Canon EF

[Andy Collins]

<p>I've read a range of opinions about the Canon EF, most of which are very positive while some have been much less so. Most users seem to hold the EF in pretty high regard as a Canon classic. I recently received a beautiful example of one with a pristine 50/1.4 S.S.C. mounted on it, along with a very nice case, and I'm eager to go out and shoot as soon as possible. I've loaded a couple of Wein Cell 625 batteries, but I read somewhere that it can also use the 625 alkalines; is this true? For those of you who have used (or still use) the EF, what are your impressions of this camera and how would you rate it among the other FD bodies you've used? So far it seems like a wonderful camera to handle and feels much like my original F-1, and I like being able to see all of the information in the viewfinder. The meter is amazingly accurate, giving readings pretty close to those from my 7D set to centerweighted metering. I'd be interested to hear what others have to say about it as well as any tips or helpful info I should know, aside from remembering to turn it off to avoid draining the batteries. Thanks in advance.</p>

[paul_wheatland]

<p>I had this type of camera some years ago. It was extremely well made and also a handsome piece of equipment. I had very few lenses, but my favorite was a 35mm semi wide angle, might have been a f3.5. I actually took a quite nice photo of my home office business building with it and the photo was published in the company brochure where I worked until retiring in 2006. What I do remember is the speeds from 1/30 and faster were mechanical and not battery dependent. The battery box was two separate compartments, why I do not know? Because of a built in voltage regulator, the electronics for the metering circuit and 1/15 second on down to 1 second and time were dependent on battery power. The voltage regulator allowed the use of PX 625 mercury, 625A alkaline, and 625S silver, producing the proper voltage for accurate metering and slow speeds. A cautionary note is the camera does use battery power, I believe even when not in use because the volatge regulator is always "scanning" if that be the proper term. It's a great camera and I usually removed the batteries if not planning to use the camera for more than a week or so. If one had to grab the camera in an emergency without the batteries, a picture could certainly be made using "sunny 16" rules! I now have an original ca 1971 Canon F-1 with 50 f1.4 and 24 f2.8 both FD mounts...nice addition to my collection and shooting use!</p>

[awahlster]

<p>Because of the way the Silicone cell in the light meter works it uses more juice when no light is hitting it. So the only caution with the camera is that you HAVE TO TURN IT OFF when done using it. I have had batteries last over 6 months in mine when being used regularly. I have also burned through a new set in 3 days when the camera was left turned on in my bag.</p>

<p>Yes it can use any 625 sized cell Silver Oxides being the best choice due to their flatter discharge rate. But any plain old Alkaline found at the drug store will do just fine.</p>

 

[rick_janes]

<p>An EF's Central Emphasis Metering system reads the entire viewing area but is bottom-center weighted, biased towards where a main subject is typically found during horizontal compositions. When holding the camera vertical however it means the metering pattern is not symmetrical left-to-right and this odd quirk has caught users out.<br /> For shutter speeds, 1/1000 through 1/2 are mechanical, 1 to 30 sec need battery power.</p>

[dennis_kushner2]

<p>The battery that lasted the longest for me was the Varta Photo 625U. Costs about $1.25. You'll probably find Wein cells voltage unstable. In the Canon Compendium, Bob Shell had 3 pages dedicated to the EF & worth reading.</p>

[bsharpe411]

<p>Ditto to what has already been said about this classic. My understanding about the batteries is that the silicon meter needs the extra voltage and rather than come out with a special battery, the designers simply took two then-common PX625 batteries and ran them in series to get the needed voltage. That also saved space that a special larger battery would have needed.</p>

<p>I had the opportunity to use the EF for a week or so even before it was available to the public. I managed a small camera shop in the 70's and the Canon rep loaned me an EF fresh off the boat to give it a try. Unfortunately he wanted it back, but I had fallen in love with it. No money = no camera, so I reluctantly returned it to him, but sold a bunch of them based on my experience with it. The only drawback for me with the EF (and it's a minor one) is that the film advance can't be done in several small strokes. I suspect it's because of the Copal Square shutter. A few years ago I finally got one (2 actually) of my very own...and still love it. I hope you will feel the same.</p>

[andy_game]

<p>I´ve had my EF for 21 months now, still using the same Varta 625U batteries. I was using it only yesterday for closeup tabletop photography...The only FD body with MLU that can meter down to EV -2...my first choice for this kind of work.<br>

When I first got the camera I did some rough and ready tests to better understand it´s metering pattern. I found that the metering is sensitive even at the very bottom of the frame, whereas the top 10% or so isn´t metered at all. As Rick says, you need to know this for vertical shots.<br>

The "Black Beauty" is my favourite FD camera (unfortunately I don´t own an F-1). Good luck with yours!</p>

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[User_502260]

<p>I used mine last month for a few rolls. If you also have Canon F-1 or FTb/FTbN cameras then the EF takes some getting used to. The vertical metal shutter makes a different sound from the horizontal titanium foil or cloth shutters in the other cameras. The feel of the film advance lever is also different. I sometimes take the lens off of the A (O) setting and then forget to set it back. I find locking the exposure a little awkward. In general I like the camera and I especially like its accurate and sensitive meter. I never took a liking to the AE-1 or AE-1 Program and I have an A-1 which doesn't get much use so when I want automatic exposure with a Canon I use the EF. </p>

[astral]

<p>Nice camera, some quirks, eats batteries. It handles rather well and has many good points, like the easy to use viewfinder and big Leicaflex-like shutter dial.<br>

