The Old Girl Gets A Compliment.

Yesterday I chatted with a long-time Canon West Coast sales rep at the local shop, a nice gent named Mike. While perusing a 5DIII's menu array I wryly commented that "it's not exactly like operating an F-1, is it?", and saying how that in many ways remains my favorite camera. His reply was proudly insightful: if the F-1 were to be manufactured today it would be priced upwards of $4000, such was its very high quality and precise, labor-intensive build.

<p>Not very far short of a 1DX, then. </p>

For a few seconds there yesterday I considered mentioning Nikon's modern era re-release of classic rangefinder

bodies, but with so many Canon F-1s remaining operational what would be the point? Maybe in another thirty or fourty years,

eh? No, wait...they might STILL be working.

 

It's a pleasure to run into guys like Mike, someone who knows his brand's history- he's not just some pretty boy out

huckin' the latest-greatest.

<p>Quote from the original F-1 brochure dated November 1970:</p>

<p>"A completely new concept of system camera, the new Canon F-1 numbers over 10,000 different parts, compared with the 1,000 present in conventional 35mm still camera."</p>

<p>Makes $4,000 sound like a bargain. If Canon made new F-1s today with a digital back, would you buy one?</p>

Yep Gordon, I probably would...especially if its shutter mechanism was cocked with the advance lever and it used FD

lenses. The more mechanical, the better!

 

Expect a February 31st release date in an unspecified year.

<p>I love the feel of my F1s - not quite as solid feeling as my Leicas but very close. Today my modern Canon DSLRs don't feel at all like my (digital) Leicas. I also suspect that my F1s (I have three and the two new F1s were heavily abused shooting for money) will outlast my digital Canons by many years.</p>

<p>Pretty hard to discount quality, I have a fairly large carton filled with old digital cameras and parts. All of them failed for the same reason, "plastics". Most have "stripped gears" or levers that simply deteriorated over time (usually in less than 5 years) and no replacement parts available. The tropics are hell on plastics, nothing lives very long made from plactic.<br>

All of my older canons starting with the FTQL still operate as new, even the later AE-1 Programs are still O.K. Part of the lot is 3 Canon plastic cameras T50 and 2- T70's that failed, all 3 because of bad shutters (electronic), shutters simply started to fail and got worse until the shutters failed to fire.<br>

Yesterday I modified (actually made) 3 battery adapters (from old button cells) for the 625 battery replacements to utilize zinc-air batteries, they work perfect (verified with 2 hand held meters and the AE-1 program with the same lens, my only question now is longevity but at $.30 a pop it's not a problem.</p>

<p>a mechanical camera CAN be repaired. and a common brand still may have support.<br>

I have canon cameras and expect they will work for years.<br>

But I also have old Miranda s. and some have had problems.<br>

But since mine are still ok after 40 years. I expect the assembled was not hung over that day.<br>

However what I cannot understand is why most repairmen<br>

way "we will not touch these things" not even a sticky lens?<br>

I know that cannot get gears and such . but a prime lens?</p>

 

<p>I remember an occasion a couple of years ago at a public event when I was using my F1. A young photographer saw it, took a photograph of me with it, and then came over and, with this wistful look in his eye, said, "That's an F1, isn't it?". They don't build 'em like that nowadays!</p>

<p>I have two Canon F1N- AE's and when I die they'll have to priese them out of my cold dead hands.</p>

<p>Another die-hard F-1 user here. I've owned several and currently own an F-1n, which is my favorite of all three models. I plan to add a New F-1 to my collection one of these days, just for the sake of completeness more than anything else. I love these old cameras, but I guess I'd have to say that the $4,000 current value estimate, if it is indeed accurate and not just some seat of the pants guestimate, is more a reflection of Japan's improved standard of living than any sort of innate valuation. I mean, if you do the math, the F-1, which retailed for about $290 new in 1971, would sell for about $1,670 today when adjusted for inflation. Which seems about right to me.</p>

<p>To answer Walter's questions, the "we will not touch these things" attitude you find is not unique to old cameras. It's also found when trying to find a mechanic for old cars or, much more common, old motorcycles. The reason for this is because often the repair tech, during the repair process, will uncover other problems that the owner is not aware of and not prepared to pay for, and/or for which parts may not be available. Sometimes the tech will try to patch things up so the item functions despite these problems, but invariably gets the blame when his fixes fail. Or if he tries to put it back together without fixing the hidden problem, sooner or later (more likely sooner) it will fail, and he'll get the blame. Or if the tech decides to do the work, often times an unrelated problem will suddenly crop up soon after, for which he/she gets the blame, and for which there may be no repair solution. So they take the easy, less headache prone, and more sensible way out, and just refuse to repair the stuff at all. Too bad, really. I guess if I were in the tech's shoes, I'd try to make things very clear to the potential customer out the outset and try to make them aware of the possible pitfalls. But even then, I suspect things will occasionally come back to bite the tech on the a$$. No good deed ever goes unpunished.</p>

 

<p>A few months ago I bought a "like new" F-1 new from a guy who said it had been used once then put away in a drawer. Can't deny that, it's a real nice camera, once I degunkified and replaced the light seals. Paid a pretty high price for the darn thing, and I don't love it. It's solid, well-built, and a masterful piece of engineering, but I just don't love it. I will use it, and it will probably outlive me, but all in all my favorite FD body is the AE-1 Program. So advanced, it's simple. I just wish it had a decent databack.</p>

<p>I'm sorry duplicated post.</p>

<p>I don't care for the A series Canon cameras although I owed an A1 for about 25 years until recently when gave it to a member of my family, I had it CLA'd a couple of years ago, and although it was like new and in perfect working order I've just never enjoyed using it I much prefer the F series canons, and I currently have 3 F1N's and an EF that I'm very happy with them.</p>