Canon's New FD rectilinear ultra-wide — the 17mm f/4 in the later black FD styling.
The Canon New FD 17mm f/4 was introduced in 1979 as the New FD revision of Canon's rectilinear ultra-wide for the FD manual-focus system. It brought the 17mm into the lighter black New FD styling with the redesigned bayonet mount, continuing as the widest rectilinear prime in the FD range.
This is a manual-focus Canon FD lens with a fixed 17mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/4. It is a rectilinear wide-angle, corrected so that straight lines remain straight across a very broad field, unlike a fisheye. Focus and aperture are set manually on the New FD barrel.
With its wide rectilinear field the lens keeps architectural lines upright and gives landscapes an expansive feel, while its short focal length yields deep depth of field. It suits interiors, cityscapes and environmental work where a strong sense of space and controlled geometry are wanted together.
On the used market this New FD ultra-wide appeals to both film users and mirrorless adapters. Inspect the complex wide-angle group for haze, fungus and element separation, check the aperture blades for oil, and confirm the New FD mount ring locks correctly. An optics-free FD-to-mirrorless adapter allows use on modern bodies.