Canon F1N SLR: Beauty, Precision & Durability

If you ever cross this 35mm SLR camera, you will hear her irresistible mermaid-like sound… She will call you again and again… And you’ll know you won’t resist to her.

How did I meet her? Well, as all the best encounters, it was unexpected.

I was initially looking for the fastest lens that wouldn’t cost me 2 million dollars. I found a cheap Canon FL 55mm f1.2 Then I looked for a Canon camera that could fit it and discovered the Canon F1N. I didn’t really know it, so I searched the Internet and found a lot of info there

First of all, I think it’s the sexiest of all Canon Reflex, a real beauty. It is also almost indestructible, freeze resistant (I brought it in the Arctic, at -40°C) and extremely precise. It has a wide choice of speeds, from 1/2000 to 8 seconds (plus bulb), of film sensitivity (ISO 6 to 6400), and as a very clear viewfinder. I recommend this camera to anyone who wants to try SLR photography. It can be fully manual, or with the choice of aperture priority or speed priority. But not autofocus. The very wide choice of FD or FL lenses is really a super thing (I also have a 200mm f2.8, and I just bought a Zenitar that can be fitted with an adapter). The Canon F1N is very heavy and I enjoy that because it absorbs small vibrations. I like the way it feels in my hands… Feels natural. The only little thing that is a bit annoying is the apparently very small area at the center of the frame that is used for the light measurement, often causing bad exposure if you’re not careful.

written by stouf on 2009-03-25 #gear #review #slr #fast-lens #portraits #precise #resistant #135-35 #canon-f1n