Is the Canon T60 Really That Bad?

<p>I'm still auditioning cameras for my 2 Canon lenses, and bought a beater T60w/ a Sigma 28mm FD lens for cheap ($27, shipped). The seller said the wind on lever doesn't do anything, so I'm hoping it's just the old "mirror up-dead battery" fix. I was looking at the photos of the camera, and it looks very much like the Bessa R rangefinder cameras I've owned. Are they based on the same mechanicals? If so, I don't understand why people don't like these. My Bessa R's were totally reliable, had great meters, and were light and relatively small. Yes, build quality wasn't the greatest, but my AE-1 Program build quality doesn't exactly inspire me w/ confidence either. A plastic camera is a plastic camera, and if you can get used to the Ressa R shutter sound (which is actually not as annoying as Canon Squeek), it should be fine. That is, if the T60 is the same. </p>

<p>The Canon T60 was made by Cosina, not Canon, which us why it resembles the Bessa R. Most Canon fans prefer a real Canon, which is why they look down on the T60. If you're happy with the camera, use it and enjoy it. I'm sure it takes good pictures.</p>

<p>As Jim says, it is another of those "farmed out" cameras like the Nikkorex 35 that purists stay away from. It has the reputation of being less reliable.</p>

<p>Perhaps you'll soon be able to tell us about the T60 and whether its reputation is deserved.</p>

As a coworker once joked, "Did you know I drive a 'vette? Yeah...a Che-vette!"

 

But really, if it gets you where you're going, or takes the picture you want, how can it be a bad thing? With a lightweight lens, like a New FD 50/1.8 or /2, you've got a nice compact package for the out 'n' about. It

probably isn't the best handling (i.e. counterweight) with most FD glass, and no way will it withstand the beatings like a

mechanical body or T90...and it wasn't designed to.

 

Interestingly, 1990's T60 was Canon's last SLR to incorporate a breech lock lens mount, the end of the line which

began with 1959's original Canonflex (I almost said last manual focus SLR, but that distinction belongs to the EF-M

which utilizes the EF mount!).

<p>I have Bessa L a LTM body by Cosina and Konica TCX also by Cosina. They are light weight, compact and work nicely as long as you use them contemplatively and don't be too harsh operating the advance lever and shutter release. The Bessa L is with 15mm Heliar superwide lens with shoe mount viewer. The Konica has my 40mm f1.8 pancake lens of renown(truly a 35mm Pocket SLR! It's noisy(all plastic) and uses (1) AAA battery for shutter preferred automation and metering. If your T60 is as pleasant as my two Cosina products you will enjoy the results of Canon FD glass. I use FD breech mount optics on my Canon F-1n (all mechanical ca 1976).</p>

<p>I have a whole bunch of Cosina made SLRs. The most interesting ones must be the two Promaster 2500PK Supers. They have depth of field preview, multiple exposure provision and a regular PC socket in addition to the hot shoe. The Olympus OM2000 has a spot metering option. My Yashica FX-3s need light seals. I have a kit for one of them but haven't put it in yet. The test roll I shot showed light leaks. The Vivitar V4000 and V4000S cameras are not bad to use either. They accept the -2 eyepiece correction diopters which I also use with the FTb/FTbN and EF models. I have read that the Canon T60 is particularly bad so I have not searched for it. I agree that my Konica TC-X needs to be used with care and that the 40/1.8 Hexann is a very sharp lens. The Cosina made SLRs are cheap and plentiful. They are also light. If you donlt have full confidence in them just carry more than one. I like using the Vivitar and Promaster models with SMC Pentax and SMC Pentax M lenses. </p>

<blockquote>

<p>If you don't have full confidence in them just carry more than one.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>LOL. This is a typical response of those who love and use some of the more dubious cameras!</p>

