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Canon FD 85mm f/1.8

The Canon FD 85mm f/1.8 is a fast short-telephoto prime for Canon's manual-focus FD mount, used on SLR bodies produced between 1971 and the late 1980s. The 85mm focal length and f/1.8 maximum aperture make it a classic portrait lens, offering a shallow depth of field and a tight angle of view on 35mm film. It was sold in two generations: the earlier chrome-nose breech-lock FD version and the later New FD (nFD) bayonet version.

At recent UK auction, clean examples have fetched between £90 and £130, with most hammer prices clustering around £130 — the wholesale saleroom level before commissions rather than dealer asking prices. The median price is £130, and as of 2026 the lens sells for broadly similar money to a few years ago, with the 2022 result of £112 and the 2024 low of £90 suggesting that cosmetically poorer or haze-affected copies are worth noticeably less. Later New FD versions tend to hold value slightly better than early chrome-nose copies thanks to lighter construction and improved coatings.

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Sales History

Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.

Date Price Source
Mar 2026 £106 Flints Auctions
Mar 2026 £38 Flints Auctions
Mar 2025 £162 Flints Auctions
Feb 2025 £188 Flints Auctions
Jun 2024 £90 Special Auction Services
Apr 2024 £130 Special Auction Services
Oct 2023 £130 Special Auction Services
Jun 2023 £130 Special Auction Services
Oct 2022 £112 Flints Auctions

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