Category Canon Lenses

When it all comes together.

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My early Canon F-1 set.

All the correct bits.

Part of the fun of collecting is when all of the bits come together. My Canon F-1 is from 1971, the first year of the F-1 (released in March). The lens is from late 1972 and is affectionally known as a chrome nose (for obvious reasons). The chrome filter is from 1963, but it would have still been the appropriate filter for this later lens. The lens hood is an all-metal model designed for this lens. Even the rear lens cap is correct.

It’s a beautiful lens that Canon described as a super-wide-angle lens back in the day.
Top view with the correct front lens cap.

The beauty of collecting these early Canon F-1s is that they are still very affordable and still plentiful. Because of their popularity, they are easy to have professionally repaired and adjusted by qualified technicians at a reasonable price.

The early F-1. Serial numbers start at 100001, so my F-1 was number 2,597 and was assembled in July 1971.
1971 price list. It wasn’t an inexpensive camera.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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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 © 2015-2026 Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris (Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic), Chris Whelan. All rights reserved.

Analog beauties.

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I was able to find a Canon Motor Drive MF, still new in its box, recently. It is an early model built in February 1974. Obviously, it’s getting much more difficult to find unused camera gear from the seventies, and as a collector, it’s a thrill when you do.

Canon OD F-1 with all the extras. The ‘OD’ stands for the limited-edition Olive Drab camera made in 1978 by Canon for its home market. About 3k were made.
I attached the motor drive to this camera to show off the contrast between colors.
The chrome-nose Canon 50mm f1.8 lens is an early version of the lens. This one is mid-1971.
The motor drive is in perfect condition and works perfectly. It was made in February 1974, and it’s an early version of the drive.
No doubt, combined, it’s a beast, but surprisingly easy to use, as it fits my hand perfectly.
It arrived still wrapped in the factory plastic.
A snip from a Canon book from June 1973.
Canon’s Motor Drive Unit. This was the first motor drive for the F-1.
A Japanese sales brochure for the Canon OD F-1.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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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 © 2015-2026 Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris (Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic), Chris Whelan. All rights reserved.

Happy SUNday! – camera brochures

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Collecting classic camera sales brochures is fun, but it’s also educational. If the marketing departments did their jobs correctly, then the information should be entertaining and a great way to enhance your collecting experience.

Here are five recent acquisitions.

Likely the first and most complete brochure for the new Canon F-1, which was released in March 1971. This brochure is dated November 1970.
An often overlooked early Canon camera. Dated November 1970.
Part of Canon’s building blocks of sophisticated 35mm SLRs on their way to developing the F-1. Dated September 1969.
I had the next model up from this classic. Dated March 1971.
Check out these guys with their Canon Super 8 movie camera. Dated March 1971.
Available Canon lenses as of late 1970.

I have more brochures in my collection, with the earliest being from the mid-1950s.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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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 © 2015-2026 Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris (Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic), Chris Whelan. All rights reserved.

A special place for Canons, www.ccstudio2380.com

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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?
My last unused Canon 50mm.
Pristine.
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.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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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.

Hong Kong 1979

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Canon F-1 on Kodak Kodachrome film.

On patrol.
I’m sure the skyline looks nothing like this now.
Star Ferry sailor taking a break.
Busy waterways.
Right at you.
My best friend Jim was negotiating for a good deal on a boat ride.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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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.

ET at 600mm

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Playing with my Canon NFD 400mm f/4.5 lens on my Fujifilm X-T2. The effective focal length is 600mm.

a
b
A great combination.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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Flickr Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

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.

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

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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.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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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.

Unexpected ‘find’

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1972 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 4.5

Spotted in the Fernandina Beach Historic District.

Lovely classic Benz with the 4.5-litre V8.

Very nice ‘smile’.

Canon EOS R with a Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 L IS USM lens.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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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.

‘Beaver Moon’ – Amelia Island

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The Beaver Moon

Why the “Beaver” Moon? This is the time of year when beavers begin to take shelter in their lodges, having laid up sufficient food stores for the long winter ahead. During the fur trade in North America, it was also the season to trap beavers for their thick, winter-ready pelts. 

Moonrise over the Atlantic as seen from Amelia Island, Florida. November 5, 2025. When the moon is low on the horizon, it’s viewed through most of the atmosphere, which gives it a reddish color and reduces image clarity. When the moon is higher in the sky, its reflected light is more clearly seen, resulting in sharper images.

Behold the Full Beaver Supermoon!

November’s Full Beaver Moon orbits closer to Earth than any of the other Full Moons this year, making it one of the three Supermoons of 2025! At its nearest point, the Beaver Moon will be 221,817 miles (356,980 kilometers) from Earth… this is the closest Supermoon of the year!  

Moonrise on November 4, 2025. 99% full.

My images are not AI-generated, and I do minimal post-processing. I used my Canon EOS R mirrorless digital camera (30.3 MP) and my Canon EF 300mm f/4 L IS USM lens with a Canon EF Extender 2x III for an effective reach of 600mm.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

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Flickr Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

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.

Surf fishing at 600mm.

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A local surf fisherman was captured with my Canon EOS R, Canon EF 300mm f/4 IS USM lens, and Canon EF Extender III.

Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach.

Slightly cropped original JPEG.
Original, no post-processing.
Put it together for 600mm on a budget.

I can’t say enough about this combination. Since the Canon EOS R doesn’t have IBIS, it’s up to the lens and my slightly unsteady hand to keep 600mm images in focus. The lens was made in October 2010. Older EF lenses are a great value, but they are getting on in years. The EOS R is a full-frame 30.3 MP mirrorless camera.

Moon shot.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/ccphotographyai

Facebook CC Photography of Amelia

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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.