F1N & n - Sole Survivor?

[douglas_vitello]

Due to age and normal attrition will the F1 bodies become the sole survivors to

carry the torch in the FD line?The lenses seem to last forever (bodies too)with

a normal CLA schedule but I fear electronics that are not "hardened" like in

the F1N series will become the achilles heel with the A & T Series over the

next decade.Lots of them are already dead because of the cost of repair exceeds

the value of the body.It appears the fast prime FD lenses will live on over in

the auto focus/digital world because of their outstanding performance and

affordable cost.

[mark_pierlot]

Predictions are never certain, Douglas, but I have to agree that amongst all of the FD bodies, it is the F-1, in any of its incarnations, that will endure. I just hope that film does as well.

[craig_depolo]

Well, beyond just mechanical robustness versus electronic vulnerability, the F-1 was designed to last many shots (100,000), which makes a difference. I am impressed with the shear quality of the electonic components - I doubt modern chips, connections, rotary switches, and so forth would last half of the life of those components in an AE-1 or even a T50.

 

The real limitation of FD cameras, mechanical or electronic, is having qualified technicians to keep them running. I've watched Steven Sweringen of Camera Clinic revive and replace electronic parts of T90, and broken mechanical parts are swapped out as well, just the same. Some of these great guys are still working in retirement. But are there any young apprentices? Best I can tell, little of Steven's technical skills and experience exists in any kind of written form.

 

So thats my bottom line, qualified technicians are the real limitation to FD equipment longevity.

 

Now for some fun. With six million AE-1s produced, that is a large stock to swap dead components, even if they were designed to last half the life of an F-1. But ... I guess I don't really know how many F-1s (and its decendents) were produced. Anyway F-1s forever (mine's due back from a CLA any day!!!)

 

I'm impressed with how well ALL the FD equipment is holding up.

 

Cheers,

Craig

[awahlster]

Actually statistically the AE-1 will be the last man standing with production numbers in the 4+ million range it's production so out strips almost any other camera that the AE-1 will most likely end up out lasting most if not all of the EF mount cameras.

[bsharpe411]

I agree with Craig that the limiting factor in the long run is the availability of technicians who can and will work on these cameras. I hope that as long as there are people like us who want to keep the F1's etc. 'on the road', that there will be people able and willing to provide the service, even with parts being a limitation. Have you noticed that when the tv news does a story from Havana, Cuba that in the background we can see old 1950's American cars still running down the streets? Perhaps we can set up an initial trade agreement with Cuba to work on our old cameras also!

[craig_depolo]

CLA and a cigar?

[frederick_muller]

I seem to remember that the AE-1 was the best selling SLR of all time, with more produced than ANY other make.

 

I took a lot of nice pictures with my AE-1. In the end, though, I traded it away and kept my F-1s. The F-1 and F-1n have got to be the best built mechanical SLRs ever. Their survivability is right up there with Leicas. Those machines will be going long after we're gone. If they could mate, they would rule the earth.

[douglas_vitello]

Mark,I sometimes wonder....Chevy produced a awful lot of Vegas and very few Corvettes back during the 70's but we would be hard pressed to find a Vega (other than maybe the Cosworth model) still on the road or as a collectors item stashed away in someones garage!!!Will mass produced cameras follow a similar path?Then again those fantastic FD lenses could make it worth the effort to keep any FD body alive and kicking.

[dennis_kushner2]

You can throw statistics out the window for any future FD predictions. It may be the last

FD body serviced by the last remaining FD repair person 10 or more years from now.

Even Leica guaranteed the 2003 MP repairable for 30 years when introduced but who

knows when their last *young* tech will retire. Most of the FD repair persons getting ready

to retire if they haven't done so already. My local repairman gave up a few years ago due

to eyes going south. Just like all of us whose eyes go in their 50's & have to switch to

autofocus. The New F1N with a current (but expensive $140+) CLA probably the best

choice for the long haul for film bodies. If electronics go, you still have the best built SLR

mechanical body ever built by any manufacturer. YMMV. As long as you use them they'll

keep on ticking. Let them sit & they'll *rust* away like an old Rambler & just leave you with

memories of yesteryear.

[gnashings]

I have a feeling this is a question of strictly academic merit. Even the most entry level FD bodies will likely keep shooting well after whatever digigizmo one would buy today.

But,for arguments sake - yes, the F1's were designed to take that many shots - the problem is, being a pro's workhorse, they often did just that. Most AE1's have not been used a fraction of the amount an average F1 has seen. In the end, this may even things out... But again, I think its purely academic - I don't think e have much to worry about in this lifetime (in terms of camera gear, anyway:))

[michaelchristensen]

Canon F1 is a functional work of art for a film camera. The electronics, state of art at time of production, have surpassed user expectations for performance and durability ... they don't make them like this anymore .. I think that the electronics were designed for durabiltiy and engineered for simple operations .. unlike computer controlled cameras of today where the computer is over-stressed with multi-tasking operations and complicated switching and has components that NASA would not trust .. The F1 is a much more reliable machine. Of course, how long it lasts is debatable .. it has had a very successful run-life .. and while used cameras are always a crap-shoot .. I'd say as long as you enjoy shooting film, make the F1 part of that equation. It appears that near-mint condition F1s still commmanding a high price (in today's market) and not just among collectors ... but among users and enthusiasts. It was a fantastic camera in the 70's .. and a good camera by today's standards ... how many cameras out there, short of medium/large format, have held their own as long as the Canon F1; and consider the competition in 35mm format cameras .. this is a remarkable achievement for Canon. Try as they will, Canon will not have another camera (film or digital) that earns as much respect from photographers.