Cam driven focus system and chassis style lens housing allow matte boxes and other accessories to be attached to the front of the lens, without affecting focus movements. The benefit of zero backlash and image shift give accurate dual focus scales that repeat on direction and change with the cam drive system, giving a wide spread of markings through the scale.

Aluminium alloy, stainless steel, brass and robust construction guarantees a long serviceable life.

Cam driven focus system and chassis style lens housing allow matte boxes and other accessories to be attached to the front of the lens, without affecting focus movements. The benefit of zero backlash and image shift give accurate dual focus scales that repeat on direction and change with the cam drive system, giving a wide spread of markings through the scale.

Aluminium alloy, stainless steel, brass and robust construction guarantees a long serviceable life.

To produce the 18mm FD-X lens, TLS use a 24mm FD f1.4 (either SSC or FD L version) along with a Angenieux x0.75 wide angle adaptor. TLS currently have a supply of these adaptors, so we only require the customer to send in the 24mm base lens for the conversion. This then creates an 18mm lens that is fast (T1.5) and covers full frame sensors as well as matching with the Canon FD series of lenses. The Angenieux wide angle adaptor does add some distortion to the image, as well as some field curvature. However, the field curvature goes in the opposite direction to most tradition cine lenses, when the centre is in focus, items toward the edge of the frame, but further away become more in focus. Due to the size of the wide-angle adaptor and by keeping it all internal focussing, the front diameter of the lens is 143mm. The focus and iris gear positions match the rest of the FD set.

Cam driven focus system and chassis style lens housing allow matte boxes and other accessories to be attached to the front of the lens, without affecting focus movements. The benefit of zero backlash and image shift give accurate dual focus scales that repeat on direction and change with the cam drive system, giving a wide spread of markings through the scale.

Aluminium alloy, stainless steel, brass and robust construction guarantees a long serviceable life.

Cam driven focus system and chassis style lens housing allow matte boxes and other accessories to be attached to the front of the lens, without affecting focus movements. The benefit of zero backlash and image shift give accurate dual focus scales that repeat on direction and change with the cam drive system, giving a wide spread of markings through the scale.

Aluminium alloy, stainless steel, brass and robust construction guarantees a long serviceable life.

Cam driven focus system and chassis style lens housing allow matte boxes and other accessories to be attached to the front of the lens, without affecting focus movements. The benefit of zero backlash and image shift give accurate dual focus scales that repeat on direction and change with the cam drive system, giving a wide spread of markings through the scale.

Aluminium alloy, stainless steel, brass and robust construction guarantees a long serviceable life.

Cam driven focus system and chassis style lens housing allow matte boxes and other accessories to be attached to the front of the lens, without affecting focus movements. The benefit of zero backlash and image shift give accurate dual focus scales that repeat on direction and change with the cam drive system, giving a wide spread of markings through the scale.

Aluminium alloy, stainless steel, brass and robust construction guarantees a long serviceable life.

Cam driven focus system and chassis style lens housing allow matte boxes and other accessories to be attached to the front of the lens, without affecting focus movements. The benefit of zero backlash and image shift give accurate dual focus scales that repeat on direction and change with the cam drive system, giving a wide spread of markings through the scale.

Aluminium alloy, stainless steel, brass and robust construction guarantees a long serviceable life.

The 35mm T1.5 FD-X lens has been introduced into the TLS range of Canon FD lenses. Although not originally a Canon FD lens, this lens matches remarkably well with the rest of the set. As the fastest 35mm in the FD range is an f2, resulting in a T2.1 rehoused lens, there is need for a faster 35mm for the set to be more consistent. 

After hours of research and working closely with our trusted industry experts, we settled on the Minolta 35mm f1.4 as the suitable donor lens for this project. The lens goes through the same rehousing process as the rest of the FD set, resulting in a lens that matches aesthetically, as well as optically. 

The optical design of this 35mm is more complicated than most of the FD range of lenses. The optical layout consists of a fixed front group with two floating groups internally. The two moving groups inside move at different rates in relation to each other. Being able to utilise our non-linear cam system on this lens was challenging, but ultimately rewarding. This makes the lens fit in with the 'feel' of the rest of the FD range, optically, mechanically and when racking focus.