Canon F-1 in Toronto between Summer and Fall

Been a while since I shot with my early production F-1, Canon's reply to the Nikon F2, it's a delightful beast. For a Nikon fanboy, I do like Canon's F-1 pro camera bodies, the only one I don't have is the late 1970s F-1n, which, if you only want one, would be the camera to get. More on that later. Available in any colour as long as it was black, or very off white, the F-1 was pitched to photojournalists as an alternative to the Nikon F2 and the venerable F which was nearing the end of it's production run.

Canon went to town with this camera proclaiming it more mechanically complex than the F2, not if that's a good thing or not, camera techs who work on Canon love them compared to the 1980s vintage New F-1s which have hybrid shutter and complicated electronics.

The F-1 was built to take a ton of abuse, it's a pro body after all and will work when an AE-1 or A-1's become paperweights. The only achilles heals are the 625 battery which you can work around and the long film advance throw that was fixed with the F-1n that was introduced in the back half of the 1970s.

Canon courted sports photographers with a vengence and entered sponsorship arrangements with the Olympics, if you find a F-1 with Montreal Olympics or Lake Placid Winter Olympics with the F-1n, expect to pay a premium for the collectibliy. I would strongly suggest a CLA for this camera if you find one in the wild because they are on average over 45 years old.

If you are shooting an A series body and want to head to something more sturdy and not reliant on electronics, I would give the F-1 a long look.


Camera: Canon F-1, FD 50 f1.4 SSC Lens.
Film: Ultrafine Extreme 400, HC110 B.

My latest Canon F-1

Brookfield Place South Tower

Flatiron Upper Stories in the Afternoon

Bixi Bikes Galore._

Street Car at Church and Richmond._

Street Car On the Corner

Church and Queen Northeast_

Queen and Victoria in the Shadows

Eaton Centre South Entrance_

Suits Going up the Stairs._

Bronze Herd September 2019_

King St. Hot Dog Cart is Unstaffed

First Canadian Place Outdoor Seating_

Boarding the 504 Just West Of Bay

Commuters Waiting_

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