U.S. Navy Canon F-1

December 27, 2025December 27, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Chasing Classic Cameras
After years of searching, I found a U.S. Navy-engraved Canon F-1 (later model, commonly known as the F-1n).
As a bonus, it’s also one of the latest I’ve found in the 10-year run of the original F-1, and obviously, it’s the latest in my collection. This one was assembled in September 1981, which may be the last month of production (I’m still looking, since no exact date has been verified).
Many thanks to a Canon friend who spotted it.

It’s been used but escaped the worst the Navy could have thrown at it.

It started with serial number 100001 (supposedly) and ended in the high six-hundred-thousands. The date code on this one is V918. I haven’t found any F-1s within the 4xxxxx range.

Early and late by ten years. On the left, my earliest F-1, and on the right, my latest one.

This isn’t my image, and I’m not sure of its origin. If it’s a real camera, then this would be the first known serial number.

This is the date code that’s stamped inside my early F-1. The ‘L’ indicates 1971, and the ‘7’ is July. The ’12C’ is an internal code used by Canon, and its meaning is unknown.

My Canon New F-1 (the follow-on model to the original F-1, introduced in 1981) is pictured with my U.S. Navy-engraved FD 400mm f/4.5 lens, which is a bit newer (November 1985).

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Comments are always welcome; I’ve learned a great deal from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by. While there, visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios, hosted on Etsy). – Chris Whelan

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, is this blog’s property and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris. Copyright © 2015-2025 Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris (Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic), Chris Whelan. All rights reserved.

A special place for Canons, www.ccstudio2380.com

December 21, 2025December 21, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

My well-used but super-clean Canon New F-1 (F-1N) limited-edition Los Angeles 1984 camera set.

The LA Olympics F-1 is a favorite with collectors. Most ended up either being gently used or put on display. Fewer than 9,500 were made. My F-1 was obviously a busy camera throughout its life. It was assembled in November 1983, and the lens in October. Most of these were made with the AE finder, which makes mine a bit more unusual because it has an eye-level finder. Everything works as designed.

Canon New FD 135mm f3.5 short telephoto lens set. The 135 is a popular lens for portraits, sporting events, and wildlife photography.

It’s no secret that I love super-wide-angle lenses, the wider the better. I’ve used the 17mm and the 24mm; the 20mm is a nice compromise between those two.

Who doesn’t love a still-mint-condition instruction booklet?

Remembering a sharp camera from the late 1970s. My last cine camera before I got my first video camera.

As I continue to downsize my collection, these special Canons are now available in my Etsy camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com.

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Canon New F-1 Los Angeles 1984 Olympics

December 10, 2025December 10, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

That’s a mouthful.

Canon made these limited-edition cameras for the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles.

My strange Canon New F-1 Los Angeles 1984 camera. I say “strange” because the gold paint on the logos is weak and missing. The camera is definitely well-used, with plenty of dents, but shows no brassing. It’s a genuine Olympics body with a date code X1123 (Nov 83) and a proper LA6312 serial number. It works perfectly (not film-tested yet). It could make a fun user camera, as most people wouldn’t use a limited-edition camera and risk beating the heck out of it. Please let me know your thoughts. Should I attempt to fill in the gold or leave it be? It would be difficult to match the gold without mucking it up, so I have that going for me.

A few dents and missing gold paint, but otherwise a good-looking camera.

Back view. The LA cameras got a special serial number.

It’s estimated that about 9,000 to 9,900 were made. My camera is an LA6312, made in November 1983. My guess is that Canon must have made at least another 3,000 units, but I don’t know that for sure. I have seen an LA9584, and it was made in April 1984.

The bottom plate looks amazingly good given its age and use.

The Canon limited edition Olympic cameras are a fun twist for collectors. There are the 1976 Montreal, 1980 Lake Placid, and 1984 Los Angeles models.

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How sexy is this?

December 4, 2025December 4, 2025Chris and Carol 2 Comments

A limited edition (1978) Canon F-1 in olive drab. The only F-1 not in black. Only 3K were made worldwide, and at the time, they were only available in Japan. No, it’s not a military camera, think more of a safari camera.

I’ve added a Canon Power Winder F and an early chrome nose Canon FD 50mm f/1.8 lens. A custom OD strap completes the safari look.

It’s been well looked after, and I use it on occasion, so it’s not just a display piece. One of my favorite Canons.

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Canon FD 400mm Lens, a mid-eighties gem.

November 21, 2025November 21, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

My lens is from November 1985 (Z1100) and has ‘U.S. Navy’ markings. It’s the newer ‘New FD’ lens with the improved bayonet mount.

Shown here mounted on my Fujifilm X-T2 digital mirrorless camera via a simple FD-FX adapter.

The Fuji makes an excellent platform for using my classic film camera lenses.

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wordless wednesday

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

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Superstars of the 1970s (and beyond)

October 20, 2025October 20, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

These two from the mid-1970s are not often seen together. The RTS was released in 1975, and I purchased this F-1 in 1978. I considered buying the RTS instead of the F-1, but the representative from Canon at the Navy Exchange store in Yokohama convinced me the F-1 was better, and at the time, a bit less expensive than the Contax. Many years later, I was able to get the RTS, and I added the PMD W-6 as a bonus. The Canon handles better due to its larger rubberized grip, but the RTS is a bit more sporty (designed by Porsche). I use them both. The Contax can eat through film at 5 fps vs. the Canon’s 3.5 fps.

The Canon’s drive is much larger, but the Contax is faster.

Designed to excel in sports and unmanned photography.

I find the large rubberized grip on the Canon to be easy to hold, and the extra-wide base kept the camera stable on a table.

The Contax is super slick; the drive almost disappears into the camera’s body. Conversely, the smaller footprint means the camera is not as stable on a table.

The grip on the Canon is removable, which opens up additional possibilities and accessories..

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hi-speed film-eaters

September 27, 2025September 27, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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I have another Canon Macrolite available from my collection.

September 20, 2025September 20, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Canon Macrolite ML-1… 1970s Tech

Hi all! I have my last Canon Macrolite ML-1 electronic flash from my collection for sale. This one is the latest version from 1985. It will work perfectly with the Canon New F-1 as well as any of the earlier A-Series cameras. It’s in my Etsy camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

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Happy SUNday! – Back to 1959

September 7, 2025September 12, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Three “new” cameras from 1959.
The Asahi Pentax H2 shown here in its Honeywell Heiland badges, the Canon Canonflex, and the Yashica Pentamatic ’35’. All three made their debuts that year, although the Yashica more formally in March 1960. The Asahi is the 4th pentaprism 35mm SLR after their original in 1957. The Canon and Yashica were their first-ever SLRs. The Asahi Pentax more or less set the standard for what a compact 35mm SLR would look like for the next decade. Not pictured with this trio is the Nikon F, which was also released that year.