Spotlight: Canon EOS 650

Lately I've been into early autofocus SLR's from the 80's and 90's, an era of cameras that I'd previously ignored because I wasn't into plastic builds and expensive batteries. Well, all that's changed, and the 1987 Canon EOS 650 is the latest camera to pique my interest.  My curiosity for the camera stems from the fact that the EOS 650 is the first Canon EOS camera, as well as the first to ever use the now legendary Canon EF mount. Previous manual focus SLR cameras such as the F-1, A-1, and AE-1, used the FD mount, but when it was clear that autofocus was the future, Canon decided to start over from scratch with a new electronically driven focusing system in the form of the EF mount. The EF mount was novel because focusing and aperture functions were controlled by motors in each individual lens, and not the camera body (like with Nikon AF lenses). This being the case, there are no levers or plungers on the rear of EF lenses, only electronic contacts.

As the first EOS camera, the 650 definitely succeeds as a proof of concept. Though there is only one autofocus point (in the center of the focusing screen, of course), focus is damn snappy. Like on a modern camera, the shutter release is pressed halfway to focus, and all the way to take a picture. I couldn't believe the speed of the autofocus, as the camera quickly locks on to the subject with next to no hunting! In comparison to other dedicated autofocus consumer cameras that I've used from the same period like the Minolta Maxxum 7000 or Nikon N2020, the EOS 650 is on a whole different level. Pretty much every shot I took was in good focus, and if it wasn't, the user was to blame. :) 

While the focusing system is certainly impressive for 1987, the rest of the camera is fairly pedestrian. The 650 was not aimed at the professional crowd, but rather the mid-level consumer. Advanced amateurs would have to wait a few additional months for the more feature rich EOS 620, and pros another two years for the EOS-1. The feature set on the 650 is pretty basic. There are four main exposure modes: manual, shutter priority, aperture priority, and program. Actually, there is a fifth mode, called "Exposure AE," which is designed to help calculate depth of field for people who don't understand the concept. It's cumbersome, and I never touched it. 

The camera works great in aperture and shutter priority modes. It's when you switch to manual that things get a bit ugly. In manual, there is no traditional light meter. I thought there was something wrong with my 650 at first, but no, this is normal. To meter light in manual mode, you must hold down an additional button on the side of the camera (The button marked "M"). Then, on the readout screen, the camera will read out "CL" or "OP" based on your current shutter speed. "CL" means close down the aperture, while "OP" means (you guessed it) open the aperture. If the camera deems your current settings correct, "OO" will display on the LCD screen. So, in short, manual mode sucks on the EOS 650. Stick to the auto modes like I did if you value your sanity. 

To compliment the automatic modes, there is also an exposure compensation feature that goes all the way to +/- 5 EV. If you want to shoot action, there is a continuous shooting mode that goes up to three frames per second. Not so impressive now, but good for the time, especially considering the size of the camera. Speaking of size, the 650 has an excellent form factor, and though a little on the heavy side for a simple camera, it feels great in my hands. The grip is comfy, and I love how the auto exposure button falls within easy access of my right thumb. Unless you're constantly fiddling with exposure compensation or switching through exposure modes, it's easy to use the 650 with just one hand. I also love the look of the 650; the raised bottom portion of the camera is funky, and for whatever reason, the overall aesthetic to me feels very cyberpunk. It definitely wouldn't look out of place in the hands of Harrison Ford on the set of Blade Runner.

Below are some photos I made with the EOS 650 on a recent trip to Indianapolis. I used a 50mm f/1.8 Canon EF lens, and Ilford HP5+ 400 film. 

Base Ball Portraits (Part 3)

Another six portraits starring members of the Chicago Salmon vintage base ball team, including yours truly at the top. 

 

Base Ball Portraits (Part 2)

A continuation of the drawings I'm working on for the Chicago Salmon vintage base ball club. These portraits will eventually be featured on the team website, chicagosalmon.org. Each portrait is 6" x 6". 

Base Ball Portraits (Part 1)

This summer I'm working on making graphite pencil portraits depicting members of the Chicago Salmon vintage base ball club. These portraits will eventually be featured on the team website, chicagosalmon.org. Each portrait is 6" x 6".  

