Canon F-1 vs F-1n vs New F-1: The Complete Guide

Community tip: Connor from Kamerastore explains on YouTube the differences between the three Canon F-1 models in under four minutes. A compact video overview with all the cameras side by side. Watch the video.

The battery doesn't fit in the compartment, the finder from the dealer won't seat: that's how the purchase ends when nobody checked which F-1 was meant. Three cameras bear the lettering “Canon F-1” without any suffix, yet the F-1 and F-1n are essentially the same camera, and the New F-1 is a completely new system. The F-1 and F-1n keep firing with a dead battery, only the light meter goes silent; the New F-1 exposes automatically with the matching AE accessories, has its own battery, and no old finder fits it. The quickest test is the battery compartment: at the bottom with a screw cap, or in the right-hand grip. Here you'll learn how to identify your model in seconds and which accessories really fit.

Table of contents

1. The three models at a glance
2. Technical specifications in detail
3. Which battery fits which F-1?
4. Which prisms and focusing screens fit where?
5. Which lenses fit (FD and New FD)
6. Accessories for your Canon F-1
7. How do I identify my model?

1. The three models at a glance

Canon F-1 (1971–1976)

Canon’s first professional SLR camera. Purely mechanical, with no built-in automation. Built like a tank. The F-1 was Canon’s answer to the Nikon F. Fastest shutter speed: 1/2000s (Canon Camera Museum). Everything works without a battery; only the built-in light meter (TTL, it measures through the lens) requires power.

Canon F-1n (1976–1981)

Canon lists this model in the Canon Camera Museum as “F-1 (Later model)” and gives the sales launch as “F-1N: September 1976.” In Japan, the camera was called “F-1改”. Collectors and dealers usually write “F-1n”. Canon counts 13 improvements over the first F-1; the most noticeable ones are these:

• ISO range up to ASA 3200 instead of 2000
• 139° lever travel for film advance instead of 180°, a 30° ready position instead of 15° and a plastic tip on the lever
• A lock on the flash sync socket to prevent the flash cable (PC cable) from slipping out

Everything else stays the same: the battery, prisms and mount are identical.

Canon New F-1 (1981–1992)

This is where things get exciting and confusing at the same time. The New F-1 is still called “F-1,” but it is a completely redesigned camera system. Canon positioned it against the Nikon F3. The key differences at a glance:

• Hybrid mechanical/electronic: 1/125s to 1/2000s, X (1/90s) and B work without a battery; slower speeds require power
• Automatic exposure: Aperture-priority AE (with AE Finder FN) or shutter-priority AE (with AE Motor Drive FN or AE Power Winder FN)
• Different battery: 6V instead of 1.35V, completely incompatible with the old F-1
• Other finders and focusing screens: Not interchangeable with F-1/F-1n

The names come from Canon itself, even though the body of all three models lists only “F-1” as the model name. The Canon Camera Museum lists the 1981 camera as the “New F-1” and explains why it is not called “F-2”: Canon had promised in 1971 to leave the F-1 unchanged for ten years, and once that period had expired, its 1981 successor carried on the name. Because the suffix appears on none of the bodies, buyers regularly order the wrong battery or the wrong finder.

2. Technical specifications in detail

3. Which battery fits which F-1?

This is the most common source of error. The F-1 and F-1n on the one hand and the New F-1 on the other require completely different batteries, and the wrong one fits neither the camera nor provides the correct voltage.

Canon F-1 and F-1n: PX625 (1.35V)

Both cameras use a single PX625 mercury cell (1.35V), exclusively for the light meter. The mechanics work completely without a battery. The problem: Due to environmental regulations, the original mercury battery has not been available for years.

Our solution for the F-1 and F-1n: Our PX625 adapter brings a type 675 zinc-air cell up to the size of the PX625 and fits both models; two adapters with six cells cost €22.95. At around 1.4 V, the cell sits slightly above the original; what that means for metering is covered in the first point just below. It won’t fit the New F-1, which needs 6 V.

Disclaimer: We sell some of the products that appear here. Even so, the article is meant first and foremost as help and not as a sales pitch.

Modern alternatives:

• Zinc-air 675 cell in an adapter: According to the Energizer datasheet, it has a nominal voltage of 1.4V, slightly higher than the 1.35V of the mercury cell. Canon explicitly states in the F-1 manual not to use 1.4V mercury cells. The warning concerns the voltage, and the zinc-air cell has that voltage too. Therefore, compare the metering once with a handheld light meter after inserting it. Once the protective film is removed, the cell operates with oxygen from the air and after that lasts only for a limited time. → Type 675 batteries in our shop
• SR43 (386) silver oxide (1.55V) in the MR-9 adapter: According to manufacturer Kanto Camera, the adapter reduces the voltage to about 1.35V. Silver oxide maintains a more constant voltage than alkaline batteries.
• LR44 alkaline (1.5V): Inexpensive and widely available, but only usable with an adapter because of its smaller diameter. The higher voltage (1.5V instead of 1.35V) causes slight metering deviations, tolerable with negative film, but problematic with slide film.

Open the battery compartment: The battery compartment of the F-1 and F-1n is located on the bottom and requires a coin or a special tool to open. Our battery compartment tool (1.7 mm steel) opens the battery compartments of the Canon F-1, Rollei 35, Olympus OM, and many other cameras from that era.

