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canon fd mount lenses on a bolex


Michael Melson

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I did a search and it was pretty sparse but I wanted to know if anyone was shooting through a canon fd mount lens adapted to the c mount bolex. I am wondering if I shouldn't buy an adaptor for my bolex since I have a wide array of fd mount lenses from my canon. I want to know what results the canon has yeilded for anyone using them on a bolex or any other 16mm for that matter. And kind of a side question, is there any light loss with the lens and do the f-stops read true from the 35mm lens to the 16mm format? I would be happy to hear from anyone on this. Thanks

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I did a search and it was pretty sparse but I wanted to know if anyone was shooting through a canon fd mount lens adapted to the c mount bolex. ...

Most still camera lenses made by reputable brands give excellent results on a movie camera. They use only the center part of the full image circle where the resolution is the highest.

 

To use the FD lenses, besides the mount adapter you need the Manual Diaphragm Adapter which is a little plastic piece worth about 3 cents selling for $4.95 that enables you to actually change the aperture setting while the lens is not really on an FD camera body. Otherwise it remains at full aperture.

 

There should be no problem with aperture settings, except perhaps on zoom lenses where the aperture changes with the zoom setting, which is normally compensated by the TTL (through the lens) metering on the still camera.

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I've been searching HIGH AND LOW for an FD adapter, where do you find them?

 

The only one I can find is made by Adorama and you see them every now and again on ebay

 

http://www.adorama.com/VDCMCA.html

 

To use the FD lenses, besides the mount adapter you need the Manual Diaphragm Adapter which is a little plastic piece worth about 3 cents selling for $4.95 that enables you to actually change the aperture setting while the lens is not really on an FD camera body. Otherwise it remains at full aperture.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the Manual Diaphragm Adapter. Not knowing to use that would have caused some major obvious problems.

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I've been searching HIGH AND LOW for an FD adapter, where do you find them?

here's another place that sells them.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...&sku=116732

 

This forum mentions a lens adapter that doesn't require the Manual Diaphragm Adapter.

 

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/lo...php?t13323.html

Edited by Michael Melson
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Guest Ian Marks

You can't use Canon FD lenses, which were designed for 35mm SLR cameras, on a REFLEX model CP (that is, a CPR, or CP16R, depending on what you like to call it). The reflex CP's have a unique mount and the flange to focal distance makes fitting the FD lenses impossible. There IS an adapter for Nikon lenses. The fact that Canon made a 12-120mm zoom for 16mm use (and quite a few of these were fitted to the CPR) is irrelevant. Or course you could put the FD lenses on a non-reflex CP with a C-mount, via an adapter. You just won't have a reflex finder.

 

Regarding the C-to-FD adapter, some have a ring which allows you to open and close the aperture, effectively converting the lens to a preset aperture type - very convenient. I'd look for one of those - mine came from Ebay, but you might find one at your local shop.

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Guest Ian Marks
Ian - did your adapter happen to look like this one at B&H? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...&sku=116732

 

Yes! That "open - lock" ring on the adapter will open the lens to its maximum aperture, regardless of what the aperture ring on the lens is set to (so you can focus easily). Twist it to the "lock" position and it will close down to whatever aperture you have set on the lens. I've just pulled my adapter from the case and it's the same... well worth $35.... and the Canon glass is great. Cheers.

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Yes! That "open - lock" ring on the adapter will open the lens to its maximum aperture, regardless of what the aperture ring on the lens is set to (so you can focus easily). Twist it to the "lock" position and it will close down to whatever aperture you have set on the lens. I've just pulled my adapter from the case and it's the same... well worth $35.... and the Canon glass is great. Cheers.

 

That's great to hear, can you tell the lens itself is being stopped down because it gets darker in the view finder as you go to minimum aperture or do you just have to trust that it is working?

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Guest Ian Marks
That's great to hear, can you tell the lens itself is being stopped down because it gets darker in the view finder as you go to minimum aperture or do you just have to trust that it is working?

 

Yep, it gets darker. You may be used to Super 8 cameras, most of which have the aperture behind the prism that diverts light to the finder. Those stay bright when you stop down.

 

Sorry, another question - because I'd be using 35mm lenses, does that mean the focal length would increase by about 2x since I'm shooting on 16mm? Like my Canon 50mm F1.4 would essentially be a Canon 100mm on a 16mm camera?

 

That's about right. In 16mm, a 25mm is nominally a "normal" lens. A 50mm is a telephoto, even it was considered a "normal" lens for still photography. As you can guess, one issue with using still camera lenses in 16mm is the lack of really wide lenses... this has been discussed in other threads. Bottom line: if you're shooting with a Bolex, you'll probably still want to pick up a Switar 10mm for wide angle shots.

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The reflex CP's have a unique mount and the flange to focal distance makes fitting the FD lenses impossible. There IS an adapter for Nikon lenses.

 

Or course you could put the FD lenses on a non-reflex CP with a C-mount, via an adapter. You just won't have a reflex finder.

 

Regarding the C-to-FD adapter, some have a ring which allows you to open and close the aperture, effectively converting the lens to a preset aperture type - very convenient. I'd look for one of those - mine came from Ebay, but you might find one at your local shop.

 

The Nikon adapter is like a repacement mount. If one removes the stopping pin, the locking ring will screw off. The Nikon mount/adaptor goes there. It's been so long since I've used one, I've forgotten the specifics.

 

A non-reflex CP16 would need to have a bracket installed to hold a viewfinder.

 

The canon FL lenses have a switch to use either automatic or manual aperture. The early F caneras had stop down metering.

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  • 1 month later...
I'm at a loss as to where to pick up one of the Manual Diaphragm Adapters that was mentioned. Anyone?

I don't know if they are made any more. Maybe try old time camera stores who have lots of dusty shelves in their storerooms.

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  • 4 years later...
  • Premium Member

Sorry, another question - because I'd be using 35mm lenses, does that mean the focal length would increase by about 2x since I'm shooting on 16mm? Like my Canon 50mm F1.4 would essentially be a Canon 100mm on a 16mm camera?

 

No, No, No... The lens knows not what camera it is on. it was 50mm at the factory and will be 50mm until you lose, drop or sell it.

 

Now a 50mm Lens is a Moderate telephoto on a 16mm Camera. A 24 or 28 MM lens is a Wide angle on a 35mm Still Camera, but is close to the standard "1 Inch" lens that 16mm Movie cameras used to come with.

 

Your 50mm lens will give you a similar field of View that a 100mm lens would give you on a 35mm Still Camera is that is what you are thinking.

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