Canon T-90 SLR- Anyone Own One?

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braxus

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I started my camera gear buying back in the mid 80s. My mom and sister owned Canon SLRs like AV-1 and AE-1. I eventually ended up being gifted my mom's AE-1 back in late 1990s. But the first camera I ever bought myself was a Canon T-70. Basic little camera with motor winder, using FD lenses. I had that camera for a couple years, until in the last year of High School, I purchased a T-90. I sold off the T-70 to a classmate, who still owns that camera today. I am trying to buy it back off of him, as he hasn't used it in years. But that's another story. The T-90 was my first serious camera, that could be considered semi pro. It had more bells and whistles then I ever used, but I had fun with it over the years. I still have the one lens I used on it today, though that needs repair, so I no longer use it. In the 90s I wasn't too into photography so much, because frankly I was living on my own and could hardly pay for such a hobby. Plus I just didn't have interest at the time to shoot pics. I did do some pictures, just not like I do today. So come around to the 2000s. My T-90 was failing due to the dreaded shutter problem. So I sent it in and had the shutter replaced on it. That was short lived as the new shutter started to fail not long after replacement. So I gave up on the camera for a while. Couple years later I decided to get it repaired again. The repair shop ended up frying my camera during repair, and the camera became useless. I had to sell it for parts at that point. So long my favorite 35mm camera from my youth. From that I got into autofocus with an Elan 7. I still own my Elan and use it today.

I was hesitant to ever own another T-90, since autofocus was now my preferred way to shoot, and because the T-90 has the dreaded shutter issues. But recently I was feeling nostalgic, and I purchased another T-90. They still hold their value today, just because it is such a good camera, even if manual focus. I tested my new one and the shutter is firing with no issues. Im told the trick with this camera is to exercise it regularly to keep the shutter going ok. You can get a T-90 for the same price as an A-1 or F-1, so this is my choice. It will be fun using FD glass again, as no viewfinders are larger then the FD cameras I've used when shooting 35mm. Anyone else love this camera?
 

AgX

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I got one working sample I bought many years ago, still pricey, and a cosmetically excellant one bought rather recently which I knew of being completely dead. I assume the fault is at the very first electronic stage.

At the working model recently the plastic axle of the lock of the battery compartment broke. A nasty fault to repair. A bad design. And still I have not made up my mind how to repair it.
 

swchris

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Three weeks ago my T90 also didn't fire after about 2 or 3 years of non use.

Somewhere here in the forum I read that knocking the camera (not that) gently on the floor could fix this. I did this (not directly on the floor but on a thin carpet), it didn't work initially. Then I gradually increased the force of the knocking, and at one point it started to work again.
 

Paul Howell

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The T90 was considered by many to a pro level camera, I had one along with a couple of lens and used it off and on for a few years, as I was ramping up Minolta AF I sold it on. I thought it was well made, from the Canon Camera Museum

"Developed as the top-of-the-line T-series camera, the T90 is a multi-mode SLR with built-in motor drive. The form of the pentaprism hump is a distinct characteristic. Instead of being sharp-edged like on previous cameras, it is rounded with smooth curves. The camera was designed to lessen the picture-taking burden on the user via automation. It aimed for seamless operation to respond to the user’s will. A lot of top-notch technology and thought went into the camera.

The camera has three metering systems to suit diverse shooting conditions. Eight autoexposure modes and two manual exposure modes also make the camera highly versatile. Drive operations are divided among three small coreless motors to consume less power. With four size-AA batteries, the built-in motor drive can shoot at a maximum of 4.5 fps. It was truly a top-of-the-line camera. In Japan, the camera’s nickname was “Tank.”
 

benjiboy

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The T90 was considered by many to a pro level camera, I had one along with a couple of lens and used it off and on for a few years, as I was ramping up Minolta AF I sold it on. I thought it was well made, from the Canon Camera Museum

"Developed as the top-of-the-line T-series camera, the T90 is a multi-mode SLR with built-in motor drive. The form of the pentaprism hump is a distinct characteristic. Instead of being sharp-edged like on previous cameras, it is rounded with smooth curves. The camera was designed to lessen the picture-taking burden on the user via automation. It aimed for seamless operation to respond to the user’s will. A lot of top-notch technology and thought went into the camera.

