Canon EOS 1V Review – the Last Professional Film SLR from Canon

If you're aware of the trajectory of film cameras as a technology then you'll know where this review is headed. You'll know that the top of the line film cameras simply got better and better for nearly a hundred years. You'll know that the last professional film cameras were the best film cameras ever made. And since the Canon EOS 1V was the final 35mm professional SLR that Canon built, you'll know that it is quite simply their best.

Made in the year 2000 and produced until 2018, it proudly ushered out the era of film. It also ushered in the era of digital, lending its body and design language to Canon's first DSLR, the EOS 1D.

Its spec sheet is unmatched by any other film camera (yes, Nikon F6 owners, the EOS 1V is very slightly better). It is, by any measure, an amazing machine and a 35mm SLR swansong worthy of one of the most important camera companies in the history of imaging.

About two months ago my friend let me borrow his EOS 1V. I've used it with Canon's ultra-compact 40mm, a super telephoto zoom, and a Sigma 50mm f/1.4, and no matter what lens is attached or what sort of photo I was trying to make, it worked perfectly. I've used its excellent burst mode, its ridiculously fast AF, and peered happily through its (literally) perfect viewfinder. No matter what I was shooting, it got the shot. I can firmly state without pause or qualifiers, that it is as close to perfect as a camera can be.

Still, there are people for whom the Canon EOS1V won't be a good fit. I've met quite a few photography likers who simply cannot abide the aesthetic of the DSLR (and the SLRs which preceded it). If you're of the type who won't be caught dead with anything but a rangefinder, for style reasons, the EOS 1V is a natural non-starter (even though you'll invariably be a better photographer if you just give in and embrace the perfection that is the late model SLR). And it's a heavy camera, no denying. For those who want to travel light or who live and die by the point and shoot, the EOS 1V will be anathema. And I guess if you're a Nikon diehard, like me, you'll probably turn your nose up and instantly check eBay for a Nikon F6 (and, again like me, you'll quickly discover that the EOS 1V costs 40% less on average than the Nikon).

Let's take a closer look.

Specifications (this could take a while)

• Camera Type - 35mm AF/AE single lens reflex with focal plane shutter and built-in motor drive.
• Lens Mount - Canon EF (full frame).
• Exposure Modes - Program AE, Shutter Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, Depth of field AE, E-TTL Program Flash AE, A-TTL Program Flash AE, TTL Program Flash AE, Manual Mode, Bulb Mode.
• Shutter - Vertical traveling focal plane shutter with all speeds electronically controlled.
• Shutter Speeds - 30 seconds to 1/8000of a second in 1/3 stop increments. Flash sync at 1/250 of a second.
• Self Timer - 10 second or 2 second delay.
• Metering Modes - TTL maximum aperture metering with a 21-zone silicon photocell. Evaluative metering (linkable to any focus point), Partial metering (approximately 8.5% of viewfinder at center, Center spot metering (approximately 2.4% of the viewfinder at center), Focusing point linked spot metering (approximately 2.4% of viewfinder), Multi-spot metering (maximum of 8 spot metering entries), Center-weighted average metering.
• Metering Range - EV 0-20 for all metering modes.
• ISO Film Speed Range - ISO 6 to 6400, automatically set with DX-coded film at ISO 25-5000.
• Exposure Compensation - Autoexposure bracketing +/- 3 stops in 1/3 stop increments. Manual exposure compensation up to +/- 3 stops in 1/3 stop increments set with quick control dial. AEB and manual exposure compensation can be set together.
• AE Lock - Auto AE lock operates in One Shot AF mode with evaluative metering when focus is achieved. Manual AE lock can be activated with AE lock button in all metering modes.
• Multiple exposures - Maximum of 9 multiple exposures per frame, can be canceled and reset at any time; automatically resets after all multiple exposures have been taken.
• Focusing Modes - One Shot Autofocus (AF stops when focus is achieved); AI Servo Autofocus (tracks subject movement up to the start of exposure); Manual Focusing (enabled with the focusing ring when the lens focus mode is set to M). Electronic manual focusing duriong continuous shooting and exposure is enabled with the PB-E2 and NP-E2 battery packs. Focusing point displayed in viewfinder, plus in-focus indicator and beep.
• Autofocus Focusing Points - 4; any one focusing point can be selected.
• Viewfinder - 100% coverage (20mm eye relief); 0.72x magnification; built-in diopter from -3 to +1; built-in viewfinder shutter.
• Viewfinder Information Display - Within image area: AF area ellipse, focusing points, center spot metering circle; Below image area display: Shutter speed, aperture, manual exposure setting, AE lock, flash ready light, unsuitable FE lock warning, high-speed sync indicator, FE lock, bulb mode active, focusing point selection mode, depth of field AE, exposure compensation, in-focus indicator; Right of image area display: exposure level scale, exposure level indicator, flash exposure level, frame counter, frame count down indicator.
• Focusing Screens - Interchangeable focusing screens (9 different types). Standard focusing screen model Ec-CIII.
• Exposure Modes - Program AE, Shutter Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, Depth of field AE, E-TTL Program Flash AE, A-TTL Program Flash AE, TTL Program Flash AE, Manual Mode, Bulb Mode.
• Metering Modes - TTL maximum aperture metering with a 21-zone silicon photocell. Evaluative metering (linkable to any focus point), Partial metering (approximately 8.5% of viewfinder at center, Center spot metering (approximately 2.4% of the viewfinder at center), Focusing point linked spot metering (approximately 2.4% of viewfinder), Multi-spot metering (maximum of 8 spot metering entries), Center-weighted average metering.
• Metering Range - EV 0-20 for all metering modes.
• ISO Film Speed Range - ISO 6 to 6400, automatically set with DX-coded film at ISO 25-5000.
• Exposure Compensation - Autoexposure bracketing +/- 3 stops in 1/3 stop increments. Manual exposure compensation up to +/- 3 stops in 1/3 stop increments set with quick control dial. AEB and manual exposure compensation can be set together.
• AE Lock - Auto AE lock operates in One Shot AF mode with evaluative metering when focus is achieved. Manual AE lock can be activated with AE lock button in all metering modes.
• Multiple exposures - Maximum of 9 multiple exposures per frame, can be canceled and reset at any time; automatically resets after all multiple exposures have been taken.
• Focusing Modes - One Shot Autofocus (AF stops when focus is achieved); AI Servo Autofocus (tracks subject movement up to the start of exposure); Manual Focusing (enabled with the focusing ring when the lens focus mode is set to M). Electronic manual focusing duriong continuous shooting and exposure is enabled with the PB-E2 and NP-E2 battery packs. Focusing point displayed in viewfinder, plus in-focus indicator and beep.
• Autofocus Focusing Points - 45; any one focusing point can be selected.
• Film Advance - Automatic. Single frame and 3,5 FPS continuous shooting. 3 PS low speed continuous and 6 FPS high speed continuous with PB-E2 battery pack installed. 10 FPS with NP-E2 battery pack installed.
• Film Rewind - Automatic, 8 seconds for 36 exposure roll. Silent rewind available, 12 seconds per 36 exposure roll. Mid-roll rewind possible.
• Information imprinting with standard camera back - Any number from 00 to 99 and film No. from 001 to 999.
• Shooting Data - When a picture is taken, shooting data is recorded in built-in memory and can be transferred to a computer for viewing and editing.
• Camera Flash - Hot shoe with direct contacts (x-sync); PC terminal on right-hand bottom (threaded); E-TTL autoflash, A-TTL autoflash, TTL autoflash capable.
• Custom Functions - 20
• Personal Functions - 3 custom function groups can be registered.
• Remote Control - Remote control and data transfer terminal provided (waterproof and dustproof caps provided).
• Power Supply - One 2CR5 lithium battery. Battery packs available.
• Dimensions - 160 x 120 x 71mm
• Weight - 945g (33 oz) body only.

Key Features

As mentioned, the Canon EOS 1V is the pinnacle of Canon's pro-spec SLRs. It therefore contains all of the best technologies that the company had come up with to that point in time.

It was built to an incredible standard of robustness; a durable metal chassis and magnesium alloy outer body shell make it one of the most reliable cameras ever made. Its controls are extensive and arranged in an intelligent and natural way. The auto-focus system is unbeaten by competitors. It has predictive auto-focus that's capable of almost 9 FPS with the PB-E2 battery pack attached. The advanced metering system from the EOS 3 (an improvement over the EOS 1 that preceded the EOS 1v) has been included. The shutter can reach speeds of 1/8000 of a second. The viewfinder is perfect. It's weather sealed and dustproof. It has every shooting mode, every metering mode, and every focus mode. It has everything.

Lens Compatability

Cameras are useless without good lenses. Thus, Canon's EOS 1V is far from useless. The entire range of Canon's EF mount lenses (for full frame cameras) can be used on the EOS 1V. This makes it a fantastic film camera for today's digital Canon shooter. If you've already got a suite of lenses for your full frame Canon EOS DSLR and want to add a film camera to the stable, the EOS 1V is a perfect choice. It does not work with crop-sensor lenses (Canon EF-s or EF-m), however.

But, wait. Let's not move on so quickly. The lens selection shouldn't be understated. Canon's EF mount is one of the most popular camera mounts in history, and over the last thirty-odd years, Canon (along with many other manufacturers) have created countless lenses for these cameras. There's a perfect lens out there for every Canon EF shooter, and plenty within every budget (used and new).

This, to me, is one of the great strengths of the EOS system. We can buy a single set of lenses and use them interchangeably with our film camera and digital camera. That's efficient and clean.

Ergonomics and Use

If you've used a DSLR in your life then you'll be familiar with the handling of the EOS 1V.

There's an ample rubber-coated hand grip and a protruding thumb rest which helps with balance, though even with this grip the camera and whatever lens is attached are so heavy that two-handed operation is a must. Two strap lugs allow attachment of a strap. They're on the top, and they're big.

All of the camera's buttons and dials (with the exception of the depth of field preview on the front) are intelligently arrayed on the top plate and the back of the camera. The shutter release sits just ahead of the primary control dial, which allows adjustment of the most important shot parameters depending on our selected mode. There's a convenient exposure compensation button, which I use extensively since I prefer shooting in aperture priority AE mode, and the autofocus controls are easily within reach. The less often used controls are relegated to the left hand side of the top plate, ready when you need them, but out of the way when we're just here to shoot photos.

One lacking control that I do miss is a secondary control dial on the rear of the camera. Many cameras prior to, during, and since the launch of the EOS 1V have a control dial under the index finger and another on the back that can be manipulated with the thumb. It's a very natural way of controlling shutter speed and aperture, or a primary control and exposure compensation. The EOS 1V lacks this secondary dial and instead uses Canon's typical circular wheel. Though definitely a nitpick, this circular wheel has never felt right to me. It's too large and too low, and it's just not as fast or natural to use compared to the two-dial operation of many other SLRs/DSLRs/mirrorless cameras. With use, it becomes closer to second nature. But it's not perfect.

I also dislike the location of the On/Off switch, positioned as it is just below the film door on the mid-left of the camera. Feels weird.

Adjustment of tertiary parameters can be affected by holding two buttons in unison. For example, holding the mode button and the AF button allows us to access the bracketing mode, which we can then adjust with the control dial. Holding the metering button and the AF button allows us to adjust the ISO. It's a pretty elegant solution to the problem of fitting so much functionality into a camera without cluttering it up with excessive controls. I love it.

Pressing the AF select button on the back of the camera highlights the AF point in the viewfinder in bright red. After that single press, we can adjust the AF point side to side with the dial and up and down with the control wheel. It is fast and efficient, and we can do all of this without removing our eye from the viewfinder. The AE lock is prominent on the back, perfectly placed. There's a film type window on the back door, a super informative LCD display on top, and a light which illuminates this panel at the press of a button.

I've mentioned it already, maybe twice, but the viewfinder of the EOS 1V is perfect. Not only is it enormous and bright, but the camera's electronic controls are implemented intelligently within the finder. For example, when we select a particular control, let's say exposure compensation, all of the other information drops away while we adjust exposure comp. The full information display returns once we've adjusted exposure comp and half press the shutter release button. This happens whenever we're adjusting any control outside of aperture or shutter speed.

The camera doesn't limit our control. In aperture priority mode, for example, if I adjust my aperture and then decide that I want the shutter to stay open a little longer than the camera deems appropriate, I need only scroll the shutter speed wheel to adjust exposure time. The camera considers this to be the same as adjusting the exposure compensation setting directly, and displays both the new shutter speed and the exposure compensation amount in the viewfinder. Other cameras would not allow us to adjust the shutter, or demand that we use the dedicated exposure comp control. The Canon knows what we're trying to achieve and gives us a couple of different ways to get there - we can use whichever feels most natural.

Closing Thoughts

I could go on and on about the nuts and bolts of this thing. It has it all, and I could spend thousands of words dissecting all of the individual ways that it helped me make a good photo, all of the ways that it's a better camera than this other camera, or that other camera. But I'm not sure how valuable that would be to the reader.

