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- GL Optics Canon FD 50-300mm T4.9
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GL Optics Canon FD 50-300mm
Zoom - Spherical - Full Frame
product details
The Canon FD 50–300mm Rehoused by GL Optics is a vintage cinema zoom that combines the distinctive optical character of Canon’s classic FD glass with a modern professional cinema housing. Covering Super 35 sensors and offering a versatile 50–300mm zoom range, this lens delivers pleasing contrast, organic color rendition, and a smooth vintage look that has made FD optics popular for narrative and commercial cinematography. The GL Optics rehousing provides modern cine mechanics, including geared focus, iris, and zoom rings, improved durability, and reliable performance for professional production environments while preserving the original optical design. Available to rent from Cine Visuals. Shipping worldwide.
| Set Includes |
50-300mm (1 Zoom)
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| Type | - |
| Format | - |
| Lens Mount | - |
| Iris Blades | - |
| Metadata | - |
| Per Focal Length | |
| Focal Length | - |
| T-Stop | - |
| Close Focus | - |
| Front Diameter | - |
| Weight | - |
| Length | - |
| Era / Generation | |
| Contrast & Tonal Character | |
| Sharpness & Resolution | |
| Focus Fall-Off / Transition | |
| Iris & Bokeh Quality | |
| Flare & Highlight Behavior | |
| Handling & Ergonomics | |
| Build & Modifications | |
| Cinematic Heritage & Credits |
*Refer to the Technical Specifications table
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Image Fidelity & Focus
The visual character of the GL Optics Canon FD 50-300mm begins with the glass itself. Canon’s FD lenses were renowned for their image quality when they were first released, and even decades later their optical signature continues to stand out. Images produced by FD lenses were known for being impressively sharp even wide open, yet they retained a softness that felt organic and natural. This balance between resolution and gentleness became one of the defining traits of the FD look. Skin tones rendered through this lens have a particularly pleasing quality. They appear warm without being overly saturated, and the gentle contrast produced by the coatings gives faces a natural, flattering appearance. Highlights transition smoothly into midtones, creating an almost painterly softness that many cinematographers associate with classic film imagery.
Handling & Adaptability
With a focus throw of roughly 330º, the GL Optics Canon FD 50-300mm allows for extremely precise focus pulling. This long rotation provides the kind of fine control that camera assistants rely on when working with shallow depth of field or complex blocking. Durability is another major advantage. The rehoused body is built from high-quality metal components designed to withstand the demands of professional filmmaking. Whether mounted on a studio camera, a handheld rig, or a stabilized platform, the lens remains stable and reliable. For operators, the zoom range itself offers tremendous flexibility. Covering focal lengths from 50mm all the way to 300mm, the lens can move from a natural perspective to an extreme telephoto without changing glass.
Flare & Bokeh
The Super Spectra Coatings that define Canon’s FD optics create a distinctive interplay between contrast and flare and have been preserved in the GL Optics Canon FD 50-300mm. Amber tones shimmer across the image, occasionally accompanied by soft hints of gold, violet, or magenta. These colors drift through the frame like brushstrokes, adding texture without overwhelming the composition. Backgrounds dissolve into bokeh that has creamy, painterly textures while the subject remains clearly defined. Combined with the warm color rendition and gentle focus falloff, this bokeh contributes to scenes feeling soft, detailed, and romantic yet grounded in reality.
Image Circle
The Canon FD lenses were built for 35mm still photography, a format that exposes film horizontally. As opposed to S35mm which is exposed vertically at 4-perfs, this format exposes a much larger image area of 8-perfs. Sensors found in cameras like the ARRI Alexa LF and Sony Venice closely match the dimensions of 35mm still photography. Since FD lenses were originally designed for that format, they naturally cover these modern sensors without difficulty which brings the vintage look to modern Full-Frame demands. Specifically, the GL Optics Canon FD 50-300mm has an image circle of 43.27mm which is more than enough to cover Full-Frame.
Cinematic Heritage
Among the many FD lenses available, one stood out as particularly exciting for GL Optics and filmmakers - the Canon FD 50-300mm zoom. Originally introduced in the early 1980s, this lens was a technological powerhouse for its time. Covering a wide focal range from normal to long telephoto, it offered remarkable versatility while maintaining strong optical performance across the zoom range. By rehousing this lens, GL Optics transformed a classic still photography zoom into a full-fledged cinema tool. The resulting GL Optics Canon FD 50-300mm combines vintage Canon glass with a robust cinema housing designed for professional filmmaking.
Technical Specs Table
T-Stop
Type
Format
Front Diameter
Lens Mount
Metadata
Close Focus (ft)
Close Focus (m)
Weight (lbs)
Weight (kg)
Length (in)
Length (mm)
Iris Blades
Image Circle
Front Filter
Rear Filter
Horizontal Angle of View (Full Frame)
Horizontal Angle of View (S35)
Focus Rotation
T4.9
Spherical
Full Frame LF/VV
136 mm
PL
–
6'
1.83 m
12.00 lbs
5.44 kg
–
–
15
–
–
–
–
–
–
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GL Optics Canon FD 50-300mm
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