Old lenses on new DSLR - DPChallenge Forums

04/26/2006 02:20:02 PM · #1

I'm fairly new to photography but am planning to upgrade to a digital SLR. This probably a dumb question, but can I use my old regular Canon SLR lenses on my digital SLR?

fotomann_forever

04/26/2006 02:21:57 PM · #2

Most likely.

Ampao64

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

04/26/2006 02:23:33 PM · #3

EF Lenses?

howzit

04/26/2006 02:23:46 PM · #4

I am using two of mine - tested on another DSLR camera.

Check out this thread where I listed my lenses.

You might want to list your lenses names here for the pros to respond.

04/26/2006 02:31:06 PM · #5

Yes they are EF lenses. I an currently at work and do not know the lense names. One of them however is the lense that comes with the Canon T2. Canon Zoom EF 28-90mm

LoudDog

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/26/2006 02:39:04 PM · #6

I believe FD lens will not work though.

sacker

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

04/26/2006 02:46:39 PM · #7

Depending on which camera you end up getting and what your current selection of lenses is like, you may still want to purchase a new lens. For example, the Canon 20D/30D has a 1.6 focal length multiplier, so your 28-90mm give you the same coverage that a 45-144mm lens would have on a 35mm film SLR. If you're interested in shooting wide-angle shots at all, you may want to pony up for a lens with sub-20mm capability.

GoodEnd

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/26/2006 02:51:41 PM · #8

ItÂ´s not the best lens of the world but it can be used for sure!
With your Canon DSLR body in all current models you can use a large lens set. To you with DSLR you can get any "EF" lenses. The EF lineup is divided in many branches, each one with distinct caracteristcs. They are:

Actually the Canon EF "L" lenses are the sharpest, faster (regarding to max aperture), expensive and desirable.

Some lens that have USM motors are a bit faster to focus them others. They are found in many Canon lens independent of line up.

The lens with "IS" word have Image Stabilizations giving you more flexibility to shot handheld in low light or long telephoto.

Also have a new "DO" lenses with difractive optics acquiring the same refraction factors of huge glass pieces with lighter ones. These lenses are small and light weight, but has long zooms. This improvement and confort has a price too.

If you get a DSLR without fullframe sensor you can use some "EF-S", most recent lens line from Canon, that uses less glass and are more cheaper and light than conventional "EF" lens. But this line is not compatible with all Canon DSLR.

You can also find other lenses from third party like: Sigma, Tamrom and others.

04/26/2006 02:52:25 PM · #9

The 20D and 30D are a little out of my price range right now. I'm looking at the Rebel XT (body only)

sacker

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

04/26/2006 02:55:28 PM · #10

Rebel XT also has the 1.6 focal length multiplier. To see more about this, check out DPReview.com:

//www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=focal%20length%20multiplier

nemesise1977

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super for Canon

04/26/2006 03:03:29 PM · #11

I'll jump in on this one. If you have lenses that use the EOS lense mount and you get a cannon DSLR the slense should work.

About multipliers. In case you dont know the sensor sizes of the DSLRs are usually not the same size as 35mm frame so they move it closer or further away from the lense than a 35mm would be so the image focuses on the entire surface of the sensor. Because of that you will get on many DSLRs a mulitiplier that changes the effective focal length. S0 like a digital rebel has a 1.5 or 1.6 so a 70-300 is more like a 80-420 and a 15mm is=28 mm on film. But some of the newer Canon (I dont know for Nikon) DSLRs have a 35mm sensor size and thus no multiplier :)

04/26/2006 03:07:27 PM · #12

So basically I'm going to gain more zoom, but lose some of the surroundings?

sacker

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

04/26/2006 03:21:36 PM · #13

Originally posted by legacy:

So basically I'm going to gain more zoom, but lose some of the surroundings?

Effectively, yes, for a camera with a multiplier > 1.

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super for Canon

04/26/2006 03:26:53 PM · #14

Originally posted by sacker:

Originally posted by legacy:
So basically I'm going to gain more zoom, but lose some of the surroundings?

Effectively, yes, for a camera with a multiplier > 1.

And with the multiplier on the XT being 1.6 instead of 1. Will that be an increase in zoom or field of view.

nemesise1977

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

04/26/2006 04:27:38 PM · #15

Originally posted by legacy:

Originally posted by sacker:

Originally posted by legacy:
So basically I'm going to gain more zoom, but lose some of the surroundings?

Effectively, yes, for a camera with a multiplier > 1.

And with the multiplier on the XT being 1.6 instead of 1. Will that be an increase in zoom or field of view.

That will be an increase in zoom decrease in field of view 28mmx1.6=44.8mm while 90mmx1.6=144mm so you lose wide angle with it.
if you like wide shots get a 15mm lense to =28mm and smaller yet for very wide shots.

btw a 15mm on a film camera would prolly result in a fisheye effect

GoodEnd

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/26/2006 04:37:27 PM · #16

Originally posted by legacy:

So basically I'm going to gain more zoom, but lose some of the surroundings?

There are some mistakes in this field guys.

It will happen exactly reverse to it. You will lose some suroundings but will not get any extra zoom.

If you have focal lenght multiplier > 1 then youÂ´ll get less FoV (field of view) for the same Zoom (magnification factor).

This stands for that you get the image croped at same FoV of f(focal lenght) x FlM(focal lenght multiplier) but donÂ´t get the details that a real focal lenght can give to you.

I.E.: If you had a 100mm lens using it into a 1.6 FlM body like Canon 350D, you will get images Croped like you had used a 160mm lens, but with the details of your 100mm.

Message edited by author 2006-04-26 16:38:54.

GoodEnd

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/26/2006 04:43:21 PM · #17

There is a thread discussing it with more details:
EF vs EF-S

HXP101

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

04/27/2006 07:04:07 PM · #18

I have a 350D (Rebel XT) with the standard 18 - 55 efs lens

I got the EF50mm 1.8 which is a really old lens but works brilliantly on the 350D.

Also own EF 75-300 again with no problems & recently aquired a X2 converter from Kenko model MC7DG all of which work fine.

I have read many posts that point to the lenses I have being less than perfect and pointing towards the superior quality of prime & L series lenses but as I am on a budget I consider these lenses very good for the cost.

So in answer any EF lens will work on a EOS350D buy what you can afford - and maybe save up for that expensive glass.

I just got myself a second 350d body second hand so I can have my 75-300 on one and 18-55 on the other.

I am just an amateur, trying hard to improve but hopefully never losing site of my ultimate goal which is have fun.

HXP