Auto Film Loading

[Andrew O'Neill]

When was this feature first incorporated in 35mm cameras, and which company was responsible? I've looked online, but can't seem to find any information. Thank you!

 

[madNbad]

Konica FS 1. Had one, worst camera I ever owned.

 

[AgX]

Konica FS 1.

This was 1979.

However:
Canon FTb QL : 1966
Pentacon Praktica Nova PL : 1967

 

[benjiboy]

I think on reflection, l've been loading 135 film in 35mm cameras for so long I could do it in my sleep

 

[reddesert]

Canon says their first cameras labeled QL were the Canonet QL17 and QL19 introduced March 1965: https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film54.html You can search their camera museum for ones with"QL" in the name. The FT QL and Pellix QL show up in 1966. I assume by "auto loading" you meant quick loading (automatic takeup) rather than winding on to the first frame, which obviously had to await motor drives.

 

[gone]

Konica FS 1. Had one, worst camera I ever owned.

There's a lot of competition for that worst camera award, but that's for another thread. I had a Canon QL, a nice camera, sort of a baby Leicaflex w/ half the viewfinder of a 'flex. But if you could get by w/ that viewfinder, they were rock solid cameras, and took FL lenses too. My Nikon N8008s has the usual fast auto load motor. Pull the leader to the red mark, close the camera, press the shutter, and it quietly and quickly moves the film to 1. Like magic.

Getting the film out before the motor winds it all the way into the cassette is another story. Just assume you'll be using a bottle opener come development time.

 

[Auer]

This was 1979.

However:
Canon FTb QL : 1966
Pentacon Praktica Nova PL : 1967

Wasnt the FT QL before the FTb?

 

[madNbad]

The annoying part of the problem with the Konica was it would wad up the film on advance or rewind, occasionally both.

 

[AgX]

Wasn't the FT QL before the FTb?

I overlooked that there was a FT QL. I also did not hint at the QL Canonets. I just wanted to show with those two models I named that there was such already a decennia earlier.

But as already hinted at, the term "auto loading" is ambiguous

Concerning the cameras I named, the abbreviations mean:
Quick Loading and Pentacon Loading.(the two systems may differ in foolproofness)

 

[G1DRP]

The Canon FT had the FL mount and was replaced by the FTb when the FD mount was released in 1971. The FD mount, although physically similar to the FL mount, allowed open aperture metering.

 

[benjiboy]

Canon says their first cameras labeled QL were the Canonet QL17 and QL19 introduced March 1965: https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film54.html You can search their camera museum for ones with"QL" in the name. The FT QL and Pellix QL show up in 1966. I assume by "auto loading" you meant quick loading (automatic takeup) rather than winding on to the first frame, which obviously had to await motor drives.

The Canon EF doesn't have a "quick loading system", but has a unique system that once you have treaded the film leader onto the takeup spool it allows you to wind on to the first exposure without having to fire the shutter.

 

[dynachrome]

The Konica FS-1 was a very pleasant camera to use when it was working. Only late in its production run did Konica start using some of the electronics from the soon-to-be-released FT-1. I have a working FS-1. If my memory is correct on this point, the FS-1 did not allow the user to lock the exposure. This was remedied on the FT-1. The FTb QL did not come out in 1966. It came out in 1971. 1966 was the year that the FT QL was introduced. The first Pellix is from 1965 and did not have the QL feature. That was added the next year. There was also the TL QL. I need to find my EF and put some film in it. I haven't used it for a while. My recent Canon efforts went to finding and getting serviced a number of Canon New F-1 cameras.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Ok. To be clearer... You pull the film to the red mark, close the camera back, and the film automatically winds, with the aid of a motor, to the first frame.

 

[Mackinaw]

The Canon FT had the FL mount and was replaced by the FTb when the FD mount was released in 1971. The FD mount, although physically similar to the FL mount, allowed open aperture metering.

The FL and FD lens mounts are identical, both are breechlock. The differences are in the lens-to-camera linkage. FD lenses can do more than FL.

Jim B.

 

[MattKing]

Ok. To be clearer... You pull the film to the red mark, close the camera back, and the film automatically winds, with the aid of a motor, to the first frame.

It's like you set an assignment, and all the students responded with something that shows they didn't understand the assignment at all ....

 

[AgX]

The FL and FD lens mounts are identical, both are breechlock. The differences are in the lens-to-camera linkage. FD lenses can do more than FL.

Here we are in the realm of definition. One can regard as mount the whole thing with all bells and whistle. When having it about FL and FD mount I myself thus typically describe what I mean, the basic coupling or the complete thing.



Back to the topic: Have we meanwhile found out which camera model was first with auto-loading in the OP's meaning?
I think not.

 

[madNbad]

Keeping with the Canon QL theme, the Canon T50 had an orange mark for the end of the film leader. Align the end of the leader with the mark then close the back. The LCD on the top plate would show if the film was advancing. The T70 introduced automatic rewind.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

It's like you set an assignment, and all the students responded with something that shows they didn't understand the assignment at all ....

HAHA I didn't think I'd have to dumb it down so much for you lot!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Keeping with the Canon QL theme, the Canon T50 had an orange mark for the end of the film leader. Align the end of the leader with the mark then close the back. The LCD on the top plate would show if the film was advancing. The T70 introduced automatic rewind.

I wonder if the T50 was first, then...

 

[reddesert]

As a teacher, you know when one student misunderstands the assignment it's the student's fault; when all the students misunderstand the assignment it's the teacher's fault.

To the question, the Konica FS-1 (1979) named earlier is the first SLR with a built in motor drive, and I believe it has auto loading in this sense. https://www.buhla.de/Foto/Konica/eFS-1Haupt.html
But was there a point and shoot with motor drive beforehand? Canon's first built in motor drive was the Autoboy (AF35M) P&S introduced in November 1979, https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film102.html The Canon T50 doesn't come out until 1983.

Generally, I think built-in motor drive and auto frame advance go together; I don't know if there are any 35mm lever wind cameras where the accessory motor auto winds to the first frame without firing the shutter. I believe there is at least one medium format SLR that can do that.

 

[madNbad]

The AF35M still required the user to insert the leader into a slot on the take up spool. It was probably Minolta or Fujica that had one first.

 

[dynachrome]

The Konica FC-1 of 1980 was similar to the FS-1 but needed the Winder F for motorized film advance. It also lacked an exposure lock. Even without the Winder F the film leader just needed to be placed against the rubber coated film advance drum. With the Winder F on, closing the back would wind the film to the first frame.