Lens Test: Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C. vs nFD - Vintage nifty fifty -

The nifty fifty Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C battles the Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 nFD - How close are they to each other and the faster Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 S.S.C.
Taken from our epic episode "Canon FD & K35 - Legendary cine lenses on a budget" where we build a Canon FD "Dreamset", with history, modding, test, talk about radioactive Thorium and so much more:
Watch it for free:
• Canon FD & K35 - Legen...
You can buy a Canon FD nifty fifty here:
(please consider to search and buy using our affiliate links… it’s not more expensive for you, but we get a little something if you use these links… thank you for your support!)
Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C.
US ebay.us/bvicUf
EU ebay.us/ehqU61
UK ebay.us/IW7hJT
Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 nFD
US ebay.us/E6EeFR
EU ebay.us/tPdSEI
UK ebay.us/Xem50k
Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 S.S.C.
US ebay.us/L9BEKW
EU ebay.us/Qa64fN
UK ebay.us/GrzDKb
Good luck hunting… if you have questions, you can comment below this video or get feedback from our community in our closed Facebook group:
/ mediadivision2
Kubrick members of our channel can get "one on one" consulting for buying and shooting with this or other lenses, as well general advice for your channel, project, or advancing you development as a filmmaker.
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More awesome lens test in the MEDIA DIVISION Lens Archive
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[@vacuumandgaspressurecoexisting]

Fairly certain that there are differences in the coating between the 2. The coating process is probably the same, but on my examples the SSC has an amber tint to it while the NFD has a blueish tint

[@lanceevans1689]

I have the nFD 1.4, which I picked up for no more than $50US. And it is perhaps my all time favorite lens. I tend to throw it on a booster for use on MFT (for video or photo use). In that combo it's essentially a 35mm/1.0 lens. On MFT that would make a lovely portrait length (as would the 50mm w/o the booster, for longer range portrait). Shooting portraits with this wide open is just crazy amounts of beautiful blur. And too narrow a DOF, unless going for a special effect. It has all of the classic Canon color. And it has a mild "vintage" look, but less than I always see in samples on YT. Never that pronounced. Super sharp. Even wide open it doesn't feel particularly soft, and yet a half to one stop down and this is wonderfully crisp from corner to corner. (Again, this is on a MFT, so I'm not using or seeing the furthest corners. But this should be good on a FF as well.)

[@MediaDivision]

Sure, at that price, the nFD 1.4 is hard to beat and speed is so important for MFT. Totally recommendable.

[@arkadiuszmalecki]

what booster you have?

[@MediaDivision]

Us or Lance? We use the one shown in the FD episode. Metabones 0.7x with native FD mount and metabones 0.7x with Ed mount (for the modded lenses

[@lanceevans1689]

@@arkadiuszmalecki I have 2 Pixco brand boosters. The FD to MFT is quite good. The EF to MFT includes an iris that I cold not find a lens to work with. The sharpness of the Pixco boosters are not as good as Metabones. But they are good, and under $100US.

[@FlyingJackalope]

I love the warmth on that flashlight.

[@MediaDivision]

Tungsten has it‘s beauty

[@ingowalkerling5141]

In 1976 a test in Germany was conductet between the Leica Summicron 2,0 50mm and this Canon FD 1,4 50mm.s.s.c. In summary the Canon won.

[@MediaDivision]

Im am sure there where all sorts of test in all sorts of countries and times with different results

[@kazlepek6552]

Define win..? Isn’t that subjective / depending on what you’re looking for? A lens being a little sharper could be a “win” for some people, but maybe you’re not looking for sharp

[@lensman5762]

@@kazlepek6552 All this is meaningless as the true test of any lens is in the photographs it takes. This lens had a cult following, so there must be good reasons for it. Is it better than a 1960 Summicron, or not? Who cares?

[@ThePlayingJs]

I have the nFD and use it for stills on my A7r4. Cropped at 100% you See alot of purple fringing and the microcontrast is a bit low. All that is almost gone at f2, even better at 2.8 and nearly completly gone at f4. Fascinating for such an old lens.

[@MediaDivision]

Totally… well, the wonkiness that happens wide open is exactly what filmmakers are looking for in older glass. Transparent glass is fine for most everything, but imperfections are what can induce magic.

[@ThePlayingJs]

@@MediaDivision the imperfections made me love the lens. my modern lenses just look clinically clean and lack caracter

[@DesertCookie]

Shot big parts of a croedfunded 40-minute indie film with friends on this lens at f2 and f2.8. After having shot at f4 the year before with a different lens the extra light really helped us achieve a better image. Thanks for your in-depth CFD video that inspired me to build a kit myself. I'm on my fifth lens already and looking for more.

