Canon 35-70

[CMoore]

I bought 3 different 'A' Bodies, and they all came with 3 different 35-70 zoom lens.
Any of you FD guys want to express your Like/Dislike for these.?
What i have is:
1. Plastic body. 3.5/4.5
Macro
This is the shortest/lightest of the three.

2. Plastic Body, taller than number one, f/4.5

3. Taller, bigger, and heavier than the others.
Has Macro, f/2.8-f/3.5
Breech Lock

I doubt they are worth much money, but i would like to just keep one. Is one of these a "Keeper".?
Thank You

 

[Kirks518]

I would say it's a coin toss. Shoot a test roll with the three, and if there is any difference, keep the best. Otherwise, I think I'd keep number three for the available f/2.8.

 

[DWThomas]

I have the first one. I have used it traveling, as it's light and compact and produces far better results than might be expected. It does have noticeable distortion at the wide end if you shoot rectangular straight line objects; but for mountain scenery, you'll never know.

 

[MattKing]

The close-focus capabilities of the first would make the difference for me, if I was looking for a single, all-purpose lens.

 

[tokam]

The FD 35-70 f2.8-3.5 is the keeper. In it's day it was considered an outstanding lens. You could prove it with one roll of film and shoot one third of it with each lens using the same range of apertures. I have no doubt that the f2.8-3.5 will outperform the others provided that it is mechanically and optically in good condition.

I have the FDn version of this lens and I've never been disappointed by it. I also have the later FD 35-105 f3.5 lens which is acclaimed by many. Both are large and heavy compared compared to similar zoom lenses with slower maximum apertures.

When Canon designed the faster zoom lenses as premium products they also paid attention to the optical performance and these lenses sold at quite a premium to the slower lenses. There was an FDn 35-70 f4 zoom which was tiny and sold as a kit lens with the early T50 and T70 bodies which was a very ordinary performer.

The attached pic was shot around 1984 on Fuji colour neg. Not sure if ISO 100 or 200. Probably tripod mounted and maybe invoking the close focusing of the f2.8-3.5 zoom.

 

[benjiboy]

I have the first one. I have used it traveling, as it's light and compact and produces far better results than might be expected. It does have noticeable distortion at the wide end if you shoot rectangular straight line objects; but for mountain scenery, you'll never know.

I have the first one too, the "received wisdom" about this lens because it has a very plasticky plastic barrel is that it's crap and I thought that too, until I used it for a while and it's not a bad lens at all, as Dave writes it is very light and compact and I think an ideal companion for travelling light on an A series body.