Size (Sometimes) Does Not Matter

When it comes to photography, the general perception is that bigger is better. This is true for some areas, of course. Bigger lens usually means better low light performance; bigger camera is usually built for pros. But there are a lot of good stuff that come in small packages. Mirrorless cameras and associated lenses (some anyway), pancake lenses, and of course, tiny enlarging lenses.

Schneider-Kreuznach made quite a few very small enlarging lenses and most of them are really good. The 50mm f4 with 4-bladed aperture, 50mm f4.5, and 80mm f5.6 are few of them. When I tried the 80/5.6 on the Canon 5D Mark II, I was very surprised to find out how good it is. Enlarging lenses are optimized for close up use, but even at infinity, the lens is extremely sharp, from corner to corner on full frame. Not too many lenses can make that claim, and let's not forget that tiny enlarging lenses like this are extremely cheap in the used market. Admittedly, the use of this lens is kind of limited. Even though the focal length is good for portrait, but the small maximum aperture makes it unsuitable if you want shallow depth of field. It's not long enough as a telephoto lens, but if you do make use of it, the optical quality is simply amazing, especially when stopped down to around f8 or f11.

If you like to fiddle with old stuff, it might be worth the $5 to pick one up in the flea market, or photo show. This focal length and the 75mm, is about the shortest focal length you can use on the Canon EOS mount and still get infinity focus. Anything shorter can only be used as macro lenses with a bellows on EOS.

Small Wonder next to a penny - Photo taken with 5D II & EF 40mm f2.8 STM. Click for larger.

On the helicoid - Photo taken with 5D II & EF 40mm f2.8 STM. Click for larger.

New BridgePoint Hospital in the evening. Canon 5D II & Schneider Componon 80mm f5.6. 

Silhouette - Canon 5D II & Schneider Componon 80mm f5.6. 

Canon FD 20mm f2.8 Sample Pictures

When I bought my NEX-6 and the Sony E50mm f1.8 OSS lens, I told my wife that would be all the gear I would buy for this year. She eyed me suspiciously and said, "Yeah sure." She knows me too well. I don't have a good track record on keeping my promise when it comes to buying photographic gear. Just one month into the year, I have already bought the Sigma 19mm and 30mm f2.8 lenses, the Canon nFD 50mm f1.2L, and the latest addition, Canon FD 20mm f2.8. I'd better stop here, or I will be in real trouble!

In typical Canon FD built fashion, the FD 20mm f2.8 is well put together and handles smoothly, despite its age. I had the auto focus version of the 20mm f2.8, which I, and many others, do not like much, and I wonder if its design was derived from the FD version. Both have a 72mm filter thread. At least on the NEX-6, the corner sharpness seems a bit better than the EF version, but I could be mistaken, as I used it on the 1.3x sensor before, and the corners weren't very good even stopped down. Overall, I am happy with the FD version on the NEX-6, however, on my very preliminary two day use.

DVP north at night - NEX-6 & Canon FD 20mm f2.8. Click for larger.

Smart - NEX-6 & Canon FD 20mm f2.8. Click for larger.

Streetcar turning. Shot through windshell - NEX-6 & Canon FD 20mm f2.8. Click for larger.

The yellow building - NEX-6 & Canon FD 20mm f2.8.