As I sit here holding the Canon EOS 1V in my hand I find myself struggling to think of a way to make this review interesting. The EOS 1V is very nearly a perfect camera. It does everything right, and nothing wrong. I can't write a punchy headline about how it failed me, or that it's over- or under-rated. For the money, and this camera is surprisingly-priced at around $600, there is no better, more capable film camera. The Canon EOS 3 is similar and costs less, but it's made out of plastic and it's not as reliable (Canon says the EOS 3 was capable of 100,000 shutter cycles compared with the 1V's 150,000). Nikon's professional level F6 comes almost immeasurable close to matching the EOS 1V, but the Nikon costs almost double.

Okay, perfection is impossible and the EOS 1V is no exception. Some of the buttons are small and tricky to find without looking. It's a little on the heavy side. The lenses aren't cheap. $600 is still a lot of money. And it's a bit "middle-aged-dad at Disneyland" in the looks department.

Then again, I'm a dad, almost middle-aged, and I love Disneyland. And I'm pretty sure I love the Canon EOS 1V, too.

Buy your own Canon EOS 1V on eBay here

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[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

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Getting Started in Film Photography – What Camera Should You Buy?

There's a whole new generation of would-be film photographers who want to explore their creative side by shooting film. Some have friends who can point them in the right direction, but for all the rest… you have Casual Photophile. In this article we're answering the first question that most new shooters ask - Which camera should I buy?

There are a multitude of YouTube channels dedicated to film photography, including ours, and it's easy for new shooters to become overwhelmed by the barrage of ideas and opinions. Everyone has a favorite film camera, and a lot of the opinions on YouTube and elsewhere don't take into account the needs and perspective of people who are totally new to the hobby.

The aim of this article, therefore, is to speak directly to newcomers in a frank and honest way. No hype. No brand worship. No aspirational nonsense asserting that you need a Leica, Mamiya 7, or a Hasselblad X Pan.

We're here to tell you, depending on your needs and budget, which camera to buy. Every camera on this list will cost no more than $100 from a reputable camera shop (often far cheaper on eBay), will be reliable, and will do everything a newcomer needs their first film camera to do.

For Those Who Want to Simply Point, and Shoot!

The period between 1990 and 2002 was the high point for 35mm film cameras. Even entry-level point-and-shoot cameras were amazing - full of high tech features, reliable electronics, and great lenses. These pocket cameras had autofocus, zoom lenses and ran off of small and inexpensive batteries. Every major manufacturer made them by the tens of thousands and they sold just as many - the result today is that the used market is overflowing with great point and shoot cameras.

If you're the type of new film shooter who wants to achieve the gorgeous look of film photographs without diving headfirst into learning all about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and the complicated math of exposure using a manual or semi-auto camera, then you need an advanced point and shoot.

Here are three point and shoot film cameras that make amazing images with zero effort. They're reliable, effective, and cost less than $100.

Pentax IQ Zoom Series Cameras (also known as Espio series cameras)

This series of point and shoot cameras was covered in 2020 by our fearless leader, James, in his article headlined Ten Great Point and Shoot Cameras from $25 to $99 and for good reason. Pentax build solid, dependable cameras, and they always have. And their range of point and shoots (called IQ Zoom and Espio, depending on the country in which where they're sold) come in many varieties. Most of them have high spec auto-focus and zoom lenses - some are even waterproof.

Pentax made their name by giving the photography enthusiast the right tools for their needs and that was prevalent with their offerings in the point and shoot market. If someone tells you there’s a Pentax for everyone, that could very well be true.

Another big bonus - they're cheap. If you've budgeted $100 to launch into film, you can buy a great IQ Zoom camera and still have money for a roll of film and a coffee.

[Find a Pentax IQ Zoom on eBay here]

Olympus Trip XB AF 44 (also known as Olympus Trip XB 41 AF / Olympus Trip XB 40 AF / Olympus Trip XB 400)

Olympus were also a company that gave the photography enthusiast the tools they needed. They were also responsible for perhaps the greatest ad campaign in history when renowned photographer David Bailey led the ads for the Olympus Trip. That campaign sold Ten Million Cameras. However, the resurgence in popularity of the original mighty little Trip has put it over our budget, and don't even look at the price of an Olympus Mju…. Seriously… Don’t.

We chose the successor to that pocket powerhouse, the Olympus Trip XB AF range. For less than $100 the Trip XB AF range of cameras is equally as capable as the original Mju and substantially cheaper. With their fine Zuiko lenses the TRIP XB AF range have enough bells and whistles to make them a joy to use.

Best of all they're dead simple, making the Olympus a great choice for people who really want to point and shoot, and nothing more. Put batteries in, load the film and have fun.

[Find an Olympus XB on eBay here]

Canon Sure Shot Series

The Canon Sure Shot series sold an incredible number of units throughout the '90s and into the 2000s. In fact, a Canon Sure Shot was the last Canon film camera ever made (the Canon Sure Shot 90UII was designed and released as late as 2005). Canon began the Sure Shot range with solid dependable cameras with great lenses, and they added features and technology over the next 20 years.

Today you can buy an advanced spec Canon Sure Shot for between $50 and $100 and it will simply work until the Photography Gods commend its long and distinguished service with a seat in Camera Heaven. When the human race wipes itself out, a cockroach will be taking pictures of what we leave behind using a Canon Sure Shot.

I suggest buying one of the models from the '90s or 2000s. These will be from the "U" range of Sure Shots (examples; Sure Shot 90U, Sure Shot 120U, etc.). The larger the number (usually) the longer the zoom lens. And all of these will have user controls for long exposure, flash photography modes, self-timers, and more. They're among the more advanced point and shoots you'll find.

[Find a Canon Sure Shot on eBay here]

For Those Who Want Creative Control

We've given you a few options to explore if you're just looking to point and shoot. But what if you want to get a little more serious about photography? Beginners with this mindset need an SLR camera, and they really should buy a modern SLR with autofocus, auto-exposure, semi-auto modes, and all the other helping hands that come with an SLR film camera from the 1990s and 2000s. The problem is that Japanese camera companies were making 35mm SLRs for sixty years, and when it comes time to buy one it can get pretty confusing!

Here are three great model ranges that will work just like a modern DSLR, except these shoot film!

Minolta Maxxum 5 (also known as Dynax 5)

Minolta may not be a household name these days, but throughout the 1960s and '70s they made a grea tmany popular cameras, and in the late 1980s to early 1990s they became a dominant force in Japanese SLRs competing toe to toe with Canon and Nikon for a time. One of their best mid-level models of the autofocus era was the Minolta Maxxum 5 (Dynax 5 in Europe) and you can buy one with a decent 35-70mm zoom lens for less than $75 today.

This camera has everything a modern digital camera has in terms of settings, auto focus, auto aperture, auto shutter and computer-aided scene modes. At the time this camera was unleashed upon the film photography community it was an advanced enthusiast grade camera that punched way above its class in every way.

This camera performs as well as any professional grade camera and will have your photos looking amazing with very little effort. It uses Minolta A Mount lenses, which are stellar performers, cheap and cheerful too.

[Find a Minolta Maxxum on eBay here]

Canon EOS Rebel XS / EOS Kiss / EOS 500

Another plastic fantastic that shoots above its class is the Canon EOS Rebel XS, also called the Kiss in Asia and the EOS 500 in Europe. Designed for the enthusiast, the Rebel has a range of automatic and programmable modes designed to assist the photographer to get the best exposures they can. Another model that shoots just like today's digital cameras, it'll feel comfortable for anyone who's used a DSLR.

This is another camera that sold by the ship load. A decent example today with a mid-range zoom lens generally sells for around $75-100. Shopping around has seen some bargains to be had. My pal Keith bought a Canon EOS 300V with two lenses for less than £50. (That’s around $65 at time of writing) The Rebel uses Canon’s lauded EF mount lenses, ensuring a good supply of decent used lenses is never too far away at a reasonable price - and if you're a Canon DSLR user, many of the lenses will swap over!

[Find Canon EOS on eBay here]

Nikon F50 / F55 / F60 / F65

Just like the Minolta and Canon listed above, the Nikon F50/55/65 range of cameras were designed for mid-level photographers in the heyday of film. They have the familiar feel that I have come to love about my Nikon DSLRs. The F55 and F65 in particular have very similar controls to my Nikon D90.

A good example with a pair of lenses can be had for a bargain price if you are willing to shop around. I have seen an F55 with a Nikon 28-100mm zoom lens on sale for around $65 online that will quite happily give whoever bought it a good decade of joy and excellent pictures.

They are solid and dependable, underneath the plastic case is a metal chassis that everything is fixed onto giving the user peace of mind that it has can handle a wide range of conditions. They use Nikon’s excellent AF Nikkor D and G range of lenses and cheap Batteries.

[Find a Nikon F-series camera on eBay here]

The Camera That I Chose - Pentax Spotmatic

Now, this last suggestion won't be for everyone, and it's included here more for conversation than as a real suggestion for brand new film users. But when I came back to film after a fifteen year hiatus, I had to pick just one camera. All I wanted was a basic mechanical camera that had a light meter. No fancy bells and whistles, I just wanted to learn how to take a photo and I didn’t have a lot of money to spend. (I’m still working on taking a good photo.) The camera that I settled on was a Pentax Spotmatic.

The Spotmatic range consists of interchangeable lens 35mm film SLR cameras with an M42 lens mount and a choice of lenses that is mind boggling to this day. It is a fully mechanical camera with a simple match needle light meter that is visible through the viewfinder. The battery is only needed for the light meter to function.

But I really should emphasize that this camera does not feature any shooting aids (beyond a light meter) nor autofocus or semi-auto or full auto exposure. And it's a bit archaic. Thus, I can only recommend this camera for those who want to dive in and really learn about photography in an old school way.

When looking for yours, be sure to buy from a reputable camera shop online, or from a seller who guarantees the camera to work.

[Find a Pentax Spotmatic on eBay here]

Buyer's Guide and Final Thoughts

This guide is for those new shooters who want to try film, but are put off by the suggestion that they need a super-expensive or super-niche film camera. We think the cameras in this article will give folk new to photography a decent start whatever their level of experience and confidence.

The only caveat we have is to make sure you know the camera you buy is working properly, has a guarantee if at all possible and is clean and presentable. The best way to ensure this is to buy from a reputable camera shop.

Ebay can be a minefield of turds dressed up as diamonds so give thought to buying from a reputable retailer. No doubt our fearless leader James will put a link to his shop at the end of this article, where you can pick up a decent 35mm film camera for a very reasonable price, but there are many excellent shops doing great work to spread the joy of cameras and photography - Brooklyn Film Camera, Blue Moon Camera, and many more.

There's a camera out there for everyone. All you need to do is determine your budget and your needs and we are confident you won't go wrong with any of our choices today. Happy shooting!

Browse for a film camera on eBay

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[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

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NONS SL660, an Interchangeable Lens SLR for Instax Square Film, Now on Kickstarter

An instant camera from NONS which is now funding on Kickstarter will allow photographers to create sharpness and bokeh on Instax Square film with Canon EF, M42, Nikon F, Pentax K, and Contax/Yashica mount lenses.

The NONS SL660, as it is named, is an interchangeable-lens SLR instant film camera that works with Fujifilm instax Square Film and allows photographers creative control that's lacking in all Fujifilm-made and Polaroid-made instant cameras today.

It's natively fitted with a Canon EF lens mount (passive) and is fully compatible with EF lens. By using adapters it's also possible to use lenses of M42, Nikon F, Pentax K, Contax/Yashica, and even medium format mount.

In addition to this lens versatility, the NONS SL660 offers full manual control of the lens aperture and shutter speed, as well as bulb mode for long exposures, multiple exposures, and a hot shoe for flash photography (synch at 1/250th). The NONS SL66 also has a light meter to ensure accurate exposures for people who aren't perfectly comfortable shooting in full manual mode (metering by eye).

The camera is a true SLR with a big bright viewfinder, making manual focus and precise focus possible (again, something that's lacking in all of the current instant cameras from the major manufacturers). The viewfinder has been formulated to offer complete coverage of the image area, and the camera itself has optical elements built into the camera to ensure that vignetting on the final image is kept to a minimum (this was a problem on NONS first interchangeable lens SLR, the Instax Mini format NONS SL42). These elements ensure that lenses made for 35mm film cameras will expose all or most of the larger image area of Instax Square film.

It's made out of aluminum (at least the front plate is - the film processing part is plastic), and it's got a wooden handle. Premium!

Full Specifications of the NONS SL66

• Passive EF mount (no electronic signal to auto-focus or adjust electric control aperture)
• Shutter Speed (10 modes): 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1 second and Bulb mode
• Recommended F/# based on current shutter speed
• Counter up to 999 seconds when using bulb mode
• Film counter and battery status display
• Standard hot shoe, flash sync to 1/250
• Power supply: 3200mAh internal Li-ion battery. Input: DC 5V, 1A
• Film: Fujifilm instax square film
• Film size: 72 x 86 mm (width x height)
• Picture size: 62 x 62 mm (width x height)
• Mechanical dimension: 135 x 131 x 92 mm (width x height x depth)
• Weight: 850 g
• Package: Camera body, USB Type-A to Type-C cable, Manual

My Take

I wrote an article introducing the NONS SL42 many years ago, when that camera was Kickstarter. It was a similar device to the new SL660, but I wasn't totally sold on it mostly because of the vignetting and the limitations inherent in the Instax Mini format (that film is too small to care about image quality). The SL660, however, addresses both of these complaints.