The camera has three metering systems to suit diverse shooting conditions. Eight autoexposure modes and two manual exposure modes also make the camera highly versatile. Drive operations are divided among three small coreless motors to consume less power. With four size-AA batteries, the built-in motor drive can shoot at a maximum of 4.5 fps. It was truly a top-of-the-line camera. In Japan, the camera’s nickname was “Tank.”
I had a T 90 for a few years but I part exchanged for another Canon F1n body, about two years ago that I much prefer.
P.S. They called the T 90 "the tank" because there was a Russian main battle tank called the T 90.
 

Paul Howell

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The Russian T 90 came out in 1993 the Canon T 90 came out in 1986 and only had a production run of a year or so, replaced by the EOS 1 in 1989.
 

gone

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I suspect that they really called it The Tank because it was tall, big and heavy. Mine had exposure and metering modes that seemed complicated....and then there was it's appearance. It looked like it had been caught changing into an EOS camera halfway through, and then unwisely decided that was far enough. It worked well, but honestly, it felt more like a MF camera. The F1 that followed it was much more attractive and worked just as well for my purposes. That would be my camera if I was after FD mount, an original F1.
 
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tokam

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Bought my T90 / 300TL / 60T3 setup new in 1987. Would have liked the vertical release button but only heard about that a few years ago.

I found the controls easy to use, especially compared to later AF cameras such as Minolta Dynax 7. Never did figure out all of the functionality of the various flash modes on the 300TL.

Had the camera serviced once by Canon Australia about 20 years ago and it has run faultlessly throughout its whole life. I must be one of the lucky ones.

It shares duties with a New F1 and an EF which have both been serviced within the last 10 years so I'm good to go with FD bodies for a while yet.
 

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The T90 had an internal Lithium battery that powered the memory that according to Canon when the camera was in current production wasn't user replaceable, and would last about ten years that involves almost completely dismantling the camera to replace,and it's been about 35 years since then.
 

CMoore

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Does anybody renumber.................what was the general opinion, in the Camera Mags, when the T-90 was released.?
Over the years, from owners, it seems like i have heard generally favorable comments about it.
 
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I scooped a review section of a camera magazine with the T90 in the issue. I still have it. It went into detail on what the camera could do, but I don't recall what they thought of the camera. I'd have to read it again.
 

Paul Howell

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My memory is that Pop and Modern Photo gave the T70 and 90 pretty solid reviews, the 90 in terms of features was more advanced than the LX, F3 and New F1. Considering that the Minolta 9000 was released in 1985 the nail was in coffin of MF cameras.
 

tokam

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The T90 had an internal Lithium battery that powered the memory that according to Canon when the camera was in current production wasn't user replaceable, and would last about ten years that involves almost completely dismantling the camera to replace,and it's been about 35 years since then.
The internal lithium battery allows the camera to retain the ISO setting and the frame counter data when the main AA batteries are removed / replaced. Not an issue if you will shoot a roll of film using the same set of batteries. In the worst case with a dead internal battery you may have to reset the ISO for the metering when new AA batteries are loaded. You will, however, lose the frame counter data but the camera will detect the end of roll by tension on the film and rewind automatically. I don't mind leaving a set of NiMH batteries in the camera for a period where I don't finish a roll of film for a few days.

I have the instructions for the internal battery replacement and it's not a job for the faint hearted. The lithium battery is not a standard button cell but it has two tags which must be unsoldered / resoldered during replacement. There are also a couple of extra wires which must be disconnected to allow access to the battery. The lithium battery should have just been a standard cell, (stored under the palm wing?), which could be replaced by the user. Much the same as in the date backs on later AF SLR's.

I don't fear losing the facility of the internal battery.
 

CMoore

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The internal lithium battery allows the camera to retain the ISO setting and the frame counter data when the main AA batteries are removed / replaced. Not an issue if you will shoot a roll of film using the same set of batteries. In the worst case with a dead internal battery you may have to reset the ISO for the metering when new AA batteries are loaded. You will, however, lose the frame counter data but the camera will detect the end of roll by tension on the film and rewind automatically. I don't mind leaving a set of NiMH batteries in the camera for a period where I don't finish a roll of film for a few days.

I have the instructions for the internal battery replacement and it's not a job for the faint hearted. The lithium battery is not a standard button cell but it has two tags which must be unsoldered / resoldered during replacement. There are also a couple of extra wires which must be disconnected to allow access to the battery. The lithium battery should have just been a standard cell, (stored under the palm wing?), which could be replaced by the user. Much the same as in the date backs on later AF SLR's.