[@markdavidstrode4]

All music is great! Intro and background during the lens review.

[@MediaDivision]

Thanks Mark.... glad you agree. Comments scavenger hunt?!?!?

[@satan5259]

Sorry if I'm nitpicking, is the shot at 1:42 supposed to be of the 55mm f/1.2 S.S.C or the 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C ? Thank you for publishing these, they're great and lovely and convinced me to start collecting Canon S.S.C lenses in additin to my previous Minolta MD lenses c:

[@MediaDivision]

yep… you spotted some wrongly inserted footage. My pleasure Satan… "Pleasure Satan" ?!? … good nickname

[@kazlepek6552]

@@MediaDivision 😂😈😂

[@noahforbes]

Question about the 50mm f/1.2Luxury (never knew that’s what the L stood for) Just to clarify, the L has the same ssc coating and is machined aspherical? Yes? How much does this differ from the 55mm f/1.2 ssc aspherical and would you recommend the L over the 50mm f/1.4 ssc, or is it not worth the cost? Thanks and the content is mind blowing. Thanks for all the time and energy that goes into these.

[@MediaDivision]

The "L" is under dispute… there are different sources claiming different meanings. I think that a lot of your questions are answered in our main Canon FD episode. Coatings changed all the time and especially with the jump from SSC to nFD… although, both are multicoated. I never give "is it worth" it answers as it is very subjective. If you are looking for great value for money… the FD are not the answer (any more). My pleasure Noah, thanks for hanging

[@noahforbes]

​@@MediaDivision I like the absurdity of "Luxury", so I'll stick with that ;) I did, of course, watch the whole version, a half dozen times, but because it has been several years, wanted to check in and see if opinions had changed at all. I was under the impression that the nFDs had the same ssc coating as the previous generation and the L, the same? Guess I'll stick away from the more expensive L lenses as I'm still not made of money. I'll see what I can dig up out there that isn't too insane, but maybe I'll just end up renting rehoused versions on a per project basis. I know the lenses are no longer the amazing value they once were, but they still provide a beautiful image! Thanks for still responding. You've done a great service for the community. Always watching, and of course, can't wait to see what you come up with next.

[@chenterry3227]

The image qulity are awsome!!!

[@MediaDivision]

Thanks

[@Simon74]

I love how the texts for both lenses are literally identical😂

[@MediaDivision]

like about every lens with similar specs would be..... sure.

[@ModernVintageFilm]

@@MediaDivision It's difficult to expect too much difference. You are brilliant by the way, you've taken me down an interesting rabbit hole and I love it.

[@MediaDivision]

Glad to be your little mushroom caterpillar… enjoy the “trip” ;-)

[@ModernVintageFilm]

@@MediaDivision I think you've reintroduced Canon FD well. Are you planning on creating any more documentation?

[@MediaDivision]

About vintage lenses? Maybe down the road… just spend a year of my life on anamorphic lenses if you missed that

[@pottiezluc8693]

Super ; thanks from Brussels !

[@MediaDivision]

With pleasure! Thanks for hanging

[@dark-california]

Just bought a 1.4 S.S.C. Thanks to you ... 😉👌

[@MediaDivision]

Tell your wife I'm sorry ;-)

[@dark-california]

@@MediaDivision Don't tell here yet I'm getting the 24mm, 35mm and 85mm as well ... 😉👌

[@flowermaze___]

What made you choose the SSC over Nfd?

[@ShopDogProductions13]

Thanks! Do either of these contain thorium? I’m considering the nFD.

[@MediaDivision]

Neither does… but you don’t have to be scared of thorium

[@ShopDogProductions13]

Thanks! I’m looking to build a set for filming a low budget sci-fi!

[@MediaDivision]

Ok…..

[@handfuloflight]

@@MediaDivision why that response lol

[@mugshot749]

I have both of these lenses, and I find they are for practical purposes identical, (as far as performance, optical design and coating are concerned) but speaking personally the reason I prefer the new versions is as a stills film photographer, who uses mainly prime lenses, a bag full of them is a lot lighter to lug about. P.S I hate the expression "nifty fifty" because it's a real photography newbie's expression.