Instax Square is the best instant film available today, as I mentioned in this review. I think it strikes the best balance between image quality, physical dimensions, and importantly, price. It's cheaper than Polaroid film and better looking, even if it is physically slightly smaller. And the fact that the new SL660 will not vignette in most situations is a big plus.

If I can make images as nice as the sample images provided to me by NONS, I will indeed be buying this camera. It seems to finally offer everything I need - the right format, the creative control, a decent price (at approximately $445 USD this is all relative - this is about as "professional" as an instant camera gets in 2022). And I think it would be great fun to experiment with all sorts of lenses produced in the past sixty-odd years.

Why am I so excited to use a tilt-shift lens on this thing?

I should mention the usual Kickstarter caveat. I've backed about ten projects on Kickstarter over the years and I believe six of them have delivered on their promise. NONS has a track record of success in this area, and the project is funded already. This, and their experience with the SL42, leads me to suggest that anyone interested in backing the project need not worry that it become vaporware. If you want a NONS SL660 and back it, you'll get it.

NONS has told me that I'll get a hands on with the SL660 closer to launch and I'll be sure to provide granular detail of my use and results. You can wait and see until then or you can back the project on Kickstarter now.

Find an instant camera on eBay

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[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post NONS SL660, an Interchangeable Lens SLR for Instax Square Film, Now on Kickstarter appeared first on Casual Photophile.

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The Ten Best Electronic 35mm SLR’s Ever Made

When I wrote our Ten Best Mechanical SLRs Ever Made article, I almost immediately knew I had to follow it with a Ten Best Electronic SLRs Ever Made article. This was followed by a hint of excitement, which was then tempered by a big helping of dread and anxiety. We are, after all, talking about the most popular, well-known, and most diverse segment of film cameras out there. Everybody’s going to have an opinion.

So before we get started, let’s establish some ground rules. The electronic 35mm SLR category encompasses any 35mm SLR whose exposure capabilities are aided by electronics. This can range from something like the humble, aperture-priority-only Nikon EM to the autofocus-equipped, armed-with-every-mode-ever Minolta A7. That’s as varied as it gets.

It is this category’s extraordinary variety that makes this list so difficult, yet so exciting to organize. I ended up having to ask myself some rather serious questions about cameras and list-making in general. What really, and I mean really , makes a camera (or anything) great? Is it their stat sheet and groundbreaking tech, or is it the beauty of their execution of existing tech? Is it their sales figures or their historical importance? Is it what the camera is objectively, or is it how that camera made you feel?

Each camera on this list revealed to me a different answer to every one of those questions. To other shooters, other cameras may hold different answers still. This isn’t an objectively perfect Top 10 list, but these are my and I’m sticking with them. Do check my answers you'll find links to reviews of each of these cameras in the paragraphs below each.

Let’s get into it.

Nikon F3

I should start this by saying that this list isn’t intended to be sequential. Every one of these cameras are about as good at helping you make images, are as interesting, and are as worthy of your love and attention as each other. But heaven help you if you thought that I wasn’t going to put the Nikon F3 first, even symbolically.

Sure, the F3 is hyped up by literally everybody (including myself). Sure, it’s not as capable as any pro-spec autofocus SLR. Sure, it’s nearly functionally similar to nearly any bare-bones electronic SLR. And yes, the LCD display sucks and the AE lock button sometimes aggravates my carpal tunnel. I know – it’s not perfect.

But look at it, just for a second. Look upon its Italian, Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed body, with its sharp, defined lines terminating in a soft curve accented by the now-iconic Nikon red stripe. Look into the viewfinder and enjoy brightness and eye-relief beyond compare. Marvel at the accuracy and utility of its uncommon 80/20 center-weighted meter, and watch in awe as it works in immaculate concert with its aperture-priority mode. And press the shutter button and listen to its crisp chirp, feel the smooth ratchet of its perfectly-engineered, ball-bearing mounted, self lubricating advance lever, and frame the next shot with joy and inspiration in your heart. It’s not perfect, but God, it’s close.

Now, I'm only being slightly facetious. The Nikon F3 really is a beautiful, historically important, and still-relevant machine that has occupied its lofty place in camera history from the day it was released in March 1980. It was Nikon’s last professional manual focus camera, and may still even be its greatest. It enjoyed an incredible twenty year production run from 1980-2000 and remains an incredible camera even in the 2020’s, owing to its sleek lines, spartan charm, and easy usability. I recommend it to those shooters who are loyal to 35mm, the SLR genre, and good design as a whole. Even after all the hype, the Nikon F3 is still one of the best there ever was.

[Get a Nikon F3 on eBay here]

Nikon FA

I know what you’re thinking. This is a top 10 list for all electronically-controlled SLR’s, and we’re giving Nikon two spots? Is that really what we’re doing?

Yes. That is, in fact, what we’re doing.

That’s because our next camera is Nikon’s most advanced manual focus camera ever, and a camera that is likely more influential than any in their entire roster – the Nikon FA, otherwise known as the Technocamera.

The FA makes this list for two reasons – its influence, and its still-astonishing usability. For one, the FA’s emphasis on technology over pure pro-spec performance should sound familiar – it is one of the familiar plays of the “advanced amateur” camera and one that carries on to this day. Sure, the Minolta X-series and Canon A-series did this first, but the FA is arguably the genre’s greatest exponent. It blew all those other electronic manual focus cameras out of the water with its pioneering technology, matrix metering, which was the first to utilize a computer to analyze a given scene to produce a meter reading. Any doubters to the FA’s influence need not look further than their own digital camera – matrix metering (or evaluative metering) is likely the default metering mode.

Perhaps the greatest attribute of the FA is that it utilized its incredibly complicated technology just to make everything easier for any level of shooter. Shooting an FA is simplicity in manual focus form – just focus, shoot, and you’ll get a perfect image. I recommend it highly for anybody looking for just one SLR body to grow with (provided, of course, that you find one that works).

[Get a Nikon FA on eBay here]

Olympus OM-4Ti

But that’s enough of looking at this list through Nikon multi-coated glasses. If you’re tired of hearing me squawk about how cool Nikon is, how about this – there’s a camera that might be better than the both the FA and the F3, and it’s not a Nikon. It’s the Olympus OM4-Ti.

Those who remember 1983’s Olympus OM4 remember a camera that may have been the most advanced, and smallest, professional-level SLR of its day. It crammed all of Olympus’ most advanced technologies into a shock and weather-resistant chassis the size of a Leica-M camera. It featured the world’s first multi-spot meter (which could take a spot reading from eight different segments of the frame), as well as their famous off-the-film-plane style of metering, which ensured an incredible amount of metering accuracy. Whereas the FA took care of everything for the user, the OM4 gave the user ultimate control over the exposure, and to a degree arguably finer than even the Nikon F3. And similar to the F3, the OM-4 enjoyed an incredibly long production life spanning from 1987 to 2002 in its now-famous Ti form.

If we’re talking absolute endgame cameras, never mind the greatest electronic 35mm SLR’s of all time, the Olympus OM-4 ranks near the top. This is the camera that best represents Olympus’ philosophy of quality, compact design, and technological ingenuity. I heartily recommend the OM4-Ti, the titanium-clad version of this camera, as they are the easiest to find in stellar condition.

[Get an Olympus OM4 on eBay here]

Minolta XD (XD-7, XD-11)

Even though this is a list of The Greatest, I despise the GOAT (greatest of all time) debate, in any form. If I have to hear Stephen A. Smith get into a shouting match with some other weird talking head about lEbRoN jAmEs I may just lose it. Aside from the tendency of GOAT arguments to devolve into obnoxious rants made to harvest hate clicks and provoke engagement-at-all-costs, it’s that the argument often fails to take into account the limitations of the knowledge and the changing values of the time of any athlete, artist, or whoever. Bjorn Borg never had the chance to play with a graphite tennis racquet, polyester strings, and years of sports science research; Rafa Nadal never had to play with a wooden racquet, natural gut strings, and in a time where smoke breaks were a thing.

Considering this, a camera like the Minolta XD becomes even more remarkable in hindsight. Released in the olden days of 1977, the Minolta XD became the very first multimode SLR at a time when such things did not exist. I can’t stress that enough – nobody had even seen a camera that could perform both aperture and shutter priority duties with a flick of a switch until this camera came along. Just like we wouldn’t have had Kobe Bryant or LeBron James without Michael Jordan, we wouldn’t have the FA, the OM4-Ti, the Canon A-1, or practically any multi-mode camera in history without the Minolta XD. It’s that important.

Now before anybody hurls a tomato at me and accuses me of picking cameras purely on historical relevance, I will remind you that this is the Minolta freakin’ XD we’re talking about. This is, to this day, one of the finest shooting manual focus SLR’s ever made. It was perhaps the best child of the union between Minolta and Leitz (yes, that Leitz), and features the best combination of the former’s technological wizardry and the latter’s elegance in design. While not as well equipped as the later Nikon FA or Olympus OM4-Ti, the Minolta XD still holds a distinct edge in shooting layout and build quality. Its Acute Matte focusing screen is the same found in Hasselblad cameras, its controls are snappy and smooth, and if obtained in the black trim, you get a black chrome Leitz-approved finish. It is also, in my opinion, the most elegantly designed of the compact manual focus SLRs on this list. It may not be the greatest of all time, but its greatness transcends that tired moniker.

[Get a Minolta XD on eBay here]

Canon A-1

While the Minolta XD came sprinting out of the gates first in the photographic technological arms race of the late 70’s, there was a rival following close behind. It was clad in all black enamel, cut a Darth Vader-esque figure, and packed one key technology that the XD was too timid to give an official name to - programmed auto-exposure. It’s Canon’s finest creation from their manual focus FD mount days, the Canon A-1.

More than most other cameras of its ilk, the Canon A-1 is emblematic of the hyper-technological advanced amateur segment. It’s covered in the technology of the day, most importantly becoming the first camera to feature shutter priority, aperture priority, manual override, AND programmed autoexposure in one body (note: the rival Minolta XD does technically have a program mode, but it’s not as explicitly stated as it is on the A-1). The feature list goes on longer than Too $hort's music career, and includes an exposure lock, an exposure compensation dial, an extended range of manually selectable shutter speeds from 2 to 30 seconds, a viewfinder shutter, double exposure capability, and discrete dials for each shooting mode. Yes, this may contribute to a cluttered control interface, but it’s a small price to pay when the entire photographic world is just a switch away.

I can practically hear the furious keystrokes of Canon AE-1 owners in the comment section. Why the A-1 over the obviously more important AE-1? It’s simple – it’s a better camera. The A-1 does everything the AE-1 and AE-1 Program can do. It also does more, does it better, and most importantly, does it cheaper.

[Get a Canon A1 on eBay here]

Canon AE-1

But even all that said, I can’t in good conscience leave the Canon AE-1 out. It’s the VW Bug, the Coca-Cola, the Fender Stratocaster of electronic SLR’s. It’s also the reason the consumer-focused electronic SLR segment even exists.

Just like we did with the Minolta XD, we have to consider what the photographic world was like before the AE-1. Before it, the amateur SLR market consisted of bulky bare bones cameras that were often simplified versions of their professional counterparts. Although these were often very good cameras in their own right, they painted the entire SLR format as something reserved only for professionals, while amateurs were largely better off with fixed lens rangefinders or viewfinder cameras.

The introduction of the automated Canon AE-1 in 1976 completely shattered the popular preconception of what an SLR should be. It was small, lightweight, and due to its groundbreaking microprocessor-powered shutter priority mode, incredibly easy to shoot – in short, the opposite of what an SLR was. It sold like no other SLR before it, eventually selling 5.7 million units worldwide. The AE-1 proved so popular that it opened up an entirely new consumer-focused amateur SLR segment in the market, and paved the way for every automated SLR to come afterwards.

Though I will always pick the more fully featured A-1 over the AE-1 and the later AE-1 Program from a shooter’s perspective (and have actually spoken ill of said cameras in an infamous article), I will admit there is a certain charm to shooting an AE-1. It’s practically a rite of passage as a beginner; millions of shooters experienced SLR photography for the first time through its viewfinder. It isn’t the best camera on this list, but it’s certainly the most important, and is still a fine shooter for any class of photographer.

[Get a Canon AE1 on eBay here]

Pentax LX

James once called the Pentax LX “The Best Professional 35mm Camera.” I remember holding my Nikon F3 kind of like how this lady holds Kevin Hart. I later realized I didn’t do this out of skepticism; I did it because it was probably true.

Fitting for the Pentax design ethos, the Pentax LX is maybe the most unassuming of the pro-spec electronic SLRs of the day (this is, of course, the same company that gave us the Wonder Bread of cameras, the Pentax K1000). But similarly befitting of Pentax, it is the near flawless execution of the LX’s build and the thoughtfulness of its design that gives it its power.

