The FT QL was one of six FL lens mount camera models that Canon released, this one being introduced in March 1966. In chronological order, the models were: FX, FP, Pellix, FT QL, Pellix QL, TL. All were mechanical cameras, in that a battery was only required for operating the meter, not the shutter. Some distinguishing features of the FT QL include:
- The QL (Quick Loading) feature appears to have debuted with this model. A piece of metal secures the film’s sprocket holes in the sprocket teeth prior to closing the camera back, ensuring proper film loading. This feature is only present on FL-mount cameras, however, the leader spindle in later models has slots & sprocket teeth, whereas the FL-mount cameras only had the sprocket to secure the film feed.
- The FT QL shares a mirror lock-up feature with the FX & FP models, the TL QL has no mirror lock-up, & both Pellix models had fixed semi-transparent mirrors. Mirror lock-up is hard to find in later (F, A, T series) Canon models.
- The FT QL was Canon’s second camera model with TTL (Through The Lens) metering, the Pellix being the first. 12% CDs cell (cadmium sulfide) partial metering is present on this model, along with both Pellix models & the TL. The FP had no meter, and the FX had an uncoupled CDs meter.
This was my first mechanical analog Canon camera model, and it appears to be one of the most common (so far as I can tell). Purely mechanical camera models are a bit harder to come by than the electronic models (A series, for example). These models are advantageous as a battery is not required to operate the camera, just the meter. Either use another camera to meter the scene, or use a handheld meter (my preferred method).
I am rather fond of the aesthetics of the FT QL. The body is made of metal, which has a rigidity & confidence that mostly-plastic later camera models lack. The light-grey body with a black mid-strip has a simple but antique quality to it. As the FT QL was manufactured between 1966 & 1972, making individual copies between 54 & 48 years old, the term “antique” fits here properly.
I am a Canon guy, first & foremost. Not only do I appreciate the visual appeal of this model, along with its age – I love the idea of shooting with a vintage camera, making photographs with history – but it’s the one of the simplest analogue Canon cameras. I can just take it, a few lenses, my light meter, extra film, and go. In the age of instant gratification, of “everything right now, right this second, I can’t wait!”, of electronic cameras that have 200 features in which you can get lost or feel compelled to use just because they are there, a camera like the Canon FT QL just says “forget all the bells & whistles, just make a photograph.” Take your reading, set your aperture, shutter speed, focus, compose, and release the shutter. It’s simplicity in your hands, the distilled essence of art. The most important part of all of this is being in the moment: that’s what a camera like this represents to me. It also represents confidence, as a random person wouldn’t know how to take a good exposure with a manual camera model like this. Refer to the Sunny 16 Rule, their eyelids would compress and they’d say “Huh?” Automatic models like the A-1 tell you what settings to use – with manual override, of course. But the FT QL looks at you and says: “Tell me what settings you want.”
A camera like this is also something of a time vessel. People were using this to take pictures during the time of the Civil Rights Movement, the Apollo XI moon landing, when Bobby Kennedy & Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated, when Jimi Hendrix released “Are You Experienced” & “Axis: Bold As Love”, when 2001: A Space Odyssey was released in theaters, back in the younger days of 135 film photography. Think of this when you use this model, and it adds to the journey.
While being made of metal, the FT QL is not at all a heavy camera. With the textured black material wrapped around the middle, it sits in the hand nicely with no fear of slipping. The fingers on your right hand naturally rest against the stop-down lever, needed when you desire to see how your selected aperture will look through the viewfinder. This switch also conveniently has a lock. The simple controls are easily accessible even with your eye to the viewfinder. The camera has a shutter lock to keep a frame from being accidentally shot.
The viewfinder is sufficiently bright (not as bright as an Olympus, though), with a simple light meter needle on the right of the fresnel focusing lens. The camera uses a cadmium sulfide (CDs) meter drawing power from a 1.3 volt button-cell battery, which is optional. Based on a few observations, it doesn’t appear that the meter tends to be accurate any longer, which is no issue, as I use a handheld meter anyway. The camera back is opened by way of a switch on the bottom left of the camera, and thanks to the aforementioned QL system, film loading is easy. I actually prefer this loading method to later Canon models, which have a slot for the film leader and a sprocket notch to grab it. In those models, due to this setup, there is a greater likelihood that the film may slip out of the slot when trying to shoot the leader to get extra exposures on the roll. The QL system, however, uses a spring-loaded metal plate that rests over the sprockets, keeping the film in place.
In cases where a long-term exposure of, say, 10 or 30 seconds is desired, thankfully, this camera is equipped with a mirror lock-up switch on the upper-left of the body. This feature is rare for later Canon models, and only seems to appear on F-1 bodies. With the film reciprocity effect* one has to be careful with long-term exposure timing. I have done some long-term (about 8 seconds) bulb exposures at the Kansas State Fair, photographing the Freak Out ride lights, and gotten fabulous results. As my focus was on the ride lights, which are sufficiently bright (this was prior to my knowledge of the effect anyway), the reciprocity effect had no bearing on my results.
For those interested in multiple exposures, this and similar models have no preset switch for the option. You have to depress the film rewind button on the bottom right of the camera, manually rewind the film back a frame, and then re-expose the same frame to another scene. This can be repeated as often as desired. I prefer to use models with a switch (A-1) or other disabler of the film advance mechanism, as I worry that manually rewinding the film may lead to bleeding one exposure onto an adjacent frame. This may be over-concern, but it is my preference. I have not yet utilized multiple exposures in my photography, at least intentionally.
I really enjoy using the Canon FT QL on my excursions. It’s a beautiful model, I don’t have to worry about battery power at all, and it’s really nice to be connected to Canon through such a time frame. To be able to photograph with an early analog SLR along with a modern digital full-frame model makes me have a deeper relationship with the company, along with being witness to the evolution of their line, and how needs & expectations have changed. If you are looking for a purely mechanical analog SLR for your photography, I strongly recommend the Canon FT QL. Model pictures and sample photographs will appear later (9Jan2020).
*film reciprocity effect: This refers to the need to adjust long exposures of 1 second or more to get the desired result. The reason for this is that due to its nature, photographic film is less sensitive to low light levels. Each silver halide grain in the emulsion requires a certain number of photons to react with it to activate its part of the latent image. Extreme low light significantly reduces the frequency of all emulsion grains being exposed properly, so compensation is required. Low density/shadow areas are more strongly affected by this. Extremely short exposures are also affected due to the very brief nature of electronic flash units, starting at 1/10,000 second or faster. This does not affect digital cameras, only analog cameras. Details are listed in Ansel Adams’ technical book “The Negative” on pages 41-42 & 45, among other sources.
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