p.2 #1 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
gkinard1952 wrote:
I'll be looking forward to your review of the Nostalgic Canon when it comes out.. I will make sure I book mark this page and re-new the interest when you get it. As well as your new Canon super telephoto lens you were talking about... Can't wait.
I'll wait and see what the reviews have to say about it, then see what others, who have the camera, have to say about it, before diving in. There are some people who will buy anything new. I'm not one of them. I'm not sure how you perceived the notion that I was getting a new telephoto lens. I already have the RF 600 & 800 f/11's, and the 1.4x. I can spot a new 7-11 opening up on the moon with the 800, 1.4x and R100
Jim
p.2 #2 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
jgoetz4 wrote:
I'll wait and see what the reviews have to say about it, then see what others, who have the camera, have to say about it, before diving in. There are some people who will buy anything new. I'm not one of them. I'm not sure how you perceived the notion that I was getting a new telephoto lens. I already have the RF 600 & 800 f/11's, and the 1.4x. I can spot a new 7-11 opening up on the moon with the 800, 1.4x and R100
Jim
p.2 #3 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
gkinard1952 wrote:
Back in film days, Canon was never on my list.. The Olympus OM-1 is what I used. Still have it and a manual 300/4.5 & 50mm lens in pristine condition on my wall.
Back then Canon was considered second rate at best for what I shot. Fond memories of my Beseler enlarger. And sitting in my dark room (blacked out bathroom) haha.
Definitely don't miss those days.
So, I would never buy a retro Canon. Not to mention Canon Rumors is nothing but a click bait site at best.
I was a poor student. I shot demonstrations etc. with a Pentax ME and ME Super (one officially was my dad’s), one prime and a cheap Vivitar zoom. I remember standing next to a pro and him offering a look through his setup. I was amazed at the clarity of his viewfinder, undoubtedly helped by a fast zoom. That was my first exposure to Canon or Nikon pro bodies. Then I couldn’t afford them. Now I find them too large for normal shooting.
Dec 09, 2025 at 10:15 AM
AmbientMike Offline • • • • • • [X]
p.2 #4 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
I have no idea how something this cool can engender so much negativity. But, hoo boy, tell me about the latest tech (ugh.)
I have fond memories of the AE-1 Program. I only had one a short time, bought it used, it came up stolen and had to return it. But I liked shutter priority (most bodies had Av) and the finder really, really great.
I missed this is FF, $2k is not bad if they can sell it for that. Hopefully it doesn't degenerate into the 100-500 deal, everyone spending tons of money on cameras inexplicably losing their minds over $800 and pining over 200-600. R6 III $2900, see if its the same price
p.2 #5 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
rscheffler wrote:
A FF retro F-1 or T90 would be cooler and more interesting, IMO.
Now you are talking. Release the Retro AE-1 as a low end model and then the Retro F-1(R5 sensor) and a Retro T90(R1 sensor). one can only dream
I started with the Ae-1 P. After many years of use it stopped advancing the film. Took it into Canon's repair shop and they said they couldn't fix it. I took off the base and saw the problem was a tiny piece of plastic had word and wouldn't lock the magnets in place. Took off the piece of plastic and stuff a tiny piece of paper in it, put it back on the lever and it was fixed. Used for another 2 years before a different issue sent it to the for parts department. I still have it. Replaced it with an F-1 that I used for many years and still have it but don't shoot film anymore.
p.2 #6 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
Nice! I really, really hope it has absolutely NO VIDEO FEATURES AT ALL! We have enough "hybrid" cameras for "content creators" (especially for those who refuse to spend the money on actual video-only cameras).
p.2 #7 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
T90 definitely one of the coolest looking cameras ever, and Canon made the F1 for 7 years after the EOS system was launched. It was probably still in regular use until digital came along and took over
But the weight would be a drawback. And they sold a ton of AE-1's.
p.2 #8 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
In short, an example of what Canon may do would be similar to, and competing with, the Nikon Z fc.
Its foundation will likely come from a lower level R series APS-C sensor camera, including its settings menus, with its styling taken from the AE-1 as rumored/logical guess based on timing.
Its main selling feature, driving up its MSRP price, is the retro styling look with the usual optional artsy exterior adornments, driving up the price even further, and not so much for its actual specification list.
BTW, It's probably safe to say that there will never be an EOS R retro based on a 1968 Canon TL. Hmm, there's a number manufactures out there making RF to FD adaptors all ready to making an FD mount retro camera look complete.
p.2 #9 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
snegron7 wrote:
Nice! I really, really hope it has absolutely NO VIDEO FEATURES AT ALL! We have enough "hybrid" cameras for "content creators" (especially for those who refuse to spend the money on actual video-only cameras).
Ah, the first step toward ensuring the model is a financial disaster to never be repeated!
p.2 #10 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
johnctharp wrote:
Ah, the first step toward ensuring the model is a financial disaster to never be repeated!
