Data sheet: Canon FDn 35–105 mm f/3.5

Pekka Buttler, 06/2024 (Updated 11/2025)

Specifications

The table below summarises the lens’ key specifications (measurements based on pictured sample):

Brand:	Canon	Lens name	Zoom Lens FD 35-105 mm 1:3.5
Focal length(s)1	35-105 mm	Angle-of-view2	24°–12°
Maximum Aperture	f/3.5	In Production	1981–1987
Lens mount	Canon FDn	Subfamily (if applicable)	N/A
Length3	109,4 mm	Diameter4	76,1 mm
Filter ring diameter	72 mm	Weight	585 grams
Lens element count	15	Lens group count	13
Aperture blades (S/R/C)5	5 S	Focus throw	160 °
Minimum focusing distance	1,5 m (32 cms in macro mode)	Maximum magnification	1:12,5 (1:7 in macro mode)
Has manual aperture ring	YES	Has Manual focus ring	YES
Aperture mechanism type	Automatic	Aperture click stops 6	3.5•5.6•8•11•16•22

Further notes:
• This lens is Canon’s only ever 35–105/3.5 lens. There are later Canon lenses that share the 35–105 mm zoom range, but none of those have a constant maximum aperture.
• This lens is a two-ring zoom lens, with the rearmost ring controlling the zoom (focal length) and the frontmost ring controlling focusing distance.
• The lens uses an internal zooming approach, meaning that the lens’ shape stays the same while zooming.
• The entire front of the lens rotates on focusing. When focusing towards MFD, the lens also lengthens a bit.
• The lens’ minimum focusing distance is 1,5 meters, which is rather modest and might limit the lens’ usability. To compensate, the lens offers a macro mode at the wide end, that allows focusing all the way down to 32 centimetres.
• As an ace up its sleeve (and which makes this lens particularly liked by amateur videographers), the lens is as close to parfocal as you can get in this price and size class.
• With its relatively ambitious (15 element) construction, this lens was clearly intended as a prosumer offering.
• Looking at the lineup of FDn zoom lenses, one can clearly see that while Canon had already started their (Luxury) L-line of lenses, there were no L-line standard zooms. At the same time there were wide angle L-line zooms (the 24-35/3.5L and its successor the 20–35/3.5L), and tele zooms (50–300/4.5L, 150-600/5.6L and 80-200/4L. In the standard zoom segment, Canon had two lenses that can be seen as premium offerings: the 35-70/2.8-3.5 (1979), and the 35-105/3.5 (this lens)
• Alike many Canon FD/FDn lenses, this lens has a bayonet mount for use with a dedicated lens hood.

History of Canon FDn lenses

Feel free to browse the JAPB article on the Canon FDn mount for all the details. Below is an outline of the position of the Canon FD mount in Canon’s development trajectory:

• 1959–1963: R-mount. Canon’s first SLR lens mount. Breech lock-type mount with aperture semi-automation (camera is able to stop down lens for taking the shot, but lens needs to be opened up by user action) .
• 1964–1969: FL-mount. Breech-lock type mount, physically similar mount as Canon R-mount, but camera-to-lens communication linkages somewhat different. Cannot communicate selected aperture to body (stop-down-metering only).
• 1970–1978: FD-mount. Breech-lock mount. FD lenses compatible with FL-cameras and vice versa. Manual focus lenses that communicate aperture information to camera, hence opening the door for automatic exposure (both shutter priority and aperture priority possible)
• 1979–1986: new FD-mount (a.k.a. FDn). Bayonet mount, backwards compatible with FL and FD mounts. Otherwise, as FD mount.
• 1987–today: EF-mount. Electronically controlled autofocus lenses that use an internal focusing motor. Compatible with previous mount lenses only using an adapter with optics.

The era of the Canon FD and FDn mounts can be characterised by a gradual shift towards the ever-increasing use of plastics and lighter materials. In the chronology of this gradual shift:
• Chrome nose FD lenses (1971–1973) are solid metal (often brass), glass and (synthetic) rubber.
• Black nose FD lenses (1973-≈1975) are also metal, glass and rubber, but often 5-10% less heavy than chrome nose lenses.
• Late FD, (≈1975–1979) rubber is replaced by plastic and heavier metals are gradually replaced by lighter alloys
• With FDn lenses (1979–1987) this trend came to its natural conclusion as these lenses typically make extensive use of light alloys as well as, increasingly, plastics.
(In the EF era (1987 onwards) plastics fully take over)

A final, noteworthy aspect pertains to the S.C. and S.S.C. monikers found on some generations (Black nose and Late FD) Canon lenses: by the time of the introduction of the FDn mount Canon decided to do away with these markings. Hence, while FDn versions no longer sported the S.C. or S.S.C monikers, their coatings are always at least as good as that of their direct predecessor in the Canon FD line.

Related versions

In terms of optical designs, this lens has no clear predecessors or successors.

Adapting

This lens cannot be used natively on any current SLR or dSLRs. To use it in its native environment, you will need a Canon FD or FL-mount film body.

Thanks to being a fully manual lens (manual aperture, manual focus), the lens can be adapted to all mirrorless cameras using a suitable adapter. However, for the adapter to allow the lens to stop down, you will need an adapter that can be set to engage the FD lens’ aperture control lever.

Moreover, a large range of special adapters (helicoid adapters, tilt/shift adapters, speed boosters) for using Canon FD lenses on most mirrorless systems are available.

Using Canon FD lenses on dSLRs is a possibility, but is not problem free. Thanks to the relatively short flange focal distance of the Canon FD mount (at 42,0 mm, clearly shorter than that of any full-frame dSLR mount), any adapter will necessitate some corrective optics to achieve infinity focus.

Footnotes

1. Focal length is (unless stated otherwise) given in absolute terms, and not in Full-frame equivalent. For an understanding of whether the lens is wide/tele, see ‘Angle-of-view’. ↩︎
2. Picture angle is given in degrees and concerns the diagonal picture angle. Rule of thumb:
   > 90 ° ==> Ultra-wide-angle
   70–90 ° ==> Wide-angle
   50–70 ° ==> Moderate wide-angle
   40–50 ° ==> ‘Standard’ or ‘normal’ lens
   20–40 ° ==> Short tele lens
   10-20 ° ==> Tele lens
   5-10 ° ==> Long tele lens
   < 5 ° ==> Ultra-tele lens ↩︎
3. Length is given from the mount flange to the front of lens at its shortest. ↩︎
4. Diameter excludes protrusions such as rabbit ears or stop-down levers. ↩︎
5. S=straight; R=rounded; C=(almost)circular at all apertures. ↩︎
6. Numbers equal aperture values on aperture ring; • intermediate click; – no intermediate click. ↩︎