lenses for a Canon FX?

[HepcatB]

Hi everyone, just found this site...

I've inherited an old Canon FX SLR that seems to be working except for a busted light meter. I'm looking to buy a wide-angle lens for it, but I'm not sure what I need to look for to have it be compatible.

I did some research and the camera uses an FL lens mount. Is this all I need to worry about, or are there other factors?

The lens currently on it is a normal that has "CANON LENS FL 50mm 1:1.8 No.149757" written around the inside in case this helps any.

Tried to find the answer online, but couldn't.
Thanks for any help.

[Clemmie]

That's some pretty 'vintage' stuff there. I would think finding the FL mount will be your primary concern. Be careful not to confuse it with the later, and much more common, FD mount.

The FL and FD mounts are 'sort of' compatible - but not in a way that will help you. The internal works match up, but the method of attachment does not. The difference being the 'breech lock' on FL - that twist ring at the back - vs. the FD being the newer 'insert and turn' bayonet mount. You can mount an FL lens to an FD-mount camera - such as the old AE-1 that I started out with, which had threading for both lens types (and I saved a bundle by buying 'out of favor' FL lenses when I had it) - but you can't, to my knowledge, mount an FD lens to an FL camera.

I'd try an eBay advanced search, specifying 'Canon FL Lens' as the parameter. I didn't see any wide angles when I tried this just now - but there is one nice 135mm up. That's a useful medium telephoto length.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

The 50/1.8 you currently have is the traditional 'standard' lens - and is still the optical basis for the standard lenses right thru to today.

[HepcatB]

Thanks for the help Clemmie