View Full Version : Do FD lenses work on the 7D?


Paul Cascio
October 16th, 2009, 01:33 PM
I have an old A1 and lots of glass that I've been hanging onto. Thinking about a 7D and wondered if the FD lenses will work?

Jim Jolliffe
October 16th, 2009, 01:49 PM
from what I am aware of, the answer is no.

I think I have seen an adapter (maybe from B&H), that can take the old lenses on the newer cameras - fd-ef , as it needs optics to do so it acts like a mini extender, extending the focal length x1.25 times and loosing light (1 stop I think), and loosing quality. As the A1 is full 35mm frame and the 7D is an APS-C frame, which is x1.6 the equivilant focal length, you'll be extending twice, so the 35mm lens on your A1 will probably give about the equivilant of a 60mm. Does that make sense??

Chris Hurd
October 16th, 2009, 02:24 PM
FD lenses were replaced by EF lenses more than twenty years ago, but there are third-party FD to EF adapter rings.

Paul Cascio
October 16th, 2009, 03:39 PM
I guess that means I'm old. :) Thanks though, I'll try the adapter ring approach.

Kin Lau
October 16th, 2009, 07:49 PM
You can try the adapter ring approach, but the quality may be disappointing due to the glass element in the adapter.

Chris Hurd
October 16th, 2009, 07:50 PM
Not old, Paul -- seasoned.

Brian Boyko
October 19th, 2009, 01:38 PM
No - not without an expensive adapter. I tried using a cheap third-party adapter and it will fit the camera, but it actually holds the lens too far away from the sensor, and the pictures are all blurry except 2 inches from the lens. Might be good for macro photography, but I wouldn't push it.

On the other hand, the adapter for the FD on a Micro Four Thirds camera works like a charm - and I bought all the FD glass because I originally intended to go with the Lumix GH1, but went with the 7D instead when that was announced.