Canon's fast FD wide — the 24mm f/1.4 S.S.C. Aspherical with an early aspherical element.
The Canon FD 24mm f/1.4 S.S.C. Aspherical was introduced in 1975 as a fast wide-angle prime for the Canon FD system and was among the earliest production lenses to use a ground-and-polished aspherical element. It headed the FD 24mm line as a professional-grade fast wide and predates the New FD 24mm f/1.4L that later replaced it.
This is a manual-focus Canon FD lens with a fixed 24mm focal length and a bright maximum aperture of f/1.4. It carries Canon's Super Spectra Coating and uses an aspherical element to control aberrations at wide apertures. Focus and aperture are set by hand on the FD barrel in the conventional manner.
A fast 24mm of this kind combines a wide field of view with the shallow depth of field and low-light ability of an f/1.4 aperture, letting a photographer work in dim conditions or separate a wide subject from its background. It suits reportage, interiors, environmental portraits and night scenes where speed and a broad angle are both needed.
On the used market this aspherical fast wide is a premium and comparatively rare FD lens, so condition strongly affects value. Check the aspherical front group for haze, fungus, scratches and separation, verify the aperture blades are clean and dry, and test the focus and aperture rings for smooth operation. It adapts to mirrorless via an optics-free FD adapter.