Nikon seems to be doing quite well with their Zf. Leica seems to be doing quite well as well. "Content Creators" have enough overpriced, cookie-cutter hybrid "cameras" to choose from already. Canon would do quite well making a camera for actual photographers again.
p.2 #11 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
snegron7 wrote:
Nikon seems to be doing quite well with their Zf. Leica seems to be doing quite well as well. "Content Creators" have enough overpriced, cookie-cutter hybrid "cameras" to choose from already. Canon would do quite well making a camera for actual photographers again.
The Zf can do video, and Leica has the word 'Leica' on the side, so those aren't good counter arguments...
p.2 #12 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
johnctharp wrote:
The Zf can do video, and Leica has the word 'Leica' on the side, so those aren't good counter arguments...
Leica has been around longer than any other current camera manufacturer, so it's not just the little red dot that attracts clients.
The Zf "can do" video, but video is more of an afterthought on it. If I were a videographer, I would buy a dedicated video camera (plenty of Panasonic and Sony professional video cameras out there). But, I'm not a videographer. I don't pretend to be. I shoot stills. Many folks out there shoot only stills. Video features on my cameras (R6II, A7iv, A7c, and OM-5) make my menus all the more unnecessarily complicated.
p.s. In addition to my three mirrorless cameras, I also own a dedicated Panasonic camcorder for when I feel the "need" to capture video clips of friends and family. It fits perfectly well in my camera bag.
p.2 #13 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
johnctharp wrote:
Ah, the first step toward ensuring the model is a financial disaster to never be repeated!
I never understood this insistence that NO VIDEO FEATURES be included in a camera. I’ve shot digital for over two decades, and the fact that my still photography cameras have video capabilities has never interfered with my work at all. You can just ignore the video.
Meanwhile, there are quite a few people who do like to use their still cameras for video, too. Heck, I’ve even done that on a few occasions.
- - -
As to the thread’s main subject of a “retro” style camera from Canon, I think it will depend on what they actually produce. I like having a full manual interface with dedicated adjustment rings, wheels, and knobs. That is more efficient and effective for the way I work when shooting street and travel. (I’m fine with the PASM interface for my landscape work.)
But in order for this camera to be more than a curiousity, Canon would likely need ot produce more than just a couple of lenses for it — lenses that also embrace the retro concept, e.g. with things like aperture rings. That’s part of the appeal of Fujifilm’s retro designs — they offer a diverse set of lenses that a fully compatible. Can or will Canon do that? Time will tell.
p.2 #14 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
snegron7 wrote:
Leica has been around longer than any other current camera manufacturer, so it's not just the little red dot that attracts clients.
The Zf "can do" video, but video is more of an afterthought on it. If I were a videographer, I would buy a dedicated video camera (plenty of Panasonic and Sony professional video cameras out there). But, I'm not a videographer. I don't pretend to be. I shoot stills. Many folks out there shoot only stills. Video features on my cameras (R6II, A7iv, A7c, and OM-5) make my menus all the more unnecessarily complicated.
p.s. In addition to my three mirrorless cameras, I also own a dedicated Panasonic camcorder for when I feel the "need" to capture video clips of friends and family. It fits perfectly well in my camera bag. ...Show more →
I almost always just shoot stills…but it is sure nice and convenient to take some video when the scene is better shown as video and not have to carry yet more gear with me while I travel. When shooting just stills, the video has zero impact on me.
p.2 #16 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
burningheart wrote:
Now you are talking. Release the Retro AE-1 as a low end model and then the Retro F-1(R5 sensor) and a Retro T90(R1 sensor). one can only dream
I started with the Ae-1 P. After many years of use it stopped advancing the film. Took it into Canon's repair shop and they said they couldn't fix it. I took off the base and saw the problem was a tiny piece of plastic had word and wouldn't lock the magnets in place. Took off the piece of plastic and stuff a tiny piece of paper in it, put it back on the lever and it was fixed. Used for another 2 years before a different issue sent it to the for parts department. I still have it. Replaced it with an F-1 that I used for many years and still have it but don't shoot film anymore....Show more →
Very cool and we have a similar Canon entry point and history. AE-1 Program was my first new SLR that I begged for as a birthday present in my early teens. After a few years it developed the 'shutter squeal' problem during a school trip to Ottawa and was my first learning experience about not having back up equipment. I later learned that the shutter squeal problem affected many Canon A series cameras of the time, meanwhile my camera was not usable for a while. But somehow it fixed itself. A few years later I found a good deal on a new New F-1 Los Angeles Olympics special edition from a store that went out of business. Saved my pennies and added the AE Motor Drive FN and finally had a 'real' sports photo rig with which to shoot my high school's sports events. Shortly thereafter I traded in the AE-1 Program for a used T-90 and loved that camera. Both of those eventually were sold to fund the transition to the EF system via a used EOS-1 that I paid off in installments at the local camera shop. The F-1 went to a local news photographer who was the only Canon shooter on a staff of Nikon shooters, but that camera was eventually lost in a mishap. Looking back, considering it was a special edition camera, I didn't really appreciate that back then - I just wanted a camera to use. It would have been cool to still have it in the collection now for nostalgia, but it served its purpose and was an early stepping stone on the equipment/gear path I have taken. However, its replacement, the EOS-1, I still have.
