Canon's L-series FD wide zoom — the New FD 24-35mm f/3.5L with an aspherical element.
The Canon New FD 24-35mm f/3.5L was introduced in 1979 as the New FD, L-series wide-angle zoom for the FD manual-focus system, using an aspherical element. It brought the aspherical 24-35mm into the black New FD styling with L designation, offering a professional-grade compact wide zoom.
This is a manual-focus Canon FD lens with a 24-35mm zoom range and a constant maximum aperture of f/3.5 across the range. As an L lens it uses an aspherical element to control distortion and aberrations, and it is built in the New FD styling with focus, zoom and aperture set manually.
The 24-35mm range covers wide-angle framing from expansive to moderate in one lens, suiting landscapes, interiors, architecture and street work. The constant f/3.5 aperture keeps exposure steady through the zoom, and the L-grade aspherical correction helps hold distortion and colour in check across the range.
On the used market the New FD 24-35mm f/3.5L is a sought-after L wide zoom. Check the complex optics for haze, fungus and separation, test the zoom and focus actions for smoothness and any play, and confirm the aperture blades are clean and dry. Inspect the front element for marks, and note it adapts to mirrorless via an optics-free FD adapter.