Canon Dedicated Macro for Cheap

OK, OK. I agree I must repent for my sins talking about sinfully delicious and outrageously expensive gear, and then falling victim and owning things like the 1D, 5D, three Ls and so on. I mean, REAL photographers are suffering artists (whether real or imagined) and big gear means you're small of ma.. uhh, nevermind!

So...I hereby present my idea of a Cheap Canon Macro, inspired by posts in another thread.


Go buy an Ebay EOS to FD adapter, and pop the glass out of it, since the glass sucks anyway

Get a FD lens, there are some very nice specimens of the FD 100 macro and FD 50 macro out there. Smack 'em on the adapter, which now becomes an extension tube since you've hollowed out the interior. Canon EOS FD Macro dirt cheap....

AND, unlike cheap EOS-to-EOS ext tubes without electronics, one should have NO problem stopping down the aperture on a FD lens, just twist the aperture ring "like it's always been done" and you are good to go at whatever aperture you need!

Sounds great to me. How sharp are these FD macro lenses compared to the EF macros?

Good question. I was doing some research, apparently the Canon FD 50 1.8 (non macro, the standard lens) is rated even better than the EF 50 1.8 we know and may not love very much. Hmm.... neat.

Very good idea ! Using this method one can even preserve the semi-automatic exposure mode (aperture priority) - more info can be found here.

Olegis wrote in post #2096442
Very good idea ! Using this method one can even preserve the semi-automatic exposure mode (aperture priority) - more info can be found here.

Yup, I pretty much assumed that, actually. It would be better than sticking say, a nifty50 with cheap (non-electronic) extension tubes on it, because you'd have to resort to other unorthodox methods to stop the 50 down. So if I was going the non-electronic route, I'd need something with a manual aperture ring. As the other exotic-lens-on-Canon-EOS users do, we set the body to Av, focus, stop down, meter and shoot.

Quality electronic tubes such as Canon's own EF25 II are no small peas in the starving-artist department much less beasts like the EOS EF macro lenses with FTM, USM, floating system, acronym soup (actual soup not included in purchase price), etc.

I am actually working on building a crazy dedicated macro kit based on this setup.. you folks will see what I come up with when it comes to pass


Canon FD macro: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …SE&addedTroughT​ype=search

$99 for a condition 9 lens.. not bad. You get true macro-grade glass too. This lens is the forerunner of the well-regarded (optically) EF 50/2.5 Compact Macro.

If you're feeling adventurous, try the FD 100/4 macro: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …SE&addedTroughT​ype=search

OK, I went to take a nap and I think I have this whole business figured out.

Expensive EOS FD Macro: Ebay non-automatic EOS ext tube ($20), Ebay EOS/FD Adapter ($30) + FD Macro 50/3.5 ($100) = $160 before shipping

Cheaper EOS FD Macro: Ext tube ($20), EOS/FD adapter ($30), Canon FD 50/1.8 ($20?), that's $70, now down to the price of a Nifty Fifty

Cheapest EOS FD Macro - I just thought of this and I think some of you are really gonna dig it: Ext tube ($20), Canon FD 50/1.8 ($20), elbow grease*

* - Get a Canon EOS BODY CAP, or if one comes with your chosen tubes you are ALL set. This should cost you all of $5. You may already have a toolkit of various kinds, get some instrument and cut a hole in the body cap, you are going to McGyver the FD lens into fitting into the EOS body cap. Alignment is important, the lens should line up properly, I can't predict what will happen if it does not, so check your alignment before you hot-glue this contraption into place.

You now have a FD lens sitting on top of an EOS body cap that'll theoretically mount onto any EF mount, so you have to be careful, because I get this feeling that bits n pieces will stick out and may damage your camera (again you do all of this at your own risk and don't blame me for your own decisions). DO NOT mount it straight on the camera.

Get your cheap extension tube, and find one that allows the cap and lens contraption to mount with sufficient clearance. Mate them, then attach the completed assembly to the camera. Again you can hot-glue this setup permanently into place, after finding the shortest ext tube that fits.

