Are the digital Canon SLRs compatible with the old lenses?

[alexb]

I have a nice, now never used Canon SLR sitting in the cupboard, together with a couple of nice lenses.
I was wondering if I could just buy a new Canon dSLR and use the old lenses.
My brother in law reckons that the lenses have changed and I can't use them.

Is he right? More details once I dig the camera out...

[fred the great]

I have a Canon A1 and a selection of nice lenses.

I understand that they don't fit a Canon DLSR although at one time there was a converter available. However, I believe with the converter fitted there was a lack sharpness with the photos.

I hope you can find us a better answer

[PaulR]

If the SLR as an EOS one, you're in luck. 

I understand that FD lenses can be adapted to fit but even then you may be unable to focus right to infinity (or beyond...) so you may find it a bit limiting.

[andrew_s]

Old Canon manual focus FD lenses don't fit Canon digital cameras because the lens mount on the old cameras was closer to the film/sensor than it is on the EOS autofocus and digital cameras. Thus if you made a simple mount adapter you wouldn't be able to focus on infinity, as though you had a short extension tube on.
Canon did make an adapter that was effectively a 1.2x teleconverter. This only fitted the bigger telephoto lenses, and it was sold only more or less only to professional photographers (who had the big telephotos and didn't want to be forced to buy new (eg 600mm f4) lenses all at once. They are rare, and expensive if you can find one (about $500).
There are cheaper copies of the Canon converter, but they aren't very good (reportedly).

There is however a converter available to mount Canon FD lenses on micro 4/3 cameras such as the Panasonic G1.  Note that this would have a 2x crop factor, so your 50mm standard lens would behave like a 100mm portrait lens (vs 1.6x on the cheaper Canon DSLRs).
I have contemplated getting one, as I have an FD 300/4L sitting in a cupboard somewhere (priced at about £1000 just before EOS was announced, though I got it for £350, in Dixons of all places).

[tonycollinet]

Basically as above

If the lens/camera is the all electronic one (electric contacts) then it will work. If not, then probably not worth the hassle.

[Fixedwheelnut]

 I looked at this when I got my 400D as I have a 35mm Canon AE-1 Programme with 24mm, 50mm, 70-210mm FD lenses and the answer is no.
 Apparently the small protrusion on the FD lense that acted as part of the Programme auto function protrudes too far and blocks the action of the mirror as it moves.

 The converters are a poor alternative and to work effectivley need optics in them, they were made in short supply to aid the proffessional photographer make the transition to digital and keep their mass of lenses.
 Apparentley they turn up on E-Bay for loads of money occaisionally.

see link below

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=57023

[Salvatore]

Probably not worth it financially, unless you have a very good FD lens, but as well as selling converters, SRB can sometimes convert the lens itself.

Certain lenses, especially manual lenses, can be modified to fit another camera system. Sometimes, this prevents the need to use adaptors with internal lens elements. Each lens needs to be assessed with the intended camera system. Not all conversions are possible, but it is always worth asking us.

[Fixedwheelnut]

 Just recently found these on E-Bay at a reasonable price £34.00 so took a chance.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290443803987#ht_2464wt_698
 

 A Pixco FD/ES lens adaptor with optics and a chip in that tells the camera to enter manual focus mode, you then alter the shutter speed accordingly, I used the light metering on the rear screen of my 400D to gauge correct speed and took a few test shots, not had chance for a proper play with my telephoto FD lenses but the 24mm FD lens produced this shot of my daughter yesterday.