Canon can do the AE-1 retro camera for the mass market, but if they made a 'pure' F-1 or T-90 without excessive dial and button adornments, it would be very fun. The T-90 might actually make an easy retro transition to digital given that its design is the origin of the current EOS line of cameras. It might just need an extra dial/wheel and a couple of buttons to accommodate a more modern Canon UI experience.
If Canon really wanted to impress and kill two birds with one stone, they could release a retro version of one of their rangefinder cameras with an actual working rangefinder. Or, with an EVF virtual rangefinder system that uses focus information from PDAF sensor pixels. Basically what the Leica M EV-1 could have been, but wasn't. And rather than the LTM mount Canon's rangefinder cameras used back then, make it M mount. I don't think anyone at Canon appreciates how much pent up demand there is for a Leica-alternative digital rangefinder. They could even do a spinoff of this with a fixed lens model to rival the Fuji X100...
p.2 #17 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
rscheffler wrote:
Very cool and we have a similar Canon entry point and history. AE-1 Program was my first new SLR that I begged for as a birthday present in my early teens. After a few years it developed the 'shutter squeal' problem during a school trip to Ottawa and was my first learning experience about not having back up equipment. I later learned that the shutter squeal problem affected many Canon A series cameras of the time, meanwhile my camera was not usable for a while. But somehow it fixed itself. A few years later I found a good deal on a new New F-1 Los Angeles Olympics special edition from a store that went out of business. Saved my pennies and added the AE Motor Drive FN and finally had a 'real' sports photo rig with which to shoot my high school's sports events. Shortly thereafter I traded in the AE-1 Program for a used T-90 and loved that camera. Both of those eventually were sold to fund the transition to the EF system via a used EOS-1 that I paid off in installments at the local camera shop. The F-1 went to a local news photographer who was the only Canon shooter on a staff of Nikon shooters, but that camera was eventually lost in a mishap. Looking back, considering it was a special edition camera, I didn't really appreciate that back then - I just wanted a camera to use. It would have been cool to still have it in the collection now for nostalgia, but it served its purpose and was an early stepping stone on the equipment/gear path I have taken. However, its replacement, the EOS-1, I still have.
Canon can do the AE-1 retro camera for the mass market, but if they made a 'pure' F-1 or T-90 without excessive dial and button adornments, it would be very fun. The T-90 might actually make an easy retro transition to digital given that its design is the origin of the current EOS line of cameras. It might just need an extra dial/wheel and a couple of buttons to accommodate a more modern Canon UI experience.
If Canon really wanted to impress and kill two birds with one stone, they could release a retro version of one of their rangefinder cameras with an actual working rangefinder. Or, with an EVF virtual rangefinder system that uses focus information from PDAF sensor pixels. Basically what the Leica M EV-1 could have been, but wasn't. And rather than the LTM mount Canon's rangefinder cameras used back then, make it M mount. I don't think anyone at Canon appreciates how much pent up demand there is for a Leica-alternative digital rangefinder. They could even do a spinoff of this with a fixed lens model to rival the Fuji X100......Show more →
Great minds do think alike. My F-1 is the LA Olympics model.
A digital Canon Rangefinder
p.2 #20 · The Coming Canon ‘Retro’ Camera to Use Latest 32.5MP Sensor
snegron7 wrote:
Leica has been around longer than any other current camera manufacturer, so it's not just the little red dot that attracts clients.
Sure! And basically anything Leica that isn't a rangefinder (M-mount) also does video...
snegron7 wrote:
The Zf "can do" video, but video is more of an afterthought on it. If I were a videographer, I would buy a dedicated video camera (plenty of Panasonic and Sony professional video cameras out there). But, I'm not a videographer. I don't pretend to be. I shoot stills. Many folks out there shoot only stills. Video features on my cameras (R6II, A7iv, A7c, and OM-5) make my menus all the more unnecessarily complicated.
The video features on the Canon cameras that have a separate firmware for video that you physically switch over to... annoy you? Have you tried not flipping that switch?
snegron7 wrote:
p.s. In addition to my three mirrorless cameras, I also own a dedicated Panasonic camcorder for when I feel the "need" to capture video clips of friends and family. It fits perfectly well in my camera bag.
There's absolutely a utility to a camcorder form-factor when doing run-and-gun video.
But here's the thing. Every feature that makes a camera a better stills camera - faster readout speeds, faster processing speeds, cleaner readout, faster refreshes for back screen and viewfinder... all of this literally makes the camera good for video too.
Which means that, unless you're Leica and cashing in on your brand's caché by intentionally excluding features, video features help make production runs financially viable and cost camera makers little extra to include now that they've been mostly figured and advances are fairly incremental (like they are for stills).
Essentially, including video features makes photo cameras cheaper.
