Issues focusing zoom lens/ Is it broken?

georgienne

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This may be my own error, so that's why I'm posting it here: it may not actually be broken.

I'm fairly new to film photography, but I do know how to focus, and the difference between lens' lengths, etc.
However, I picked up a Canon FD 75-200mm zoom lens at a carboot sale and I've been having issues with it. No matter what I focus on, the matte screen stays blurry, it never changes (there seems to be a lightening/darkening difference, but that may be my movement). What could cause this? Can I fix it, or is it broke?
I picked it up cheap, so if it's not usable, then I don't mind, but if I can save it/fix it, I'd do that.

Any help's appreciated. Thanks
 
Sounds broken to me.

Canon has not made FD lenses since 1987 so parts may be hard to come by for a repair.
 
I guess you take a gamble with stolen equipment.




Serious reply: I'm not quite I understand your issue. What is this matte screen you speak of?
 
I guess you take a gamble with stolen equipment. Serious reply: I'm not quite I understand your issue. What is this matte screen you speak of?

The AE-1 (dunno about other canon lenses) has three focusing 'parts': the split circle in the centre, the crystalline prismy circle, and the rest of the screen (called the 'laser-matte' in the manual). A google image would be far clearer than any description I give..
The first two seem to change, but the matte screen never clears up, it's odd.
 
Perhaps the simplest way to explain is that it looks like its completely unfocused, and the focusing ring doesn't clear it up, as it usually does.
I also found out its a macro lens (I can 'pull' the lens to lengthen it more, in addition to zooming), if that changes anything about how I should be using it. I've never used a zoom or macro lens.
 
Canon FD Zoom 70-210mm & 75-200mm lenses
Scroll down to your lens. It sounds like the lens is in the Macro mode:

Macro mechanism: Rotation of the zooming ring to the shortest focal length (75mm) and setting the macro ring to the macro range by pressing the macro conversion button. 0.55m (magnification 0.2X) - 1.8m
 
Well, oddly enough, shaking it made it work, but only when it's in macro mode (assuming macro mode is when the line is pointing to "macro" and the macro ring button is not locked). It still doesn't seem to focus properly though. Very strange..
 

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