In abbreviated terms (for the long form review, click here) the Pentax LX is what you’d get if you shrunk a Nikon F3, a Canon F-1 New, or a Minolta XK down to the size of an Olympus OM-series camera while somehow sacrificing none of those camera’s features. It features nine interchangeable viewfinders, ten different focusing screens, motor drive capabilities, and a TTL OTF metering system which controls a stellar aperture priority mode. While managing this, the LX still managed to surpass its competitors by adding a mechanical backup across five different shutter speeds, and by being uncommonly well sealed against the elements, making it shock and water resistant to a degree those other cameras would envy. No other pro-spec SLR, manual focus or autofocus, can lay claim to this kind of a spec sheet.

Best of all, it’s an incredibly user-friendly camera. Its small size and thoughtful control layout makes it perhaps the most ergonomically friendly camera to shoot on this list. And if you can find one, prepare to enjoy the best Pentax SLR body ever made.

[Get a Pentax LX on eBay here]

Leica R5

A few months ago, the Casual Photophile writers’ chat had a small debate about what their subjective perfect camera would be. I chimed in with, “Black Minolta XD with an exposure lock would be pretty near-perfect” James quickly reminded me that that camera already exists, only that it isn’t a Minolta XD. It’s the Leica R5.

The Leica R5 is often reductively considered a German Minolta XD on the juice, which is true to some degree. The R5 itself is based on the R4, Leica’s version of the Minolta XD, which was itself born out of a particularly interesting collaboration between Leica and Minolta, which you can read about here. The R4 took the XD and added an incredible metering system which, in aperture priority mode, can utilize both spot and center weighted metering, and officially added both an AE lock (in selective spot metering mode) and a program mode (!!). The R5 expounded on this by adding a wider shutter speed range (15s - 1/2000th of a second), TTL flash metering, and an even fancier program mode with a shift capability.\

Where the XD excelled in innovation and layout, the R5 excels in sheer build quality, shooting experience, and lens roster, and that’s saying something considering what I just wrote about the XD a few paragraphs before this. The R5 equipped with a 50mm Summicron is pure luxury in electronic 35mm SLR form, with every action streamlined, smooth, and of the very highest quality. You can’t expect less from a company like Leica.

[Get a Leica R5 on eBay here]

Contax RTS III

The camera which takes the penultimate spot on this list is, admittedly, my pick of the bunch. As much as I love my old faithful Nikon F3 and all of my Nikkor lenses, I have to give it up for the last great SLR of the manual focus age (barring the Nikon FM3a), the Contax RTS III.

The Contax RTS III is the platonic ideal of the manual focus electronic 35mm SLR segment. Released in 1990, it was one of the last of its kind due the mass shift towards autofocus SLRs. With the manual focus SLR’s last gasp, Contax perfected the form, bestowing their already beautiful RTS series of cameras with every piece of tech they could muster. The camera featured an incredible 32 - 1/8000th of a second shutter, an integrated motor drive that maxed out at 5 FPS, and a freakin’ vacuum film pressure plate for maximum film flatness (seriously, who does that??). Combine this with access to the entire roster of Zeiss C/Y mount lenses and it’s hard to think of a pound-for-pound more impressive SLR system.

Historically, the Contax RTS III can be seen as a swan song for the thirty odd years manual focus SLRs ruled the world. It combines the ease-of-use, flexibility, and raw capability of the later autofocus SLR’s with the elegant, concise control layout of old school manual focus cameras, and wraps it all up in the impeccable lines Contax is known for. For the manual focus faithful as well as Zeiss fanatics, it is the ultimate electronic SLR.

[Get a Contax RTS III on eBay here]

Canon EOS-1v

Seasoned readers of the site will likely have noticed our omission of autofocus 35mm SLR’s, a class of cameras objectively more capable than any on this list. This is intentional – I believe judging cameras purely on raw capability is just as shallow as judging athletes purely on final trophy count. Ichiro Suzuki, who maybe the greatest hitter to ever play baseball, never won a World Series and yet occupies a space among the legends. In the same way, I don’t think that cameras can simply be reduced to their picture-taking ability – there’s something more to them that we love.

With all that in mind, it might be surprising to pick the Canon EOS-1v as the representative for the roided-up autofocus SLR segment. It is not the statistical leader of the segment (that would be the Minolta A9), nor is it a personal favorite (that would be the Nikon F6). I do, however, think the EOS-1v is the epitome of the genre, has the best professional pedigree, and represents a culmination of technology in film photography as well as an important link to the digital future. The feature list is mind-boggling, so I’ll just list some of the greatest hits: 45-point autofocus, a shutter speed range from 30 seconds to 1/8000th of a second, 21-zone evaluative (matrix) metering, an 8.5% partial meter, 2.4% spot meter capable of multi-spot metering , and a centerweighted meter, and a 3 FPS motor drive, among other features. It was rugged and reliable, ergonomically near-perfect and distinctly modern in its design (it’s basically a 35mm Canon EOS-1D), and subsequently a favorite of professional photographers in the twilight of the film era.

The EOS-1v makes this list not only because of its capabilities, but because it is a camera that represents the link between the film and digital eras. The proof lies in two things – its design and its lens mount. The design of the EOS-1v foregrounded every modern Canon DSLR, and can be seen almost unchanged in cameras like the 5D Mk II and 1D. For my Nikonians out there, I’m sorry to say that history shows that Canon’s EF mount surpassed the F mount in the transition from film to digital. The EOS system became the de facto professional standard, with the “L” series of lenses becoming legendary in the modern era. Professionals who have already built up a formidable arsenal of EOS lenses can use Canon EOS-1v as a virtual 1:1 film version of Canon’s DSLR offerings, making it the most sensible choice for working professionals still interested in shooting 35mm. If it is pure performance you’re after, this is the camera to get.

[Get a Canon EOS 1v on eBay here]

Well, that’s the list. If you have another favorite mechanical SLR, let us know about it in the comments below.

You can find many classic SLR cameras in our shop, F Stop Cameras

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[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post The Ten Best Electronic 35mm SLR's Ever Made appeared first on Casual Photophile.

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The Canon AV-1 is a Better Canon AE-1 (For Me)

I don't get along with the Canon AE-1. Despite that venerable camera's historically groundbreaking design, despite its original unprecedented sales success, and despite its continued popularity today, I just don't like it. And I don't like it for exactly one reason; the Canon AE-1 is made to operate in shutter priority semi-auto mode (with manual override option), and as a photographer who almost exclusively shoots in aperture priority semi-auto I have tended to prefer cameras by camera makers that have prioritized this mode in their designs - namely, Minolta, Pentax, and (most of all) Nikon.

But I do love many things about the Canon AE-1, besides. It's a beautiful camera with excellent proportions, near-perfect controls, simplicity of design, a capable metering system, wonderful lenses, and a great viewfinder. Would it not lock me out of my preferred shooting mode it would indeed be a great fit in my hands.

Which is why I'm at least mildly interested in the Canon AV-1.

Lead Up to the AV-1

The 1970s saw an intense push by Japanese camera manufacturers to add computer automation into their 35mm SLR cameras. The biggest innovation of the decade was auto-exposure, a technology which allowed cameras to measure the light entering the camera's lens and automatically calculate the parameters of shutter speed or aperture to make a correct exposure.

Limitations in the computer technology of the day and the electro-mechanical nature of the machines of the early 1970s, however, meant that most of these new cameras could not calculate and automatically set both the lens aperture and camera's shutter speed. Instead, camera makers chose to have their cameras calculate one, or the other, and control that particular parameter in a semi-auto exposure mode.

To illustrate how this works, for those who don't know, we'll use the Canon AE-1, which was one of the first cameras to ever offer auto-exposure (this is, incidentally, where the camera gets its name - Auto-Exposure 1 ).

The user of an AE-1 sets the ISO dial of the camera to that of the film that's been loaded. Load some 400 ISO Ilford HP5 and spin the dial to 400. Easy enough. Next, the user simply selects the desired shutter speed for every shot, and when he or she presses the shutter release, the camera calculates the light streaming into the lens against the ISO and shutter speed values set by the user and selects the appropriate lens aperture which will result in a correct exposure.

These days, this is pretty basic stuff. But in 1976, when the AE-1 debuted, it signaled a big shift in what users could expect an SLR camera to deliver. From that moment on, every manufacturer raced to have the best auto-exposure mode (or modes).

Canon chose that their early auto-exposure cameras would focus on automatically calculating the lens aperture while leaving the user to choose shutter speed - hence the term shutter priority and the shutter priority Canon AE-1.

In 1977, the year following the launch of the AE-1, Minolta (ever the trailblazer) launched the first SLR with both aperture priority and shutter priority in a single camera with the Minolta XD11. Canon responded in 1978 with the A1, the first camera to offer both aperture priority, shutter priority, and full Program AE (a mode in which the camera calculates and automatically sets both aperture and shutter speed).

But even as the shutter priority Canon AE-1 was selling unprecedented numbers, according to Canon's camera museum, many users in the USA and Europe preferred the aperture priority modes found in the cameras of competing brands like Pentax, Nikon, and Minolta.

So they made their own 35mm film SLR which natively shot in aperture priority mode; the Canon AV-1.

What is the Canon AV-1?

The Canon AV-1 has been reductively described as "a Canon AE-1 that operates in aperture priority mode." And that's superficially correct. But that description misses some finer points. The Canon AV-1 is not exactly an AE-1 with a different mode. And despite this article's headline, which boldly states that the AV-1 is a better AE-1 (which is true, in a few ways) the AV-1 also lacks some features of the AE-1 that would make it inferior for some photographers.

But let's take a closer look. Three short paragraphs. That should do it.

The Canon AV-1 is just like the AE-1 in that it's body and chassis are almost identical in size and function. Manual film advance and rewind are controlled by the same knobs and levers. The shutter operates at identical speeds (though as you'll read shortly, the AV-1 has an edge). The viewfinders are practically identical in size, brightness, and the information which is displayed. Both cameras mount the same lenses (Canon FD), both use the same battery, and they both share the same metering methodology and sensitivity (center-weighted average, EV 1-18). Smaller details are shared as well. Briefly these include a backlight compensation button, AE lock button, an automatic film frame counter and memo tab.

But the Canon AV-1 is better than the AE-1 in at least a few ways. The first is that its automatic shutter is step-less. This means that the camera can calculate exposures not just to the nearest marked shutter speed (ie. 1/60th, 1/30th, 1/15th of a second, etc.) but to fractions of those times as well (ie. 1/50th, 1/20th, 1/13th of a second, etc.). And the greatest advantage the AV-1 has over the AE-1 is, of course, being able to shoot in aperture priority mode. I should also mention that the AV-1 has a much stronger batter door, a common (though hardly catastrophic) failure point on the AE-1 (and later A-1). Oh, and the AV-1 is comparatively inexpensive.

But let's also be clear that the Canon AV-1 is worse than the AE-1 in one major way; it lacks a manual mode. The Canon AV-1 can only shoot in aperture priority while the AE-1 allows shutter priority and full manual control. (The AV-1 does have a 1/60th of a second mode and bulb mode, but anyone who tells you that a single selectable shutter speed equates to manual controls is wildly overstating things.)

The Canon AV-1 Today

Shooting the Canon AV-1 is effortless and fluid. Simply frame our shot, manually focus with those smooth, beautiful Canon FD lenses, select the desired lens aperture for our desired depth of field, and fire. The camera does the rest and we make a great photo. It feels great in the hands, with beautiful proportions, a classic style, and nice heftiness. We can even hack exposure compensation by easily rotating the ISO dial from shot to shot, and the backlight compensation switch works great. So, yeah, it does a lot of things right.

Most important of these things done right is its native shooting mode. For photographers, like me, who care deeply about controlling our depth of field and drawing the viewers eye to this or that portion of a photo, the AV-1 is a really good Canon A-series camera. It allows us more creative control (as it pertains to depth of field) than the does the AE-1. We can also buy an AV-1 for half the cost of an AE-1, so that's something.

But on balance, the AV-1 isn't going to dethrone the Canon AE-1 as Canon's most popular (or best) 35mm film SLR. For a certain type of shooter, it could be a great choice. And for anyone, really, it's a great camera. But it's not the best.

I headlined this article with the idea that the Canon AV-1 is a better Canon AE-1 (for me), and it is. But I'll admit that that headline is a bit clickbait-y. It's true that I do, indeed, prefer the Canon AV-1 over the AE-1. But if I really wanted a classic 1970s Canon to shoot in my preferred aperture priority mode, I'd skip both the AE-1 and AV-1 alike and buy the best A-series camera that Canon ever made. I'd buy the Canon A-1.

Buy the Canon AV-1 on eBay here

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[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post The Canon AV-1 is a Better Canon AE-1 (For Me) appeared first on Casual Photophile.

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Nikon FE2 – (Almost) My Favorite Nikon SLR

After seven years of running this site and shooting a new camera every week, I know the type of film camera that I like. Gone are the days when I pined for the rarest rangefinder, or drooled over whichever medium-format camera du jour was currently reverberating within the echo chamber of film photography YouTube.

