Canon celebrates 50 years of SLR cameras

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Canon has been building and selling SLR cameras since thelaunch of the Canon Flex in May 1959. Today, Canon SLR cameras have beenaccepted as the benchmark standard for amateur and professional photographyand, to date, over 50 million Canon SLRs have been sold worldwide.

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[yoshi]

Re: Canon celebrates 50 years of SLR cameras

Congratulations, Canon for the 50th Anniversary!

Here is just a quick looking-back on the 50 years

1959 Canon Flex (the first Canon film SLR)
1971 F-1 (flagship of manual focus film camera - of Canon, I mean)
1976 AE-1 (the first SLR that install CPU in the body)

I recall the hot arguments about which AE (automatic exposure) system is better/superior, Shutter Priority AE represented by Canon or Aperture Value priority AE represented by Nikon and many others. I preferred Av AE.
This model reminds me of Candice Bergen, a US actress. Canon chose her for AE-1 ads in Japan. - and I have two AE-1, ignoring my own AE preference.

1985 for reference, in 1985 Minolta started the first AF SLR

(the first as "AF sensor/motor in the body type"- some may say Pentax
introduced an AF SLR earlier than Minolta. That was "in the lens type"
- AF sensor and motor in the lens. )
AF era started! = the beginning of decline of manual focus cameras?

1986 T90 (the most advanced FD mount camera,IMHO. Not AF and not digital, though)

I once wanted this but did not buy. A good camera but had trouble in selling
just because of the Minolta AF model(s).


1987 EOS650 (the first EOS - the full elec. mount system.

that is, mount type change from FD(manual focus) to EF(auto focus).
No interchangeability between the two.

1989 EOS-1 (flagship of auto focus film camera - the first generation model of EOS 1
series)
1993 EOS Kiss (or Elan, I believe)
- the first one targeted at entry class and/or for a back-up use)

2000 EOS D30 - finally DIGITAL SLR!
2008 EOS Kiss X2 (450D or Xi?), EOS 5D Mark II
2009 the 50th Anniversary of Canon SLR cameras. Is there any anniversary model?


I have personally used three types of Canon mounts. FL/FD/EF mount. (FL, just for fun).
Canon likes to change - an Obama in SLR world
The mount change always created fierce arguments and it was one important aspect when talking about likes/dislikes toward Canon. (or Minolta in the past)

yoshi