Canon EF – Wikipedia
In the Canon EF It was the first Canon system camera with built-in fully automatic exposure control. This was designed as a fan -automatic aperture. The camera belonged to the F series and had a connection for lenses with FD bayonet. It was released in November 1973 and remained in the program until the Canon A-1 was released, but was only of importance in the semi-professional area with the presentation of the Canon AE-1.
F-Serie [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
The Canon EF was published as the last camera of the F series. The built -in aperture automatic was new to the EF. Such an automatic could have already been obtained from the models ex and F-1, but the ex with its sentence lenses was not a full system camera and the F-1 needed the expensive EE-Servo searcher from the accessories program and In addition, either an connected, also quite large battery package or the power source was used to use the power supply of a connected engine drive.
This automatic aperture was made possible by the FD lenses released in 1971: a panel value calculated by the camera was transferred to the interchangeable lens in a mechanical way and closed the aperture accordingly.
distribution [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
Due to the technically complex automatic, but also the metal closure, the Canon EF was quite expensive and therefore only sold in small quantities. It cost the normal lens Canon FD 50 mm f/1.8 around 1200 DM. This was only possible to change Canon with the subsequent A series, which due to advanced electronics with fewer components and had only one cloth closure.
Comparison with other brands [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
Cameras with exposure to exposure to exposure had Konica in its range from the car reflex since 1965, and it was also an automatic aperture, but still mechanically controlled. Electronic control was first available in 1971 at the Asahi Pentax Spotmatic Ex, followed by Nikon EL and Minolta XM in 1972. All three cameras were time machines. The first aperture machine with electronic control was then the EF in 1973. In addition, this camera brought no innovations, but it was clearly designed and easy to use.
Housing [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
The Canon EF was based on the aluminum housing of the Canon F-1, in which the bayonet base on the underside was abandoned for ergonomic reasons. No motor film transport could be started.
Viewfinder [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
In contrast to the F-1, the prism searcher and the matt slice could not be replaced, which one could only expect from professional cameras. In the middle of the picture, the matt slice had a field with a microprism grid, in later models with a microprism ring and cutting image removal meter. This newer matt slice also increased the brightness in the viewfinder.
Film transport [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
The elevator was excited with a single movement and the film was transported on. The elevator lever moved by 120 °. In the case of newly inserted film, it was not necessary to press the trigger after each movement of the elevator to get to the first picture. Repeated pressing of the elevator to block.
There was a button in the main switch for multiple exposures. If you pressed it, the film transport was coupled and only the closure was raised with the quick clamping lever.
Exposure measurement [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
In contrast to the F-1, the exposure measurement with a silicon cell happened. Such a cell also worked without inerty at a greater darkness. The measuring range of the Canon EF ranged at ISO 25/15 ° from 30 s at f/1.4 to first ⁄ 1000 S at aperture 8. For this purpose, exposure times up to 30 s could be set at the shutter speed. In order to measure with the very weak stream of a silicon cell, the EF had a MOS-amplifier IC.
The aperture was displayed with a pointer on the right in the viewfinder and transferred to the lens via the aperture simulator. The set exposure time could also be read in the viewfinder on a scale on the bottom of the picture.
The film sensitivity was placed on a bike arranged around the backplate crank, which had a unlocking button and ranged from ISO 12/12 ° to ISO 3200/36 °.
The measured AE values could be fixed. (“Ae memory lock”)
Blendenautomatik AE (Automatic Exposure) [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
The exposure time could be chosen. The aperture was determined from presented exposure time and film sensitivity. When the closure is triggered, the jumping panel was automatically closed onto the value determined by the camera. The largest possible aperture of the camera was also communicated with the help of a nopping of the respective FD lens and the addiction warning under/overexposure warning was also moved.
The adjustment wheel for the clasp speed was specially large and protruded across the camera housing at the front; It could be made comfortably with a right index finger.
