Looking to expand my collection. Fairly fresh so help and input wanted.

So I've been shooting my grandpa's old canon ft ql for about 6 years now.

Im looking to get a couple more bodies in part because i might have to get this one repaired and I wouldn't mind having a spair camera body. I've got a small set of fd and fl lenses so id like to stay with compatible mounts.(also recommended lenses to try to snag on the cheap would be lovely)

Considering looking for a canon New f1 (if i can find one cheap enough) or a ftbn (again if i can get it inexpensive, and preferably in a black body.) How do these compare with the original canon ft?

Lenses and stuff I got include:

Got a canon t90 with a vivitar Series1 28-105 coming and have a canon fd 50mm 1:1.8

Other lenses are fl series, fl 55mm 1:1.2, 100-200 1:5.6 and a 3rd ive never used. I think its a fish eye..

So I've been shooting my grandpa's old canon ft ql for about 6 years now.

Im looking to get a couple more bodies in part because i might have to get this one repaired and I wouldn't mind having a spair camera body. I've got a small set of fd and fl lenses so id like to stay with compatible mounts.(also recommended lenses to try to snag on the cheap would be lovely)

Considering looking for a canon New f1 (if i can find one cheap enough) or a ftbn (again if i can get it inexpensive, and preferably in a black body.) How do these compare with the original canon ft?

 

 

Lenses and stuff I got include:

Got a canon t90 with a vivitar Series1 28-105 coming and have a canon fd 50mm 1:1.8

Other lenses are fl series, fl 55mm 1:1.2, 100-200 1:5.6 and a 3rd ive never used. I think its a fish eye..

I use a Canon T90, and an A1. Both are excellent performers.

The Canon F1 is a great camera, and I would look for the New F1. There are a number of improvements in it, not the least of which is the conversion to silver oxide cells.

For me, I won't use any camera that requires mercury cell batteries. I know that people like the F1, FTB, Nikon F, Minolta SR-Tnnn cameras, but the silver cells are so easy to obtain, that I prefer the A-1 and newer Canons; I never have to guess at exposure compensation.

FT v FTb - Stop down metering v full aperture metering.

You might want to look for an EF, too.

Fish Eye for a wide angle - Yikes! Not the easiest lens to master.

The T90 is one of the best film cameras ever made.

However, it has a common problem with the shutter sticking that makes it hard to get working and hard to keep working.

I think that with your lenses and all you may want to stick with the F1 models if you can find one for a good price.

I personally prefer the A-series, but they are a somewhat different beast. being a "semi-pro" sort of line.

The T-90 was a very good camera in its day.

You CAN still find one in working order, but with so may other choices, my onion is to avoid it.

Kind of hard to go wrong with an FTb.....wonderful cameras.

I have probably shot the A-1 more than any other camera in the last 40 years. They are not my "favorite" body, but they are nice, and well built. They meter a bit "weird" in manual mode, but like anything else, you get used to it. I think they are a bit Under-appreciated.

At this point, the Only A-Series bodies i kept is the Canon AT-1.....i have a pair. Another under-appreciated Canon...IHMO. If you like shooting manual, and do not mind a batter dependent body, you should take a peek.

I am sort of a Nikon guy, but push coming to shove.?.........i think i would take my Canon New F-1 over any of my Nikon F-2 variants.

I LOVE the way the New F-1 meters in manual mode. It is a well made camera with no bad habbits.

Then again.......ALL the cameras you are considering will take excellent photos. :)

Good Luck with whatever you choose.

The Canon FD world is many and varied. From mechanical cameras like the original F-1 and FTb, to first generation electronic A-series cameras, and to the second generation electronic T-series camera, we all have our favorites. I prefer mechanical Canons so have opted for an original F-1. I like that it’s a full-systems camera and can do about anything I ask of it. I also have high regard for the FTb.

If you can, try before you buy. That’s the only way you can see what camera works best for you.

Since you're already familiar with the FT, I'd strongly recommend the FTb (or the later update, the FTbn). Once you adapt to its "new" features, you'll feel right at home. Best of all, you can still find clean examples of the FTb for very reasonable prices. Next, I'd recommend you pick up a copy of the original F-1 (I prefer the F-1n, the update which came out in about 1976). The reason why I recommend the F-1 is because, since by this time you'll be familiar with the FTb, the F-1's layout will be second nature to you. All the controls are in the same place. But unlike the FTb, the F-1 is a system camera and Canon made a lot of accessories for it, many of which can still be found at places like eBay.

The New F-1 is an excellent camera, but quite different from the original. I like the New F-1 a lot, but I still prefer the original. First, to me, it's just more comfortable than the New model, second, it's all mechanical, whereas the New F-1 requires a battery for all shutter speeds, and third, the original has mirror lock-up, same as the FTb, a feature the New F-1 lacks. And finally, I still prefer the metering method Canon employed with both the FTb and original F-1, where metering occurs only within a rectangle you see inside the viewfinder. This sort of arrangement allows me to maneuver the camera about where I can take sample readings of a scene before settling on best exposure. With the New F-1, you can get close to this, but you have to buy a focusing screen for it that supports partial metering. Chances are likely the focusing screen that comes with a New F-1 will be more of the centerweighted type, which to me has always been problematic because I've always shot slide film. Sometimes exposure situations occur that slide film can't handle because of its narrow exposure latitude, and these situations can occur much easier with centerweighted metering. With partial, or selective area metering, this sort of thing is much easier to control.

If you're really eager for a strong dose of automation, then yes, the T90 is the way to go. It's a great camera -- just make sure you get a copy that works properly. Some are beginning to develop electronics issues now. The T90 is best used in one of the auto exposure modes. Its manual mode is not as good as even the FTb's is. This is because, like all A-series Canons (except for the AT-1), the aperture shown in the camera is that which the camera things should be used, not the aperture that is actually selected. So this requires that the user look away from the viewfinder and move the aperture ring to the setting the camera's meter is recommending. I've just never cared for this arrangement. Canon finally wised up with the EOS line -- even the cheapest Rebel has a decent manual exposure mode.

A slight correction from the above. With no battery, the New F1 will still work from 1/90th to 1/2000 just fine. But you have to remove the dead battery.

As for metering, the New F1 also offers spot metering with the proper screen. Most of the time I use a partial metering screen which is the same as the metering area on the F1/F1n

My preference? I have both and JUST SLIGHTLY prefer the New F1 (and an Ftb(n) too)

Bottom line - if you don't need all the attachments (motor drives, interchangeable screens, etc.) the Ftb(n) is one very good choice