Add Variety to Your Photography With Yellow Filtering of Canon FD 35mm F2

The Canon FD 35mm F2 lenses are wide angle lenses originally created by Canon for its manual focus cameras that are capable of producing fast and high quality images. Although the FD series have been replaced during the mid 1990s, amateur hobbyists are able to use these vintage lenses due to the various lens mount adapters created for use of mirror-less cameras in order to bring back some of these vintage lenses. eBay offers a multitude of Canon FD 35mm F2 lenses in various conditions and models.

When should you use the standard wide angle 35mm lens?

Canon’s FD 35mm F2 lenses are wide angle lenses that offer great versatility to the range of photos that can be taken under different types of lighting, both indoors and outdoor. In addition, the 35mm lens are often smaller and lighter than other lenses, make it highly portable and convenient to take around while traveling. The following are scenarios where the 35mm lens is ideal.

  • Small groups of people
  • Landscape photography
  • Portrait photography
  • Street photography
  • Architectural photography
Why is Thorium used in Canon FD 35mm F2 lenses?

Thorium, a radioactive rare earth element, was added to the bulk glass to make the lenses for the Canon FD 35mm lenses. Thorium enhances the refractive indices of the lens and thereby increases the speed light passes through. This allowed manufacturers to make thinner and higher quality lenses. The usage of thorium also added a yellow tint to the lens that increased with age but can be reversed by exposure to sunlight’s UV light. However, many photographers preferred the creative photography of the yellow filtering crated by the thorium and so chose not to remove the yellow tint.

With which cameras are Canon FD 35mm F2 lenses compatible?

There are six lenses developed in the Canon FD 35mm F2 family. Each of the six lenses is compatible with cameras with the Canon FD lens mount, which was the primary mount used by Canon from the 1970s to the 1990s. The Canon FD lens mount connected compatible Canon FD lenses to the 35mm SLR camera body. This was Canon’s standard lens mount until it was replaced by Canon’s new EF electronic lens mount developed for use for its autofocus camera line. With the emergence of mirror-less cameras in the market, lens mount adapters have been created so that many of the classic film camera lenses can be made compatible to new mirror-less cameras enhancing a photographer’s ability to experiment with vintage lenses. With this resurgence, it is recommended to check with the camera manufacturer to confirm compatibility if you wish to experiment with vintage photography equipment.