My ideal film camera is exactly this - a compact, 35mm single lens reflex camera with aperture priority semi-automatic shooting mode, plus exposure compensation, a nice viewfinder, and with manual focus and film advance. And since I've unintentionally become something of a Nikon collector, it's helpful (though not necessary) if the camera's font reads "Nikon." If my tastes sound like yours, you may like the camera that I've been shooting for the past two months. It's the Nikon FE2.

What is the Nikon FE2

In 1977 Nikon released the Nikon FM. This camera hit on a winning formula - the FM was a smaller, lighter, purpose-built camera compared to both Nikon's professional models and their earlier sub-professional cameras, the Nikkormat series. The FM was a pared back, all-mechanical camera with a versatile shutter, with a built-in light meter displayed in the big, bright viewfinder, and with obvious controls. Most importantly, it was constructed to a very high standard (immediately felt in its ball-bearing film transport and shutter).

Intending that the FM would be used by amateur photographers and enthusiasts, and as a back-up body for professionals, it was made intentionally absent of some of the pro-grade features found on their professional F series cameras - the FM lacked interchangeable prisms, there were fewer and less sophisticated accessories, and its fully manual controls were quickly upstaged with the release of Nikon's F3 in 1980 (which introduced aperture-priority auto-exposure).

Despite not being the most capable camera that Nikon offered at the time, the Nikon FM's combination of superb build, concise and focused design, and compactness struck a perfect balance for many photo-takers, and the camera became a massive success for Nikon. Enthusiasts loved it. Professionals loved it.

Nikon was quick to expand and improve upon the success which they'd found with the FM. In 1978, just one year after the FM's release, Nikon released the Nikon FE. This camera was, to put it simply, a Nikon FM with an added electronic shutter and aperture-priority mode. The core specifications of the FM and FE are nearly identical - same shutter speed range, same lens compatibility, same light meter (though the meter display is different), similar viewfinders, same chassis and body. The only real difference (and it's a big one) is that the Nikon FE adds an aperture-priority semi-automatic exposure mode.

And so, by 1978 the compact Nikon SLR series then consisted of two very similar models - the FM (all-mechanical and full-manual), and the FE (electro-mechanical with semi-automatic exposure in addition to full manual).

Just four years later, Nikon again updated their compact SLR range when they released the Nikon FM2 in 1982. The new camera featured an improved titanium shutter (now capable of astounding speeds of 1/4000th of a second compared with the FM's and FE's 1/1000th maximum speed), a higher flash sync speed, and an improved silicon-photodiode light meter.

Just one year later, in 1983, Nikon again updated the series with the Nikon FE2 (finally, we've arrived at the review camera). The FE2 took the bearing-mounted titanium shutter of the FM2 and improved upon it through the addition of a quartz-oscillator for electronic timing control, and removal of one shutter blade (the FE2 uses eight blades while the FM2 uses nine). These developments further reduced the shutter travel time from 3.6 milliseconds to a blistering 3.3 milliseconds. Nikon was also quite proud of the FE2's damping - the camera uses a unique rotating flywheel and inertial mass damping system to minimize mirror shock vibration, eliminating the need for a mirror lock-up feature. The FE2 was available from dealers until 1989.

In 1984, Nikon released an updated FM2, called the FM2n (recognizable by the printed "N" preceding the serial number of FM2s) which adopted the improved shutter from the FE2, and increased the camera's flash sync speed from 1/200th to 1/250th of a second. Later FM2n's lost the titanium shutter in favor of an aluminum version, easily discernible since the titanium shutter features a stamped honeycomb pattern while the aluminum shutter blades are smooth. The FM2n would remain in continuous production until 2001.

The FM2/T, a titanium-bodied version of the FM2n, was made beginning in 1993 and sold until 1997.

In 2001 Nikon released the absolutely astonishing Nikon FM3a, an amazing hybrid camera which combined the best aspects of the FM2n with the best of the FE2. The FM3a is, without question, the best manual-focus SLR that Nikon ever made.

What I Love About the Nikon FE2

For photographers like me who, as mentioned at the head of this article, appreciate manual focus 35mm film SLRs with aperture priority auto-exposure, the Nikon FE2 checks all of the obvious boxes. But there are a lot of manual focus 35mm film SLRs in the world. Why choose the FE2 over similar cameras from Minolta, Pentax, and others?

To start, it feels excellent in the hands. While there are plenty of similarly specced film cameras that we could buy today (Minolta alone made about a dozen) very few of them feel as solidly made and finely designed as the Nikon FE2. Nikon's camera is a precision instrument in the finest tradition of mechanical precision instruments (ignoring the fact that it's not actually entirely mechanical).

Its mechanical controls and dials actuate with perfect resistance. Every action is direct and assured. The film advance, benefitting from a ball-bearing mounted transport, is smooth and fluid and ratchets with clockwork clicks. The metal chassis surrounded by alloy body plates gives the impression that the camera is durable and strong, like the finest old-school SLRs. Unlike many old-school SLRs, however, the Nikon FE2 is relatively light at 550 grams (1.2 lbs), and it's smaller than professional-level cameras. This relative compactness combined with its average weight gives the impression, in use, of shooting a tuned and balanced camera. One which will fire forever and withstand some abuse.

Next on the list of likes is the camera's relative simplicity. There's nothing here, as far as controls are concerned, which does not need to be here. Aperture is controlled by the aperture ring on the lens (the FE2 can natively mount any Nikon AI and AIS F mount lenses). Shutter speed is controlled via a knob on top. There's an ISO setting dial, and an exposure compensation dial (+/- 2 stops), depth of field preview, AE lock, and that's it. The least useful feature is the self-timer (for me). This succinctness of controls creates a methodology of use in which the photographer simply chooses the appropriate depth of field via the aperture ring, sets the Sutter speed (or not, if we're in semi-auto mode as I typically am) and then fires the shutter. Fine control is easily handled by using exposure comp, or the AE lock (the latter is activated by pressing the self-timer lever inward toward the lens mount once we have the meter reading that we want).

The viewfinder is gorgeous. Big and bright, it gives us every bit of information we need to make a photo. On the left hand side we see the light meter reading and shutter speed indicator, represented by two needles. This system is preferable to the one found in the FM2 because it shows not just whether or not our settings are accurate, but by how far off we might be. On the top of the frame we can see the selected lens aperture. On the right hand side we can see whether or not the exposure compensation dial has been activated. At a glance it's possible to see exactly what the camera sees, or will see when the shutter is fired, and make our adjustments if necessary.

The last and perhaps the most important thing that I love about the FE2 has little to do with the camera itself. It's the lenses.

I've spent the last year shooting exclusively (for my own pleasure) a Leica R5. I love this camera for many of the same reasons that I love the Nikon FE2. It's dense, small, capable, and offers aperture priority auto-exposure. But I chose the Leica R5 as my everyday camera not so much because of the camera, but because of the lenses. [See this 28mm review, and this 21mm one, and this 50mm one.] The same can be said about the Nikon FE2.

During the time when Nikon was producing the FE2, they produced more than 70 manual focus lenses for the Nikon F system. This means that there's a compatible lens to make every type of photo with the Nikon FE2. The fact that I can twist the FE2 onto two of my all-time favorite lenses, the Nikon 105mm F/2.5 portrait lens and the Nikon AIS wide angle 28mm f/2.8, instantly vaults the FE2 into my personal pantheon of favorite cameras.

What I Hate About the Nikon FE2

There's very little that bothers me about the FE2. But there are a few irritants.

First irritant - it's battery-powered! It takes two LR44 batteries and these things are absolutely massive. And when the batteries die the camera is inoperable! I can't possibly be bothered to carry two extra LR44 batteries in my pocket, or camera bag, or wherever. They're too big. They don't fit anywhere. And they're expensive. Who can even afford to buy two LR44 batteries to put in the camera and then two additional LR44 batteries? It's criminal that Nikon would ever make a camera that runs on batteries.

In case you missed it, that last paragraph was a big joke. People complain constantly about battery-powered cameras and the compliant is ridiculous. The two batteries that power the Nikon FE2 weigh less than one half of one tenth of one ounce. And they're tiny. And they cost $5.99 for a pack of twenty. And one set in the Nikon FE2 will last eight months of regular shooting. Honestly, everyone, stop complaining about batteries.

Next (and first in my list of actual complaints) is the locking exposure compensation dial. I truly love using exposure compensation, and I really detest locking dials. And so, the fact that my favorite dial on the Nikon FE2 is locked at all times is a cruel irony. To adjust exposure compensation we're required to press a truly tiny button to the inboard side of the dial. And it gets worse - unlike many cameras with a locking dial, which are freely rotatable once unlocked and turned off of "Off," the Nikon locks itself on every increment of the dial. This means that to change even from +1, for example, to +2, we have to again press and hold the unlock button. This is a fidgety adjustment and I hate it completely. If I'm not observant enough to know when the exposure compensation is activated then I'm probably not observant enough to be interested in photography (there is, after all, a giant red LED which glows in the viewfinder anytime that the exposure comp is active).

Secondly, the camera does not have a dedicated On/Off switch. Instead, the camera is turned on when the film advance lever is flicked out from its detent. This puts the film advance lever exactly where we need it to be when we're shooting rapidly, but it also means that the lever pokes me in the eyebrow occasionally. Or it means that if I want to simply frame a shot and see a meter reading, in preparation for maaaaybe taking a photo, I can't actually see that reading without flicking the lever away from the body. And though this last gripe doesn't apply to me personally, left-eye dominant shooters will find the protruding lever very uncomfortable.

Lastly, the thing that I hate the most about the Nikon FE2 is that it's not a Nikon FM3a (the best manual focus Nikon camera ever made). For this, I cannot forgive it (until I look on eBay for an FM3a to replace my FE2 and choke over the FM3a's $1,500 price tag compared with the FE2's average price of $200). Reality check processed, I then forgive the FE2 for not being an FM3a and continue happily shooting the thing.

[ The sample photos below were made with theNikon 105mm f/2.5 and Agfa APX100 film.]

Wrapping Up

There are plenty of people who will say that the Nikon FE2 is not Nikon's best manual focus 35mm film SLR with aperture priority. These people might point to Nikon's pro-grade Nikon F3 or even the Nikon F4 with its hybrid methodology of manual and automatic focus. And it's true that the F3 or the F4 are more durable, more versatile cameras than the FE2. But they're also bigger, fatter, clunkier, and needlessly complicated for today's average hobbyist film photographer.

And some others might point to the FM3a. They would be right, if not for that price tag. I adore the FM3a, but it's too expensive for most people, even if the price is warranted (which, I think, it truly is). And then there are others who will point to the Nikon FA. But the sad truth is that every single Nikon FA I've ever used has broken within hours, days, or weeks of touching my fingers. They are fragile beyond belief.

The Nikon FE2 really is the best manual focus 35mm film SLR that Nikon ever made, all things considered. When we factor the camera's build quality and lens availability, its proven reliability, its style and size and weight, and its remarkably reasonable average sell price, the FE2 is tough to beat.

Buy your own Nikon FE2 on eBay here

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The Fragile Beauty of the Nikon FA

Whenever I look over at the shelf and my Nikon FA which sits there, I can’t help but feel a little sad. It’s a beautiful machine in pristine condition, purchased at the peak of its abilities. Not only is it the greatest expression of Nikon’s dogged perfectionism of the 1980s and perhaps the most influential camera of its generation, it’s also one of the easiest, most purely fun cameras I’ve ever shot. It has delivered incredible results for me nearly every time I've shot it. It’s a magnificent camera, and means quite a lot to me.

It’s also broken.

It wasn’t anybody’s fault, really. One day the FA’s shutter just seized up and the camera stopped firing without any warning. Just like that, this great camera died.

The entire story of the Nikon FA follows much the same path. It was once Nikon’s great hope of the tech-obsessed 1980s, their greatest achievement in 35mm SLR technology, the camera that would bury their conservative, staid reputation forever. It reached unprecedented heights in its day and set the stage for every tech-focused SLR that came after it. Its own time at the top was sadly short-lived. It was a camera that was too good to be true, but man was it good.

Nikon, Canon, And The Fickle Consumer Market

The story of the Nikon FA really starts with its rival, Canon, and the camera that started (or more accurately, catalyzed) the whole consumer SLR arms race – the Canon AE-1. The arrival of the AE-1 in 1976 completely flipped the entire 35mm SLR market on its head. In an era in which SLRs were seen as chunky and hard-to-use for the average honnyist, the AE-1 was a compact, inexpensive SLR that used electronics to make pro-level photography accessible to everyone, no matter their skill level. The AE-1 sold like no other SLR before it, and dominated the new consumer SLR market.

The AE-1 set the formula for the new consumer SLR - automation, innovation, and ease-of-use first, everything else second. Manufacturers like Pentax and Olympus followed suit, packing ever more technology into their new consumer-focused electronic SLRs, and it soon turned into an arms race. Minolta threw a veritable haymaker with their multi-mode XD (XD-11 in North America, XD-5 in Europe), a camera capable of both aperture priority and shutter priority operation (it had an unofficial program mode as well). Canon hit back shortly after with the multi-mode Canon A-1 with aperture priority and shutter priority mode, and a no-BS, honest-to-God fully programmed auto-exposure. The A-1 did the trick, and cemented Canon as the king of the consumer SLR market, which was all but confirmed by Canon’s 1981 victory lap of a camera, the AE-1 Program.

