Rick Janes 
, Feb 10, 2012; 06:57 p.m.
From a recent trip to Santa Ynez & Santa Barbara, and a roll of Ektar 100 shot with the T-90 and a very unusual New FD 85/2.8 Soft Focus lens.
It certainly isn't an optic that I could master in an afternoon, but the fun is in playing and experimenting eh? If there was ever a piece of equipment to take notes when using, it would be this gizmo!
One thing's for sure, it is really REALLY sharp at the normal setting:
Corner House Coffee, Santa Ynez
Rick Janes , Feb 10, 2012; 07:04 p.m.
Backlit, at maximum softness: good detail is still easily seen on the negative, but the spherical aberrations create a glow or halo effect:
Official Bird of Santa Barbara?
Rick Janes , Feb 10, 2012; 07:07 p.m.
Back in zero softening mode for State Street color:
barking up a tree
Rick Janes , Feb 10, 2012; 07:09 p.m.
The Arlington Theater, where I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan many many moons ago...back to the partial-softness mode, and the lights take on the look of globes:
Remembering SRV
Mark Wahlster 
, Feb 10, 2012; 07:46 p.m.
Yep neat lens sold mine off this last summer to help fund another hobby want. A while back a number of us did some research and can up with the idea that possibly only 2500 of them were made based on the 3-4 dozen various serial numbers we could track down over about a 4 month period.
Rick Janes , Feb 10, 2012; 08:40 p.m.
While it differs with subjects and lighting, I think its soft focus effect is a bit more subtle on film than what you see in
the viewfinder. Focusing screens may affect this perception also.
Vaughan Guenley 
, Feb 11, 2012; 12:22 a.m.
Nice Rick, my new hobby is looking at what others have done with their FD gear, so keep them coming...
Dennis Kushner , Feb 11, 2012; 12:24 a.m.
Sold mine a while back but replaced it with a early Pentax 2.2 SF that I can use on both LX & K10D. The FD has the advantage of normal use & SF when desired. Great portrait lens & sharp.
Ben Myerson , Feb 11, 2012; 11:58 a.m.
I've had and used one of these regularly for more than twenty years, they are becoming very rare and much sought after by portrait photographers.
Bob Miller , Feb 13, 2012; 01:56 p.m.
Canon used to offer Softmat screw-in filters that could achieve similar effects. The #2 had a more pronounced effect than the #1. For example, these can be mounted on ordinary short telephoto lenses for soft focus portraits, etc.
Softmats seem to be readily available on the aftermarket, judging from Web listings.
