Glassless infinity-focus FD-EOS converter for 600 and 800mm FD lenses now available.

For those not already aware, about a year ago Ed Mika (Ontarian on Flikr) began development on a new glassless FD-EOS adapter (with AF confirm) that allows focus to infinity on 600mm and 800mm FD lenses, and longer focus than any other glassless converter on other lenses (300 feet on 400mm FD, 38 feet on 200mm):

http://www.flickr.com/​photos/ontaria...76249​29098837/

After a few different attempts he has finally finalized the design and first production run. They are now for sale on Ebay for $135:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/​eBayISAPI.dll?...#ht_6​11wt_1141

To use it you do have to mod your lens, but it is supposed to be a very simple and easily reversible mod (Just remove a screw or something).

I just placed my order for use with the 600mm FD I picked up last year. If you have a longer FD lens lying around you should look into getting one yourself.

It works best with the 600 and 800mm lenses because those can "Focus past infinity" just enough to not act like they have a 2.75mm extension tube attached.

Very interesting indeed. But, I will pass. You can mount any FD lens on a m4/3 and get a 2x crop factor and infinity focus. Though great in their day, the older lenses do fall behind modern versions. Still, may be a way to work up to the expensive options. I know I tried an FD 500/4.5, without glass adpater before I got my EF 500/4.5 -now EF 500/4.

Yeah, I don't expect this to directly interest most people in terms of actually buying it, but it should interest almost everyone to know it can be, and has been, done.... It's kind of amazing it took a random guy in Canada to figure this out and make a product. You would think some big company would have done it long ago.

Big compnay realizes the low interest and passes. I have myself converted several FD lenses to EF mount and sold them. Can be done.

arentol wrote in post #11943746
It's kind of amazing it took a random guy in Canada to figure this out and make a product. You would think some big company would have done it long ago.

A guy in a shed/garage is how most of that stuff happens, actually. Then when they start becoming successful some business often comes along and gives them an offer they cannot refuse.

Unfortunately for this guy I don't think he'll get such an offer. I'm sure some people will be interested and he'll make some sales, but is there really that many people with FD glass kicking around still that wouldn't have bought an EF equivalent by now?

gasrocks wrote in post #11943854
Big compnay realizes the low interest and passes. I have myself converted several FD lenses to EF mount and sold them. Can be done.

Yeah, this is a little different though since the lens isn't "converted" at all. No permanent changes are made and it can be done by anyone.

Also there is apparently a company in china that is trying to make a 1mm glassless converter now. (This one is 0.75mm)

So it looks like that company might see sufficient interest. Even more so because if you are making 5mm thick ones then where is the extra cost in making 1mm thick ones? Seems like a cost savings to me. So it doesn't make much sense not to have tried it before.

gasrocks wrote in post #11943854
Big compnay realizes the low interest and passes. I have myself converted several FD lenses to EF mount and sold them. Can be done.

As far as I am concerned, permanent modification of the better FD glass is distasteful. This is especially true considering the growing field of EVIL cameras that bring the legacy glass into the digital age.

I created the EdMika EF-FD adapter to allow the nice large FD lenses to be useful on both FD film cameras and EF DSLRs. They happen to still be the least expensive option to get to 600 and 800 at fast apertures still available. Some users actually prefer the manual focus FD versions on their DSLRs for professional video shooting, I sold 2 out of my 3 long FD lenses to such a company filming in Algonquin park.

I did not create the adapter to make money, I am a Canon equipment freak and want to share my passion.

-Ed Mika / Ontarian

That said, the second production EdMika branded adapter is on the drawing board as of yesterday. Retaining the value shooting priority of the first adapter, this one is an easy and reversible conversion kit that will be sold to switch FL 55 1.2 lenses to EF mount. The 55 1.2's are some of the lowest cost f/1.2's that can be found and are abundant on eBay and elsewhere. 4 screws removed, three screws tightened into existing holes and you will have an EF 55 1.2 that can be an FD 55 1.2 again in minutes with the same mod in reverse. The solution will again be brass and the lens looks beautiful with it as seen personally on the prototype my father displayed to me yesterday.

ontarian wrote in post #12194474
As far as I am concerned, permanent modification of the better FD glass is distasteful. This is especially true considering the growing field of EVIL cameras that bring the legacy glass into the digital age.

