Canon F-A
images by John-Henry Collinson (Image rights) |
The Canon F-A is a 35mm SLR camera for ophthalmic examination, produced in small numbers by Canon in about 1980. It appears to be based on one of the mainstream A-series cameras (perhaps the AE-1: the controls on the left of the lens-mount are the same), and has a normal FD bayonet flange, but has several strange features:
- The image frame in the film chamber is not rectangular; it has curved ends, perhaps suggesting use with a lens whose image circle does not cover the full frame. The mask also has a second small frame in its bottom-left corner; the purpose of this is not clear, unless perhaps it records data.
- The mirror in the camera is unusually large. A forum post at phototrio.com states that the mirror fouls a normal FD lens when released, and that the camera must be used with bellows or an extension tube.[1]
- Another post in the same forum thread states that the viewfinder image is upside-down and reversed; that is, there is no pentaprism in the VF.[1]
- The camera has a large, circular eyepiece, with dioptric correction between +2 and -4.
A motor-drive, Motor Drive MZ, was made for it.