Two Canon FD lenses - which one is better?

[gnashings]

Hi there,

I am looking at a mild wide angle lens (35mm) and saw these two come up.
One is an old SSC breech mount, the other is a "new" FD. The only difference I know is that the two have different fitler threads (the old is 55mm, the new is 52mm). Does anyone know how different these two are, quality wise, etc? I know the old SSC lenses were very good, but I was also told that all the new FD lenses basically had the same standard of optics. I am not sure I believe that...So far, I have a collection of 55mm filters, so if the lenses are identical, I'd hold out for an older SSC - all other things being equal. What do you think?

Thanks for all the input,

Peter.

PS - Here are a couple of eBay threads for example:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48552&item=7530863624&rd=1

and

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48552&item=7529957145&rd=1

The older lenses seem to keep price better...

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'd say take the one in better condition (play in the focus of the newer one doesn't sound good), and if you have 55mm filters, then that's as good a reason as any to take the older one. I have the later one, and it's an excellent lens.

There is an earlier 35/2.0 with a convex front element--super sharp, higher collector's value, better for B&W than color because the front element is prone to yellowing due to radioactivity, but that doesn't apply to either of the lenses you're looking at.

 

[gnashings]

Ah yes! I saw one of these - if I had the money to pay for the collectors value, I'd just have to have one - nothing looks quite like it! So I guess optically these lenses are pretty much on par (not the convex-radio-active one, jusdt these "regular ones")?

Thanks for your reply - appreciated as always!

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Oops--I meant "concave" front element. The normal one has a convex front element like most lenses.

The late FD 35/2.0 SSC and the later FDn 35/2.0 are probably the same design, but check the Canon Museum and the big Malaysian FD site to be sure. There's also a very active FD group on Yahoo!Groups.

 

[gnashings]

Thanks again - and don't worry about the concave/convex issue - I knew what you meant exactly, and didn't notice we were both upside down onthe terminology until you pointed it out