Canon’s amazing 35mm SLR, the EF (1973-1978)

March 9, 2025March 9, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

In many ways, it’s better than the much more famous F-1.

It’s also known as the Canon Black Beauty. It’s built on the F-1’s frame but does not have interchangeable viewfinders or the ability to use a power winder or motor drive.

The EF was first released in 1973, just two years after the F-1. It was Canon’s first aperture-priority camera, well before the AE-1.

The standard lens is the Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C. shown here with its lens hood.

Here, a Canon EF and its cousin, the Canon F-1. The F-1 is shown in a limited-edition olive drab.

The Canon EF is a worthy camera for your collection. The ability to electronically time exposures from 1/2 to 30 seconds accurately makes it more versatile than the F-1 in its base form.

The view in the viewfinder. The later EFs had a split-image and microprism focusing screen.

An earlier EF with the FD 50mm F/1.8 S.C. lens.

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Comments are always welcomed, as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by, and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by 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.

Interesting read about the Japanese lens maker, Zunow.

March 7, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Vintage lens makers – Zunow (Japan)

Excellent Canon Site (and more, lots more)

March 6, 2025March 6, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

My good friend Paul Sokk has updated his extensive Canon site with exciting finds. It’s worth a visit and a bookmark. Read all about it at http://leica-copies-japan.com/CanonLensesFlashAccs.html#unsynced

Paul is also the author of the world-renowned Yashica TLR site at http://www.yashicatlr.com

http://leica-copies-japan.com/index.html

I visit his sites constantly, as they’re the best sources of accurate information on almost everything related to photography.

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Why I clean (detail) previously owned classic cameras.

March 4, 2025March 4, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I often purchase used cameras and lenses from individuals in person and from online sites. Some of these gems are usually over forty years old and older, and even though they look clean, I know they’re not. I don’t think I’m a germaphobe (a bit, maybe), but the thought of putting an obviously dirty camera up to my face isn’t too appealing. The flip side to making a camera clean again is that it will go a long way to preserving the camera’s surfaces, preventing corrosion, and removing oils and contaminates that will deteriorate the camera in the long term. I think of it as preserving a bit of history.

Here is a camera I acquired recently. It looked in mint condition and, at first glance, clean. The camera is from 1976, and although it wasn’t heavily used, it’s been sitting around collecting pollutants.

Standard cotton buds (Q-tips) and household Windex and lots of time remove the dirt and grime trapped in and on the surfaces of the camera. These were from the leatherette on the back cover. Think nose oils and dirty fingers. The front leatherette is another grimy area.

After an evening happily spent detailing this gorgeous Canon (below).

I’ve cleaned cameras like this for over thirty years, and never has it damaged a camera or lens. Obviously, I dip the Q-tips in a small container of Windex. Don’t directly spray the camera.

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The Original 35mm SLR from Asahi Pentax

March 1, 2025March 1, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Asahi Pentax

The original Asahi Pentax 35mm SLR (1957-1958), equipped with a Takumar 58mm f/2 lens and an Asahi 46mm UV filter.

It’s a fully functional gem.

The camera was in Australia, and the lens was in Japan; now, they are together in the U.S.

I’m happy to add them to my collection.

It’s credited as being the first modern 35mm SLR camera. It doesn’t look much different from later SLRs from other manufacturers. It was preceded by the Asahiflex pictured below.

The Asahiflex IIa was the first ‘modern’ 35mm SLR from 1955. It featured a pop-up viewing hood instead of an eye-level pentaprism like the later Asahi Pentax original from 1957.

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Asahiflex IIa – 1955

February 15, 2025February 15, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Asahi Optical Company, Asahiflex IIa with a Takumar f3.5 50mm lens. Japan’s first 35mm SLR film camera. Notice the film-like look of this image using a vintage lens.

The Asahiflex IIa (first image above) was photographed with a 1959 Auto-Takumar f/3.5 35mm lens mounted via an adapter on my Fujifilm X-T2.

On the left, Nicca 3-S 35mm rangefinder camera (1954) and on the right, the Asahiflex IIa (1955). Note the similarity between the two. Both used interchangeable lenses, but the Asahiflex allowed for direct through-the-lens viewing via the pop-up viewing hood.

The Asahiflex uses 37mm screw-in lenses, and the Nicca uses 39mm screw-in lenses, just like a Leica camera from the same period.

Expensive for the mid-1950s but not overly so.

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Nikon Fever

February 7, 2025February 7, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Nikon F2A Photomic Set

I’m a big-time Canon and Yashica collector, so getting into the Nikon brand has been a fun experience—lots to learn, which has made it a challenge. Nikon F2A (F2 Photomic A) with a Nikkor 50mm f2 lens. Pictured with the AS-1 Flash Unit Coupler and AR-1 Soft Shutter Release. The F2 body is from early 1973, and the DP-11 metered viewfinder is from 1978. Do you have a favorite Nikon? This gorgeous camera will be in my camera shop soon (I think).

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random pics for a friday – a weeks worth of images

February 7, 2025February 7, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Fernandina Beach Historic District. Nassau County Courthouse. Winter sky.

At the beach. A reminder to never leave your trash behind and to remove trash whenever you visit.

Fujifilm X-T2 with a classic Nikon Nokkor 300mm lens.

Soon. I’ll be selling this wonderful Nikon set in my camera shop.

One of the first 35mm Japanese-made SLR cameras.

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Yashica Classics

February 1, 2025February 1, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

The Yashica ‘J’ series of 35mm SLR film cameras. The top body is the J-7, followed by the J-4, the J-5, and finally, the first one in the series, the J-3. These were heavyweight cameras in their day—the best (for the most part) that Yashica produced from its factory in Nagano Prefecture (Shimosuwa).

This image is missing the Reflex 35 or Penta J and the J-P.

Very subtle changes from the first to the last.

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Yashica Penta J

January 29, 2025January 29, 2025Chris and Carol Leave a comment

The Elegant Yashica Penta J

It was released in 1961 as the next step in Yashica’s 35mm SLR line development. Actually, it’s still very much a Pentamatic S, but without the self-timer. This was the first Yashica with the popular M42 screw mount. The Penta J was also known as the Reflex 35 J in markets outside the U.S. and Japan.