Canon F-1 professional use

Ektagraphic · Aug 24, 2016

Hi Guys-

Do any of you happen to know of any photographers that used/use the Canon F-1 extensively?

Thanks,

Pat

Tulipe · Aug 24, 2016

Pat,

I rarely use 35mm, but I started to use it again for different purpose than that of large format.

I am also really curious to know some famous photographers who used them. F-1 is a solid piece of brass metal!

Ektagraphic · Aug 24, 2016

Tulipe! Welcome to APUG!!! A very curious name indeed. Do you take many flower photographs?

Sim2 · Aug 25, 2016

Ektagraphic said:
Hi Guys-

Do any of you happen to know of any photographers that used/use the Canon F-1 extensively?

Thanks,

Pat

Hi, do you mean the first F-1 or the last version of the F-1, such confusing naming of these cameras!

chriscrawfordphoto · Aug 25, 2016

Elliot Erwitt used the F-1. I have a book about him that shows him using the old 1970s-era F-1. I don't know if he used the 1980s era New F-1; my book was published before that model was made.

Nokton48 · Aug 25, 2016

I bought a couple of original F1's back in the day. They were Canon Olympic Games refurbs.
Well I did not have good luck with them; They lived in the shop. Sold them on.
Others report otherwise; Not sure what the deal was.............

David A. Goldfarb · Aug 25, 2016

When I was in Poland in the late 1980s, it seemed that the New F-1 was the choice of a number of professional photojournalists who could afford them (the average local salary at the time converted to about $35 USD a month, so "being able to afford one" meant working abroad or selling images abroad in some form), because Canon had authorized service in Warsaw, and it was difficult to travel abroad to have a camera repaired due to passport and visa restrictions. Kiev 88 was the next likely option down the list.

Ektagraphic · Aug 25, 2016

Very interesting responses! I am talking about both versions. This idea stemmed from a conversation that I was having with a friend of mine. I enjoy learning that Erwitt used it. My friend seems to be convinced that it is an inferior camera, but I just don't agree. Of course we all know if it ultimately the photographer though ha!

AgX · Aug 26, 2016

David A. Goldfarb said:
When I was in Poland in the late 1980s, it seemed that the New F-1 was the choice of a number of professional photojournalists who could afford them (the average local salary at the time converted to about $35 USD a month, so "being able to afford one" meant working abroad or selling images abroad in some form), because Canon had authorized service in Warsaw, and it was difficult to travel abroad to have a camera repaired due to passport and visa restrictions. Kiev 88 was the next likely option down the list.

Some Comecon news agencies had acquired Nikons for part of their staff. I don't know of freelance photojournalists.

Sim2 · Aug 26, 2016

In the mid to late 80's I know of some photographers in sports photography who used the newer Canon F1n; David Cannon, George Herringshaw, Dave Munden, Chris Cole, Peter Robinson, Mark Leech, Dave Jacobs, Nick Potts, Monte Fresco and to a lesser extent, myself. I bought a secondhand (last version) F1n from Peter Robinson, who shot for FIFA at the time, and along with a brand new F1n never had any problems with either one. Slightly earlier Don Morley used Canon though may have been more with the A1 than F1's, not certain of this but was a Canon user. I can't remember off the top of my head other users though I feel sure there were others. Have fun with a google search now!

spacer · Aug 26, 2016

If I recall correctly, a bunch of Navy photographers were issued the F1

benjiboy · Aug 26, 2016

The Canon F1 in all it's three versions isn't inferior to any top quality professional manual focus SLR camera manufactured by any company on the planet in technical precision, reliability component and build quality, certainly in the 25 -30 years or so when the three versions were produced Nikon didn't I.M.O. produce a better model in the F2 and F3. in the same period.

Mainecoonmaniac · Aug 26, 2016

I've owned and F-1(n) for over 30 years. I've used it as a pro and I'm no longer a pro. I'd recommend the camera to anyone. I got the camera while I was in college in my twenties and now I'm in my fifties. But be forewarned, the camera get's heavier each year. It's a rock solid camera. I think the Nikon F3 is a nice camera in the same league too.

benjiboy · Sep 21, 2016

I have been shooting with 3 Canon New F1's for around thirty years and if God ever devised a better more reliable professional S.L.R, he kept it to himself.

benjiboy · Sep 23, 2016

The Canon F1 was used by the US Coast Guard, US Navy, and U.S Marines, you can't get much more professional than that.

Mainecoonmaniac · Sep 23, 2016

benjiboy said:
The Canon F1 was used by the US Coast Guard, US Navy, and U.S Marines, you can't get much more professional than that.

Very true! But is a photographer man enough for one? As I mentioned earlier, as I get older, the heavier they get. But I bought my first one in the 80's and I still have it. It's a sweet camera indeed.

benjiboy · Sep 23, 2016

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Very true! But is a photographer man enough for one? As I mentioned earlier, as I get older, the heavier they get. But I bought my first one in the 80's and I still have it. It's a sweet camera indeed.