Meanwhile, Nikon was struggling to answer the challenge put forth by their crosstown rivals. Nikon’s stoic, professional, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy was exactly the opposite of what the consumer market of the '70s required, and Nikon’s attempts at wooing those consumers weren’t exactly convincing. The Nikkormat series was great, but the entire line looked old, bulky, and slow compared to the slick and compact AE-1. Nikon found success with the completely redesigned compact FM-chassis SLRs in 1978, but those cameras were still viewed mostly as professional tools instead of a hip people’s camera. Nikon finally stepped to the Canon AE-1 point-blank with 1979's aperture-priority only Nikon EM, but even its sleek Italian design couldn’t draw consumers away from the AE-1. Nikon just couldn’t solve the consumer market.

In the midst of the struggle, Nikon realized that they needed a new technology to truly gain a foothold in this new, tech-focused market. While searching for answers, they stumbled upon something even more potent – a weakness in the competition. This weakness, Nikon observed, was the conventional averaging metering system. In Nikon’s eyes, this metering system simply wasn’t good enough, or more accurately, smart enough for the average consumer and for programmed auto-exposure as a whole.

The Gang Invents Matrix Metering

Up until this point in camera history, programmed auto-exposure cameras relied on internal meters that averaged the amount of light coming in through the lens. This worked well enough for most situations, but the system could be fooled by situations involving heavy backlight and off-center framing. This shortcoming was partially solved through the development of the center-weighted meter (a type of meter which values the light coming through the center of the frame, where subjects tend to lie most often), the exposure compensation dial, and AE lock, but all of these solutions still needed some skill and know-how to operate effectively. Essentially, this metering system, and therefore programmed auto-exposure modes as a whole, could only reach its full potential with advanced shooters. In Nikon’s mind, this completely defeated the purpose of a so-called auto-exposure mode. To them, a programmed auto-exposure mode should work every time in every situation, no matter the scene or the skill level of the shooter. It would only be through a brand new metering system that this dream would be realized.

Ever the overachievers, Nikon gathered a team in 1977 to develop a brand new metering system that could perfect the art of programmed auto-exposure. They employed an ingenious, but grueling method – they replaced the film pressure plate of a Nikon FE with twenty-four silicon photo diodes (the same metering cells used in normal in-camera meters), started taking thousands of photos with the camera, and recorded the readings off of each photo diode. By doing this, Nikon compiled a data library of different lighting situations, which then informed a computer algorithm programmed to recognize certain scenes. Their findings yielded two very important results; one, they could use the brightness of a subject to determine exposure, and two, they could segment the frame into five sections to determine the placement of that subject.

As soon as these refinements were made, they modified their FE to only use five carefully placed SPD’s instead of twenty four, and the team set out across the world to take photos in every possible environment and temperature of light to refine their metering algorithm. At the end of it all came Nikon’s greatest technological achievement - AMP (Automatic Multi Pattern) metering, later known as matrix metering.

Relevance, achieved.

AMP was originally intended to be unveiled in the Nikon FE2, but its addition would mean the cost of the FE2 would be too high, especially for previous FE users simply looking to upgrade. Nikon then decided to make a brand new camera, to be christened the Nikon FA. The FA was to be a true competitor to the Minolta XD and Canon A-1, and the camera Nikon hoped would cement them as the leaders in the upcoming decade. The camera would feature all the tech Nikon could muster, including their newest and greatest technology, AMP.

The Birth of the “Technocamera”

The FA debuted in 1983 like no other camera before it. It featured an electronically controlled, vertically traveling titanium honeycomb shutter that maxed out at 1/4000th of a second, true PASM (Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual) mode selection, TTL flash metering, an LCD metering display complimented by Nikon’s clever ADR (Aperture Direct Readout) aperture and shutter speed display, dedicated external motor drive capabilities (Nikon MD-15), and the brand new AMP metering as well as the traditional center-weighted metering system. The AMP system was further supported by the brand new line of AIS lenses, which enabled the camera to compensate exposure based on focal length, something no other camera could do. It even came with a badass nickname, the “Technocamera.”

For however technologically bonkers the FA was and is, its simple design and layout made it incredibly easy to use. Instead of radically changing the layout in the name of newness, Nikon made the FA feel and look like every other Nikon camera. The only difference was the discreet addition of a couple of dials and switches. The shutter speed dial was basically unchanged other than a nice little “4000” marking, the exposure compensation/ISO dial and depth-of-field preview lever was nearly identical to the FE and F3’s dial and the F-mount lenses, even though slightly updated, still mounted as it always had. The PASM mode selection has its own dial underneath the shutter dial, and the all-important AMP/center-weighted metering switch was placed conveniently next to the lens mount.

The result is a camera that packaged its complexity into a form which was accessible to everybody, which was the FA’s purpose from the beginning. The entire reason AMP was ever developed was to make shooting an SLR as simple as possible. Shooters could flick the dial to “P”, focus, and press the shutter button, and the FA would spit out a perfectly exposed image without the use of exposure compensation or an AE lock, which Nikon omitted due to their confidence in AMP. Anybody could use it at any level, and come away with an incredible image.

Consumers responded, and the FA created a valuable tech-focused niche in the consumer and so-called “advanced amateur” market, with sales figures reaching as high as second in the catalog to the mighty Nikon F3. It was a hit with critics as well, and won the inaugural year of the Camera Grand Prix in 1984. Nikon accomplished what they set out to do - create a camera that was on the cutting edge of technology, but that also worked for everybody. The FA was on top of the world.

And then, it wasn’t. The first commercially successful autofocus SLR, the Minolta Maxxum 7000, was released in 1985 (just two years after the FA), the world abandoned manual focus, and the FA made a quiet exit in 1987. All this development, all this innovation for only two years of dominance.

But for those two brief years, the Nikon FA completely changed everything about camera technology. It could certainly be argued that the FA wrote the technological DNA found in nearly every automated camera released after it. The newer autofocus cameras would include their own version of the FA’s matrix metering, a mode which still forms the basis for the primary metering systems of nearly every digital camera today. The exposure compensation for longer focal lengths, the switchable metering patterns, even the PASM dials we use today on nearly every camera has their roots in the FA. It seems almost cruel that the FA’s day in the sun was cut short, considering how influential it was.

But maybe that was always going to happen. To recall WH Auden, time was going to have its fancy with the FA and all of its technologies, and it eventually did. But that doesn’t necessarily spell the end of the Nikon FA for us today.

What The Nikon FA Means Today

Describing something as “a product of its time” is usually an apology, but for the FA, that tells us exactly why it remains an incredible camera. The FA was a child of the early 1980s, a transitional period between the late '70s and late '80s in which mass computerization hadn’t quite yet taken hold. As a result, the things that came out during this era still possess the mechanics of the old world while still being technologically innovative and exciting. The FA was not of the age of the computer-powered Porsche 959, the MIDI-sequenced Heaven Is A Place On Earth by Belinda Carlisle, and the frosty digital Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, it was more of the age of the coach built Porsche 944, the achingly human groove of I Keep Forgettin’ by Michael McDonald, the warm analog Roland Juno-60 synthesizer. The FA shares the same charm and influence as these pioneering products, but also shares their same fleeting beauty.

It’s this perfect combination of old world knowledge and glitzy new technology that makes the FA one of the most usable classic cameras today. It’s packed with nearly all of the technological creature comforts we use today, but remains (if I can be this pretentious) unspoiled by the menus, multi-purpose dials, and blobby, homogenous designs of the decades to come. Every operation is still accessible by their own dial or button, laid out simply for anybody to use.

The technology still holds up, too. The AMP metering, though not perfect, does exactly what it was intended to do - make shooting simple and easy. If you need something more specific than what P mode can give you, you can simply flick the dial back to A, S, or M and handle business with ease, just as you would with an F3 or FM. No matter if your subject’s too bright or backlit, if you need a thirty second exposure or capture movement at 1/4000th of a second, it’s got you covered. It is very nearly perfect. If I had to design a new classic camera, I would just reissue the Nikon FA, straight up, with no changes or improvements.

Well, except for one thing - reliability, or the original’s lack thereof.

Befitting of its historical fate, Nikon FA’s are known for dying unexpectedly. I would not be surprised if the stereotype of electronic cameras bricking out unprovoked was started by a disgruntled Nikon FA owner. These things break, and break easily. Unlike the all-metal FE2 and F3, the FA is clad in plastic, er, polycarbonate, and contains a hornet’s nest of electronics. Too many things can go wrong in a camera like this, and things often do. In all my years of shooting vintage Nikon, the FA is the Nikon I encounter the least, and I suspect that’s due to the comparative lack of surviving copies. And James has told me that his shop finds far fewer fully operational FA’s than it does any other Nikon SLR of any type and era, which says it all.

Reliability really is the Achilles’ heel of what would otherwise be a perfect camera. It has that perfect mix of historical significance, modern relevance, and good design I look for in every classic camera. But at the end of the day, my Nikon FA is still sitting on the shelf, broken. I probably won’t ever be able to get it fixed. But maybe I’ll go search for another one, just to experience it all over again.

Get your own Nikon FA from eBay here

Find one at our shop, F Stop Cameras

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[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post The Fragile Beauty of the Nikon FA appeared first on Casual Photophile.

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The Fragile Beauty of the Nikon FA

Whenever I look over at the shelf at my Nikon FA, I can’t help but feel a little sad. It’s a beautiful machine in pristine condition, purchased at the peak of its abilities. Not only is it the greatest expression of Nikon’s dogged perfectionism in the 1980s and perhaps the most influential camera of its generation, it’s also one of the easiest, most purely fun cameras I’ve ever shot. It has delivered incredible results for me nearly every time I've shot it. It’s a magnificent camera, and means quite a lot to me.

It’s also broken.

It wasn’t anybody’s fault, really. One day the FA’s shutter just seized up and the camera stopped firing without any warning. Just like that, this great camera died.

The entire story of the Nikon FA follows much the same path. It was once Nikon’s great hope of the tech-obsessed 1980s, their greatest achievement in 35mm SLR technology, the camera that would bury their conservative, staid reputation forever. It reached unprecedented heights in its day and set the stage for every tech-focused SLR that came after it. Its own time at the top was sadly short-lived. It was a camera that was too good to be true, but man was it good.

Nikon, Canon, And The Fickle Consumer Market

The story of the Nikon FA really starts with its rival, Canon, and the camera that started (or more accurately, catalyzed) the whole consumer SLR arms race – the Canon AE-1. The arrival of the AE-1 in 1976 completely flipped the entire 35mm SLR market on its head. In an era in which SLRs were seen as chunky and hard-to-use for the average honnyist, the AE-1 was a compact, inexpensive SLR that used electronics to make pro-level photography accessible to everyone, no matter their skill level. The AE-1 sold like no other SLR before it, and dominated the new consumer SLR market.

The AE-1 set the formula for the new consumer SLR - automation, innovation, and ease-of-use first, everything else second. Manufacturers like Pentax and Olympus followed suit, packing ever more technology into their new consumer-focused electronic SLRs, and it soon turned into an arms race. Minolta threw a veritable haymaker with their multi-mode XD (XD-11 in North America, XD-5 in Europe), a camera capable of both aperture priority and shutter priority operation (it had an unofficial program mode as well). Canon hit back shortly after with the multi-mode Canon A-1 with aperture priority and shutter priority mode, and a no-BS, honest-to-God fully programmed auto-exposure. The A-1 did the trick, and cemented Canon as the king of the consumer SLR market, which was all but confirmed by Canon’s 1981 victory lap of a camera, the AE-1 Program.

Meanwhile, Nikon was struggling to answer the challenge put forth by their crosstown rivals. Nikon’s stoic, professional, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy was exactly the opposite of what the consumer market of the '70s required, and Nikon’s attempts at wooing those consumers weren’t exactly convincing. The Nikkormat series was great, but the entire line looked old, bulky, and slow compared to the slick and compact AE-1. Nikon found success with the completely redesigned compact FM-chassis SLRs in 1978, but those cameras were still viewed mostly as professional tools instead of a hip people’s camera. Nikon finally stepped to the Canon AE-1 point-blank with 1979's aperture-priority only Nikon EM, but even its sleek Italian design couldn’t draw consumers away from the AE-1. Nikon just couldn’t solve the consumer market.

In the midst of the struggle, Nikon realized that they needed a new technology to truly gain a foothold in this new, tech-focused market. While searching for answers, they stumbled upon something even more potent – a weakness in the competition. This weakness, Nikon observed, was the conventional averaging metering system. In Nikon’s eyes, this metering system simply wasn’t good enough, or more accurately, smart enough for the average consumer and for programmed auto-exposure as a whole.

