Advice re Digital with old Canon lenses

[JonSegar]

Advice please. My Brother-in-law has given his Canon A-1 and lenses (50mm 1.4, 70-210, 28-90, the last 2 Vivitar series 1) to his daughter. She would like to create digital images for Photoshop (she is an Imageer rather than a photographer, and a talented one).

The question of getting her a digital camera has been raised, and I was wondering if anyone could advise of the level of functionality that could be expected if the A1 body be replaced by (say) a 350D (is that a Rebel in the US?)

The lens cap on the 50mm has the logo for the 1976 Montreall Olympice, so that just about dates the kit.

Any advice, Canon lens experts?

[DonLashier]

The A1 was a superb camera but unfortunately uses the FD lenses so is not compatible with digitial (EOS) cameras so the lenses would not migrate. Probably best to bite the bullet and get her a 400D (XTi) and new lenses - sell the old stuff on ebay, probably still worth a few hundred.

- DL

[ChrisPerry]

You need an adapter to use the FD lenses on an EOS body, and i believe they wont' have infinity focus so that limits what you can shoot, and you have to shoot in full manual mode. the in-camera meter will work.

[JonSegar]

Don, Chris,

Thanks for the info, I rather feared as such. I think Don's advice of using eBay and 'starting over' is the way forward. Thanks for your advice

[robert_baker]

To me, it sounds like your niece-in-law could do well with a nice PNS camera...so, she does not get bogged down with glass, cleaning the CCD, etc....A Ricoh or Canon S2 would probably get the job done.