The lens on right side is Canon New FD50-135mm F3.5.
Canon always had good names with zoom lenses since 1970s.
For telephoto zoom, 80-200mm F4 was known for its good quality. In70s, 35-70mm and 80-200mm were the first zoom lens which were loved by professional photographers.
In early 80s, new model 50-135mm F3.5 was introduced. Canon already had luxurious line and economy lines at that time and 80-200mm and this 50-135mm was in luxurious line.
Both were priced $1000 and was quite expensive at that time.
Also in that class, 80-200mm was much more popular and that was the reason 50-135mm was not popular at all and very few number was sold.
After I started using 100mm lens, that was the time I got interested in this lens. In mid 90s, it was quite struggle to find this lens because of the limited sales…but finally, I found one in Tokyo.
To me, starting from 50mm was very easy to use and it was also much smaller than popular 80-200mm. It was a bit bigger than 35-70mmF2.8-3.5 zoom lens….but simply it was easy to use for me and image quality was also quite good.
Now, all the telephoto zoom goes to 300mm or 400mm easily. But luxurious lens are way too expensive and huge, economy class are too dark and there is nothing between.
I don’t think anyone will make “mid range zoom” like this anymore….I want this kind of mid-range zoom which has big diameter and compact body.
Now I use Panasonic 45-150mm….well…it is compact….but starting 45mm(90mm equiv.) is a bit too long and F number is too small. I’d like to have something like 25-75mm(50-150mm equiv.)F2.8-3.5….but It won’t happen….
It is funny thing, in 80s, the technology of zoom lens was way behind and number of zoom lens were limited….but it was easier to choose and I was quite happy about them, but not today……somehow….
I think technology is going somewhere wrong way.
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