Canon is one of the more renowned names when it comes to camera brands. But apart from their newer, more high tech digital cameras, Canon used to make reliable, sturdy, and quality cameras back in the day of silver gelatin film. Although some say darkroom processing and film are slowly becoming obsolete with the digital age taking over the mainstream, old Canon film cameras can still be used every day to produce beautiful photography all around the world.
Block Out Light
One of the more important things to realize about an old film camera is that they are not as fresh and not built as tightly as those today. Often times, the camera door will have a foam lining that has deteriorated with age, or the latch on the door does not hold it all the way shut. These are things that could ruin a whole roll of film in an instant. To combat these issues, check that lining and latches. If need be, take it to a camera repair shop to see about getting it fixed. Some minor indicators of a light leakage may appear on the edges of the developed film. There will be off-colored spots, varying in size, and some photos may be over-exposed. Another area to consider light leakages is the eye hole. This is most prominent when shooting with a timer. Light has a chance of getting down into the camera through the eye hole, then exposing the film. Lastly, when it comes to keeping the light off the film, most old Canons do not wind by themselves. Although it should be safe to wind manually in the light, it is often advised by owner's manuals to wind and retract film in the dark. By doing so, the photographer eliminates the possibility of exposing any light to the film through small cracks.
Keep it Clean and Safe
Older cameras and film cameras are often much more sensitive than modern cameras due to the many different parts utilized in manual photography. Make sure that the lens is always clean. Use an anti-static cloth to gently clean both sides of the lens and don't hesitate to wipe down the rest of the camera as well. When the film door is open, gently clean the dust from the canister slots and then the shutter window. Refrain from using any sort of chemicals in cleaning the camera to reduce the risk of creating smudges and harming the camera itself. Note that some chemicals are sold specifically to clean cameras and these are fine to use. Also, it is strongly suggested to keep the camera in a padded case or bag when not in use. When in use, it should have a strap that goes around the photographers neck in the event that it is dropped. Many times, a strap like this will be included with the camera, so buyers won't need to worry about purchasing one.
Explore the Features
Although an old Canon film camera may seem like a plain old aperture-shutter speed camera, some actually have very useful features. For instance, the AE-1 Program from Canon allows the photographer to set a filter behind the lens using a latch on the camera to see a sample of the image in the viewfinder with the current aperture and shutter speed settings. That way, the photographer can adjust the settings according to the way they want the picture to appear. Explore to see what features may be on a Canon and if possible, carefully read through the owner's manual for the best hints on use and features.
Tags: Canon film, film camera, film cameras, gently clean, light film, when comes