How to Use: Canon F-1 - Kamerastore

[@kevenram]

This is the best review I’ve seen of this camera! Thank you!

[@Kamerastore]

Glad to hear it!! Thanks so much for watching (-: - Connor

[@jonlouis2582]

I love this camera! This is the choicest lens for it too, IMO. Heavy beasts they are too ....

[@Kamerastore]

Amen! But they're worth every gram (-: Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@TheASM196]

I purchased my F1 in the late 70's, I is a fantastic camera. I also got the flash adapter - which has a built in lamp to light the exposure meter window. I also got the - top of the line at the time - flash ring that would help adjust the aperture based on the distance to the subject. Still have it, but never got close to the 100 000 firing life expectation of the titanium shutter.

[@Kamerastore]

Ooh, that flash adapter with the lamp would be so helpful for my F-1.. Hmmm.. Thanks for the idea (-; - Connor

[@RhettAnderson]

I use the MR-9 battery adapter, which works great.

[@Kamerastore]

Yep! They're a good, reliable option that somewhat mitigates the poor voltage curve of modern alkaline batteries! Thanks for watching. - Connor

[@DerekPennycuff]

This was very well done.Thank you. I have an early 70s F-1 like this one. And at the other end of the FD system lifecycle, I also have a Canon T90. I'd love to see a guide like this produced for the T90.

[@Kamerastore]

I love the T90, that would definitely be a fun episode to do. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@Aloharik]

Great Video! im using a Canon FTb right now, but I will switch to the F1 soon because of the waistlevel viewfinder!

[@Kamerastore]

Be sure to get the actual waist-level hood! Using an SLR with no prism attached (as Instagram often shows) is really difficult. The hood helps block errant light and make the focusing screen much brighter! Thanks for watching. - Connor

[@aaronlabarre501]

If you like waist level, you're gonna love speed finder

[@alexparson4472]

Thanks very well done.

[@cjk1943]

❤ I love this camera I use it photo trips around the world

[@emborg3145]

cool, I've never seen anyone else who uses the focusing screen D

[@Gerard-hu6kp]

A great camera

[@WoWMinGM]

I just bought one from you and intend to mostly use sunny 16 and over expose a bit just to be sure. Finally feel like I know enough about exposure to try!

[@zippywalker6406]

Very informative. I'm using a 1.4v zinc air battery with a brass adapter and the voltage as measured by a volt meter is 1.37. The camera meter seems to be accurate but wonder if that is close enough?

[@Kamerastore]

It's more than enough! In real use, even the 1.5v PX625 is close enough to get accurate exposure. The issues with voltage are way overblown online. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@Kwright304]

@@KamerastoreI’m gonna trust you on this, as someone that actually prefers to underset my iso so the meter bar slightly overexposes for me, is this essentially the same thing? Like instead of setting my iso to 360 when using 400 film, I could set it to 400 and assume my meter is now doing the overexposing I already was accounting for?

[@Kamerastore]

@@Kwright304 Yep! That's the basic principle of it. We're also relying a bit on the flexibility of modern films and scanners to help balance it out. Unless you're doing the developing and scanning yourself the difference between 360 and 400 ISO is negligible. If you want to see noticeable difference in your metering, I'd recommend going even further and shooting 400 ISO film at 200 or 200 ISO film at 100. That's the recipe for those slightly overexposed "tonez" all the kids are talking about. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@Kwright304]

@@Kamerastore so I actually managed to find the proper battery but very quickly it seems like my camera is overexposing by about 2 stops and based on the things I’m seeing it seems the old F1 has a track record of being an unreliable meter, am I on track or does that sound off base? Also since it’s overexposing by 2 stops I’m safe to go from 400 to 100 on my iso and meter properly, correct?

[@Kwright304]

@@Kamerastore my last question is in regards to getting an accurate meter not in regards to overexposing the shot on purpose. Basically 1) am I correct that old f1s are known to act like this (reading way too high) and 2) if so, 2 stops is 400-100 correct?

[@joshhernandez7778]

Great video thank you man. I just have one question- On my battery check, when i switch to C for the check it stays on C. Doesn’t automatically go back to ‘Off’ and the light meter needle stays in the bottom red area. I barely noticed this after shooting my first roll. Is it still possible to shoot like this or do i need the light meter needle? I appreciate any help, thank you !

[@Kamerastore]

You can shoot without the light meter! Assuming your camera is working properly (and it is worth getting it checked somehow, especially if the meter isn't working) then the shutter should still work normally even without a battery installed. Based on your experience, it sounds like the meter isn't really getting power anyways. Hard to tell from afar, though. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@walterarroyo5220]

I have an F1 and I tried the MR nine adapter with an LR 44 and it just doesn’t fit the battery chamber. The adapter with the LR 44 is way too tall.

