Help! Canon FD 50mm 1.4 won't mount to AE-1.

Steven Jones · May 12, 2015

I just got my first AE-1 from ebay and separately ordered a Canon FD 50mm 1.4 lens. I can't get it to mount. It looks like it should just pop on by aligning the red dots and twisting to lock. It doesn't "pop on." It feels kinda like something is blocking it from being able to go flush on the camera so that I can twist to lock.

Am I missing something?

unpopular · May 12, 2015

Does the locking ring move freely? Can you twist it? Sometimes the lock will get jammed. I had a lens permanently fused to an adapter and had to use a pipe clamp and vise grip to get it off. It might be that the lock isn't opening completely, but without an FD lens in front of me, I couldn't really say how to check.

The FD locking mechanism seems like it should be pretty simple, in reality, it can be kind of fickle.

Derrel · May 12, 2015

If it's a Canon breech lock lens, the lens is placed and held on the body and only the silver ring is turned to mount the lens...you're not trying to bayonet-mount the lens on, are you?

Steven Jones · May 12, 2015

Hmm I'm guessing the locking ring would be the bottom part of the lens? I'll try twisting it on its own when I get home tonight. Here's some photos of it though. I feel like it should just go on like an EF mount. This is my first FD lens so I have no clue what I'm doing

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Steven Jones · May 12, 2015

Derrel said:
If it's a Canon breech lock lens, the lens is placed and held on the body and only the silver ring is turned to mount the lens...you're not trying to bayonet-mount the lens on, are you?

I'm not sure Derrel. This is where I'm lost. Check the photos I just added and maybe that'll give you a better idea at what I'm doing.

Derrel · May 12, 2015

It's been yeaaaaars...but I think you need to get the red dot and the red bump ALIGNED first. See this web page for the diagram.Canon FD Lenses - Other Issues Part III

I believe the little rectangular chrome button will release the outer ring and allow you to get the red-dot to red-bump alignment needed.

Steven Jones · May 12, 2015

Derrel said:
It's been yeaaaaars...but I think you need to get the red dot and the red bump ALIGNED first. See this web page for the diagram.Canon FD Lenses - Other Issues Part III

I believe the little rectangular chrome button will release the outer ring and allow you to get the red-dot to red-bump alignment needed.

That's got to be it! I'll try it out in a few hours and report back.

vintagesnaps · May 12, 2015

It doesn't look like it's a breech lock, and I'm thinking what Derrel said (I don't have an AE-1 myself), that there may be a button/knob that's a release. Usually if a camera has a release, once you push the knob and get the lens on and aligned then turn it, it should click and the lens will be in place.

Have you tried Mike Butkus' camera manuals site? He probably has the instruction book for the AE-1. Nice camera.

I do have cameras that are screw mount that the lens just twists on, but most SLRs seem to be some type of bayonet mount that you have to push a release and line up the lens properly.

MarkF48 · May 15, 2015

I just pulled my AE-1/50mm f/1.8 out of the closet. Align the red dots and facing the front of the camera turn the lens clockwise. When it latches there will be a soft click.

Looking at your picture compared to my lens, the chrome bayonet ring and the internals of the lens is misaligned which would be the reason it won't mount. I'll try to post a pic of the back of my lens later this morning.

Basically the red dot on the outside of the lens needs to align with the red dot on the face of the back of the lens. There is also a protrusion of a small tab on the chrome ring that is supposed to be in line with those red dots. Not sure if they can move to realign, but will futz around to see if possible.

MarkF48 · May 15, 2015

Pic attached of 50mm f/1.8...

I think it should be able to be realigned, but I haven't yet found the magic release button to do it.

MarkF48 · May 15, 2015

"Magic" buttons....

Two tabs within the ring release the internal assembly to rotate and lock to the normal mounted position. To unlock the rotated internal assembly, simply push the rectangle release button on the outside of the lens and rotate the internal assembly to align the red dots as Derrel had suggested.

TCampbell · May 15, 2015

Mark's advice above is solid... the two red dots on the lens MUST be aligned (normally it's not possible to mis-align them without using some tools to push BOTH release buttons while simultaneously rotating the lens' locking bayonet mounting collar.)

Also... a bit of spring tension moderately pushes the lens away from the camera body and the lens must be fully seated before you can rotate the locking bayonet collar. When you align the red dot on the lens with the red dot on the body (the one under the middle "n" in the Canon logo on the front of the camera) you have to apply a gentle amount of pressure and slightly wiggle to make sure the lens is actually completely seated on the mounting flange. If not fully seated, the collar will refuse to turn. Just give it a gentle wiggle while seating the lens and it should pop right in... then rotate clockwise until you hear it "click" to lock.

HowiePepper · May 26, 2015

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just purchased a gently used Canon AE-1 with three lenses. The 35mm f/2.8 lens had the exact same issue, and by reading these posts, I was able to re-align the red dots, and get it mounted to the AE-1!