Canon New F-1: 6V (4LR44, 4SR44 or PX28L)

The New F-1 uses a 6V battery. The Canon manual lists three types: 4LR44 (alkaline-manganese), 4SR44 also known as PX28 (silver oxide), and PX28L (lithium). The compartment is in the right-hand grip; the grip itself is the battery cover. The battery powers the light meter and the electronically controlled shutter speeds (8s to 1/60s). If it runs out, Canon says to simply remove it; the mechanical speeds from 1/125s to 1/2000s, X (1/90s), and B will continue to work.

Available 6V options:

• 4SR44 or PX28 (silver oxide): Voltage stays stable longer than with alkaline
• PX28L (lithium): Canon recommends lithium in the manual for use in cold conditions
• 4LR44 (alkaline): Cheaper, voltage drops faster
• 4×LR44 in an adapter: Practical solution with universally available button cells → 4×LR44 to 4LR44/PX28 battery adapter in our shop

Most common buyer mistake: A 6V battery does not fit the F-1 or F-1n, because it has a different shape and the wrong voltage. Conversely, a PX625 is completely useless for the New F-1. Always check which model you have before buying (→ Chapter 7: How do I identify my model?).

Battery compatibility at a glance

Suitable battery solutions from our shop

PX625 battery adapter (F-1 / F-1n) (from €22.95) · 4×LR44 battery adapter (New F-1) (€19.95)

Which battery fits which Canon (F-1, AE-1, A-1, EOS, and more) is shown in our overview of all Canon batteries.

4. Which prisms and focusing screens fit where?

All three cameras have interchangeable prisms and interchangeable focusing screens. But:

The New F-1 uses its own viewfinders, such as the Eye-Level Finder FN and the AE Finder FN for aperture-priority auto exposure. According to camera-wiki.org, viewfinders, motors, and the matching system accessories of the old F-1 do not fit the New F-1, and vice versa. Small parts such as the eyecup or cable release, on the other hand, fit all three (Chapter 6).

Prisms and focusing screens are freely interchangeable between the F-1 and F-1n: You can easily mount an F-1 prism on an F-1n and vice versa. The focusing screens can also be swapped. The F-1 came with the Type A focusing screen from the factory, while the F-1n came with the Type E. This interchangeability is useful if you find an inexpensive F-1 prism as a replacement for your F-1n.

5. Which lenses fit (FD and New FD)

The good news: All FD-mount lenses work on all three cameras. There are two generations:

• FD (Breech-Lock / silver ring): The older lenses with a silver locking ring on the rear. Turn, click, secure.
• New FD (also “FDn”): The newer lenses with a bayonet lock on the lens ring itself. Faster to change.

Don't forget the lens hoods: FD lenses often don't have built-in protection against stray light. A suitable lens hood makes a noticeable difference when shooting against the light. We carry lens hoods for the most common Canon FD lenses:
→ Hoods for Canon FD

6. Accessories for your Canon F-1

The range of accessories for the F-1 family is extensive, and not every part fits every model. We have broken down the most important accessories by model.

For all three models (F-1, F-1n, New F-1)

19.5mm eyecup (€24.95) · 40cm cable release (€19.95) · Cold shoe flash adapter + PC cable (€39.95)

Only for the F-1 and F-1n

Battery compartment tool (1.7mm steel) (€19.95) · Servo EE connector cover (€19.95) · Type 675 batteries (1.4V, for the PX625 adapter) (€7.95)

Only for the New F-1

Cover cap set (AE, winder, rewind) (€29.95) · AE coupler cover (€19.95) · Battery adapter 4×LR44 → PX28/4LR44 (€19.95) · 4LR44 6V alkaline battery (€12.95)

Canon FD lens hoods

BS-52 for New FD 50mm (€24.95) · BS-55 for FD 50mm (silver ring) (€25.95) · BS-58 for FD 55mm / 50-135mm (€34.95)

7. How do I identify my model?

All three cameras are marked “Canon F-1”, without an addition such as “n” or “New”. So you need to look for other identifying features.

Quick body check

The easiest way: Take a look at the battery compartment. Is it on the bottom with a screw cap? F-1 or F-1n. Is it in the right-hand grip? New F-1. The ISO scale confirms the result: up to 2000 it's an F-1, up to 3200 an F-1n, up to 6400 a New F-1.

The differences explained in the video

Further sources

If you want to read a second opinion before buying or look something up in the original manual, these pages will help you.

• Canon F-1 manual at butkus.org, original manual of the first F-1 as a PDF, also in German
• Canon F-1 vs FTb at Casual Photophile: is the more expensive F-1 worth it compared to the FTb? (English)
• Jim Grey on the New F-1, critical hands-on report compared to the Nikon F3 (English)

Canon F-1 accessories in the shop Batteries, cover caps, eyecups, lens hoods, everything for the F-1 family. Go to Canon F-1 accessories.

Canon FD overview Everything about the Canon FD system: cameras, lenses, accessories, and compatibility. Go to the Canon FD page.

All blog articles at a glance Guides, tips, and technical background on analogue photography. Go to blog overview.