There is no doubt that currently Canon's EOS
System (in progress) of AF 35mm SLRs and EF lenses (in progress) have a commanding share in the 35mm SLR
market today. The success of the EOS System had also resulted in Canon putting a
stop to further research and development and eventually the total discontinuation
on all of its manual focus cameras utilizing the breech-lock FD-mount. These cameras
may have been officially discontinued by Canon but they still have their own loyal
following worldwide.
The eyes of Canon, a total of over 60 top rated optics in the breech-lock FD
mount lenses
are compatible with all of these manual SLR cameras featured in this site. Some of
these models can even use the older FL lenses that were made way back in 1964 with
Stopped-down AE mode. The FD lens mount, introduced concurrently with the original
Canon F-1 camera of 1971, was an evolutionary advancement over the previous FL mount.
FD lenses fit and function properly on all Canon cameras from the FT
and TL models
all the way up to the T60 in 1990, the last camera model to accept the FD mount.
I
know it can be very painful to read this,
but as a responsible website developer, here is a word of warning
to anyone who might be using any of the information compiled in this site as your
buying reference: The current Canon EOS autofocus EF mount is virtually NOT compatible with the FD-mount.
This site is specially dedicated to all the users of the afore-mentioned F-series,
A-series and T-series of manual focus Canon 35mm SLR cameras. Users of these models
will find that the resources presented here could be useful to them. Although I would
love for these cameras to be classified as such, I cannot really agree that all of
the models featured here are truly classic Canon bodies, but within the A and T series
models, there are several models that did create some of the most memorable events
during their reigns, offering outstanding features and design that made them true
classic SLR bodies. Camera models such as the AE-1 model of 1976 was largely responsible
for having revolutionized the entire camera design concept and also the manufacturing
process of modern 35mm SLR cameras as we know it today. It was also the world's first
camera to have all its functions to be controlled fully by a built-in micro CPU (Central
Processing Unit). It also held the record as the world's best-selling 35mm SLR camera
todate, with more than five million units sold worldwide!
All the subsequent A-series models introduced after the AE-1 were also fully-controlled
by such built-in CPUs, some with a more advanced circuitry as well as in design and
most of them were able to share the same add-on accessories like power winders, data
back, motor drive, dedicated Canon Speedlites and close-ups equipment. Among the
many other A Series models, the superbly crafted Canon
A-1 was another
true modern Canon classic with its multimode AE control and awesome system compatibility.
If you specifically want a Canon camera that can still operate without a battery
intalled, choices are quite limited. The F-series models like the original Canon
F-1 of 1971
and its successor, the Canon New
F-1 in 1981,
were designed for highly demanding professional photographers, these bodies were
either operate mechanically or in a hybrid form. Both of these models uses different
types of dedicated add-on accessories like interchangeable focusing screens, film
back, prisms, motor drives, power winder and even power sources. By the way, the
professional Canon F-1 and New F-1 are the only two SLR bodies among all the series
mentioned that can still be operated even without any battery installed within them.
All the other SLRs in both the A- and T-series require batteries to power all of
their camera functions.
The T-series, on the other hand, represented a new breed of SLR cameras that patches
some of the minor weaknesses found in the earlier A-series models and incorporated
some of the new advances and design concepts of their own. Starting with the budget-priced
T50 at the bottom of the scale and all the way up to the awesome and feature-laden
Canon
T90, some
of the features found in these models were Canon's original designs and they have
defied certain logics within the camera industry. The entry-level T50 model made
its debut way back in 1983 with its clean, almost uncluttered layout and utilized
only the proven Programmed AE mode in a compact body design that incorporated a built-in
winder. Its concept made it to be the first 35mm SLR camera that was easy to handle
as a P&S compact. The T70 expanded on this concept by incorporating a built-in
film rewind feature and three Programmed AE modes and a multi-function Command Back
70. An entry-level model, the T60, was added to the line-up very late in 1990 to
satisfy requests for a budget-priced camera in some of the isolated regional markets.
The T-series model is best represented by the Canon T90 of 1986. Even if the market
was still excited with the introduction of the world's first truly body-integrated
AF SLR with the debut of the Minolta
Maxxum 7000
a year earlier in 1985, the T90 practically shocked the entire camera industry with
its launch - its design made a lot of myths pertaining to camera designs went out
the window. Equally impressive was its list of features; it came with a built-in
motor-drive capable of a top firing rate of 4.5 frames-per-second (fps), and was
powered by only four AA-size batteries. It encompassed other exciting forefront technologies
like its three built-in metering options plus multi-spot metering function, seven
Programmed AE modes, preset multiple exposures up to nine frames, one touch highlight
and shadow control, and for the first time in any Canon 35mm SLR camera -TTL flash
control with the dedicated Speedlite 300TL, which, aside from offering normal TTL
flash, has Canon's own A-TTL (Advanced TTL) and the world's first FEL (Flash Exposure
Lock) and second-curtain flash synchronization capabilities. Perhaps, you can understand
why I need to give the T90 a separate site in PIM. Further, in many ways, the next
generation of the evolved Canon professional class aotofocus EF-mount SLRs such as
the Canon EOS-1 and EOS-1N /
EOS-1N RS as well as other midrange EOS models have a very deep influence or
flavour of the manual focus Canon T90.
Well, It is hard to satisfy every level of needs and desires in a site. But since
detailed information and resources available for these Canon SLR cameras are quite
scarce on the Net, I am just trying my best to kick-start the whole event rolling
with a personal project that took almost 4 months to construct (I am not that productive
after all...). Anyway, for other issues not found in the respective sites, please
utilize the convenience of the respective Message Boards that caters for the
A-Series and T-Series models as well as the Lenses section creatively.
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