The Canon EF, introduced in 1973, is the first and last of its kind, and is very similar in appearance to the original F-1, introduced 2 years earlier. It has a Copal Square vertically running metal-blade focal plane shutter. It offers mechanical shutter speeds from 1/2 to 1/1000 sec. and B, and electronically controlled slow speeds from 1 to 30 sec. (in reality, the 2 slowest speeds continue the doubling sequence, giving 16 and 32 sec.).
A silicon photocell provides full-aperture, center-weighted averaging TTL metering. The camera has shutter-priority automatic exposure.
The EF uses the FD-mount lenses, although FL lenses will work within their functional limits.
Frequently referred to as the Black Beauty, the EF incorporates many very good and thoughtful features, such as:
• full range of speeds from 1/1000 to 1/2 second, without batteries
• full exposure information in viewfinder
• concentric shutter release & shutter speed dial, the latter overlapping the front edge of the camera, allowing easy change of speed with one finger
• incorporates voltage control circuit, allowing use of modern 1.5V batteries (it was designed for a 1.3V PX625 mercury cell)
• multiple exposure button
• exposure lock button for use with automatic exposure
• film can be advanced rapidly to first frame without having to release the shutter (just 3 rapid strokes of the wind-on lever)
• combined depth-of-field preview, stopped-down metering, and mirror lock
• vertical-travelling shutter allows flash sync at 1/125 sec.
• silicon photocell allows metering at low light levels (EV -2 to EV 18)
• PC flash terminal has spring-loaded cover; the terminal is therefore kept covered and clean when not in use, and the cover cannot be lost
Links
In English:
- Manual Camera User's Opinion at Manual Cameras by N. Maekawa
In French:
- Lionel's Canon EF overview at 35mm-compact.com
- Canon EF at Sylvain Halgand's www.collection-appareils.fr