Canon FT QL

The Canon FT QL was a 35mm single-lens reflex camera introduced by Canon of Japan in March 1966. It had a Canon FL lens mount compatible with the large range of FL series lenses. The FT could also operate the later Canon FD series lenses in stop down mode, but the earlier R series has a different lens aperture mechanism and cannot be used although the bayonet fitting is similar. The standard kit lenses were Canon's 50mm f/1.8 ; 50mm f/1.4 and 58mm f/1.2, the body-only option was offered later.

FT QL was introduced in March 1966, a year after the sensational pellicle mirrored Canon Pellix. However it differed from the Pellix models, the FT QL had a normal quick-return reflex mirror and offering stop-down TTL metering. The TTL metering is semi-spot in nature and works through a prism incorporated in the viewfinder condenser/screen assembly. The later Canon F-1 has a similar prism for metering in its removable screen.The Canon FT viewfinder screen is not user changeable.The pentaprism finder is fixed like the similar FX and FP models but unlike some earlier Canon R reflexes.

The cloth focal plane shutter has speeds from 1 sec to 1/1000th and B. The electronic flash sync. speed is 1/60th. A delayed action timer gives 8 - 10 seconds delay, using the same front of body lever that actuates the stop-down metering. The mirror can be locked up for vibration reduction or for use with special FL lenses like the original 19mm f3.5 wide angle which projects deeply into the body and would foul the mirror.

The QL designation was a reference to Canon's ingenious and successful "quick load" system. A stainless steel sprung hinged device on the inside of the body rear door makes film loading easier than was normal at the time.

An accessory device the Canon Booster worked only with the FTQL, it was a plug-in device that sat on the accessory shoe and increase the metering sensitivity by a factor of 16 for poor light measuring. It's operation was somewhat clumsy and was best kept for tripod use.

The Canon FT is one of a series of three basically identical cameras released around this time, the first was the Canon FX which had a built-in meter, but was not TTL, it used a window on the camera body front. The next version was the FP which had no built-in meter and was the entry level camera. In the mid sixties there was still a good deal of suspicion in some sectors of the camera using community about built in metering. Canon cleverly covered this sector. The final model was the top of this sector the FT QL, Canon needed to offer this variant to combat the growing popularity of the Pentax Spotmatic variants as well as the Topcon RE SLRs.

The FTQL and its sisters was an important step for Canon, it lead to a number of improved versions such as the FTb and the full Professional camera system the F-1. A link to a more detailed information page is "http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/ftql/index.htm"

References

* Canon Inc. " [http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/1955-1969/data/1966_ftql.html FT QL] ". Retrieved from Canon's online Camera Museum on October 22, 2005.
* [http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/entry.htm Photography in Malaysia] (2000). " [http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/ftql/index.htm Canon FT QL camera] ". Retrieved on October 22, 2005.