Vintage Lens Review | Canon 200mm F2.8 (new) FD Mount

A concise review, after a few months (with sample images)

Author Note: Discover why I highly recommend these vintage lenses for your collection! This review series focuses not on technical specs, but on the lens’ unique character, quirks, and my personal experiences with each.

Logic behind purchase:

My newly acquired Nikon ZF (a modern mirrorless system with a retro styled body) was lacking a telephoto. I already really enjoyed adapting my grandfather’s vintage Canon 50mm F1.8 and Soligor 28mm F2.8 to the Nikon, so I figured I’d look for another Canon FD mount lens. The Nikon’s fantastic in body image stabilization (IBIS) also made the manual focus 200mm focal length more approachable. I found the 200mm F2.8 and did a bit of research, found one for a good price, and tried it out.

Impressions:

I was plesantly supruised with how easy it is to nail focus on this lens. Even wide open at F2.8 it’s easy enough to get sharp photos. Obviosly at F4+ it would be easier as well, and it is. The entire expereince however is made possible…