Canon F-1
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Type | 35 mm SLR |
| Lens | |
| Lens mount | Canon FD lens mount |
| Focusing | |
| Focus | manual |
| Exposure/Metering | |
| Exposure | manual |
| Flash | |
| Flash | hot shoe |
The Canon F-1 is a 35 mm single-lens reflex camera produced by Canon of Japan from March 1971 until 1976's introduction of the mildly updated F-1n. Production of this revision to the F-1 continued until the end of 1981 at which time the F-1 was superseded by the New F-1 which was launched earlier in 1981. The new Canon FD lens mount was introduced along with the F-1, but the previous Canon FL-mount lenses were also compatible, although without open-aperture metering. Older R- series lenses could also be used with some limitations. The Canon F-1 was clearly placed as a solid competitor to the Nikon F and Nikon F2 line of single lens reflex cameras by Nikon.
The F-1 was Canon's first truly professional-grade SLR system, supporting a huge variety of accessories and interchangeable parts so it could be adapted for different uses and preferences.
In 1972 Canon launched a Highspeed model with a fixed pellicle mirror that allowed the user to see the subject at all times. Equipped with a motor drive the camera was able to shoot up to 9 frames per second, the highest speed of any motor driven camera at the time.
In 1976, the camera was revised slightly. This revised version is sometimes called the F-1n (not to be confused with the 1981 New F-1). All told 13 improvements were made. These changes were:
The number of focusing screens was also expanded from four to nine.
In 1980 Canon introduced "Laser Matte" focusing screens identified by an "L" in a circle on the screen's label. These Laser Matte screens were noticeably brighter than the earlier screens, and they were continued with the New F-1.
The Canon F-1 has one of the largest set of accessories of any 35mm SLR ever produced. The viewfinder is removable (interchangeable with four other viewfinders); The focusing screen can be changed out with 4 (later 9) types; the mirror can be locked up to allow deep seated lenses or for high magnification work, the back is interchangeable with a data and bulk film back (250 exposures), The bottom plate is removable and there are 4 Motor Drives and / or Power Winders that can be used (one was a special order 9 frames per second high speed motor drive); three different flash couplers allowed a wide variety of flashes; the eyepiece can take threaded diopter adjustment lenses, magnifiers or angle finders; and the lens collection numbers over 50 FD (and a few special purpose) lenses from 7.5 mm fisheye to 1200 mm super telephoto, and includes the world's fastest 300 mm at the time (the 300 mm F2.8L) and the world's fastest 400 mm lens (the New FD 400 mm F2.8L) both of which incorporate special fluorite and ultra low dispersion glass elements for superb optical quality at the widest lens opening.
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Wikipedia