I'm 77 and until recently I was carrying 2 F1N-AE bodies and 4 almost every day, in my Domke F2 bag but I admit it was getting to be too much for me because it weighed about 12 pounds, I now just carry 1 body and 4 lenses that I can manage without much difficulty, but as you say they aren't the Worlds lightest cameras.

Mainecoonmaniac · Sep 23, 2016

benjiboy said:
I'm 77 and until recently I was carrying 2 F1N-AE bodies and 4 almost every day, in my Domke F2 bag but I admit it was getting to be too much for me because it weighed about 12 pounds, I now just carry 1 body and 4 lenses that I can manage without much difficulty, but as you say they aren't the Worlds lightest cameras.

Wow. You're a trooper. I complain just carrying (1) f1 with an 85mm 1.8. I'm only 54. But I still love my F1 (n) I think it's still the only camera that has a hybrid shutter. Right?

benjiboy · Sep 23, 2016

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Wow. You're a trooper. I complain just carrying (1) f1 with an 85mm 1.8. I'm only 54. But I still love my F1 (n) I think it's still the only camera that has a hybrid shutter. Right?

No, the F1n the one with the glossy piano black finish has a purely mechanical shutter, it's the F1N the one with the matte black finish that has the hybrid electro- mechanical shutter

flavio81 · Sep 23, 2016

Ektagraphic said:
Hi Guys-

Do any of you happen to know of any photographers that used/use the Canon F-1 extensively?

Thanks,

Pat

Eliott Erwitt had a big case with some F-1 bodies and many many FD lenses. He was endorsed by Canon back in the 70s and used the F-1 for "professional" assignments.

Peter Parker, better known as Spiderman, used a Canon New F-1, as well

flavio81 · Sep 23, 2016

Ektagraphic said:
Very interesting responses! I am talking about both versions. This idea stemmed from a conversation that I was having with a friend of mine. I enjoy learning that Erwitt used it. My friend seems to be convinced that it is an inferior camera, but I just don't agree. Of course we all know if it ultimately the photographer though ha!

I wonder what is his reference camera then.

I consider the old F-1 to be significantly better built and finished than the Nikon F2. However, i think the operation of the F2 is better to me (i can see the f/stop, aperture and metering in a very easy way with the F2, and I like how you can upgrade the meters. Also the F-1 meter is slow in low light).

As for lenses, 1971-1977 Canon FD lenses are probably superior optically to the Nikon lenses up to 1976 or so. This because at that point in time many Nikkors were using the same optical designs than in the early 60s. In 1977 Nikon updated many lens designs as part of the introduction of the AI line, and in this update they catched up with the (more modern) Canon FD designs.

The dark horse in optics here is Pentax, though.

On the other hand I find the Canon NEW F-1 superior to the F, F2 and F3. It is the best 35mm SLR i've used, although i've not tried a Pentax LX or a Minolta XK. Viewfinder on the New F-1 i consider as good as the acclaimed viewfinder of the Leicaflex SL, and light years beyond the overrated, glorified viewfinder of the Olympus OM-1.

Mainecoonmaniac said:
But I still love my F1 (n) I think it's still the only camera that has a hybrid shutter. Right?

The Canon EF also has a hybrid shutter; electronic from 30sec -> 1sec, mechanical from 1/2 to 1/1000 sec. I bet there are other cameras with hybrid shutters as well. I guess you can consider the Nikon F3 to have a "hybrid shutter"... if you like shooting mechanical only in 1/90 and B

On the other hand a Pentax Spotmatic isn't any special camera on paper, but sometimes I feel it has better ergonomics than any of the Canon and Nikon cameras listed above.

flavio81 · Sep 23, 2016

PD:

Takuma Nakajira, famous Japanese photographer who died recently, used famously a F-1 through most of his life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takuma_Nakahira
http://www.gerrybadger.com/fire-and-water-takuma-nakahiras-for-a-language-to-come/
http://post.at.moma.org/content_ite...ira-s-photographs-for-the-1971-paris-biennial

CMoore · Sep 23, 2016

Wow...!!
1. The info on the Canon F-1 Et Al is incredible. The Work/Effort/Study that went into a "Pro Camera" to compete with Nikon is a great story. What a battle.
2. Takuma.....i am surprised i recognize "several" of his photos. He had quite the career. I suppose there are still photographers that have that kind of impact today.?

benjiboy · Nov 18, 2016

I just saw an old Canon advert. from Popular Photography that says all these famous photographers used the F1 https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups...rderBy=title&sortOrder=asc&photoFilter=ALL#za

AgX · Nov 18, 2016

Restricted to Yahoo users.
Maybe you can post a jpg-link or so to just the image.

Canon F-1 professional use

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