danac Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 (edited) Back in the day everyone wanted their Canon and other SLRs to have the the then stylish black finish. Chrome bodies were cheaper and regarded as less desirable. For some time I regretted that my AE-1 and Spotmatic were the poorer option. Now however, all of the modern digital cameras are boring black. I think chrome bodies are far more desirable. When you see one of these hanging from someones neck you readily recognize something special. Besides that, the old black finishes were less rugged and tended to show wear more than the alternative. My only black Canon is the A-1 and I'm proud to be seen with it but the chrome bodies have more class. Edited March 13, 2022 by danac A book's a great place to hide out in - Trevanian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurencecochrane Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Katz Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 In days of old, a black body camera with brass showing under the black enamel (due to extensive usage) was considered a badge of honor. Nowadays my latest mirrorless camera is made of composite materials and less metal (to save on weight), and are more like appliances than machinery. Unfortunately, the weight savings is very important to my deteriorating spine. I do have a black body A-1 and a reasonably rare black body Canonet. Unfortunately both cameras only use chemical based sensors that need to be replaced every 24 or 36 exposures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danac Posted March 14, 2022 Author Share Posted March 14, 2022 I do have a black body A-1 and a reasonably rare black body Canonet. Unfortunately both cameras only use chemical based sensors that need to be replaced every 24 or 36 exposures. I don't understand this. A book's a great place to hide out in - Trevanian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_bielecki1 Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 I don't understand this. I believe he was referring to film (24-36 exposure "chemical based sensor"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danac Posted March 14, 2022 Author Share Posted March 14, 2022 (edited) That's what I thought but just wanted to make sure. I get nervous when anyone mentions A-1 troubles. Edited March 14, 2022 by danac A book's a great place to hide out in - Trevanian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Katz Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 Sorry, I should have added a smiley or winking emoji to indicate a jovial response. Fact is that those 2 cameras are nice to hold and look at but unfortunately I don’t use. They do have sentimental value to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danac Posted March 14, 2022 Author Share Posted March 14, 2022 That's okay. My brain simply decided to take the day off today. A book's a great place to hide out in - Trevanian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurencecochrane Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 In days of old, a black body camera with brass showing under the black enamel (due to extensive usage) was considered a badge of honor. Nowadays my latest mirrorless camera is made of composite materials and less metal (to save on weight), and are more like appliances than machinery. Unfortunately, the weight savings is very important to my deteriorating spine. I do have a black body A-1 and a reasonably rare black body Canonet. Unfortunately both cameras only use chemical based sensors that need to be replaced every 24 or 36 exposures. I do not mind a bit off brassing. Proves hard usage. Also brings the price of otherwise GREAT cameras down. Otherwise I would not have the superb F1 New. . Adore that camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_ante Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 It wasn’t that black bodies were considered intrinsically more attractive or more expensive (cost difference was only a few dollars), but the idea that black bodies were used by the pros (although most pros I new back then used chrome bodies...some news photogs used black to be more discreet). The same fashion affected the use of fitted camera cases...pros didn’t use them, and every photographer wanted to look like a pro. While some cases truly deserved the name “Never-ready”,:over the years I have saved a good sum of money from dropping and banging cameras because they were secured in a case. As for myself, I despise everything “technical black” because once mislaid, hard to find...whether a camera or the tv remote. One difference between metal and plastic bodies. Metal dents and dings; plastic breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck909 Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 More than one photographer covered likely brassing areas with electrician's tape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck909 Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 As for myself, I despise everything “technical black” because once mislaid, hard to find...whether a camera or the tv remote. Speaking of losing things, how about a camo chain saw. (as the tree falls, "now where did I put that thing?") 