Canon · Canon FD · From 1971, New FD from 1979
Until the EF 35mm f/1.4 arrived, this was Canon's fastest 35mm, and it's the FD lens with the most versions to untangle. Canon made it in six versions from 1971. The first four have a concave front element and thoriated glass, so they're measurably radioactive, and the thorium turns the glass yellow-brown over the years. That gives your pictures a yellow cast you'll want to correct in editing, and long sunlight or UV exposure is reported to clear it at least partly. The 1976 S.S.C. version II switched to a convex front element without thorium, and the New FD lens from 1979 is about a quarter shorter and much lighter. Canon's museum says the 1973 S.S.C. lens was its first SLR wide-angle with a floating element group for sharp close-ups, and every version focuses to 0.3 m. The old claim that the thorium versions are sharper than the New FD hasn't held up in side-by-side tests. Off a Canon body the blades stay open until the aperture lever is held, so set your adapter's lock.
Known forVintage warm tones
On a mirrorless camera
It’s a Canon FD lens, and its mount sits 42 mm from the film. Every mirrorless mount below sits closer than that, so a plain adapter ring fills the gap and the lens still focuses to infinity. On a smaller sensor it frames tighter, like a longer lens.
Thoriated glass
Some or all of this lens’s production used glass with thorium oxide in it, which is mildly radioactive and turns yellow over the decades. The yellow cast shows in photos and fades under strong UV light. Our guide to thoriated lenses covers how to spot it and what sources say about handling it.
Versions
Six versions. The 1971 versions I and II (chrome nose), version III from January 1973, and the S.S.C. version I from March 1973 all have a concave front element, stop down to f/16, and contain thoriated glass, so they're radioactive and often yellowed. The S.S.C. version II from April 1976 has a convex front element, stops down to f/22, weighs 345 g and isn't thoriated. The New FD 35mm f/2 from December 1979 is a 10-element, 245 g lens with 52 mm filters, also without thorium. The breech-lock versions all take 55 mm filters.
The concave-front versions contain thoriated glass that yellows with age, so expect a warm cast on most of them. Beyond that, haze, fungus and oily blades are the usual age faults.
New to old glass? How to check a used vintage lens covers haze, fungus and the rest in detail.
Buying guide
We'd buy the S.S.C. graded Exc++++ by a Japan dealer, caps in the photo, at $240 delivered, or pay $351 for one titled fully functional, at the bottom of the band. There are at least 179 for sale and most ask $340–525 delivered, a band Japan dealers set, while the one US copy here asks $269. A concave front element means one of the four early versions, which contain thoriated glass and are often yellowed, and Japan dealers title those concave or "O" and ask $350–785, while the convex S.S.C. II and the lighter New FD have no thorium. Ask for a flashlight photo through the back, one against white paper for a yellow cast, and one of the blades at f/8 with the lever held, and skip the zero-feedback seller and the $1,549 overhauled copy at about 3.8 times the median. It needs a Canon FD adapter with its lock set so the blades close, and the model page lists the adapters by camera.
![[Exc++++] Canon FD 35mm f/2 S.S.C. SSC MF wide Angle Lens From JAPAN](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/E5sAAeSwi25qzkO3/s-l500.jpg)
$239.99est. delivered
The lowest delivered complete lens here, an S.S.C. graded Exc++++ by the Japan dealer with caps in the photo, at $240 delivered, $100 under the band. The grade is the seller's own, so ask for a flashlight photo through the back and one against white paper for yellowing.
[Exc++++] Canon FD 35mm f/2 S.S.C. SSC MF wide Angle Lens From JAPAN
$351.08delivered
Titled fully functional with an excellent appearance, an S.S.C. at $351 delivered with free shipping and Best Offer, near the bottom of the band. Ask what the check covered and for a photo of the blades at f/8 with the lever held.
Excellent appearance, Canon FD 35mm F2 S.S.C., fully functional, #D817
![Tested [MINT] Canon FD S.S.C. 35mm F2 Prime Wide Angle MF Lens SSC From JAPAN](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Y1cAAeSwcZpqvKxX/s-l500.jpg)
$399.99est. delivered
Titled tested and graded MINT, an S.S.C. at $400 delivered, just under the $410 median. Ask what the test covered and for a flashlight photo through the back.
Tested [MINT] Canon FD S.S.C. 35mm F2 Prime Wide Angle MF Lens SSC From JAPAN
$217.74est. delivered
A New FD sold as is, with caps in the photo, at $218 delivered, about half the median. The title says Read, so find the fault in the description and buy it only if you can fix it or live with it.
🍀AS-IS🍀Canon New FD NFD 35mm f2 Wide Angle Prime MF Lens from japan【Read】
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 14, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 14, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$239.99est. delivered
$199.99 + $40.00 shipping
Buy It Now$199.99
Good buy
S.S.C., Exc++++ by the dealer's grade. Caps in the photo.
Seller: japan.camera.like
100% positive
Used$351.08delivered
$351.08 · free shipping
Buy It Now$351.08
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
S.S.C. titled fully functional. Free shipping from Japan.
Seller: kumsjapan
99.4% positive
Used$399.99est. delivered
$339.99 + $60.00 shipping
Buy It Now$339.99
Good buy
S.S.C. titled tested. MINT is the dealer's grade.
Seller: yutacamerajapan
100% positive
For parts$217.74est. delivered
$161.49 + $56.25 shipping
Buy It Now$161.49
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Project piece
New FD sold as is. Titled Read, so the description names the fault. Caps in the photo.
Seller: u_japan_company
100% positive
Used$269.02est. delivered
$252.00 + $17.02 shipping
Buy It Now$252.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
US seller. S.S.C. with no condition claim in the title.
Seller: cardinalcameraused
99.7% positive
![[NEAR MINT]Canon New FD 35mm f/2 NFD Wide Angle MF Prime Lens from JAPAN #1](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/1PAAAOSwcxRoTnjF/s-l500.jpg)
Used$249.99delivered
$249.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$249.99
Check the seller
Seller has zero feedback. New FD, NEAR MINT by the seller's grade.
Seller: toshifumi-japan
No feedback yet
Used$437.50est. delivered
$422.02 + $15.48 shipping
Buy It Now$422.02
Check the seller
Seller and feedback weren't shown. Titled concave, an early thoriated version. Case in the photo.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
![[RARE] Canon FD 35mm f/2 S.S.C. Concave "O" Mark Type I Overhauled 2022 Paper](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RjEAAeSwutRqwfvt/s-l500.jpg)
Serviced$1,549.40delivered
$1,549.40 · free shipping
Buy It Now$1,549.40
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Priced high
Concave "O" early S.S.C. titled overhauled in 2022, paper in the photo. About 3.8 times the median.
Seller: yama-4448
100% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 14, 2026.
See every listing on eBay ↗eBay search
Canon · Canon FD
From 1975, New FD from 1979
$100–$150 typical ask
Canon · Canon FD
From 1973
$100–$160 typical ask
Nikon · Nikon F (AI / AI-S)
1981–2005
$310–$440 typical ask
Pentax · M42 screw mount
From 1971 into the mid-1970s
Thoriated glass
$100–$160 typical ask