Canon EXEE (1969-1970)

Canon EXEE (1969-1970)

#349

This photo is from the copy I own

History and technical features 

The EXEE is a 35 mm SLR camera made by Canon from 1969 until the early 1970s. Its most characteristic feature is a rear lens-group (three elements in two groups[1]) fixed on the camera and incorporating the helical focusing mechanism, to which any of a small selection of front groups can be attached by a simple screw fitting.

The EXEE offers through-the-lens metering and shutter-priority AE. It has a focal plane shutter with cloth blinds, travelling horizontally. It offers shutter speeds from 1/8 to 1/500 second plus 'B', and has a delayed-action (self-timer) lever on the front of the body. X-synchronisation for flash is at 1/60 second; there is a cold shoe, and a PC socket next to the left-hand strap lug.

The aperture is set not on the lens, but on a dial around the rewind crank, between f/1.8 and f/16; there are also 'EE' (i.e. auto-exposure) and 'Off' positions. The aperture set is displayed in the viewfinder on a scale with a needle.

The available lens front-groups are:

Standard lens: EX50mm f/1.8
Wide angle: EX35mm f/3.5 (price ¥8000
Portrait: EX95mm f/3.5 (price ¥11000)
Telephoto: EX125mm f/3.5 (price ¥18900)

The 125 mm lens was not available until 1972. The fixed rear group must have been something of a constraint of the design of the lenses, but made the accessory lenses cheap relative to lenses incorporating a rear group and focus mechanism in each. For comparison, the Canon Camera Museum gives a price of ¥19500 for the FD35mm f/3.5 (i.e. the old FD mount), introduced in 1973 and ¥27000 for the FD100mm f/2.8, introduced in 1971. The cost of the telephoto lens was more comparable to a complete lens; the FD135mm f/3.5 cost ¥19900 in 1970.

For metering, it is necessary to set the maximum aperture of the lens front-group being used. This is made possible by having two marks on the film speed dial, one for f/1.8 (i.e. standard lens) and one for f/3.5 (any other lens).

The CdS meter reads between EV 4.75 and EV 17. It requires a 1.3V mercury battery or modern substitute. However, the shutter speeds are timed mechanically, so the camera functions without a battery (without metering).

The EXEE has Canon's QL (Quick Load) simplified loading feature, whereby the film leader is simply pulled across the film compartment to a mark, and the back closed, and the uptake mechanism then captures the leader when the advance is wound.


Source: camera-wiki.org

Specifications


Source:

Model

S/n 193425

Lens s/n 106562


Reference sites

camera-wiki.org


Manual

Manual in english


Batteries

1.3v M20 (#625) mercury battery - equivalent to Mallory PX-625. Eveready EPX-625.


Film


Pictures taken with this machine


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