[@MarchalisVan]

lol if you can say niffy fiffy when you grab it out, all the more fun I say. Even if it's neither my lightest or preferred lenses for portraits :P

[@itacatv2146]

Are either of those radioactive?

[@mugshot749]

@@itacatv2146 No

[@AmebaFilms]

Went out and found loads of Canon FD lenses after this video :)

[@MediaDivision]

I hope you don't cut out the roots so they can regrow

[@nharzallah]

awesome reviews, please can you share your voice preset & mic used ? or if you are selling the preset, give us the link thank you

[@MediaDivision]

thanks... Røde NT-USB... just add a compressor and a bit of equalizer tweaking. Neither the microphone nor the settings mattar much. The voice itself and the recording room is what matters.

[@nharzallah]

@@MediaDivision thank you for your reply :D

[@DJBastor]

hi, nice comparison. is the s.s.c version radioactive? i got both of them? thx for your answer

[@MediaDivision]

No, none of the 50mm is radioactive. If you watch the teasered main episode, there is a list of radioactive FD lenses and why you don’t need to worry about them.

[@DJBastor]

@@MediaDivision Thx alot

[@darrellcadieux3497]

Hello. I had trouble understanding something you said in the video about both lenses. Did you say, 'The breathing is terrible' or 'The breathing is tolerable'? Thank you.

[@MediaDivision]

Tolerable

[@darrellcadieux3497]

@@MediaDivision Thank you.

[@ujune]

Canon FD 50mm 1.4 SSC...it's a fullframe lens or Apsc lens..??

[@MediaDivision]

These are from the 70s… that should already tell you that it is Full Frame. All lenses are tested on the same camera with the same settings

[@ujune]

@@MediaDivision thank you

[@anzaeria]

These lenses are designed for 35mm film.

[@wendysburgers4326]

Is Canon FD 50mm 1.4 S.S.C. here Radioactive? Google said no Canon Forum claim, no test shown. Meanwhile Camerapedia DOESN'T Verify this being not radioactive. Not on the list of radioactive nor not radioactive.

[@MediaDivision]

the 50mm f/1.4 ia not thoriated... the 55 /f1.2 aspherical on the other hand is a real bad boy and one of the most radioactive lenses ever.

[@flowermaze___]

Both are beautiful. I can't decide which one to keep... the 50 1.4 FD Chrome Nose version or the nFD 1.4 Helllppppp

[@MediaDivision]

Keep both then… never argue taste

[@nexuscomm5916]

Is Film Covert being used in this video?

[@MediaDivision]

yes

[@mucormycetes]

I have both 50mm. Which do you recommend I keep? I only need one anyways

[@MediaDivision]

non is better..... depends if you want a lighter or a sturdier lens. I would stay with the SSC

[@gabobravo13]

Whats the difference between the 1.2 SSC and the 1.2 Chrome Nose?

[@MediaDivision]

The coatings… I suggest you watch the main Canon FD episode - it is all in there

[@gabobravo13]

@@MediaDivision I've seen it twice but couldn't find information about it :(, would you still recommend going with a full Chrome nose set to maintain the same look?

[@MediaDivision]

@gabobravo13 well, like we say in the main episode. The chrome noses are not multi coated, so, I wouldn’t mix sets, but if you want to build a full set of FL / chrome nose… why not?! I can’t recommend whatever your taste is.

[@stephanpaier9887]

Hi! What is the camera, you used? Thx, S

[@MediaDivision]

Thats a Kinefinity Mavo LF... you can see all the details in the FD episode trailered towards the end

[@stephanpaier9887]

@@MediaDivision THX

[@seekerofeducation]

I have the 50mm ssc 1.4 on my sony it is amazing the imperfections are perfect my advice is never sell this lens !!!

[@MediaDivision]

My advice is… don't clean it ;-) Some of those imperfections might be dust/haze

[@AlbertKarhuFilms]

I hear Mr. Morgan Freeman..

[@MediaDivision]

I wish man…

[@stanleystevens6278]

@@MediaDivision Morgan Freeman is vintage, you are modern.

[@kristjanthorarinsson1148]

An f/1.4 is not "nifty" - that was used to refer to the cheaper f/1.8 versions.

[@MediaDivision]

"nifty fifty" refers generally to 50mm lenses as a versatile focal length. This is regardless of brand or speed… but only valid on Full Frame.

[@lensman5762]

Nifty does not mean either cheap nor small. It was referred to almost all the 50mm ' standard ' lenses of the film era, by the late 90s generation who had only seen giant zooms, due to their versitility & performance.