Canon's FD 50mm f/1.8 was the budget standard lens of the breech-lock years, and it's one of the most common FD lenses you'll find. It arrived with the FD system in 1971, and from 1973 it was marked S.C. for Spectra Coating, the cheaper of Canon's two coating grades. Sources disagree on whether S.C. counts as multi-coating, but it isn't the S.S.C. coating, and Casual Photophile found non-S.S.C. copies flare readily into the sun. It's a six-element, four-group design that focuses to 0.6 m. The 1976 version II went lighter, with a plastic front barrel and five blades instead of six, so stopped-down highlights turn pentagonal. On APS-C it frames like a 75mm, a cheap way into portrait work. Off a Canon body the blades stay open until the aperture lever is held, so set your adapter's lock before you judge the aperture ring. With so many around, you can wait for a clean one.
Known forHarsh flare
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.
Versions
Two S.C. versions. Version I from March 1973 has six aperture blades and weighs 255 g. Version II from March 1976 has five blades, a plastic front barrel and weighs 200 g. Both stop down to f/16. The 1971 FD 50mm f/1.8 before them has no coating label and weighs 305 g. The New FD 50mm f/1.8 from 1979 is a separate catalog page.
Most copies spent decades on a camera, so look for haze, fungus, dust and scratched front glass. Cemented groups can separate, and oily blades are common on any FD lens this age.
New to old glass? How to check a used vintage lens covers haze, fungus and the rest in detail.
Buying guide
We'd buy an S.C. titled clean with caps, like the US one asking $48 delivered, or pay $70 for one titled tested and works. There are at least 57 for sale, nearly all from US sellers, and most ask $45–65 delivered, so skip Japan dealers' $85–100 asks and any copy titled with fungus. Look for S.C. on the front ring and the chrome locking ring at the base, and note the 1976 version II has a plastic front barrel and five blades. Ask for a flashlight photo through the back for haze or a rainbow edge from separation, and one of the blades at f/8 with the lever held. It needs a Canon FD adapter with its lock set so the blades close, and the model page lists the adapters by camera.
$36.98est. delivered
The lowest delivered working lens here, with a Canon case and caps, at $37 delivered with no bids yet. It will climb, and a clean fixed-price copy asks $48, so that's the ceiling.
Vintage Canon 50mm F1.8 SC FD mount lens w/ Canon Case and Caps - NICE
$47.96est. delivered
Titled clean with caps, from a US seller at $48 delivered, just under the $52 median. With this many for sale there's no reason to take one with fungus for the same money.
Canon FD 50mm 1:1.8 S.C. SC Manual Focus Prime Lens Clean With Caps #B4-C
$69.52est. delivered
Titled tested and works, in excellent condition, at $70 delivered from a US seller. That's a little over the band, and the test claim is what you pay for.
Canon FD 50mm 1:1.8 SC Lens in Excellent Condition - Tested and Works!
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 12, 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 12, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$36.98est. delivered
$26.99 + $9.99 shipping
Auction · no bids yet · ends in 5d 1h
Good buy
Auction with no bids, so the price will climb. Canon case and caps.
Seller: hobbylotsllc
100% positive
Used$47.96est. delivered
$39.96 + $8.00 shipping
Buy It Now$39.96
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
US seller. Titled clean, with caps.
Seller: kohnecamera
100% positive
Used$69.52est. delivered
$60.00 + $9.52 shipping
Buy It Now$60.00
Good buy
Titled excellent condition, tested and works.
Seller: a1acameras
100% positive
For parts$34.02est. delivered
$25.00 + $9.02 shipping
Buy It Now$25.00
Our take
For parts, titled not working. A working copy asks only about $10 more.
Seller: photo_bazaar
99.9% positive
Used$49.95delivered
$49.95 · free shipping
Buy It Now$49.95
Our take
Titled thin fungus, though working. Clean copies ask about the same.
Seller: bluehousesupply
99.8% positive
Used$51.09est. delivered
$39.99 + $11.10 shipping
Buy It Now$39.99
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
With caps and a filter.
Seller: poppinpacks
100% positive
Used$51.69est. delivered
$39.99 + $11.70 shipping
Buy It Now$39.99
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.
Check the seller
Same title as another seller's listing, and the front glass looks dusty in the photo. Compare photos before buying.
Seller: alphawolf001
99.9% positive
Used$105.22est. delivered
$98.75 + $6.47 shipping
Buy It Now$98.75
Priced high
About twice the median, and the front ring in the photo shows no S.C. label.
Seller: marcelproust
98.4% positive
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