# Using old manual focus FD/FL lenses on the R



## PBguy (Apr 22, 2020)

Has anyone else bought a cheap adapter so you can use your old manual focus Canon lenses on the R? I picked up one from Amazon for $17 (Fotasy) and then found a nice 28mm 1.8 FD lens for $100. I still have a 50mm 1.8 and I think a 35mm 1.8 too.

Manual focus works well with the focus peaking enabled. You do have to change the camera settings to enable the shutter to fire without a lens - since there's no electrical contacts in the adapter (hence the dirt cheap price) the camera doesn't know there's a lens attached.

Requires manual focus - obviously - and manually setting the f-stop. Reminds me so much of shooting film on my old F-1.


----------



## Del Paso (Apr 22, 2020)

PBguy said:


> Has anyone else bought a cheap adapter so you can use your old manual focus Canon lenses on the R? I picked up one from Amazon for $17 (Fotasy) and then found a nice 28mm 1.8 FD lens for $100. I still have a 50mm 1.8 and I think a 35mm 1.8 too.
> 
> Manual focus works well with the focus peaking enabled. You do have to change the camera settings to enable the shutter to fire without a lens - since there's no electrical contacts in the adapter (hence the dirt cheap price) the camera doesn't know there's a lens attached.
> 
> Requires manual focus - obviously - and manually setting the f-stop. Reminds me so much of shooting film on my old F-1.


To be honest, I'm not convinced by the precision offered by cheap adapters.
Some years ago, I had bought some for Leica R to EOS, measured them (3 D Zeiss equipment ! not mine, of course...), the results were appalling, the flange thickness wasn't correct or even constant.
Then, I bought some Novoflex, and I'm happy since...


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 23, 2020)

A Canon tube came with my camera. I don't think the accuracy of the 3rd party adapters is a issue, pretty simple to make them. I've tried it with numerous lenses. The focus accuracy is pretty poor relying on the peaking, I can do much better using 5X magnification without the peaking. I also used a old mirror lens and focus accuracy using peaking was worse.


----------



## PBguy (Apr 23, 2020)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> A Canon tube came with my camera. I don't think the accuracy of the 3rd party adapters is a issue, pretty simple to make them. I've tried it with numerous lenses. The focus accuracy is pretty poor relying on the peaking, I can do much better using 5X magnification without the peaking. I also used a old mirror lens and focus accuracy using peaking was worse.


I haven't shot it wide open so I haven't checked the focus accuracy. I'll try it at 5x or 10x magnification.


----------