[@Kamerastore]

Yes, that's totally my fault! The MR-9 is meant to work with a n SR43 battery, not an LR44. My mistake in the video, I'm just used to using the LR44 since they're so common. Sorry about that! - Connor

[@influx9151]

Can I shoot pictures without the viewfinder attached?

[@Kamerastore]

Yes you can, but I wouldn't recommend it! It's very difficult to see what you're doing. If you want a "waist-level experience" I'd recommend using the dedicated waist-level finder that Canon made for the F-1. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@davidwright4537]

I have two and have always been confused with the front lever. During normal use, should it be set at “L” (vertical) or under the white square (counter clockwise looking at front of camera)?

[@Kamerastore]

Hey David! During normal use, you can leave the lever in the L position. The L and white square only come into play when you're using stop-down metering. When activated, the L will keep the aperture stopped down and the white square will release it. This section begins at 11:15 and goes to about 13:30 (-: thanks for watching! - Connor

[@greggsidwell8307]

Those old FD lenses practically threaded themselves! Canon FD breech-lock system - superior!

[@TheKoeslingsPhotography]

I bought a MR9 adapter for the battery and the line goes above the black box. Is this good? or too much voltage?

[@Kamerastore]

Make sure to set the camera to 1/2000s shutter speed and 100 ISO! It can be slightly above the box and still give good enough results. When using a standard SR43 battery & the MR-9, your voltage curve will be a bit less linear than it would be with the old mercury batteries. So you'll end up with a bit too much voltage at the beginning, a good amount for most of the battery's life, then a a bit too little voltage towards the end. In any case, you should be fine to trust the light meter as long as the check needle is relatively close to the box. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@TheKoeslingsPhotography]

@@Kamerastore Thanks for getting back to me! It is set at iso 100 and ss at 2000. It goes above the the line so that explains! I was just making sure I can trust this light meter!

[@R-Jacky6698]

I brought an Canon F1 on ebay, not the new F1 or F1N, the problem is, somehow the lightmeter still on even without the battery, and when switching the shutter speed, the lightmeter won't move, it only moves when changing the aperture ring, what is the problem with it?

[@Kamerastore]

The F-1 has a match needle system. There are two needles in the meter window, one with a circle and one without. When the battery is inserted and the camera powered on, the second needle (the one without a circle) should jump up and then move relative to your shutter speed. Your goal is to make the needle go inside the circle at the end of the other needle, which is why it's called "match needle"! Hope that makes sense, I know it's a bit confusing. - Connor

[@R-Jacky6698]

​@@Kamerastoreoh, so the white and red stuff that looks like an LED isn't powered by electricity, only the blackline do🤔, thanks btw, i was trying to find parts to repair the exterior of the camera and the reflective mirror because it's usuable but not in a good condition, any good recommendation where you could order these kind of stuff?

[@Kamerastore]

@@R-Jacky6698 Spare parts like that are (unfortunately) completely unavailable. While I wouldn't recommend attempting any disassembly unless you're fully okay with the camera never working properly again, your best bet is likely to find a whole camera that's not working and cannibalize it for parts. - Connor

[@R-Jacky6698]

​@@KamerastoreThere are a few i notice that there is a problem, but not fully. When i obtain the camera from ebay, the reflective mirror is with water marks on it, clearly the previous owner soak the camera. The lower panel of the camera have a huge dent which not just affect the lower panel, but the skeleton of the camera too, it also affect the lower button, when i press it, it stuck until I load a new roll and pull a film. Also it seems that lubricant is necessary, and that 1:1.4 50 mm lens is clearly disassembled by someone since i saw fingerprints inside the lens, there are clearly dust and fur inside the lens, and the meter ring is stuck at 0.8 instead of going to 10 or infinity distance. This might be just the tip of the iceberg since i don't have special tools to check if everything works. So... yeah a fully renewal is needed. Might also needed to recalibrate, since i have no idea if the shutter speed is accurate or not

[@Kamerastore]

@@R-Jacky6698 I would definitely contact the seller in that situation if the camera wasn't described as having these issues. Not to sound too salesy, but you're better off going to our site and spending a bit more than eBay to guarantee you'll get the camera you want. A serviced, good condition F-1 can last a lifetime! - C

[@Gomie_]

My aperture ring is not opening or closing what do I do?

[@Kamerastore]

Hey! So the aperture ring on the lens isn't moving? Or the aperture itself isn't closing/opening when you fire the shutter? Both could have reasonable explanations, just trying to make sure what the situation is. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@MWSCologne]

The self timer is too loud? Are you kidding me - that’s the only reason I came….