Canon EX

The Canon EX EE was a 35mm SLR camera with a set lens , followed by the modified version Canon EX Auto . Both cameras had an automatic shutter function and, due to the limited range of lenses, were primarily intended for beginners and occasional photographers, and less for committed amateurs.

EX EE

Period and classification

The Canon EX EE appeared in October 1969 and was replaced by the slightly modified EX Auto in February 1972. With its fully automatic exposure control it was superior to cameras with a real lens bayonet, which were not yet available in the same price range. It was also able to offer inexpensive interchangeable lenses. The range of lenses was very limited for this, and there was no way to expand the extension for close-ups with extension rings or a bellows device. The EX cost around 500 DM including the normal lens, which at the time was cheap for a single lens reflex camera.

casing

Although the EX with its own lens system did not belong to the F series cameras, it was related to it and was also based on the aluminum housing of the Canon FX . The camera was just as solidly built as the Canon models with completely interchangeable lenses.

Lenses

Canon offered the following front parts for the EX EE (called Canon Lens EX):

EX 35mm f / 3.5
EX 50mm f / 1.8
EX 90mm f / 3.5
EX 125mm f / 3.5

These lenses were attached to the fixed rear part with an M 39 thread. The front part of the lens does not need a diaphragm mechanism or focusing, since the diaphragm and the worm gear are in the rear part of the lens, which is fixed to the housing. Therefore these lenses were cheaper than cpl. Interchangeable lenses (with aperture device and focusing) The 125 mm attachment had a strikingly large lens for the light intensity f / 3.5, which required the specified rear lenses. Third-party manufacturers did not offer lenses for this Canon EX EE and the EX Auto.

Viewfinder

The built-in prism viewfinder had a ground glass with a micro prism ring . It was very bright, but this was mainly due to the fact that the slide was hardly frosted, so it was advisable to focus with the microprisms. On the right side was a pointer instrument that indicated the bezel.

Exposure metering

The Canon EX had a medium weighted integral measurement with a CdS cell. The film speed could be set on the shutter speed dial, it ranged from ISO 25/15 ° to ISO 800/30 ° with the normal lens with its speed of f / 1.8 and up to ISO 500/28 ° with the lenses with f / 3.5 . The measuring range for ISO 100/21 ° was from ¹ ⁄ ₈ s at f / 1.8 to ¹ ⁄ ₅₀₀ s at f / 16.

The rewind crank was surrounded by a setting ring that could be set to Off, EE and continuously to a value between 1.8 and 16. EE stood for Electronic Eye , a name that was also chosen by other manufacturers for fully automatic exposure control. In this position, the camera selected a suitable aperture for the set shutter speed and displayed it in the viewfinder. In the manual setting you also had to read the aperture in the viewfinder, the setting wheel was only labeled with the end values 1.8 and 16.

Clasp

As an entry-level camera, the horizontally running cloth closure in the EX EE was limited to shutter speeds of ¹ ⁄ ₈ s up to ¹ ⁄ ₅₀₀ s and B, the flash sync time was ¹ ⁄ ₆₀ s. A self-timer was built into the camera.

QL system

Since the EX EE was supposed to accommodate beginners, it also had the Quickload film insertion aid known from the Canon FT QL .

Power supply

The FT needed a PX 625 for the light meter. It was dependent on the exact 1.35 V voltage of this battery type. There was no real battery test, rather you should set the film speed to ISO 100/21 °, the shutter speed dial to 30 and then measure the sky or a bright object, whereby the pointer had to indicate at least f / 16.

If the battery was not inserted, only the exposure metering and the pointer instrument in the viewfinder did not work, the manually set aperture was transmitted mechanically.

EX car

Period

The Canon EX Auto appeared in February 1972 and expired with the appearance of the Canon A series. In view of their inexpensive production, it was no longer worth holding onto an entry-level camera with set lenses.

CAT auto flash

Just like the Canon EF , the EX Auto also offered fully automatic exposure control. To do this, the Canolite D flash unit had to be attached, whereby the distance setting was determined by the camera itself and therefore no flash coupling ring had to be attached to the lens, as was the case with the EF. The Canolite D also used some Canonet cameras, it had a guide number of 16 at ISO 100/21 °.

Web links

swell

Alexander Decker: Unorthodox Canon SLR cameras , in PhotoDeal I / 2000