Canon F-1

I'm a retired pro,and I bought 2 F1N AE bodys in 1985 and they've just gone on working wherever in the World I've taken them for 28 years whatever the conditions and just done the job.

I like them so much when I die they'll have to prise mine from my cold dead hands.

I bought my 38 year old Canon F1 with a titanium focal plane shutter at the NKP BX in Apr. 1971. I carried it all through SEA (SVN, Cambodia, Laos) and took a significant number of my pics. as a combat pilot with it. It has worn like iron and, even after 1000s of photo shoots with it on most of the continents, it has required only one minor repair (battery contact). I am currently looking for a replacement 625 battery for it. Even though I have too many modern day digital cameras to count, I still take my best stationary, set up shots with the "fail safe" F1. You can see some of the early pics. I took with it in Laos at the www.ravens.org web page by selecting the "Larry Williams" tab on the site.

I love everything about the Canon F-1, from it's metal body to it's ability to stand up to anything! They really don't make them like this now-a-days, it's hard to get a better bang for your buck, and it's well worth it!

After some twenty years of service I had my Canon F-1 factory-refurbished. I will continue to use it for time-lapse and other photo use. I would like to acquire flash equipment for it. Contact me with price, description, etc at [email protected]

I carried a Canon F-1 35mm SLR Camera for more than thirty years in VietNam, Thailand, Cambodia, Loas, Bruma, India and throught Europe. The F1 is by far the best SLR 35MM ever made. Wish I could find another body, mine got took out with a bullet in Columbia. Anyone know where I can get a good one? [email protected]. best camera body ever made

Canon has made three different cameras called F-1.

The F-1 and F-1n made from 1971-76 and 1976-81 are almost identical. Complete manual control (shutter, aperture, focus, depth of field preview, mirror lockup), mechanical shutter 1-1/1000, battery used for meter only. Battery is the discontinued Mercury cell PX625. Cheap hearing aid batteries can be substituted but life is short. Only a central rectangle in the image is metered (i.e., it's like a spot meter with a large spot). Lots of reasonably priced, very high quality Canon FD lenses are available on the used market. This camera is substantial (read "heavy"); its inertia makes it easier to hold steady for longer exposures. Retail price in the US is about $300.

The F-1N (1982-1996) is a different camera. It adds electronic shutter timing for the slow speeds, and exposure automation (aperture and shutter priority) with certain finders and motor drives. Mirror lockup was lost. Metering pattern depends on the screen used. Battery is lithium P28, still widely available. Accessories of the F-1N are not interchangeable with the earlier models. Retail price in the US is about $500.

These cameras were highly reliable when new. Many cameras on the used market haven't been used in a long time; they need to be cleaned and lubricated. If they weren't abused (dropped, dunked in seawater, or victimized by a DIY repairer), a clean and lube should be all they need to give a few more decades of service. The CLA should include replacement of mirror foam and light trap seals, which invariably have turned to goo on any camera over 20 years old.

I highly recommend all of the F-1 models, as long as you are prepared to carry a lot of weight in bodies and lenses.

There's not too many things in life that can go for 30 years without needing repairs...my Canon F-1 is one of them.

I've used this camera everywhere from glaciers in Alaska to architecture in New Mexico and it hasn't failed me yet.