F-Series

Improved version of the Canon FTb. Improvements include a shutter speed display in the viewfinder, a larger shutter button , a plastic-tipped film advance lever, and a slimmer combination self-timer and stop-down lever.

An improved Pellix marketed at the same time as the FT QL. Film loading was easier, the Canon Booster for low-light metering could be attached, and the stop-down lever had a locking mechanism.

The newly designed FL 50mm f/1.4 II lens was highly rated for its high resolving power, excellent contrast, and color balance. This lens served as the standard for the later line of FD lenses.

The Canon FP is a 35 mm SLR introduced by Canon Inc. of Japan in October 1964, using the new Canon FL lens mount. The FP and FX were virtually the same camera, but the lower priced FP did not have built in metering. At the time, many photographers preferred using a handheld meter, and others preferred the lower pricing. However, the FP was not popular making it more rare and desirable for collectors. Canon sold an external light meter with the same specifications as the built-in meter on the FX. The shutter is a horizontally traveling focal plane shutter supporting speeds between 1/1000 and 1 second in full stop increments, selected by a dial on the top plate on the photographer's right. The X-sync speed for flash is 1/55 sec.; flash support was through a PC socket on the front of the body.

The viewfinder uses a glass pentaprism and gives coverage of 90% of the frame vertically and 93% horizontally, with a 0.9× magnification (with a 50 mm standard lens).

The FP was available with either silver or black metal parts.

A simplified and cheaper version of the FT QL, this camera was for the overseas mass market. The maximum shutter speed was only 1/500 sec. The camera was without a self-timer and QL feature, but it retained stop-down TTL metering. Although most TL cameras did not have QL, some cameras did as shown in the photo.

After the Canonflex R-series, the Canon FX was the first in a new series having an aperture linkage on a new lens mount.

The model designation’s “flex” (for single-lens reflex) suffix was replaced with an “F.”

The new aperture linkage was designed to reduce the film advance torque and to integrate TTL light metering. After the shutter was released, the lens reverted to the maximum aperture regardless of the film advance state.

The built-in CdS exposure meter indicated the proper aperture for the selected shutter speed. A lever switched between the high (EV9 to 18) and low (EV1 to 10) metering sensitivity ranges.