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Vintage lens home
Canon FD 35 T/S
Oly. Zuiko 28 f3.5
Vivitar 200 preset
Carl Zeiss Triotar
Vivitar 90-230 f3.5
Helios 44M f/2
Sun Optics 80-210
Canon FD Lenses
Tokina AT-X 28-85
Sears 80-200 f4
Enna Munchen 200
Caspeco 200 f4.5
Finney Pin-Hole
Kiron 70-150 f3.8
Sun Op 80-240 f4
Soligor 35-140 f3.5

Specs: Tilt shift at canon museum
35mm wide angle
f 2.8 max. aperture
8 groups
9 elements
Super Spectra Coating (S.S.C)
8 aperture blades (provides very good bokeh).

This is a manual canon FD Lens, and in fact, is not a true FD lens, as that it lacks the mechanical linkage for automatic aperture control via the camera. Therefore, one has to use stop down metering when shooting with it.

Sample Images (flash slideshow)

This particular lens is very special and rare in that it has been retooled and fitted with an EOS adapter for use on both film and digital EOS cameras.

In 1987, Canon introduced the "Electronic Optical System" (EOS) in response to both Minolta and Nikon's new autofocus cameras. This involved a new lens and lens mount which resulted in a change in the film to focal plane distance.

That combination sent a lot of old FD lenses into complete obsolescence in lieu of switching or upgrading to the newer bodies. Canon did make an adaptor for the larger and more expensive lenses to appease some professionals and ease their eventual transition. Even so, to achieve infinity focus required the addition of a weak optical element which degraded image quality.

Some brave souls have managed to hack and almost butcher their FD lenses to at least fit and achieve infinity focus. However, the tilt-shift lenses have their apertures coupled directly to the aperture ring, (and not via mechanical linkage through the mount). Therefore they are easily adapted by simply replacing the old mount, and adding shims to compensate for focal place distance, preserving Infinity focus.

EOS Adaptor on FD35 T/S lens, and full shift left on EOS body.

For technical application, being able to tilt the focus plane to an angle other than straight on provides a great benefit when shooting table top photography or architecture, where straight lines and having a majority of subject matter always in focus matters. Shifting the focal plane also allows the use of wider apertures, faster shutter speeds, and lower iso settings.

This is especially useful for hand held shots, as the image below illustrates. Here the subject matter of the shot was the road, and I was able to both isolate that, while keeping a wider aperture that allowed the use of a faster shutter speed to counter hand shake.

5 deg. Tilt down. Note that the road is completely in focus, and this is at f2.8!

Using a normal lens, especially on a such dreary fogging day, would have required at least f8, 1/30 sec, and a tripod. Not only that, but everything in the shot would have been in focus, and the road, lacking separation, would not have been as dramatic.

One of the most highly regarding traits of artistic photography is getting a shot to achieve that 3D look. The image below so illustrates.


My son Jaeden, Full tilt up (creating artistic distortion), slight right shift, f2.8. Note the circular shaped bokeh
in bottom of the frame. The relatively rare Zeiss Biotar 7.5cm has this same effect.

Two things I believe that compliment the 3D look are: 1) Very small details, and 2) Very small details in a compressed space.

It is possible to achieve the above effect on normal photographs in photoshop. But I prefer the 1-click method this lens gives me, and it looks more natural, (Which is why I consider this lens as "3D in a can").

Finally, this lens can be used as a normal 35mm lens for indoor and street. It's razor sharp and with an 8 bladed aperture, can achieve some very nice images with decent bokeh or out of focus areas. All of the normal Canon FD 35mm lenses are highly sought after, and still fetch decent prices at auction. Although I wouldn't recommend 35mm for head sized portraits, on a crop sensor DSLR with 1.6x factor, it becomes a 56mm 'normal' lens. Good for full body poses, and can easily become an everyday lens.

Click here to see a flash slide show of sample images. Use your browser back button to return here.