The Gang Invents Matrix Metering

Up until this point in camera history, programmed auto-exposure cameras relied on internal meters that averaged the amount of light coming in through the lens. This worked well enough for most situations, but the system could be fooled by situations involving heavy backlight and off-center framing. This shortcoming was partially solved through the development of the center-weighted meter (a type of meter which values the light coming through the center of the frame, where subjects tend to lie most often), the exposure compensation dial, and AE lock, but all of these solutions still needed some skill and know-how to operate effectively. Essentially, this metering system, and therefore programmed auto-exposure modes as a whole, could only reach its full potential with advanced shooters. In Nikon’s mind, this completely defeated the purpose of a so-called auto-exposure mode. To them, a programmed auto-exposure mode should work every time in every situation, no matter the scene or the skill level of the shooter. It would only be through a brand new metering system that this dream would be realized.

Ever the overachievers, Nikon gathered a team in 1977 to develop a brand new metering system that could perfect the art of programmed auto-exposure. They employed an ingenious, but grueling method – they replaced the film pressure plate of a Nikon FE with twenty-four silicon photo diodes (the same metering cells used in normal in-camera meters), started taking thousands of photos with the camera, and recorded the readings off of each photo diode. By doing this, Nikon compiled a data library of different lighting situations, which then informed a computer algorithm programmed to recognize certain scenes. Their findings yielded two very important results; one, they could use the brightness of a subject to determine exposure, and two, they could segment the frame into five sections to determine the placement of that subject.

As soon as these refinements were made, they modified their FE to only use five carefully placed SPD’s instead of twenty four, and the team set out across the world to take photos in every possible environment and temperature of light to refine their metering algorithm. At the end of it all came Nikon’s greatest technological achievement - AMP (Automatic Multi Pattern) metering, later known as matrix metering.

Relevance, achieved.

AMP was originally intended to be unveiled in the Nikon FE2, but its addition would mean the cost of the FE2 would be too high, especially for previous FE users simply looking to upgrade. Nikon then decided to make a brand new camera, to be christened the Nikon FA. The FA was to be a true competitor to the Minolta XD and Canon A-1, and the camera Nikon hoped would cement them as the leaders in the upcoming decade. The camera would feature all the tech Nikon could muster, including their newest and greatest technology, AMP.

The Birth of the “Technocamera”

The FA debuted in 1983 like no other camera before it. It featured an electronically controlled, vertically traveling titanium honeycomb shutter that maxed out at 1/4000th of a second, true PASM (Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual) mode selection, TTL flash metering, an LCD metering display complimented by Nikon’s clever ADR (Aperture Direct Readout) aperture and shutter speed display, dedicated external motor drive capabilities (Nikon MD-15), and the brand new AMP metering as well as the traditional center-weighted metering system. The AMP system was further supported by the brand new line of AIS lenses, which enabled the camera to compensate exposure based on focal length, something no other camera could do. It even came with a badass nickname, the “Technocamera.”

For however technologically bonkers the FA was and is, its simple design and layout made it incredibly easy to use. Instead of radically changing the layout in the name of newness, Nikon made the FA feel and look like every other Nikon camera. The only difference was the discreet addition of a couple of dials and switches. The shutter speed dial was basically unchanged other than a nice little “4000” marking, the exposure compensation/ISO dial and depth-of-field preview lever was nearly identical to the FE and F3’s dial and the F-mount lenses, even though slightly updated, still mounted as it always had. The PASM mode selection has its own dial underneath the shutter dial, and the all-important AMP/center-weighted metering switch was placed conveniently next to the lens mount.

The result is a camera that packaged its complexity into a form which was accessible to everybody, which was the FA’s purpose from the beginning. The entire reason AMP was ever developed was to make shooting an SLR as simple as possible. Shooters could flick the dial to “P”, focus, and press the shutter button, and the FA would spit out a perfectly exposed image without the use of exposure compensation or an AE lock, which Nikon omitted due to their confidence in AMP. Anybody could use it at any level, and come away with an incredible image.

Consumers responded, and the FA created a valuable tech-focused niche in the consumer and so-called “advanced amateur” market, with sales figures reaching as high as second in the catalog to the mighty Nikon F3. It was a hit with critics as well, and won the inaugural year of the Camera Grand Prix in 1984. Nikon accomplished what they set out to do - create a camera that was on the cutting edge of technology, but that also worked for everybody. The FA was on top of the world.

And then, it wasn’t. The first commercially successful autofocus SLR, the Minolta Maxxum 7000, was released in 1985 (just two years after the FA), the world abandoned manual focus, and the FA made a quiet exit in 1987. All this development, all this innovation for only two years of dominance.

But for those two brief years, the Nikon FA completely changed everything about camera technology. It could certainly be argued that the FA wrote the technological DNA found in nearly every automated camera released after it. The newer autofocus cameras would include their own version of the FA’s matrix metering, a mode which still forms the basis for the primary metering systems of nearly every digital camera today. The exposure compensation for longer focal lengths, the switchable metering patterns, even the PASM dials we use today on nearly every camera has their roots in the FA. It seems almost cruel that the FA’s day in the sun was cut short, considering how influential it was.

But maybe that was always going to happen. To recall WH Auden, time was going to have its fancy with the FA and all of its technologies, and it eventually did. But that doesn’t necessarily spell the end of the Nikon FA for us today.

What The Nikon FA Means Today

Describing something as “a product of its time” is usually an apology, but for the FA, that tells us exactly why it remains an incredible camera. The FA was a child of the early 1980s, a transitional period between the late '70s and late '80s in which mass computerization hadn’t quite yet taken hold. As a result, the things that came out during this era still possess the mechanics of the old world while still being technologically innovative and exciting. The FA was not of the age of the computer-powered Porsche 959, the MIDI-sequenced Heaven Is A Place On Earth by Belinda Carlisle, and the frosty digital Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, it was more of the age of the coach built Porsche 944, the achingly human groove of I Keep Forgettin’ by Michael McDonald, the warm analog Roland Juno-60 synthesizer. The FA shares the same charm and influence as these pioneering products, but also shares their same fleeting beauty.

It’s this perfect combination of old world knowledge and glitzy new technology that makes the FA one of the most usable classic cameras today. It’s packed with nearly all of the technological creature comforts we use today, but remains (if I can be this pretentious) unspoiled by the menus, multi-purpose dials, and blobby, homogenous designs of the decades to come. Every operation is still accessible by their own dial or button, laid out simply for anybody to use.

The technology still holds up, too. The AMP metering, though not perfect, does exactly what it was intended to do - make shooting simple and easy. If you need something more specific than what P mode can give you, you can simply flick the dial back to A, S, or M and handle business with ease, just as you would with an F3 or FM. No matter if your subject’s too bright or backlit, if you need a thirty second exposure or capture movement at 1/4000th of a second, it’s got you covered. It is very nearly perfect. If I had to design a new classic camera, I would just reissue the Nikon FA, straight up, with no changes or improvements.

Well, except for one thing - reliability, or the original’s lack thereof.

Befitting of its historical fate, Nikon FA’s are known for dying unexpectedly. I would not be surprised if the stereotype of electronic cameras bricking out unprovoked was started by a disgruntled Nikon FA owner. These things break, and break easily. Unlike the all-metal FE2 and F3, the FA is clad in plastic, er, polycarbonate, and contains a hornet’s nest of electronics. Too many things can go wrong in a camera like this, and things often do. In all my years of shooting vintage Nikon, the FA is the Nikon I encounter the least, and I suspect that’s due to the comparative lack of surviving copies. And James has told me that his shop finds far fewer fully operational FA’s than it does any other Nikon SLR of any type and era, which says it all.

Reliability really is the Achilles’ heel of what would otherwise be a perfect camera. It has that perfect mix of historical significance, modern relevance, and good design I look for in every classic camera. But at the end of the day, my Nikon FA is still sitting on the shelf, broken. I probably won’t ever be able to get it fixed. But maybe I’ll go search for another one, just to experience it all over again.

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Nikon FE2 – (Almost) My Favorite Nikon SLR

After seven years of running this site and shooting a new camera every week, I know the type of film camera that I like. Gone are the days when I pined for the rarest rangefinder, or drooled over whichever medium-format camera du jour was currently reverberating within the echo chamber of film photography YouTube.

My ideal film camera is exactly this - a compact, 35mm single lens reflex camera with aperture priority semi-automatic shooting mode, plus exposure compensation, a nice viewfinder, and with manual focus and film advance. And since I've unintentionally become something of a Nikon collector, it's helpful (though not necessary) if the camera's font reads "Nikon." If my tastes sound like yours, you may like the camera that I've been shooting for the past two months. It's the Nikon FE2.

What is the Nikon FE2

In 1977 Nikon released the Nikon FM. This camera hit on a winning formula - the FM was a smaller, lighter, purpose-built camera compared to both Nikon's professional models and their earlier sub-professional cameras, the Nikkormat series. The FM was a pared back, all-mechanical camera with a versatile shutter, with a built-in light meter displayed in the big, bright viewfinder, and with obvious controls. Most importantly, it was constructed to a very high standard (immediately felt in its ball-bearing film transport and shutter).

Intending that the FM would be used by amateur photographers and enthusiasts, and as a back-up body for professionals, it was made intentionally absent of some of the pro-grade features found on their professional F series cameras - the FM lacked interchangeable prisms, there were fewer and less sophisticated accessories, and its fully manual controls were quickly upstaged with the release of Nikon's F3 in 1980 (which introduced aperture-priority auto-exposure).

Despite not being the most capable camera that Nikon offered at the time, the Nikon FM's combination of superb build, concise and focused design, and compactness struck a perfect balance for many photo-takers, and the camera became a massive success for Nikon. Enthusiasts loved it. Professionals loved it.

Nikon was quick to expand and improve upon the success which they'd found with the FM. In 1978, just one year after the FM's release, Nikon released the Nikon FE. This camera was, to put it simply, a Nikon FM with an added electronic shutter and aperture-priority mode. The core specifications of the FM and FE are nearly identical - same shutter speed range, same lens compatibility, same light meter (though the meter display is different), similar viewfinders, same chassis and body. The only real difference (and it's a big one) is that the Nikon FE adds an aperture-priority semi-automatic exposure mode.

And so, by 1978 the compact Nikon SLR series then consisted of two very similar models - the FM (all-mechanical and full-manual), and the FE (electro-mechanical with semi-automatic exposure in addition to full manual).

Just four years later, Nikon again updated their compact SLR range when they released the Nikon FM2 in 1982. The new camera featured an improved titanium shutter (now capable of astounding speeds of 1/4000th of a second compared with the FM's and FE's 1/1000th maximum speed), a higher flash sync speed, and an improved silicon-photodiode light meter.

Just one year later, in 1983, Nikon again updated the series with the Nikon FE2 (finally, we've arrived at the review camera). The FE2 took the bearing-mounted titanium shutter of the FM2 and improved upon it through the addition of a quartz-oscillator for electronic timing control, and removal of one shutter blade (the FE2 uses eight blades while the FM2 uses nine). These developments further reduced the shutter travel time from 3.6 milliseconds to a blistering 3.3 milliseconds. Nikon was also quite proud of the FE2's damping - the camera uses a unique rotating flywheel and inertial mass damping system to minimize mirror shock vibration, eliminating the need for a mirror lock-up feature. The FE2 was available from dealers until 1989.

In 1984, Nikon released an updated FM2, called the FM2n (recognizable by the printed "N" preceding the serial number of FM2s) which adopted the improved shutter from the FE2, and increased the camera's flash sync speed from 1/200th to 1/250th of a second. Later FM2n's lost the titanium shutter in favor of an aluminum version, easily discernible since the titanium shutter features a stamped honeycomb pattern while the aluminum shutter blades are smooth. The FM2n would remain in continuous production until 2001.

The FM2/T, a titanium-bodied version of the FM2n, was made beginning in 1993 and sold until 1997.

In 2001 Nikon released the absolutely astonishing Nikon FM3a, an amazing hybrid camera which combined the best aspects of the FM2n with the best of the FE2. The FM3a is, without question, the best manual-focus SLR that Nikon ever made.

What I Love About the Nikon FE2

For photographers like me who, as mentioned at the head of this article, appreciate manual focus 35mm film SLRs with aperture priority auto-exposure, the Nikon FE2 checks all of the obvious boxes. But there are a lot of manual focus 35mm film SLRs in the world. Why choose the FE2 over similar cameras from Minolta, Pentax, and others?

To start, it feels excellent in the hands. While there are plenty of similarly specced film cameras that we could buy today (Minolta alone made about a dozen) very few of them feel as solidly made and finely designed as the Nikon FE2. Nikon's camera is a precision instrument in the finest tradition of mechanical precision instruments (ignoring the fact that it's not actually entirely mechanical).

Its mechanical controls and dials actuate with perfect resistance. Every action is direct and assured. The film advance, benefitting from a ball-bearing mounted transport, is smooth and fluid and ratchets with clockwork clicks. The metal chassis surrounded by alloy body plates gives the impression that the camera is durable and strong, like the finest old-school SLRs. Unlike many old-school SLRs, however, the Nikon FE2 is relatively light at 550 grams (1.2 lbs), and it's smaller than professional-level cameras. This relative compactness combined with its average weight gives the impression, in use, of shooting a tuned and balanced camera. One which will fire forever and withstand some abuse.

