For years, Canon built a tremendous reputation for its film cameras as well as its digital products. In 2018, the company announced that it is getting out of the film camera business.
The Final Film Camera From Canon
In 2000, Canon launched the EOS-1V, a professional 35mm SLR. Although the camera used film, it served as an inspiration for future digital cameras produced by the company.
A rumor leaked in 2006 that Canon was ceasing production of all film cameras, including the EOS-1V, which was its most recent film camera. Canon denied the rumors at the time.
By 2010, with the digital camera market eclipsing the film camera market, Canon ended production of the EOS-1V. There was still no formal announcement at the time that its entire film camera division was closing.
Canon formally revealed that it is ending sales of the EOS-1V on May 30, 2018. It kept the camera alive for all of those years for professional film photographers. Canon said it is also switching to mirrorless cameras.
Canon will still accept camera repairs for the EOS-1V until Oct. 31, 2025. However, starting October 2020, Canon might refuse repairs if it doesn't have the right parts.
History Of Canon's Film Cameras
It would be difficult to tell the story of Canon without mentioning its film cameras. The company was founded in Japan in 1937, and it has sold film cameras for 80 years.
The first one released by Canon was a 35mm focal-plane-shutter camera known as "The Kwanon." After it became a big hit, Canon produced other film cameras, such as the Hansa, the Canon 7, the Canon Pellix, and the Canon F1.
Although Canon built a reputation for being a leader in SLR cameras, the company began to shift gears in 1984 with the release of its first digital camera, the RC-701. Since then, digital camera sales blossomed, and film camera sales decreased.
Who Else Still Makes Film Cameras?
Although Canon is getting out of the film camera business, there are still other manufacturers in the market.
Canon's main competitor, Nikon, still offers two film cameras in its SLR division: the Nikon F6 and the Nikon FM10. The style of the camera is very similar to Canon's EOS-1V.
Leica, the company that was known as the leader in the 35mm rangefinder, still has three classic M-series cameras for consumers: Leica M-A, Leica MP, and Leica M7.
Finally, Fujifilm is still selling a modern folding film camera called the Fujifilm GF670.
