Which Canon film camera?

AndyWest

AndyWest

Suspended / Banned
Messages
8,400
Name
Andy
Edit My Images
No
I have a nice 24mm Canon FD MF lens and fancy having another go at film. I had a superb Oly OM2 which was great. I'm thinking of going for a Canon and quite fancy an A-1 or AE-1 but not sure which to get. I really need a meter so I can choose the correct shutter speed. Which is the better one to get or should I stick with another OM2.

Any other suggestions welcome. Budget about £50ish
 
More likely to get a decent AE-1 then an A-1 for that price. Watch out for the dreaded Canon squeak/squeal as well which commonly affects those bodies.
 
You might strike lucky and get a t90 or t70 for that money.
 
I got an AE-1P on ebay for £50 and that included a 50mm and a 35-105mm lens. Lovely camera :)
 
Andy is that 24mm an FDn mount or the earlier breechlock, I have the early breechlock F2,8 version and it is a stunner, I use it on either a T90, A1 or an F1n.

Whichever A or T series you choose, that lens will give you some great images.

John:)
 
j37r said:
Andy is that 24mm an FDn mount or the earlier breechlock, I have the early breechlock F2,8 version and it is a stunner, I use it on either a T90, A1 or an F1n.

Whichever A or T series you choose, that lens will give you some great images.

John:)
Click to expand...

Thanks everyone

The lens has been used on Micro 4/3 using a FD to M43 adapter so I'm asuming it's FDn? How would I know for sure?

EDIT: Actually I have just remembered my dad has either the AE-1 or A-1. I'll take my lens next time I'm over there then I'll be 100% sure it's right.
 
Last edited:
Keep an eye on ebay, I recently got a mint t90 and fairly tidy a-1 with a 50mm, 28mm and 60-300 zoom, camera bag and a couple of rolls of ilford film for £48 delivered.
 
nealg said:
Keep an eye on ebay, I recently got a mint t90 and fairly tidy a-1 with a 50mm, 28mm and 60-300 zoom, camera bag and a couple of rolls of ilford film for £48 delivered.
Click to expand...

Sweet!!!

So what's good about the T90?
 
AndyWest said:
Sweet!!!

So what's good about the T90?
Click to expand...

It was simply the top of the line in the T series, which were the latest and greatest of the FD mount. Some might prefer the AE series for their retro charm.

The T90 has the most modern 'canon' feel of the T series, feeling somewhat like a proto-EOS with a more modern style under-finger dial control for adjusting aperature/shutter speed. The T90 development was largely about ergonomics, and the results of that were also used to restart the canon line with the true AF based system with the EOS, the modern canon dslrs still build on this wealth of ergonomics research. The T70 in comparision has a bit of a weird 80s feel to it, but it's perfectly usable once you're used to the buttons instead of dials.

The T60 technically came after the T90, but it was a budget 'retro' camera with more 70s styling, and lacked most of the auto exposure options of the T70 and T90.

If you fancy using the weird FD mount autofocus lenses, I think you need the T80, but other than the auto-focus options, the T80 also works as a perfectly good T70.

Basically, if you want 70s feel, go AE-1 or something else in the AE series or the T60, if you want a camera that is cheap but dependable, and don't care too much about it being 'consistant' with 70s feel or modern feel, go T70. If you want a FD mount camera that feels like a modern dslr, go T90. If you want an autofocus FD mount camera, go T80. I don't think there's really anything that justifies the T50 for today, it's just a (then) budget T series when all the rest of the T series are cheap by today's standards.
 
NikkiA said:
It was simply the top of the line in the T series, which were the latest and greatest of the FD mount. Some might prefer the AE series for their retro charm.

The T90 has the most modern 'canon' feel of the T series, feeling somewhat like a proto-EOS with a more modern style under-finger dial control for adjusting aperature/shutter speed. The T90 development was largely about ergonomics, and the results of that were also used to restart the canon line with the true AF based system with the EOS, the modern canon dslrs still build on this wealth of ergonomics research. The T70 in comparision has a bit of a weird 80s feel to it, but it's perfectly usable once you're used to the buttons instead of dials.

The T60 technically came after the T90, but it was a budget 'retro' camera with more 70s styling, and lacked most of the auto exposure options of the T70 and T90.

If you fancy using the weird FD mount autofocus lenses, I think you need the T80, but other than the auto-focus options, the T80 also works as a perfectly good T70.

Basically, if you want 70s feel, go AE-1 or something else in the AE series or the T60, if you want a camera that is cheap but dependable, and don't care too much about it being 'consistant' with 70s feel or modern feel, go T70. If you want a FD mount camera that feels like a modern dslr, go T90. If you want an autofocus FD mount camera, go T80. I don't think there's really anything that justifies the T50 for today, it's just a (then) budget T series when all the rest of the T series are cheap by today's standards.
Click to expand...

erm that's roughly what I was going to say :thumbs: But if you want to try film the cheap FD way I'd get a T70 body £10-15 or with the 50mm f1.8 lens you might only pay £5 or £10 more. why a T70? well I have two and they just do what it's said on the tin and the selected "safety shift" for cock-ups is so handy, anyway here are the specs http://www.mir.SPAM/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/t70/index.htm

If you want more fun I'd go for an A1 (without the squeak ;) ) for more advanced amateur use and more expense it would be the T90 (without eeee ;) ) and if you want a manual camera it would be the FTB.
 
Blimey that T70 looks weird!! LOL

I would much prefer the retro look of an AE-1 or A-1. I'll have a play with my dads camera when i next see him.

My elderly next door neighbour who i do shopping for has an old Nikon that he has hinted he may give me!! SO I'll see if that comes about and I may just get a Olympus Trip 35 to play with for now.
 
AndyWest said:
Blimey that T70 looks weird!! LOL

I would much prefer the retro look of an AE-1 or A-1. I'll have a play with my dads camera when i next see him.

My elderly next door neighbour who i do shopping for has an old Nikon that he has hinted he may give me!! SO I'll see if that comes about and I may just get a Olympus Trip 35 to play with for now.
Click to expand...

erm you are forgetting with film (unlike digital):- the lens is usually more important and that lovely Canon 24mm wont be used :'(
 
excalibur2 said:
erm you are forgetting with film (unlike digital):- the lens is usually more important and that lovely Canon 24mm wont be used :'(
Click to expand...

I'll get to use it one way or another!!:nuts: BTW it's a Vivitar lens, not Canon.
 
AndyWest said:
I'll get to use it one way or another!!:nuts: BTW it's a Vivitar lens, not Canon.
Click to expand...

Ah!..one last point:- You can get an M42 adapter (for old screw lenses) for Canon very cheaply, and not for Nikon or Olympus (as M42 lenses wont work properly for these cameras). :thumbs: and :thumbsdown:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top