Next on the list of likes is the camera's relative simplicity. There's nothing here, as far as controls are concerned, which does not need to be here. Aperture is controlled by the aperture ring on the lens (the FE2 can natively mount any Nikon AI and AIS F mount lenses). Shutter speed is controlled via a knob on top. There's an ISO setting dial, and an exposure compensation dial (+/- 2 stops), depth of field preview, and that's it. The least useful feature is the self-timer (for me). This succinctness of controls creates a methodology of use in which the photographer simply chooses the appropriate depth of field via the aperture ring, sets the Sutter speed (or not, if we're in semi-auto mode as I typically am) and then fires the shutter. Fine control is easily handled by using exposure comp.

The viewfinder is gorgeous. Big and bright, it gives us every bit of information we need to make a photo. On the left hand side we see the light meter reading and shutter speed indicator, represented by two needles. This system is preferable to the one found in the FM2 because it shows not just whether or not our settings are accurate, but by how far off we might be. On the top of the frame we can see the selected lens aperture. On the right hand side we can see whether or not the exposure compensation dial has been activated. At a glance it's possible to see exactly what the camera sees, or will see when the shutter is fired, and make our adjustments if necessary.

The last and perhaps the most important thing that I love about the FE2 has little to do with the camera itself. It's the lenses.

I've spent the last year shooting exclusively (for my own pleasure) a Leica R5. I love this camera for many of the same reasons that I love the Nikon FE2. It's dense, small, capable, and offers aperture priority auto-exposure. But I chose the Leica R5 as my everyday camera not so much because of the camera, but because of the lenses. [See this 28mm review, and this 21mm one, and this 50mm one.] The same can be said about the Nikon FE2.

During the time when Nikon was producing the FE2, they produced more than 70 manual focus lenses for the Nikon F system. This means that there's a compatible lens to make every type of photo with the Nikon FE2. The fact that I can twist the FE2 onto two of my all-time favorite lenses, the Nikon 105mm F/2.5 portrait lens and the Nikon AIS wide angle 28mm f/2.8, instantly vaults the FE2 into my personal pantheon of favorite cameras.

What I Hate About the Nikon FE2

There's very little that bothers me about the FE2. But there are a few irritants.

First irritant - it's battery-powered! It takes two LR44 batteries and these things are absolutely massive. And when the batteries die the camera is inoperable! I can't possibly be bothered to carry two extra LR44 batteries in my pocket, or camera bag, or wherever. They're too big. They don't fit anywhere. And they're expensive. Who can even afford to buy two LR44 batteries to put in the camera and then two additional LR44 batteries? It's criminal that Nikon would ever make a camera that runs on batteries.

In case you missed it, that last paragraph was a big joke. People complain constantly about battery-powered cameras and the compliant is ridiculous. The two batteries that power the Nikon FE2 weigh less than one half of one tenth of one ounce. And they're tiny. And they cost $5.99 for a pack of twenty. And one set in the Nikon FE2 will last eight months of regular shooting. Honestly, everyone, stop complaining about batteries.

Next (and first in my list of actual complaints) is the locking exposure compensation dial. I truly love using exposure compensation, and I really detest locking dials. And so, the fact that my favorite dial on the Nikon FE2 is locked at all times is a cruel irony. To adjust exposure compensation we're required to press a truly tiny button to the inboard side of the dial. And it gets worse - unlike many cameras with a locking dial, which are freely rotatable once unlocked and turned off of "Off," the Nikon locks itself on every increment of the dial. This means that to change even from +1, for example, to +2, we have to again press and hold the unlock button. This is a fidgety adjustment and I hate it completely. If I'm not observant enough to know when the exposure compensation is activated then I'm probably not observant enough to be interested in photography (there is, after all, a giant red LED which glows in the viewfinder anytime that the exposure comp is active).

Secondly, the camera does not have a dedicated On/Off switch. Instead, the camera is turned on when the film advance lever is flicked out from its detent. This puts the film advance lever exactly where we need it to be when we're shooting rapidly, but it also means that the lever pokes me in the eyebrow occasionally. Or it means that if I want to simply frame a shot and see a meter reading, in preparation for maaaaybe taking a photo, I can't actually see that reading without flicking the lever away from the body. And though this last gripe doesn't apply to me personally, left-eye dominant shooters will find the protruding lever very uncomfortable.

Lastly, the thing that I hate the most about the Nikon FE2 is that it's not a Nikon FM3a (the best manual focus Nikon camera ever made). For this, I cannot forgive it (until I look on eBay for an FM3a to replace my FE2 and choke over the FM3a's $1,500 price tag compared with the FE2's average price of $200). Reality check processed, I then forgive the FE2 for not being an FM3a and continue happily shooting the thing.

[ The sample photos below were made with theNikon 105mm f/2.5 and Agfa APX100 film.]

Wrapping Up

There are plenty of people who will say that the Nikon FE2 is not Nikon's best manual focus 35mm film SLR with aperture priority. These people might point to Nikon's pro-grade Nikon F3 or even the Nikon F4 with its hybrid methodology of manual and automatic focus. And it's true that the F3 or the F4 are more durable, more versatile cameras than the FE2. But they're also bigger, fatter, clunkier, and needlessly complicated for today's average hobbyist film photographer.

And some others might point to the FM3a. They would be right, if not for that price tag. I adore the FM3a, but it's too expensive for most people, even if the price is warranted (which, I think, it truly is). And then there are others who will point to the Nikon FA. But the sad truth is that every single Nikon FA I've ever used has broken within hours, days, or weeks of touching my fingers. They are fragile beyond belief.

The Nikon FE2 really is the best manual focus 35mm film SLR that Nikon ever made, all things considered. When we factor the camera's build quality and lens availability, its proven reliability, its style and size and weight, and its remarkably reasonable average sell price, the FE2 is tough to beat.

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[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

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The Minolta Dynax 9 is More Camera Than I Need – Review

When I first started in photography, I wanted nothing to do with plasticky SLRs. They were too similar to the Canon Rebel T3i that my sister used or the chunky DSLRs I saw around everyone’s necks. I wanted something different, something quirky, and honestly, I wanted something difficult.

The challenge of figuring things out and the journey of overcoming a camera to make good photos was enticing to me. I wanted to take good photos despite my gear, to have people say “You took this with that? ” It feels a little childish now, but that’s how I felt when I was 19 years old.

But now, I look at plasticky 1990s and 2000s SLRs and I see potential. I see their incredibly long feature lists, I see their low weight, I see the consistency of the shots from their modern lenses. They have ironed out the kinks of older cameras. I see the best deals in film photography today. I see James’ iconic article on dorky AF SLRs about why we should all love them. I see a pile of gold photos waiting to happen, and on top of this pile I see the Minolta Dynax 9.

History

The Dynax 9 (known in Japan as the a9 and in North America as the Maxxum 9) was Minolta’s final attempt to capture the pro market after their Maxxum/Dynax/Alpha line sputtered a bit in the 1990s. The camera reviewed incredibly well, but never achieved the success of cameras like the Nikon F5 or Canon EOS-1 because Canon and Nikon did a better job of catering to professionals from the beginning.

Minolta’s other pro AF offerings, the 9000 and 9xi, failed entirely to capture the market. Despite Minolta pioneering practical AF SLRs, they had lost that edge and needed a home run to have any chance. Unfortunately, as we know now, Minolta didn’t do enough to stick around. That doesn’t mean they didn’t hit that home run, though.

From the moment I picked up the Dynax 9, I was convinced that I have never felt a more sturdy SLR in my life. The body has no play to it, doesn’t bend or make noises when stressed like other plasticky cameras. The Dynax is a truly professional camera, made to the highest standards.

Like its '90s and '00s SLR comrades, the Dynax comes with an incredibly long feature list. The standouts include a to-this-day unbeaten maximum shutter speed of 1/12,000th of a second, tangible dials for most functions, and continuous shooting of 5.5 frames per second.

It also incorporates a 14-segment honeycomb metering pattern that all but ensures correct exposure in any situation. It has flash sync at 1/300th, built-in double exposures, and a dust/moisture resistant body. It has a built-in flash with 4-zone metering pairing with Minolta’s flashes of the era.

The Minolta Dynax 9 could easily be a brand new camera. It doesn’t feel like a company’s last, desperate attempt to remain relevant to professionals in 1998. The dynax is more like a combination of Fuji’s physical dials and Sony’s button layout. The Sony connection makes sense, since Sony bought Minolta in 2006. You could say that the dominance of Sony mirrorless was built on the back of this camera.

Even compared to other Dynax cameras, the 9 is in a class of its own. I had owned and used a Maxxum 7000i with no issues for a long time before I used the Dynax 9, but it’s a toy by comparison. The plastics are lower quality, the viewfinder is smaller, and the entire package feels inferior. This feeling only continued when I put film in and used the camera. The autofocus is lightyears faster than my 7000i, and very confident. One complaint about SLRs of this era is focus hunting, but the Dynax confidently whirs into focus normally, on the first try.

Using the Camera

It was the end of May when I tested the Dynax 9, and people had begun to flock to outdoor spaces to enjoy the sun. After a long Finnish winter, people were excited to get out.

Along with the people, the plants and animals had gotten the warm weather memo and were out in force. In Finland, things can go from zero to one hundred like this at the flip of a switch. What had been a lonely, cold park two weeks ago was suddenly full of people on blankets, dogs on leashes, and fresh flowers. People were throwing frisbees, swimming, and playing volleyball. Watching the world spring back to life only strengthened my shooting itch. I wanted to capture it all, and the Dynax 9 was there to help.

From my normal landscapes to macro to sports, the Dynax handled everything I threw at it and begged for more. Despite being a bulky bear of a camera, the Minolta Dynax 9 is quite light on its feet.

I put the Minolta’s high shutter speeds to the test by watching some people play tennis. The 1/12000th max speed is genuinely impressive, but there’s a reason it hasn’t been beaten: it just isn’t necessary. Even for sports, you can get away with 1/4000th or even 1/1000th. 1/12000th only becomes necessary if you’re trying to shoot at f/1.2 in extremely bright sunlight.

Looking back, the Dynax delivered usable images even with the 100 ISO film I had in it.

I also tried my hand at some macro photography using the beercan lens. With my other autofocus SLRs, I’ve been very frustrated with close-up autofocus performance. I instinctively turned off the autofocus when I tried to get close, but decided to trust the camera. It wouldn’t be fair to hold the Dynax 9 responsible for the sins of its forefathers.

And it did great! Focusing an f/4 lens at 210mm is not an easy task, but the Dynax managed to do it capably and quickly. It did hunt a bit, but I’d chalk that up to me moving or light wind moving the subject rather than the camera.

After a day of shooting, though, I did notice the weight of the camera. Combined with a thick strap and the surprising heat of June in Finland, my neck was quite sweaty at the end of the day.

I used the Minolta Dynax 9 almost exclusively in aperture priority mode, and I felt a bit bad about it. It felt a bit like I was wasting this professional camera by not taking full control, but I felt confident in the camera’s metering capabilities and trusted it to get good exposure. If they didn’t want me to use aperture priority mode, they wouldn’t have put it in the camera!

That’s the beauty of an AF SLR like this, it just gets out of your way. More than any other camera I’ve used, the Minolta Dynax 9 just worked, and inspired confidence. I trusted the camera to nail focus and exposure, which allowed me to focus on framing and creativity.

People can talk all they want about the beauty of shooting manual or how metal cameras are better than plastic ones for whatever reason, but using the Dynax 9 let me be creative, and that’s what art is about for me.

Settling Up / Conclusions

And yet, I was conflicted. I had a dream camera in my hands, a pristine example of a company swinging for the fences to stay relevant. Minolta pulled out all the stops with the Dynax 9, and I had a chance to catch that home run ball and take it home. So why didn’t I?

Well, I was nagged the entire time by the thought that I wasn’t taking full advantage of the camera. I didn’t use the burst mode, I didn’t use the high shutter speeds, and I didn’t use the flash. I just wasn’t using all the features I had access to, and I didn’t feel like I wanted to.

The fanciest thing I did was turn down the exposure compensation for some shadowy forest shots. I like to capture light sliding gracefully through the holes in a forest canopy, and it looks nice to darken the shadows a bit.

After shooting for years, working in multiple camera stores, and testing hundreds of cameras, I know what I want from an SLR. I want a reliable, quick experience with good lenses and exposure compensation. I’m going to leave it in aperture priority mode exclusively, and hardly switch away from the 50mm. I don’t use flash unless I’m at a party, and I’d probably reach for a point & shoot rather than an SLR in that situation. Judge me if you will, I don’t care anymore.

So, for my purposes, the Dynax 9 is too much camera. I’ve used far more basic and been fine. I made due with the FED-2’s max speed of 1/500th, and the atrocious AF of the Yashica Samurai, after all.

What this no-compromises Minolta taught me, though, is what features matter to me and which are less important. I ended up buying a Minolta Dynax 600si Classic based on my experience with the Dynax 9, and I haven’t looked back.

Even if the 9 might be the most comfortable and capable SLR ever made, it feels good to admit that my GAS is under control and I’m satisfied with my AF SLR choices. Or perhaps I just saved some money on the body in order to spend it on nicer lenses. I’ll let you decide!

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