Functionality at low temperatures [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
The camera should keep its functionality up to −20 ° C (−4 ° F).
Closure [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
Just like the F-1, it was a metal slot lock, which was vertically instead of horizontal and therefore a shortest flash synchronized time of first ⁄ 125 s made possible. In contrast to the F-1, the shortest shutter speed was only first ⁄ 1000 s. It was the type Copal Square.
The closure worked in the area of first ⁄ 2 S up to first ⁄ 1000 s mechanically and then came out without a battery; The longer times up to 30 S and “B” realized electronic control. She let a red luminous diode flash on the top of the housing cover.
Power supply [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
Like all cameras of the F series, the EF mercury-zinc batteries of the PX 625. Such batteries that contain more than 25 mg mercury were banned in the EU from 1992. [first] Since the electronics had a voltage regulator, it was not dependent on the exact 1.35 V of such a mercury battery, like many other cameras, and also worked perfectly with a 1.5 V button cell. A main switch, the levers of which could be easily folded up with the thumb, activated the exposure measurement to the back of the housing cover. The EF did not have an automatic switch -off of the exposure measurement after a time. Therefore, in addition to the switch, the lettering was After using, turn the camera off attached, because the more elaborate electronics needed more electricity than many other cameras when switched on.
CAT-Blitz automatic [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
The Canon EF worked with the CAT Blitz automatic, which required the flash unit Canon Speedlight 133 D and the right lens together with lightning couplers. The camera also automatically set the right aperture. To do this, the lightning coupler transferred the set removal from the lens to the flash unit. The flash unit informed the camera through two additional contacts in the flash shoe. For the CAT Blitz automatic there was a special rotary switch to the left of the viewfinder with which it was activated.
Production [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
The EF was replaced by Canon A-1 in 1978. All properties were retained or exceeded, except for the manually lockable mirror and the metal closure. Therefore, the A-1 was not for the short flash synchronized time of first ⁄ 125 s and could only first ⁄ 60 Synchronize s and longer. Such a short synchronic time as the EF achieved and only exceeded the successor to the A-1 in 1986, the T 90 with a flash synchronized time of first ⁄ 250 s.
After the Canon AE-1 appeared in the spring of 1976, which was also a aperture machine, the EF was hardly bought. With the AE-1 you had to do without some professional equipment features, the cheaper price and the more compact lighter housing made the AE-1 an unmatched success with a piece of 5 million copies. In addition, the AE-1 offered the option of being able to connect a motor film transport, a modern system flash and a data back wall (Data Back).
Lens [ Edit | Edit the source text ]
The EF is suitable for all lenses with the Canon FD Bajonett and the significantly older Canon Fl-Bajonett and Canon R-Bajonett. Some other lens connections, such as the widespread M42 lensing thread, can also be used with a suitable adapter on the EF.
The comfortable TTL exposure measurement with an open aperture and automatic aperture, but is only possible with the FD-Bajonett. The offer of Canon FD lenses ranged from the EF from the 15 mm format-filling fish eye to 300 mm telephoto lens. In addition, there was a 7.5 mm round illustration and a 1200 mm tele. A 2000 mm or 5200 mm mirror telescopic lens could also be delivered on request. All Canon FD lenses developed later can also be used with full range of functions.
Almost all large, independent lens manufacturers offered their lenses either with the FD connection that suits Canon.
- Canon EF Instructions. English Edition. Pub. IE1008F 1174D10, Printed in Japan
- Alexander Decker: Canon Automatics – the giant strikes back. In: PhotoDeal , H. 2/2001, S. 4
- Günter Richter: Das canon-reflex-system. Verlag Laterna Magica, Munich 1978, ISBN 3-87467-118-6
- ↑ Guideline 91/157/EEC of the Council of March 18, 1991 About Dangerous Batteries and Akcumulators . OJ L, 31991L0157, March 26, 1991 ( Europa.eu [accessed on August 26, 2019]).
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