If you are feeling particularly cheap or ingenious, you can find a way to McGyver the FD lens onto one of the ext tubes permanently, bypassing the body cap. I think it's possible, it's going to be a female-FD-to-female-EOS mount. I'm also thinking "What's the strongest metal epoxy that my hardware shop carries?" OK FINE, add a couple of dollars more for glue!!

Off to trawl for a cheap FD today.....a macro for all of $45 plus elbow grease appeals to me.

There's a cheaper option with better results (more magnification and sharpness). Reverse mount cheap FD mount lenses. I used a Nikkor 28mm reversed for a long time before I bought my 100mm f/2.8. Building the adapter is pretty simple. Get a body cover and remove all the material except the mount itself. Super glue on a UV filter to the body mount and use it to mount your lens reversed. With cheap wide lenses you can get exceptionally sharp images larger than lifesize (> 1:1).

Total cost ... free assuming you have an extra body cover and some old lenses.

This was taken with a 28mm reversed @ f/11. I have sharper shots with more DoF @ f/22, but can't find where I hosted them.

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Lightstream wrote in post #2095907
Go buy an Ebay EOS to FD adapter, and pop the glass out of it, since the glass sucks anyway

How about something like this:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=137175

Very cool, that's one way to fly. I am thinking of using some serious adhesive to glue a FD 50/1.8 to a EOS extension tube set.

neat! Never thought of that. I don't like the ideas of duct tape and glue to mount lenses, but an FD to EOS adapter with the glass punched out sounds like a secure, reliable, and safe setup. Great idea! I already have a ton of FD lenses.

Sounds good and even better if you already have the FD stuff.. you should see me running around ebay without much success

The FD 50mm f1.8 can be had for very little cash on eBay - $20 is a good mark.

But so can the FD 50mm f1.4, which is generally much more highly regarded - $40 with shipping is a very good estimate. I bought over 30 of them for a pending project in the last year or so.

Other FD glass is just as cheap - the FD 85 f1.8 goes for low dollars, and the FD 200 f2.8 can be had for around $100 if you are patient.

The cream lenses (50 f1.2 85 f1.2) go for more money to satisfy the FD collectors and film holdouts.

So if you want to go the "extension tube" route, there are several good options.

My 2 cents.

Have Fun,

Thanks Rick, I think my post here at POTN has made the price of the FD 50/1.8 double overnight, because all of them are running away at >$20

If there is such a thing as karma, I'd better be rewarded richly for helping all the FD lens sellers

FD85 actually sounds very good, need to check ebay.. last I looked I didn't see many. Thanks for the tip on the FD 50/1.4 too, local shop wanted $110.

Lightstream wrote in post #2104051
Thanks Rick, I think my post here at POTN has made the price of the FD 50/1.8 double overnight, because all of them are running away at >$20

If there is such a thing as karma, I'd better be rewarded richly for helping all the FD lens sellers

FD85 actually sounds very good, need to check ebay.. last I looked I didn't see many. Thanks for the tip on the FD 50/1.4 too, local shop wanted $110.

All of the FD lenses seem to be more plentiful on eBay just before the start of a school semester - they are highly recommended for students. A few search hints:

• Browse the categories for the FD stuff: Cameras & Photo:Lenses & Filters:Film Camera Lenses:For 35mm SLR:To fit Canon:Manual Focus as well as Cameras & Photo:Film Cameras:35mm SLR:Canon:Other. You get to see the listings sooner when you browse the categories than if you do a search, since eBay only does their search engine thing every few hours.
  
• Search Canon FD, Canon manual focus, Canon 50mm and Canon 50.
  
• Consider a non-working or poor condition AE-1 or other camera that has the lens you want. Easy with a 50mm, not so common with the others. Sometimes they both go for $10 or so because nobody wants to fool with the broken body.
  
• As always, check the shipping price from the outset - it is part of the cost.