I have a Canon 300mm (f4) FD lens that I'd like to use on my Elan 2E. I've heard there are some adapters, but don't know who makes them or if they are any good. Has anyone tried one of these FD to EOS adpaters? What were the limitations, aside from loss of auto focus of course?

Thanks, Dave

-- David Overby (olyduck@home.com), September 16, 2001

Answers

Canon did make an FD-EOS adapter, but it was meant for macro work. It acts as a minor teleconverter (1.2X I think) with the corresponding loss of light, and I think may have acted as an extension tube too (with the resultant loss of infinity focus also) although I am not sure of that. However, I believe that only stop-down metering was possible, due to the lack of electromagnetic diaphragm on the FD lenses. This will happen with any converter. I have heard of a non- optical converter also, although I suspect that this will loose infinity focus also.

The limitations therefore would be: 1. Loss of AF 2. Loss of aperture control (ie stop down metering only) 3. Possible loss of infinity focus 4. Loss of light, due to teleconverter/extension tube effects of the converter. 5. Loss of optical quality as with any teleconverter.

Basically, with the stop-down metering only, it would seem to be far more trouble than it is worth.

-- Isaac Sibson (Isibson@hotmail.com), September 16, 2001.

There were two adapters made. One was without optics in it and and worked like a short extension tube. It caused you to loose infinity focus but was fine for macro work. The other used 1.27X teleconverter optics and was designed mostly for long lenses. That's the one you want. But you do loose AF and auto aperture control. You do retain (stopped down) metering in manual and auto exposure in Av mode.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), September 16, 2001.