT have to be the 85mm and f/1.2 - I want a lense that lets lots of light in for better indoor shots and a nice bokeh and this lense was recommended to me for that purpose. I'm up for suggestions.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

MikeSowsun — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 13:04:02 GMT

I would recommend the Canon EF 50mm 1.4 USM or Canon EF 85mm 1.8 USM as they are both very good lenses that let in lots of light.

You can buy them used for about $300, or about $400 each new.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

Skirball — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 14:42:50 GMT

@MikeSowsun wrote:
I would recommend the Canon EF 50mm 1.4 USM or Canon EF 85mm 1.8 USM as they are both very good lenses that let in lots of light.

You can buy them used for about $300, or about $400 each new.

I've also been pretty happy with my Sigma 85mm 1.4, but that comes with the caveat that you have to be prepared to micro-focus. Really though, you should be prepared to microfocus on any fast primes.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

ebiggs1 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 21:35:42 GMT

"I recently bought a used Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 L Lens ..."

No matter how good this 'FD' lens is/was, it is not worth any effort, money or time trying to convert it to EF. If you can send it back for a refund, do it. The lens was made in the past and should remain in the past. Sorry, but that is the fact. Beleive me I have tried everyway possibile to do this with several FD lenses and it always ends up a dissappointment.

The best 85mm currently is the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM. That is a hair splitting statement as the Canon 85mm f1.2 is darn good also. But the Siggy is just that tad bit better and is under a grand.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

ebiggs1 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 21:37:21 GMT

If that didn't talk you out of it, the Ed Mika adapter is the best. It is as good as it gets in adapters. Plus Ed is a great guy and will assist you if he can help.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

MikeSowsun — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 23:12:18 GMT

If you are after a fast lens with great optics and shallow depth of field, the FD 85mm 1.2L is sometimes referred to as one of the best lenses ever made ........

http://www.fdreview.com/lens-review.php?itemid=74

"Used it on NEX7, As good as any Leica lens (I have one R and three M-mount in this range) but none of them have f1.2. I use the Leica 90mm f2.8 for travelling because it is super small. But this Canon is much more powerful especially when it's cloudy."

"Fantastic light gathering power.
Great bokeh
Extremely impressive looks.
This is my absolute number one FD lens."

"Unbelieveable reults. My favorite lens. I've had it for 23 years( I paid $600 in 1986; well worth the money). The best for portraits but can be used as an all around lens for sharp pictures & excellent IQ. Just have to be careful with focus(shallow depth of field)."

http://kenrockwell.com/canon/fd/85mm-f12.htm

"This Canon 85mm f/1.2 L Aspherical Floating-Element lens is the most advanced 85mm manual-focus lens ever sold anywhere. It's way beyond anything ever from Nikon or LEICA. It's got more technology in it than anywhere else, and more importantly, has out-of-this world performance. This is why it's so sought-after by astronomers; it's super-sharp even wide-open at f/1.2. It also has very little distortion. This was one of Canon's top flagship lenses before the entire FD line was trashed in 1987 in favor or the EOS autofocus system."

https://www.flickr.com/groups/canonfd/discuss/72157635207483152/

"This lens has been described as one of the best portrait lenses ever made by any manufacturer. Big and heavy, always expensive."

"The canon FD 85/1.2L is one of the finest lenses ever made and is still the same optical arrangement in the EF 85/1.2L similar to the zeiss 50/1.4 for contax which is still in production in the ze other editions"

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

RobertTheFat — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 11:21:45 GMT

@MikeSowsun wrote:
If you are after a fast lens with great optics and shallow depth of field, the FD 85mm 1.2L is sometimes referred to as one of the best lenses ever made ........

[Quotations of effusive praise omitted]

It's like having one of the best saddles ever made, if you don't own a horse.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

MikeSowsun — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 12:21:56 GMT

No, the OP owns both a saddle and horse.

