Like the flagship Canon F-1, the FTb was compatible with FD lenses. Like the F-1, it had maximum-aperture TTL metering, match-needle exposure adjustme
Like the flagship Canon F-1, the FTb was compatible with FD lenses. Like the F-1, it had maximum-aperture TTL metering, match-needle exposure adjustment, and high-precision 12% partial metering at the center. The FTb also allowed stop-down TTL metering (match needle) for FL lenses and situations when stop-down viewing was required.
1974 FTb-n, that has taken thousands of photos and traveled from oceans to deserts, wheat fields to mountaintops, via Jeeps, Boeings, boats and John Deere's. I finally treated it to a CLA after 31 years, but not because anything ever broke. It just works! And works... And works...
I treated it with moderate care (it lived in an aluminum case), but it went wheat-cutting in the 110 degree (F) Kansas sun, or went boulder-bouncing in the Utah desert, or camping at 10,000 feet in the snow, or fishing in Baja on a boat, and nothing ever went wrong. Incredibly tough!
Strengths:
When I asked that Waxman's sales rep for a 'tough' camera, he proposed this model, and to prove his point, he picked up a demonstrator and opened the back cover. Then, holding it only by the cover, he proceeded to pick it up and then smack it on the thin rubber pad on the sales counter - five or six times! He then showed me that all functions still worked - focusing, shutter speeds, and that the rear cover still fit as new. Amazing demonstration!
I then said that I'd take one - but not THAT one!
The battery life is phenomenal, if one shuts off the meter and / or uses the lens cap. One battery has lasted for over 10 years!!
Even with no battery, it will still take excellent pictures if one can judge the exposure correctly.
Depth of Field preview is incredibly easy. Focusing is easy with the excellent screen.
Best of all is the 'Quick Load' for film. Just put in the can, and pull the leader to the red mark, and shut the back. Viola! What a great time-saver! Why was it not continued?
Weaknesses:
Umm... thinking... there's gotta be one... hmmm...
AHA! If your flash is on and ready, but not on the camera, and you slide the flash's foot onto the hot shoe, the flash may 'flash' as the contacts on the foot touch the rear of the hot shoe..
Similar Products Used:
Argus C3 - and what a training camera! The king of accidental double-exposures! If I got a focused, properly exposed picture, I was giddy.
Mamiya/Sekor 500 DTL - with dual light meters. One light meter was defective from birth, and I took more lousy, dim pictures with this sorry setup than I care to admit.
Today - an F1n, two A-1's, and a Pellix for giggles.
Customer Service:
Never needed them!
As suggested by others, I've met, hired, and had great results for CLA's, and for lens diaphragm repairs for my eBay sad-sack purchases, with Steve Swearingen (steven40 at aol dot com) at Camera Clinic in Sparks, NV. I have no financial or personal interest in his services, just a satisfied customer. Reasonable prices, quality work, a warranty that wasn't called into play, and quick turnaround times.
Camera Clinic
55 Freeport Blvd, Suite 17
Sparks, NV. 89431
Phone 775-829-2244
I recently found my Fathers Canon FTb, he bought it new in 1971 for around $200, i found it in 2008 and it runs likes a dream. this camera has stood up to a curious 8 yearold gales on the Great Lakes, the high altitude of Pikes Peak and the humidity of the Florida Keys. My dad packed the camera away sometime in the early 90's and it sat for nearly 20 years before i found it again in 2008. even though it had sat for so long it needed no maintence just a new flash.
Strengths:
Rugged durability, nearly indestructable.
Weaknesses:
Difficult to find compatible components ie. new flash or new lenses.
Best camera I ever owned. took a beating and never let me down. With its mechanical settings, you could adjust for any light or effect you could want. I did lots of stop action with strobe lites, as well as long exposure of sky and objects at nite with great results. mostly used tri x .
Strengths:
rock hard outer shell, flip up mirror for long time exposures for no shake, tripod mount and remote shutter capabilaty were always good features. depth of field preview helped setting up effects, many lens's available
Where can I start with my trusty, 1974 Canon FTbN (new).
It has taken over 8,000 flawless Kodachrome slides primarily, for use in magazines by this photojournalist. Currently my old "tank" is 32 years old, and has never been worked on, although it now needs a new mirror dampener installed...that's it! It's been meticuoulsy cleaned, and maintained, but has never even needed an adjustment of any kind. It's been from the salty Gulf Coast, to the highest elevations in Colorado...Arizona's summer heat, to below freezing.
The FD lenses it uses are far superior in durability to the newer "plastc" versions. Ditto the FTb. If I remember correctly, the camera and std. 50mm lens weighs about 2 1/2 pounds! If you are looking for low price, durability...and ALL manual (except the simple metering system's battery power)...there is no better camera. I'd planned to move up to a "Professional" F-1, but the simplified FTb had all I ever needed, with B-1/1000 sec. shutter.
Strengths:
All metal, tough as nails construction.
It won't melt if you leave it in the sun...but don't anyway. :-)
Dozens of inexpensive, & compatible FD lenses from many manufacturers on Ebay, etc.
"The" camera for baby-boomers like me who got into photography before computers.
Tell me another camera that will go 30+ years, take thousands of outstanding photographs, and have nothing break?
If there is a Top 10 in SLR history: the Canon FTb "must" be on the list.
Matter of fact, I just bought another "mint" FTb off Ebay...payed handsomely for it too! I figure I can now use the old one for parts...IF it ever dies!
Weaknesses:
The only weakness for me was it's weight when carrying it around my neck attached to a larger telephoto lens. This was solved by buying the second best photographic item of my life...a photographer's vest for storing et. al. No more camera bags slipping off the shoulder! They aren't cheap, but worth their cost several times over, and the "weight" of all your geat is spread over the shoulders, not a strap digging into one. Mine is an Eddie Bauer, and very well made.
Similar Products Used:
I also have a Canon AT-1, which has also proven durable. It too is all manual, and similar to the FTb, except the electronic shutter...which has had to be repaired once. It's a "tweener" between the FTb, and the plastic jobs. Not as strong as the FTb, but still tough in the 20 years I've owned it.
Aside from my Canon-brand lenses, I've also had very good "professional" results with Tokina FD lenses. Very sharp, and less expensive than the Canon's when I bought them "new" over the past 3 decades.
Customer Service:
With the FTb...I've never needed any Customer Service!
Simple is still better in many cases...the less complicated...the less to go wrong.
10+ rating for my dear old FTb...it just keeps going, and going. Wish I had a 34 year old car with no problems! :-) A 34 year old computer, or computerized camera? Dream on!
This is a camera (FTBn) that has charisma. I also have an EOS body, lenses, and accessories but they feel disposable in comparison.
I use the new equipment in the field though because it's lightweight and my FTBn and FD lenses are too pristine I feel to knock around. I've seen FTB bodies going for $300 at major camera sellers.
Strengths:
Strongly engineered product that exudes some sort of chemistry. The later FTBn also displays the shutter speed in the viewfinder which is helpful. Mine came with the 50mm FD 1.4 SSC lens which seems sharper than the EF version.
Weaknesses:
Harder to hold without the grip of a motor winder.
Mirror slap recoils like a shotgun.
Similar Products Used:
Some Nikons and Pentax. I like old rangefinders, e.g. Olympus RC35. Wish they would put that model on the forum.
Customer Service:
Fine for new cameras.
They have a respecatable online museum that displays all the Canon cameras too.
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