The bad points are that strange non-ergonomic AE lock ( the designers of the EF and A-1 must have had 6 fingers on each hand) and the barmy way that switching to d-o-f preview is a fiddle and involves the loss of any metering capability. The worst bit is that the 6-fingered designer could have added an energy-saving feature, but strangely didn't. <em>Ergo </em> - always carry spare batteries.<br>

For me it is a <em>very likeable camera</em> , though not as flexible or dependable (batteries) as many of its contemporaries (e..g. Nikkormats or FTBN as J.S. suggests) .</p>

<p> </p>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Hi Andy, the EF is the only FD body that I don't have, so I'm hankering after one. The problem is finding one that is in good condition, most that I have come across are in poor condition.<br>

They certainly look great, especially with the lens that you have, look forward to seeing some images with it.</p>

[User_4136860]

<p>That's the main problem Tony,finding a good one, I found a mint EF last year with a FD 35mm f2 purely by accident after looking for nearly twenty years, I had the camera and lens CLAd before I used it in anger that probably cost more than it's worth, but I love it, and recommend it highly.</p>

[Andy Collins]

<p>Great info everyone. I love the way this camera feels and I really like the shutter speed dial being as large and easy to operate as it is. <strong>Tony</strong> , I hope you find one of these as I know you'll do some incredible things with it. I was very lucky to find one in such great condition; perhaps I'll post a picture of the camera itself later and I'll keep working on the roll of film that I've got in it so that I can post some shots from it as well. This one's definitely a keeper!</p>

[astral]

<p><a href="https://secure.ffordes.com/index.htm">Ffordes (Inverness) have one</a> - average condition though.</p>

[tomscott]

<p>I like mine so well that I sold my F1 and bought a Speed Graphic. I also like the large shutter speed dial. I have had the same alkaline batteries in it since the CLA in march of this year and they are still going strong. It is my main "user" camera and I seldom leave home without it.</p>

[barryreid]

<p>Personally I have found the EF to be the most disappointing of all the FD bodies I own or have owned. I actually had one as my only camera for a few months back in the mid '90s. I took it on a trip with 28, 50 & 135 lenses and really hated it. In fact I on returning couldn't sell it quickly enough, the only good thing I can say about that experience was that I managed to double my money.</p>

<p>More recently I started collecting FD gear and bought another EF (in fairly good shape but missing the plastic to the hotshoe). I don't find it quite as bad as I did then but still think it's one of the last cameras I'd pull from the display case to use.</p>

[andy_game]

<p>Hi Barry, I´m curious...what was it about your first EF that you "hated" so much? And if it was so bad, why buy another one? (doubling your money would be a good reason of course!). All the best, Andy</p>

[rick_janes]

<p>Not sure which debuted first, the Nikkormat EL or Canon EF, but they certainly seemed aimed at an identical market segment: well-heeled advanced amateurs, and pros who didn't need all the system capabilities of an F-1 or F-2.</p>

[timwitt]

<p>I think it's the electro/mechanical mother of the AE-1, like the FTb is to the AT-1.</p>

<p>No matter how much anyone dislikes the operation, nobody can say it's ugly.</p>

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[Andy Collins]

<p>I also don't understand what's not to like about its handling, but I've previously read others' comments that say the same thing. To me so far it handles like a dream, very easy to operate and I love having all of the info in the viewfinder, unlike the original F-1. I'd be interested in hearing from those who don't like to use the EF and specifically why.</p>

[barryreid]

<p>In response to Andy, I came to the EF from Pentax M series bodies (the MX in Particular) via a T90. I still fondly remember the MX as the best mechanical camera in the traditional metal bodied style that I've used. I tried the T70, A-1, AT-1 and EF in an effort to find a second body that would compare to the Pentax. Of all those the AT-1 came closest to that nimble little Pentax but lacked finder information. By comparison the EF is a big ugly brute of a camera and most unforgivably lacks proper open aperture metered manual. Also when I use auto I'm an aperture priority kinda guy which again the EF doesn't provide.</p>

<p>In short the EF is OK for me to have now as part of a collection, where I can chose from 10 FD bodies, but as a primary body it's a no-no.</p>

[andy_game]

<p>Hi Barry, thanks for your response. Funnily enough I used to use a Pentax MX in the late 70´s, and as luck would have it I was gifted one by a friend a couple of months ago. I am using it again now and I have always thought that it´s a nice camera....a small but solid, well made, manual exposure, good finder info, mechanical camera. As you found out though...very different to the EF, which is a large (also solid and well made), shutter speed priority camera. In an ideal world I too would prefer the EF to have full manual metering, and I´d prefer the MX to have shutter priority too (that´s why I got rid of my first one, to buy an automated A-1) but neither were designed as such. All the best, and a Merry Christmas to all, Andy</p>

[User_4136860]

<p>Whatever consumer product you choose, and no matter how much it is acclaimed by the general public, there's always one who hates it, you only have to look at the customer remarks on Amazon the prove this.</p>

[steven_endo]

<p>I am with Barry Reid regarding the EF. I bought mine in 1980 but after using it exclusively for one month on a trip to Japan, I was not impressed. Don't get me wrong, it is built as well as any other F-body and its styling is just as stunning. I was actually looking for an F-1n but stumbled upon this leftover NOS EF in a small camera store. I bought it because I thought I would like its auto-exposure capability. However, my first camera was an FT with its 12% central metering so I never got comfortable with the center-bottom weighted averaging metering of the EF. I have a few strongly backlit portraits that the backlight compensator button could not adequately compensate for. So I tended to try to use it as a manual exposure camera (to double check the auto exposrure settings), but, as others have said, switching to manual exposure is clunky at best. It is still a beautiful camera but I don't use it as much as my F-1. For now, I use it mainly for flash photography.</p>