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awahlster Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 Interesting I bought my first Canon camera in 1976 one of the early AE-1's this was while in collage after having been into photography in high school for three years (teacher there was a NIKON snob) In college I hung out with the local Pro who was often hired by the college to do things like shoot photos on big Ornithology field trips. And while his Canon bodies were Black I don't remember ever being jealous of his F-1 I was jealous of his 500mm f4.5L lens. I now have owned every Canon body in the FD line but the T-80 and AL-1 and have Black AE-1p, A1, F1N, T-90 that I shoot with. And I have some AE-1 and AE-1p in Chrome. And its still the lenses that get me going. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck909 Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 I was jealous of his 500mm f4.5L lens. So, did you get one. (I have the FLF 500 f5.6 - a great lens) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_bielecki1 Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 So, did you get one. (I have the FLF 500 f5.6 - a great lens) I also have the FL-F 500/5.6. Outstanding long telephoto, but very large and heavy. Tripod-only, that's for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 Before sliver color, black was the standard (Contax I), then silver-color (Contax II), then black again. Here is a very "rare" all-black Contax II, but Zeiss never made it :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Seaman Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 I wonder. Which was the first camera to have a black leatherette covered lower body, with a silver or chrome top section and base plate, i.e. the configuration which became pretty much standard for 35mm cameras? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurencecochrane Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 Not Canon FD. AND NOT BLACK 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven_endo Posted March 15, 2022 Share Posted March 15, 2022 The ultimate color (for me, anyway) was the Olive Drab F-1n. I first saw one in Japan in a camera shop in 1980. I wanted to buy it soooooo badly but I was worried what the customs duty woukd be so, I passed. I regret doing so, to this day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awahlster Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 So, did you get one. (I have the FLF 500 f5.6 - a great lens) Yes I have owned a 500mm f4.5L I ended up selling it when I started using my FD lenses on an Olympus 4/3 digital body. My best photo taken with the 500mm and a 2X-A was of 5) of Saturns Moons. For now the 400mm f4.5 nFD I have with a 2X-A is more then enough magnification on the 4/3 body for any bird photography I do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfonsomartinez Posted April 3, 2022 Share Posted April 3, 2022 My first camera was the T-50 (all black), then Canon A-1s (also all black)...then I discovered another great camera--the Canon FTb. The first FTb that I owned was a chrome/black or bi-color finish; later, I bought another FTb (all black). I do have to admit that the all-black finish tarnishes/shows brassing faster than the bi-color from the same amount of usage while the bi-color does not show the same effects over the years. "Chrome bodies were cheaper and regarded as less desirable." Interesting thought...I never considered a difference in value or perception due to its finish--always assumed every Canon FTb (despite it finish) performed as any other. Personally, I like the all-black finish. One day...I would love to 500mm f4.5L lns for birding....one day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck909 Posted April 4, 2022 Share Posted April 4, 2022 One day...I would love to 500mm f4.5L lns for birding....one day! All my Canons are black, but that's because they were never made in chrome. If I ever come across a cherry FTb in chrome, I won't hesitate. What, the 500mm too expensive? Heck, just charge it. ;) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryreid Posted April 5, 2022 Share Posted April 5, 2022 My AE-1P, New F-1 and T90 are all black, and I’m happy with that. My Canonet QL17 is Chrome, and id really have preferred black, but id not pay a premium. Mind you, if I could justify buying a Contax T2/3 that would definitely be champagne finish… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen_h Posted April 9, 2022 Share Posted April 9, 2022 The first camera I knew, that my dad bought when I was one, is (I still have it) a Canon VI in black. I don't know about the price difference 63 years ago, but black is now much more valuable. When I bought my (then new) Nikon FM, I bought it in black, I think for $10 more. A few years later I met my wife-to-be, and she had a chrome FM. We never had any confusion over which was which. My brother was reminding me that 40 years ago, stereo equipment was usually silver colored. (Maybe brushed aluminum.) Now they are usually black, but he wanted the old silver colored ones. It seems that they now sell them only in Europe. I think I still like black, but maybe not always. -- glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted April 9, 2022 Share Posted April 9, 2022 In the beginning .... black lacquer was cheap and "chrome" cost more. Then as chrome became dominant, "professionals" went to black. Then, a few people actually purposely "brassed" their black Nikon Fs, so as to seem not to be newbies.. 'Plastic' silver cameras looked like toys, so non-shiny black.... Then, perhaps a little desperately, a few "jumped the shark" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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