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| Used Cameras » 35mm » Canon MF SLR System |
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| First introduced in 1959 with the "R" series Canonflex Canomatics followed by the "FL" series lenses and bodies and finally by the FD series committed marketing blunders by making its offerings largely not mutually compatible until its autofocus EOS series which was apparently deliberately virtually totally incompatible. Ironically, the EOS system turned out to be good enough to do what Canon was never able to do with any of its MF generations, overcome Nikon's total domination in the professional photographers' ranks. Canon's manual focus SLRs spanned almost three decades and include four different but similar lens mounts only the last two of which were highly compatible. Introduced in 1959, approximately the same time as the Nikon F, the "R" series Canomatics (Breechlock mount: Two pins, one to arm and one to activate the "stop-down spring) were awkward and lame when compared to the rival Nikon's relative elegance and ease of use. It is not readily compatible with later "FL" and "FD" lenses. The "FL" type cameras were an improvement but, requiring "stop down" metering, which the people at Canon argued somewhat unconvincingly is more precise, was regarded as much more encumbering and did not catch on all that well. Only with the "FD", first Breechlock and later true bayonet did Canon finally technologically catch up with and finally briefly surpass Nikon (at least till Nikon introduced its AIS lenses.) The FD type lenses allowed precise control of exposure with its precise mechanical coupling to the aperture mechanism and, when electronic shutter control was achieved, lead to the ability to totally automate exposure. R type lenses were for the likes of: Flex (1959), R2000 (1960), RP (1961), RM (1962) FL lenses were for: FX (1964), FP (1964), Pellix (1965), FT QL (1966), Pellix QL (1966), TL (1968) FD lenses were produced for: FTb (1971), FTbn (1973), EF (1973), TLb (1974), TX (1975), F-1(1971), F-1n (1976), New F-1 (1981), AE-1 (1976), AT-1 (1976), A-1 (1978), AV-1 (1979), AE-1 Program (1981), AL-1 (1982) T50 (1983), T70 (1984), T80 (1985), T90 (1986), T60 (1990) |