I created the EdMika EF-FD adapter to allow the nice large FD lenses to be useful on both FD film cameras and EF DSLRs. They happen to still be the least expensive option to get to 600 and 800 at fast apertures still available. Some users actually prefer the manual focus FD versions on their DSLRs for professional video shooting, I sold 2 out of my 3 long FD lenses to such a company filming in Algonquin park.

I did not create the adapter to make money, I am a Canon equipment freak and want to share my passion.

-Ed Mika / Ontarian

so is this going to be an auto-focus adapter?

MrLA wrote in post #12194659
so is this going to be an auto-focus adapter?

It will have the same Gen4 dandelion programmable AF-confirm chip adapter reporting to EXIF data 55mm focal length and aperture of 1.2. focus confirmation is useful at the narrow depth of field that the 55 1.2 will give you considering most cameras do not have split focus assist screens. I see the typical user being a rebel/60D level shooter wanting a 1.2 lens on a budget. This would be a great start. The lens can be had for 200 dollars typically and I expect to keep the cost of the adapter the same as the EF-FD one since it uses the same amount of brass, the same labour costs for chip attachment and cost so for 335 you can have a very good low light shooting solution with amazing bokeh.

so it will have only confirmation dot when it is in focus, right? will it be a lens-specific adapter or will it work on any FD lens?

when is this going to be available? and what the total cost to have one shipped to California?

MrLA wrote in post #12194842
so it will have only confirmation dot when it is in focus, right? will it be a lens-specific adapter or will it work on any FD lens?

when is this going to be available? and what the total cost to have one shipped to California?

Yes, depending on how your camera is set it can light up whatever focus point/points you want when focus is reached with or without a beep.

The current EdMika EF-FD adapter is the only full FD range capable adapter, it will give infinity focus to FD 600 and FD 800 lenses both new and old versions. It will also get you the greatest focus distance of any available glassless adapter. Glass adapters in my opinion are a complete waste of time, the crappiest lens will give you better IQ then the best FD lens with a glass adapter to EF. Keep in mind that from a practical stand point, it only gives you 10 meters of focus on a 135mm lens, 35ish on a 200mm, 120ish meters on a 300, 180 meters on a 400 and has yet to be tested on a 500mm f/4.5 lens.

The new one will be lens specific and be a swappable lens mount only on the FL (not FD) 55mm f/1.2 lens.

Availability of the original is current though there are only 2 left in stock and the new hopefully will be ready for sale in a month or so. Shipping is 11 dollars.

http://www.flickr.com/​photos/ontarian/560791​6962/

Inadvertent spy shot my wife took of the prototype FL 55mm 1.2 on an EF body

phreeky wrote in post #11944071
A guy in a shed/garage is how most of that stuff happens, actually. Then when they start becoming successful some business often comes along and gives them an offer they cannot refuse.

Unfortunately for this guy I don't think he'll get such an offer. I'm sure some people will be interested and he'll make some sales, but is there really that many people with FD glass kicking around still that wouldn't have bought an EF equivalent by now?

A lot of that FD glass was REALLY cheap a few years ago...i know the big lenses were even going for not much money

But when the m4/3 system came out it jacked the lens prices up

But even still, you can get easy to convert Nikon F-mount superteles for not too much, i've seen the 600/4 for less than $2000 before..and those lenses are far from bad optically

gasrocks wrote in post #11943596
Very interesting indeed. But, I will pass. You can mount any FD lens on a m4/3 and get a 2x crop factor and infinity focus. Though great in their day, the older lenses do fall behind modern versions. Still, may be a way to work up to the expensive options. I know I tried an FD 500/4.5, without glass adpater before I got my EF 500/4.5 -now EF 500/4.

My question would be is if an old FD 500mm f/4.5 is still better than say, a Sigma 150-500...