Got a new toy today – the Canon F-1 New. Man, this thing is a beast! It’s a 35mm SLR camera, came out sometime in the early ’80s I think, and it replaced the original F-1.
First thing I did was give it a good once-over. It’s heavy, feels really solid in your hands. We are talking about a brass build weighing 1.75 pounds without a lens. They really don’t make them like this anymore! Feels way more substantial than any of the newer cameras I’ve messed with. I popped the top off and noticed that the New Canon F-1’s design is modular. I found that it had an eye-level finder.
Next, I started playing around with the settings. It’s a fully manual camera, which is what I was looking for. But here’s the cool part – it’s also modular. I found out you can swap out the viewfinder for an AE Finder FN. I grabbed one off of one of those online stores for a pretty good price. Then I tried installing it, and boom, I turned my manual camera into an aperture-priority automatic. That’s wild! It means I can just pick the aperture I want, and the camera will figure out the shutter speed for me. Super handy for when you’re shooting in changing light.
- Tried out the aperture priority mode. Worked like a charm.
- Ran a roll of film through it. Everything felt smooth, the shutter sound is so satisfying.
- Got the film developed. Images came out great! Sharp, nice contrast, everything I was hoping for.
I spent the whole afternoon just walking around, snapping photos. This camera is just so much fun to use. It’s got that old-school feel, but with that aperture priority option, it’s actually pretty practical for everyday shooting. It’s definitely going to be my go-to camera for a while.
I had to get my wife to show me some places to compare prices online before I bought it, and there was a huge difference. It’s worth checking first before you pay. It is definitely a good idea to shop around to see the best offer.
Totally recommend the Canon F-1 New if you’re looking for a classic film camera that’s built like a tank and has some surprisingly modern features.
It’s not the cheapest option out there, but in my opinion, it’s worth every penny.
