EOS Film Body - Compatibility with my Canon lenses

I'm thinking about taking a film photo course at the local JC, and I thought that I should try to get a Canon film camera body that would work with my existing Canon lenses. Having no previous experience with film, I thought that I should ask here before spending cash on a random camera body and hope it works.

I have: 85mm 1.2, 24-104 4.0, 100 2.8 macro

So what do you think? Which bodies should I look for, or avoid?

Also, do you think that my Flashpoint R2 Pro would work correctly, if I decide to trigger my flashes with it?
 

Valvebounce

CR Pro
Apr 3, 2013
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Hi John, Ben.
I think all older cameras will work with new lenses, I think I remember reading somewhere that some very early EF lenses will not work on some newer cameras. For your intentions the backwards compatibility should work, I am going to try my MKII lenses on an old EOS 1000fn, if they work on that it will give you more info to go on.

Cheers, Graham.
 
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Ray-uk

Canon 7D Mk II
Oct 22, 2016
21
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All EOS film bodies will work with EF lenses designed for full frame, EF-S and STM lenses could cause you problems.
As regards buying a used film body make sure it is an EOS type and not one the earlier models.
Whichever body you buy, open the back and examine the shutter blades making sure there are no greasy looking smears on them, the shutter assemblies have a rubber buffer in the top and as they age the rubber softens and gets spread on the blades causing shutter speed problems.
I have an old EOS 1000fn which I have found to be very useable and would recommend as versatile, cheap and easily obtainable model.
 
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Valvebounce

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Apr 3, 2013
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Hi Ben.
I went to try the 1000Fn and I found the battery was flat, I think I have a spare but I cannot find it yet. I would recommend you not get a 1000Fn, the 2CR5 battery’s don’t last well (really poor if you use the flash) and good branded ones are expensive, I would recommend you buy a body that uses a rechargeable battery.

Cheers, Graham.
 
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bobby

5D IV
Sep 8, 2018
26
3
I've got an EOS 30, 33, and a 1V. I've used all of them with the 24-105 without any problems. The other lenses should work as well.
I highly recommend getting the 30 or 33 if you're just starting out in film photography.

The film rebels are super cheap but wind the film "reversed". Frame numbers on the film will be reversed as a result. That's why I'd avoid them.

The two primes should work just fine on both the 30 and the 33. I'd actually use them over the 24-105 because the 24-105 is a rather soft lens and film will render an even softer image.
 
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I'm thinking about taking a film photo course at the local JC, and I thought that I should try to get a Canon film camera body that would work with my existing Canon lenses. Having no previous experience with film, I thought that I should ask here before spending cash on a random camera body and hope it works.

I have: 85mm 1.2, 24-104 4.0, 100 2.8 macro

So what do you think? Which bodies should I look for, or avoid?

Also, do you think that my Flashpoint R2 Pro would work correctly, if I decide to trigger my flashes with it?

Of course, EOS based camera bodies will work with any EF lenses.
 
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Mar 25, 2011
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I'd make sure that any EOS camera you get has AV, TV, and M modes, I seem to recall that some don't. For a rebel, I wouldn't pay more than $5 to $10. I likely have some laying around that you could have for the price of shipping.

I also have a EOS Elan 7e with eye directed autofocus, its interesting to play with, it focuses on what your eye is looking at. This camera still sells for a little more money, $70 - $80 for body only. I keep it around because of the unique autofocus.

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/...s-35mm-slr-cameras/eos-elan-7-7e/eos-elan-77e
 
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Nov 12, 2016
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I'd make sure that any EOS camera you get has AV, TV, and M modes, I seem to recall that some don't. For a rebel, I wouldn't pay more than $5 to $10. I likely have some laying around that you could have for the price of shipping.

I also have a EOS Elan 7e with eye directed autofocus, its interesting to play with, it focuses on what your eye is looking at. This camera still sells for a little more money, $70 - $80 for body only. I keep it around because of the unique autofocus.

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/...s-35mm-slr-cameras/eos-elan-7-7e/eos-elan-77e
The autofocus on that camera is so neat... The only time I can recall being really amazed when using decades old technology for the first time. I don't understand why they didn't keep the technology going. Maybe it just couldn't be made accurate enough to work with large numbers of autofocus points. But I'm picturing an alternate universe where they kept developing it, and imagining how amazing the EOS R would be if the focus point moved around the viewfinder depending on where you were looking. That would be incredible.

Regarding the original question, yes any EF lens should work on any EOS film camera. Only exception I've ever found is that my cheap-o Yongnuo 50mm 1.8 would not autofocus on an old EOS 650 film camera. But that's a third party lens from a bottom of the barrel lens manufacturer.
 
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I recall reading somewhere that the EOS 1V is the only film camera that is compatible with the EF lens Image Stabilizer function.
The first Canon IS lens was the consumer EF75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM in 1995. Well before the EOS IV in 2000. As far as I know, IS lenses work on every EOS Body, film or digital. Thats the great thing about EF lenses, they are compatible. The only thing that varies is that focus point usage on multi point DSLR's varies as to the modes available.
 
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jhpeterson

CR Pro
Feb 7, 2011
268
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Almost a year ago I picked up an EOS 1 body, much like the ones I had 25 years ago. Since it came with the E1 power booster, I don't have to worry about finding the lithium batteries. Haven't gotten around to running film through it, though, as I'm almost afraid to put on the first scratch. But, it's very reassuring to know that when I do put it to use, it will take all my lenses from fisheye to 500.
 
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I recall reading somewhere that the EOS 1V is the only film camera that is compatible with the EF lens Image Stabilizer function.

Not certain about this as I do not use IS although many of my lenses have it. However my EOS 3 and 33V work rather nicely with all my Canon lenses from my 16-35 F4 L IS to my 800 F5.6 L IS. Frankly I am (pleasantly) surprised at how well film performs with modern lenses!
 
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bobby

5D IV
Sep 8, 2018
26
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Not certain about this as I do not use IS although many of my lenses have it. However my EOS 3 and 33V work rather nicely with all my Canon lenses from my 16-35 F4 L IS to my 800 F5.6 L IS. Frankly I am (pleasantly) surprised at how well film performs with modern lenses!

+1 on how well film performs. I think the greatest hurdle today is getting the right scanner. The Nikon Coolscan isn't bad, but is it is a ticking time bomb since Nikon doesn't service them anymore. The only truly great scanner still available new today is the Hasselblad Flextight. Unfortunately it is kind of expensive.
 
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I'm thinking about taking a film photo course at the local JC, and I thought that I should try to get a Canon film camera body that would work with my existing Canon lenses. Having no previous experience with film, I thought that I should ask here before spending cash on a random camera body and hope it works.

I have: 85mm 1.2, 24-104 4.0, 100 2.8 macro

So what do you think? Which bodies should I look for, or avoid?

Also, do you think that my Flashpoint R2 Pro would work correctly, if I decide to trigger my flashes with it?

FD lenes ONLY work on older cameras, EOS lenses work on most AF film or digital cameras
 
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