<p>I've had one for years (out of curisosity and because it's one of the few Canon FD-Cameras that offer real Av) and if you consider that it's made from plastic (except for the bayonet ring, which is solid metal - unlike the one on some EOS models) and treat it likewise you will be quite positively suprised by this little thing which shares its body outlines with Vivitar V2000, Nikon FE/FM-10 and Yashica FX-3 super 2000 (this latter one seems to be the grandmother of all the others). Exposure is perfect, you can use the camera in full manual mode very conveniently - unlike AE-1 or A-1, as the viewfinder informs you both about the actual shutter speed and the one you set.<br>

Mine sometimes suffers from a stuck mirror when I do not use it often enough, the shutter fires, but the mirror doesn't move up. But after moving the mirror a few times with my finger, everything's fine again.<br>

I like the camera for its small weight, together with the also often disregarded FD 4/35-70 it makes for an excellent travelling companion when weight matters.</p>

<p>Thanks for the feedback. I'll give a full report on mine, assuming I can get it going. The specs make it look like a camera I'd rather carry, vs my FT QL. The plan is to put my FL 85 1.8 on it. That should make for a small, light kit to carry around for the odd portrait opportunities.</p>

<p>Oops, I'm not sure whether it accepts FL lenses, as the cam doesn not have a stop-down lever.</p>

<p>not having an FL lens to look at, if memory serves me, the stop down switch is on the lens so it can be used on a body that lacks stop down lever?</p>

<p>I use my FL lenses on all Canon bodies in stop down mode by slipping a little piece of wadded up paper in the back of the lens mount, where the stop down pin is. By doing this, the lens will stop down by turning the aperture ring, w/o having to fiddle w/ the pre set feature.</p>

<p>The T60 arrived. Build quality is not even up to a Bessa R. It's made of cheap, thin plastic. Mine has some, ahem, cosmetic issues as well. The Sigma FD 28 2.8 lens cleaned up nicely, w/ just some light stains on the front optic that will probably have no affect on anything. </p><div></div>

<p>T60 body</p><div></div>

<p>W/O Lens</p><div></div>

<p>I took the bottom plate off, and saw right away that the little arm that's shown was off. I put it back on and cleaned up the battery terminals. Now some red LEDS light up in the viewfinder briefly, the shutter fires (but the blades don't open), and the mirror stays stuck up for a second. It then drops down, but only about halfway. Seems to be binding up in the linkage inside the mirror box, so I'll try to get it torn down and look at it later. If nothing else, the lens may be OK, and I got to see what the camera looks and feels like. It's certainly cheaply made, but I like the size and weight factor.</p>

<p>This particular camera seems to have led an interesting life.</p><div></div>

<p>I'd say it seems to have been kept underwater.</p>

Steve, why am I thinking of an ugly camera competition right about now???

 

Hope you can get it operational just to prove the point, "you can't judge a camera by its coverin' "

<p>This is how it is supposed to look like ;-)</p>

<p><img src="http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1392/5128037499_f3a30665a9_z.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Looking at the underside pics I would also say that the camera has been swimming, and it 'aint no Nikonos! Amazing how prolific Cosina were, never knew there was a T60.<br>

I have a heap of there rangefinder stuff and the build quality of the later RF lenses is quite beautiful...so is the IQ.</p>

<p>OMG, I hope at least the lens is ok. I'd get an FTb or FTbn, or even an AV-1 if you really want aperture preferred AE.</p>

<p>Steve, I do believe your camera was once owned by the Man from Atlantis. While I love you for your Canon curiosity and willingness to try out what is considered the step-child of the Canon T series, since it's a slightly re-engineered Cosina, I have to ask is this the Bessa you could do? Dag, this camera went to the Ugly wars and lost. But good luck, I'm interested to hear more of your adventure. If you get hooked on this body there are some fresher examples still available on line, and from re-sellers too.</p>

<p>I have a fully functional T60 and it's my preferred FD body. Lighter and/or more capable than all other ones I know of or own. I wouldn't try it underwater of course but for hiking, the weight advantage is clear. The AV-1 is very poor in comparison (lacking good display in viewfinder, DOF preview, manual mode...) and probably not any more sturdy than this thing. Oh and the batteries are cheap and easy to find and last for soooo long. Unless you're allergic to plastic, that's the camera to have...</p>