Canon FD Mount on the RED

[tj williams]

ON the Red site they show either Nikon or CanonFD mounts as being available choices. I have some Canon FD prime lenses, which are quite nice, They are a matched selected set, which I would like to use on lower budget projects.
They make quite beautiful pictures on the still camera.

When these lenses are on the Manual iris position they stay open no matter what stop they are set to. On the canon camera they stay open until the shutter is depressed.

On the RED Mount will they simply move the iris blades as you adjust or will there be some kind of lever etc. to pull to engage less than full open iris?

[ColinSmith]

I've read that when using FD lenses with 35mm adapters there are some hacks to wedge the iris pin, so they function as a fully manual apature. Hopefully that's a bit more integrated on the Red mount, although the end result is likely the same.

[JohnF]

I have Canon FD adapter for the XL camera range.

Canon used to (I don't know if they still do) produce a little plastic widget that just slipped over the mechanical iris "push blade" and kept the iris stopped down.

Price, a few pence...! (UK pence that is!!!)

Contact Canon and see if they stilll have some floating around... I got mine from Optex here in the UK but sadly Optex is here no more.

JohnF

[tj williams]

Thanks John, before I take off after that and fly to the UK to get one... I'm hoping to hear authoritive spec. fm RED team re how this works with the RED CanonFD Mount adapter.

[JohnF]

Just doing a bit of a thread "bump" as, like TJ, I have a selection of FD lenses that I would very much like to be able to use with RED. (pref without the plastic widget that I mentioned before!)

So will the RED FD mount have a stop down lever/switch?

Anyone?

JohnF

[tj williams]

I guess we're allone noww,,,There doesn't seeeem to be anny one...aroundddd.....The beating of the lever switch is the onlyyy soundddddd......

They are all over looking at the announcement to announce.
I can't believe they would advertise that there is a mount adapter.... that won't let you make proper iris adjustment with Canon's own FD lenses???? I've got a shot to pick up some more really nice ones cheap so I would sure like the reasurrance that I did not do somthing really dumb....

[Kevin Halverson]

I too have a fair bit of FD glass that I intend to use with the Red. If the adapter lacks a stop down feature, I will likely machine up my own solution. If any one else wants one, just let me know, they should be trivial, but I wouldn't be too surprised if this is already part of Red's plans.

[JohnF]

Thanks khmuse

but enquiring minds need to know!

My last FD adapter came without a stop down lever (I had to use those plastic widgets) and cost about the same as RED's FD mount - plus when I showed it to my local engineer he took one look at it and pointed out all the machining flaws...

Grrrr all that and no stop down lever!

So RED (or anyone who knows) what's the news on FD mount iris control.
("A simple lever should not be a problem" he suggested hopefully..!)

JohnF

[tj williams]

What seems to be stopped down is this thread.

[JohnF]

Did I just see some tumble weed blowing through this thread!?!

JohnF

[JimmyC]

Really guys, the solutions that most people use is a small section of plastic q-tip to keep the iris lever engaged... Simple, cheap and effective. No need to over engineer this one!
Jim

[tj williams]

Hi JimmyC
I guess we are hoping this small plastic piece is built into the RED FD mount. I'm not thrilled at the prospect of changing lenses and the client asks what that little white thing on the back of the lens? Or get ready to change the lens and it won't dismount when the tiny piece of plastic springs out and sticks between the lens and mount? or suddenly the lens won't stop down just as somthing which won't ever be repeated passes in front of my very bright VF.

[tj williams]

Well I guess I'll know when I get it?

[tj williams]

I have purchased KHMuses FD CAnon manual lens mount for my collection of Canon still lenses. I also have two manual Nilon zooms that will work through adapters...I'm thrilled by the ability to use all my manual prime lenses.
TJ