cannoflex rm correct lens

ive just purchased a canonflex rm i believe it it by the printing on

the camera.. it came with a focal 135 auto (green A) lens.. it wont

close down to the apeture setting when fired.. the lens works on a

cannon Fb (i think if i remember the model right) . the fb also used

fd lenses.. in inards look like the canonflex may use a different

kind of lens.. theowner said it took good picutres but didnt even

know how to use the meter.. may have been shooting in wide open and

luckily using correct time.. does anyone know what lens this should

have or is the camera broken?? have any suggestions, parden me for

also posting this on the canon page..any info on this camera would

also help.. dave..

The Canonflexes (there were several models) were Canon's first SLRs, and sadly are orphans today. The breech-lock lensmount was changed when the FP/FX/FT/Pellix/TL cameras were introduced in the mid '60s. Those cameras used stop-down metering and "FL" series lenses. The lenses were changed again when the F-1/FTb series cameras were introduced, featuring open-aperture metering with "FD" lenses. "FD" and "FL" lenses are compatible but the older "flex" lenses are not. See cameraquest.com for some more info.

It uses Canonmatic lenses. They did have auto-diapraghm, but no facilities for through-the-lens metering. It was a weird hybrid preset mechanism.

 

There is a copy of the manual at http://www.canonfd.com/rmind.htm, which was the third match on a Google search for "canonflex rm". Google is your friend, do learn to use it effectively.

Another particualrly useful page: http://www.cameraquest.com/canonflx.htm

 

The original Canonflex lenses are far more collector's items than the camera itself. As ever, most folks just bought the normal lens.

While FL and FD lenses will not operate the automatic diaphragm properly on a Canonflex, you can use T mount lenses with a regular Canon FL/FD mount. Not nirvana, but at least it lets you use the camera.

 

rick :)=