1970 - 1975

After five years and a large investment in money and labor, the top-of-the-line 35mm Canon F-1 system was born.

The FD lens mount was newly developed for the new line of FD lenses. The new lens mount enabled fully-coupled automatic exposure metering. The camera system also included the first accessory ever for remote picture-taking with the camera. The many accessories enabled seamless and instant compatibility.

The camera was built to endure 100,000 picture-taking cycles, temperatures ranging from -30 C to 60 C, and 90% humidity. Being a highly durable and reliable camera, the F-1 gained many followers including pros. Except for a one-time revision, the camera was manufactured and sold for ten years.

Like the flagship Canon F-1, the FTb was compatible with FD lenses. It was a mass-market camera having the same basic features as the F-1.

Like the F-1, it had maximum-aperture TTL metering, match-needle exposure adjustment, and high-precision 12% partial metering at the center. Being a mid-tier 35mm SLR camera, the FTb was well received by many amateur photographers. The FTb also allowed stop-down TTL metering (match needle) for FL lenses and situations when stop-down viewing was required.

*Also had black versions.

With the F-1's rigid, durable body and a fixed pellicle mirror, this F-1 model boasted the world's fastest continuous shooting speed.

With a shutter speed anywhere from 1/60 sec. to 1/1000 sec., the camera could finish a roll of 36-exposure film in 4 sec. at 9 frames per sec. Since the camera was designed for high-speed continuous shooting, an exposure meter was omitted along with the self-timer. The lens aperture also had to be stopped down manually with a lever on the camera. The camera targeted pro and press photographers covering the Munich Summer Olympics.

Improved version of the Canon FTb. Improvements include a shutter speed display in the viewfinder, a larger shutter button , a plastic-tipped film advance lever, and a slimmer combination self-timer and stop-down lever.

This camera's main feature was the first and last of its kind. It was the Copal Square, a vertical-travel, metal-curtain, focal-plane shutter.

The camera's specifications and ease of use were ideal for aged users. Just press the shutter button for shutter speed-priority TTL automatic exposure. A silicon photocell was used for full-aperture centerweighted averaging metering. Fast shutter speeds from 1/2 sec. to 1/1000 sec. and bulb were mechanically-controlled while slow speeds from 1 sec. to 30 sec. were electronically-controlled.

The TLb was marketed overseas in September 1974 as the cheaper version of the FTb. It was later sold in Japan in April 1976. The basic specifications were the same as the Canon TX except for the hot shoe which was omitted. X-sync was possible only with the PC terminal.

This was a stripped-down Canon FTb for the mass market overseas. The fastest shutter speed was only 1/500 sec. The metering pattern was centerweighted averaging instead of 12% partial at the center. The stop-down lever had no locking feature. A PC terminal and hot shoe were provided for flash.