06-19-2019, 11:35 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-19-2019, 11:56 AM by Brightcolours.)
Contemporary as in: Looks very contemporary to the current design of lens barrels.
This sunday I came across a Canon EOS 750 on a kind of car booth sale. The EOS 750 was one of the 1st EOS cameras, introduced in 1988. It was a simplified model, meant to only be used in auto-exposure (auto everything) mode. So, not a very desirable camera in any way, really.
Mounted on it: a EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 A. The EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 (1987) was a typical standard zoom at the time, based on the manual focus standard zooms of the 1980s.
In fact, it has the same optical formula as the Canon FDn 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 from 1983 and the autofocus AC 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 from 1985.
The EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 A is a "dumbed down" cheaper and lighter version of the EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5, and probably was specifically designed with the EOS 750 in mind. No focus ring and no AF/Manual switch (autofocus only then).
This makes it look very contemporary with modern lenses... Just a smooth, straight barrel.
CanonEF3570mmf3545A.png (Size: 317.03 KB / Downloads: 12)
I decided to pay 8 euros for the camera and lens and see what it was about.
So, what is it about? A very light weight (230 grams) and small "standard zoom" with limited wide angle ability. It seems to be sharp enough at f8, and even usable wide open (albeit some PP sharpening might be wanted). Low in contrast to modern standard, especially wide open with backlight. Wide open very prone to purple fringing! Some CA issues are not a surprise, the bokeh seems to be surprisingly tolerable. Noisy and slow in AF. Appears to be pretty accurate (not really tested but that is the 1st impression).
One thing that I have noticed just now: at 70mm, even at f8 the corners are quite a bit darker than the rest of the frame.
donnaingreenwater.jpg (Size: 496.18 KB / Downloads: 8)
This lens misses the rubber of the zoom ring so that needs some attention, but besides that it is in very good shape. Kinda fun to use this compact and small zoom from the beginning of AF. Equivalent to a 17.5-35mm f1.8-2.2 lens on MFT or 23-47mm f2.3-3 lens on APS-C.
I will have to use it more to get a better feel for what it can and especially can't do, but it appears to be a nice little, 8 euro, unassuming lens for unassuming tasks. More to follow. Oh yes, and on my 8 euro EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 A the rubber from the zoom ring is missing.
This sunday I came across a Canon EOS 750 on a kind of car booth sale. The EOS 750 was one of the 1st EOS cameras, introduced in 1988. It was a simplified model, meant to only be used in auto-exposure (auto everything) mode. So, not a very desirable camera in any way, really.
Mounted on it: a EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 A. The EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 (1987) was a typical standard zoom at the time, based on the manual focus standard zooms of the 1980s.
In fact, it has the same optical formula as the Canon FDn 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 from 1983 and the autofocus AC 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 from 1985.
The EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 A is a "dumbed down" cheaper and lighter version of the EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5, and probably was specifically designed with the EOS 750 in mind. No focus ring and no AF/Manual switch (autofocus only then).
This makes it look very contemporary with modern lenses... Just a smooth, straight barrel.
CanonEF3570mmf3545A.png (Size: 317.03 KB / Downloads: 12)
I decided to pay 8 euros for the camera and lens and see what it was about.
So, what is it about? A very light weight (230 grams) and small "standard zoom" with limited wide angle ability. It seems to be sharp enough at f8, and even usable wide open (albeit some PP sharpening might be wanted). Low in contrast to modern standard, especially wide open with backlight. Wide open very prone to purple fringing! Some CA issues are not a surprise, the bokeh seems to be surprisingly tolerable. Noisy and slow in AF. Appears to be pretty accurate (not really tested but that is the 1st impression).
One thing that I have noticed just now: at 70mm, even at f8 the corners are quite a bit darker than the rest of the frame.
donnaingreenwater.jpg (Size: 496.18 KB / Downloads: 8)
This lens misses the rubber of the zoom ring so that needs some attention, but besides that it is in very good shape. Kinda fun to use this compact and small zoom from the beginning of AF. Equivalent to a 17.5-35mm f1.8-2.2 lens on MFT or 23-47mm f2.3-3 lens on APS-C.
I will have to use it more to get a better feel for what it can and especially can't do, but it appears to be a nice little, 8 euro, unassuming lens for unassuming tasks. More to follow. Oh yes, and on my 8 euro EF 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 A the rubber from the zoom ring is missing.