First Cyanotypes

This summer I'm trying out a few different photographic alternative processes. I started with a few cyanotypes of my cats, Furiosa and Merry. I contact-printed a digital negative, along with different plants for each cat. I'm enjoying the process, but still need to experiment with how to improve dynamic range. 

 

Photographs: Harbor Country

Harbor Country is a series of photographs I plan to produce over the course of this summer and beyond.

For my entire life, my family has owned a small cottage in Union Pier, Michigan, and I spent every summer there through high school. Recently my wife and I have started to spend a lot of time in Union Pier, which has been phenomenal. However, I've noticed that a lot of places I frequented as a kid are now changed, abandoned, or completely gone. With Harbor Country, I seek to document the once familiar locations I associate with my childhood that have since been erased, no matter how seemingly insignificant. 

Arby's

A former Arby's next to the highway exit we took to get to Union Pier. I don't think I ever actually ate there, but the sign would always greet us on the way to the cottage. 

Gold's Gym - Pool

As a teenager, I used to swim and read Nintendo Power magazines by this pool after working out. The gym used to be a railway roundhouse. 

To be continued. 

Spotlight: Nikon F5

 

The Nikon F5, released in 1996, is the ultimate professional 35mm SLR for sports and action. This camera does not mess around. It has a shooting speed of 7.4 frames per second, and weighs in at 3 pounds, 11 ounces with batteries, film, and a 50mm lens. The size and weight kept me away from the F5 for a long time, but I picked one up a few weeks ago to see how it fared shooting baseball. 

I've owned my Nikon F, F2, and F4 cameras for many years now, and absolutely adore them. I enjoy their robust-yet-compact builds, and simplistic mechanical controls. The F5 is a departure from these previous F models, trading mechanical knobs for an electronic display and command dials. It's a very modern setup, one that digital SLR users will immediately be right at home with. Though the hipster in me misses physical controls, the electronic display does nicely streamline the shooting experience. 

The size and weight also differentiates the F5 from previous F models, which were relatively small and light. While the features of the F5 are certainly an upgrade over previous cameras in every way, its hulking frame limits how and where the camera can be used effectively, and it's not exactly discreet. Call me a wimp, but I don't want to lug it around with me for much longer than an hour. Whip this beast out the street, and you're sure to raise some eyebrows. I sure wouldn't recommend it as a travel camera. Though its massive girth can be considered a detriment in many situations, the F5 is also the most solid camera I've ever held in my hands. The grip is incredibly comfortable, and the additional vertical release makes portrait oriented shots a breeze. Overall, handling on the F5 is top notch, as long as you don't plan to walk with it for extended periods of time. 

Essentially, the F5 was built for one thing: SPEED. A blazing fast 7.4 fps fire rate, combined with quick and accurate autofocus, makes the F5 a must-have for sports shooters. This thing just goes. If you're not careful, you can eat through an entire roll of film in mere seconds. There are five autofocus points to choose from, which can be cycled between through via a directional pad on the rear of the camera. Most of my shots came out in sharp focus, and the ones that didn't were probably due to user error. Here is a sequence I made shooting at the max frame rate:

As a guy who enjoys multiple exposures, I appreciate that the F5 has a dedicated multiple exposure button. You just hold down the button and rotate the main command dial to turn the mode on. When you're done with your current frame, hold the button and rotate the command dial again to automatically advance the film. I had fun combining the F5's multiple exposure function with the 7.4 fps: 

One bittersweet fact about the F5 is that it's the final Nikon camera (if not the final 35mm format camera, period) to have interchangeable viewfinders. It's a feature that's sorely lacking in today's cameras. I might just pick up a waist-level finder for my F5 if I can find one for cheap, but they usually go for $150 or more. 

Overall I love the F5. While not a camera I see myself using a lot due to its size, I think I will keep it around for situations that call for its high frame rate and dependable autofocus. Below are a few more photographs I made with my F5 and 80-200mm f2.8 D lens, on Kodak Tmax 400 film.