Canon F-1 Light meter problem

tom beard · Jul 3, 2009

Hello All,

I recently unpacked my F-1 which I've had carefully stored for over ten years, and got a new battery for it (same as the old one). I turned the light meter switch to on, set the asa to 100 and the shutter speed to 2000 as instructed. Looking through the viewfinder (the meter scale on the right), should have lined up with the blue mark near the bottom. It was above the marker. When I readjusted the meter from battery test to TTL metering, I had to stop down the lens a bit more than a full stop to approximate the battery test readings. When I shoot a test roll, should I use the re-adjusted setting as a guide or ignore the battery test reading? Since the camera has been sitting for so long unused should I take off the viewing prism, take out the split image focusing screen and remove the lens and clean everything I can get to or has it just gotten old and creaky from non use?

Thanks, Tom Beard
Canon F-1, 28 &50 mm fixed focus, 70-200 Soligar zoom

compur · Jul 3, 2009

Canon made two cameras they called "F-1" -- the first in the 1970s and the
other in the 1980s. They are different cameras.

Is yours the original F-1 that uses a 1.3v PX625 mercury button battery or
the "New F-1" that uses a 6v PX28 battery?

DeadEye · Jul 3, 2009

compur said:
Canon made two cameras they called "F-1" -- the first in the 1970s and the
other in the 1980s. They are different cameras.

Is yours the original F-1 that uses a 1.3v PX625 mercury button battery or
the "New F-1" that uses a 6v PX28 battery?

As I recall the new replacement ( Cross referance ) battery is non mercury as per the new EPA approved battery. Its higher in voltage and moves the meter by a stop. There is a little disk shaped diode that fits under the battery that will correct the meter reading.
If you can't find one lemme know as I have one.