Since I do not do much of it, I still use my Canon FD 500mm f4.5 and 300mm f2.8 lenses with the Canon FD-EOS converter. Going back to manual focus is not easy but it's challenging.
Why would you have to use manual focus with these lenses (especially the latter)? Just curious.
Having used the Canon 100-400 lens for field sports, both with and without teleconverter, I've always been able to use AF.
Do you know about the 'tape the pins' trick to enable AF? Can't recall whether I've mentioned it to you before.
I am probably "off thread" here so if I am let me know. I am not familiar with "tape the pins" trick. I would be interested in being educated. You probably know all of this but just in case, here it goes. The Canon FD 500mm f4.5L and the FD 300mm f2.8L are manual focus lenses. They pre-date the EF auto focus lenses. I purchased these two used about three years ago because I could not justify getting the EF lenses. I use them for personal/family photography. I also purchased a used Canon FD-EOS converter. This converter is quite rare and I understand that Canon only made about 250 of them and only sold them to those photographers that belonged to the Canon Professional Services. This was when Canon first made the switch to the EOS mount. It allowed those professionals that had a large investment in FD super telephoto lenses to gradually make the switch. This is a 1.26 converter which has glass and allows you to focus to infinity. However, you lose about 2/3 stop. As mentioned previously, I grew up with Canon manual focus equipment so it is doesn't take much for me to get back into it. BUT, with that 1.26 conversion and the 1.6 with the 30D sensor, focusing is VERY sensitive. Once you zero in, you just slightly move that focus barrel. Now if I can somehow manage to get auto focus with this combination with the "tape the pins" trick - magic!!!
Ron
__________________ "I was really too honest a man to be a politician and live." Socrates.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Doug, here in Ireland we have no canon repair service whatsoever, it has to be sent to England, with all that entailsRob
Oh. Probably the same as Cdns sending stuff off to US. Different language.
In that case I'm outa ideas. I wouldn't buy anything from England either. I can't believe how much more everything costs there. At least in Canada the distributors have an excuse that they have to provide both French & English instructions. That's gotta cost a lot.
We get Canon repairs back within a few days with CPS. Great service.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Somehow I read right past the "FD" that you wrote. Oops. I thought you had EF lenses. I had my share of FDs with my A1 outfit a quarter century ago.
As Gilda used to say... "never mind".
By the way, the "tape the pins" trick is for tricking camera bodies into thinking there's no TC attached with an EF lens, and getting the camera to try to AF. You can read about it here (item 1):
As a longtime Nikon guy, I just put $500 down on a 1ds mk3 in case I want to switch when the goods hit the shelf and I test it against the D3. Just by the numbers I don't see how the D3 will beat the Canon in terms of file info/detail. Megapixels ain't everything but 21 has got to give me more pixel info than 10. For a field/location shooter, this should get me close to medium format quality while maintaining the versatility of the smaller body.
It is fun to debate the merits of this vs that but the bottom line is ALWAYS how well the tool makes images that I want to make. I need more detail and Nikon is probably not going to give it to me with the D3. I wish that Nikon would have got their ff chip from Kodak, I think that would have made a great camera.
There seems to be three separate camps that have developed on this forum.
1. There is Canon.
2. There is Nikon.
3. There is the group that can't stand for the two brands to receive criticism or comparison.
Competition is healthy. Comparison is healthy. Even criticism is healthy. Brand loyalty for the sake of how a camera is spelled just doesn't make sense to me. Nikon or Canon should be used to name a specific camera just like we do with F/2.8, 24 - 70 for lens.
Having said the above, the Ford / Chevy wars still continue. I doubt the Canon / Nikon debate will ever end either.
Personally, I own both, use both, and am very satisfied with both. I use different brands for different types of photography because each one excells at what I am looking for.
I would like to see the competition, comparison, and criticism continue because it aids me in making buying decisions.
As always just my humble opinion.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
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