I don't fear losing the facility of the internal battery.
I will never own a T-90, but i appreciate that info.
Over the last few years, i have read several opinions regarding the loss of power from the internal battery.
It seems i heard it all, from almost no effect, to the T-90 becoming a door-stop when that factory battery gave up.
I knew i would eventually hear the real story. :smile:
 

Trask

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I’ve had a T90 for years. Yes, I’ve found that if the camera wouldn’t work, a good smacking on the floor addressed the issue (I have a vague recall that the problem involved magnets that needed to be jarred into freedom). One aspect of the T90 that I like is the multi-read spot meter that allows the photographer to take up to 9 spot readings in a scene, with the camera calculating the final exposure. So you can meter a highlight, then meter a shadow, then maybe meter another shadow knowing that the final exposure will be slightly skewed toward more exposure by that third meter reading. It’s almost like using exposure compensation when you can add additional spot meter reading of various shadows or highlights to swing the final aggregate reading one way or the other. I’ve probably not explained this very well....
 

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I don't want to ever own another one, they are too technically complex, the F1 is a much more reliable picture-making instrument.
 

Paul Howell

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I agree, although my reason I sold my T90 off was that I was moving to Minolta AF the T90 had lots of features I would never use.
 
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braxus

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I missed out on a couple stock ones from Ebay, but the eyecup is what Im after. I picked up an eyecup that is used on the 1N and 1V cameras for the T-90. I understand I have to grind down a small amount of the rubber for the viewfinder shutter knob, so it doesn't rub.
 
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benjiboy

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I sold my T 90 years ago braxus, but I still have a Canon eyecup EF in the original packaging unopened that fits the T 90 perfectly (that I just spent an hour searching for, and just found) that I can send you.
If you P.M me your name and address, I will post it to you as soon as I can if you will refund me the postage on PayPal.
 
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jonmon6691

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I’ve had a T90 for years. Yes, I’ve found that if the camera wouldn’t work, a good smacking on the floor addressed the issue (I have a vague recall that the problem involved magnets that needed to be jarred into freedom). One aspect of the T90 that I like is the multi-read spot meter that allows the photographer to take up to 9 spot readings in a scene, with the camera calculating the final exposure. So you can meter a highlight, then meter a shadow, then maybe meter another shadow knowing that the final exposure will be slightly skewed toward more exposure by that third meter reading. It’s almost like using exposure compensation when you can add additional spot meter reading of various shadows or highlights to swing the final aggregate reading one way or the other. I’ve probably not explained this very well....

It's pretty hard to describe, but I think you did a hell of a job. It's not intuitive in that you could pick the camera up and sorta figure it out, you really gotta crack the manual for the T90. But oh my god is that multi-spot system good, you aim at a spot and press the meter button and it marks the spot as a dash pinned on Zone V (or +0 if you prefer). Then as you move the viewfinder, a new dash moves up or down the scale relative to the first dash still pinned to +0 in the middle. This by itself is great for checking scene contrast. Then click the meter button again and the new dash will stick where it is, but then immediately they both (the new dash and the first) quickly shift, so that they average to zero. With two dashes, they will always be equal distance from +0 giving you an average meter of two spots. But the really cool part is the H/S buttons under your thumb. H stands for highlights and S stands for Shadows, but actually they are just an up and a down button. Pressing H will move all the points up a half stop, and S will move them down. It's just exposure compensation but the way its integrated in with the spot system is fantastic. You can come up to a scene, put a spot on the subject, then move to a highlight and pin that. Then you can use the H button to bring the exposure back up just far enough to have detail if you need it and still know exactly where your subject is going to land and make decisions based on that. It's not exactly a process well suited to sports or street photography, but part of the reason I shoot film is for a slower process and the careful pre-visualization.
 

flatulent1

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The T90 was my first serious camera, bought new in 1986. Went on road trips with it. Studied photography at the university with it. I used it for seven or eight years before I finally replaced it with an EOS something or other, a very forgettable camera. The T90 is my sentimental favorite camera of all time. Get a Canon Lens Converter P and you can use m42 screw mount lenses. I have a pair of T90 now, both in perfect working order. Steve at cameraclinicusa.com does all my Canon repairs, including cleaning the T90 shutter. The prices are reasonable, and if the camera is in otherwise good condition it's worth repairing. When I first bought it I sat down with the camera, the manual, and a book on beginner photography, and learned EVERYTHING about the camera. Now, after 30 years, I have to look stuff up!
 

AgX

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You went an unusual way... Well done!

I consider the T90 anything but a beginners camera. Because a beginner has to read and understand a basics textbook, the same time read and understand the manual, or even better a dedicated book on this camera. I got the dedicated book at hand: 270 pages just on handling, no photography guide as some of such books in earlier times.
 
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