Canon's New FD supertele — the 400mm f/4.5 in the later black FD styling.
The Canon New FD 400mm f/4.5 arrived in 1981 as the New FD generation version of Canon's moderate-aperture 400mm supertelephoto. It brought the design into the black New FD barrel with the redesigned bayonet mount, remaining a portable long-reach option in the FD range.
This is a manual-focus Canon FD lens with a fixed 400mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/4.5. It is a tripod-collar supertelephoto in the New FD styling, with focus and aperture set manually on the barrel. The moderate aperture keeps the lens comparatively light for the focal length.
A 400mm f/4.5 provides substantial reach for wildlife, field sport and compressed landscape work while staying more portable than a fast supertelephoto. Its aperture is well suited to daylight action, and the long focal length compresses distance and separates subjects from far backgrounds.
On the used market the New FD 400mm f/4.5 is a practical long telephoto. Inspect the elements for haze, fungus and separation, confirm the aperture blades are dry, and test the focus helicoid for smooth travel. Check the tripod collar and built-in hood, and note it adapts to mirrorless via an optics-free FD adapter.