His problem is the saddle doesn't fit his particular horse without an expensive modification. He just needs to add another horse to his stable. There are inexpensive adapters that would make his great saddle fit many other horses. (just not the one he currently owns)

Canon FD lenses can be used with most other interchangeable lens Digital cameras with a very inexpensive adapter that has absolutely no effect on image quality.

There are all kinds of adapters for FD lenses to be used on Nikon, Pentax, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Mirco 4/3, and even Canon EOS M. It is just Canon DSLR's that can't easily use FD lenses.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

ebiggs1 — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 13:21:54 GMT

"No, the OP owns both a saddle and horse."

Yes he does but he has a show horse saddle and a draft horse. It is possibile to get that saddle on the horse but what do you have when you do? A lot of issues that were not originally there when using a FD lens on a FD body are now front center.

Mike neither Bob from Boston nor I am debating the quality of the supberb 85mm lens. I have one. It and most of the rest of the FD lens' line is why I went Canon for my personal photography equipment while the company I worked for was all Nikon.

Matter of fact another photographer there also bought Canon fo his personal equipment.

No adapter made can be used that does not degrade the quality except the Ed Mika. Which I have used to convert several FD's to EF. Mostly my white ones. I beleive Ed makes a specific adapter just for the FD 85mm and it would be the one to get.

Now consider the Sigma 85mm for almost the same price as the FD 85mm and a Ed Mika will work great. Add to the fact it will likely best the old FD to boot and will do so with all current AF and AE fully functional.

My advise remains don't do it but if you do go see Ed Mika.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

MikeSowsun — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 13:33:49 GMT

There are lots of very fine digital cameras that can easily use FD lenses with inexpensive adapters that do not degrade image quality.

What is wrong with this combo?

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

ebiggs1 — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 13:55:44 GMT

Mike nothing is "wrong" if that is your cup of tea. But neither he nor I have a Sony camera! (I wouldn't have one but that is another story.)

And you are only fooling yourself if you think adapters don't degrade the lens. It simply is not possibile to 'add' to a lens and maintain the exact same specs as it had without the adapter. Even the best, Ed Mika, changes the lens some tiny amount.

It is this tiny amount of quality you are so diligently trying to keep and brag about. The Siggy is there and has none of the issues. Plus it is nearly the same price.

You can not believe how hard it was for me to finally give up on this adapter route for the FD lenses I have and love.

I have about two dozen of them still. I still have my F1n and A1. I still use them but as they were originally intended.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

MikeSowsun — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 14:19:56 GMT

"And you are only fooling yourself if you think adapters don't degrade the lens. It simply is not possibile to 'add' to a lens and maintain the exact same specs as it had without the adapter".

Nothing is being added. There is no addition lens. These adapters are glass-less and do not effect image quality in any way.

If I had a bunch of quality FD lenses, I would pick up an EOS M camera and an inexpensive adapter so I could use them all.

I only had 1 FD lens and I went the EdMika route.....

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

ebiggs1 — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 15:46:26 GMT

"These adapters are glass-less and do not effect image quality in any way. "

Yes they do but I give up. You win!

Anybody that would recommend getting a EOS M camera so they could use old FD lenses is.........................well at least well beyond me. Have at it and more power to you.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

MikeSowsun — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 17:35:33 GMT

"These adapters are glass-less and do not effect image quality in any way. "

ebiggs1 wrote:

Yes they do but I give up. You win!

Sorry, I don't mean to be difficult or disrespectful. I just don't understand how a glass-less adapter or mount change affects the image quality of the lens. Could you please explain? I must be missing something.

Re: Lense Adapter for 60D Camera

osuiloveyou — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 18:22:38 GMT

Thanks to both of you. The friendly debate and links provide (with pictures) was very helpful to a newbie!

I'm going to return the lense and get a saddle that fits my current horse!

I will probably invest in the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 - per your suggestions.

Very much appreciated!