Front view; it is a large camera. Battery tray at base adds to the size.

Lens removed, showing mount, reflex mirror.

The Canon T90, introduced in 1986, was the top of the line in Canon's T series of 35 mm single-lens reflex cameras. It was the last professional-level manual-focus camera from Canon and thus the last to use the Canon FD lens mount. Although it was overtaken by the autofocus revolution and Canon's new, incompatible EOS (Electro-Optical System) after only a year in production, the T90 pioneered many concepts seen in high-end Canon cameras up to the present day, particularly the user interface, industrial design, and the high level of automation. Image File history File links T90front. ... Image File history File links T90front. ... ImageMetadata File history File links T90nolens. ... ImageMetadata File history File links T90nolens. ... Canon Inc. ... Canons T series were Canons final series of manual focus 35mm single lens reflex cameras. ... 135 is a film format for still photography. ... This cross-section (side-view) of the optical components of an SLR shows how the light passes through the lens assembly (1), is reflected by the mirror (2) and is projected on the matte focusing screen (5). ... The Canon FD (Full Display) mount was introduced in March 1971 with the Canon F-1. ... An interface - mechanical and often also electrical - between a photographic camera body and an lens. ... Autofocus (or AF) is a feature of some optical systems that allow them to maintain correct focus on a target. ... The Canon EOS (Electro-Optical System) autofocus 35mm film and digital SLR camera system was introduced in 1987 with the Canon EOS 650 and is still in production as Canons current SLR system. ... The user interface is the part of a system exposed to users. ... Industrial design is an applied art whereby the aesthetics and usability of products may be improved. ...

The T90 gained the semi-official nickname The Tank from Japanese photojournalists because of its ruggedness^[1]. Many still rate it highly even nearly 20 years after its introduction: camera collector and dealer Stephen Gandy^[2] states, "…the Canon T90 was years ahead of anything else on the market at that time. It is, quite simply, one of the best manual focus 35 mm SLR designs of all time." He goes on to conclude, "It gets my vote as the best Canon Design ever." Similar sentiments can be found from many other users. Sports photojournalists at Indianapolis Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism (i. ...

Design

The T-90's LCD screen and control wheel.

Previous Canon cameras had been wholly in-house design projects. For the T90, Canon brought in German industrial designer Luigi Colani in a collaboration with Canon's own designers^[3]. The final design was a composite of Colani's ideas and the Canon team's, incorporating Colani's distinctive "bio-form" curvaceous shapes. Canon considered Colani's contribution important enough to present him with the first production T90 body, engraved with his name. Computer-aided design techniques were introduced to Canon for the T90, as well as the use of computer controlled (CNC) milling machines to make the molding dies for the shell. ImageMetadata File history File links T90lcd. ... ImageMetadata File history File links T90lcd. ... Industrial Design is an applied art whereby the aesthetics and usability of products may be improved. ... Luigi Colani Luigi Colani, (born in Berlin on August 2, 1928), father comes from Madulain near St. ... Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of a wide range of computer-based tools that assist engineers, architects and other design professionals in their design activities. ... The acronym CNC stands for Computer(ized) Numerical(ly) Control(led), and refers specifically to the computer control of machine tools for the purpose of (repeatedly) manufacturing complex parts in metal as well as other materials, using a program written in a notation conforming to the EIA-274-D standard... A Milling machine is a power-driven machine used for the complex shaping of metal (or possibly other materials) parts. ... Molding is the process of manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a mold. ... See Die for other meanings of this word A die is a tool used in the manufacture of parts by the molding process. ...

Much work went into human factors engineering to create an ergonomic user interface for the camera. The form of previous cameras was largely dictated by the required locations of mechanical controls on the body, such as the film advance lever, rewind crank, shutter speed dial, shutter release, etc. On the T90, the film transport controls were no longer required, while the others were no longer mechanically linked. The designers were freer to shape the camera to make it easier to control and hold, and to place controls in a way that suited the user rather than the mechanical design. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ergonomics. ... Ergonomics (from Greek ergon work and nomoi natural laws) is the study of designing objects to be better adapted to the shape of the human body and/or to correct the users posture. ... The user interface is the part of a system exposed to users. ...

The T90 introduced features still used on SLR cameras today, such as the deep right handgrip with the shutter release button positioned atop the grip rather than back on the body. While the use of a LCD screen on the top of the camera's right hand side was not new for the T90—it was introduced on the T70—the T90 refined it to show even more camera information. A control wheel located behind the shutter release and convenient for the right index finger was used to adjust most camera settings in conjunction with other buttons located for the right thumb and on the left-hand side of the camera; again, this design is still seen today. Reflective twisted nematic liquid crystal display. ... The T70. ...

Power features

Rear, showing film path, shutter.

The T90 came with integral motor driven film advance, focal plane shutter, mirror and aperture cocking and rewind functions. Canon broke new ground with the powered features of the camera. Previously, cameras used one powerful electric motor geared to all functions. Instead, three coreless micromotors were placed within the body close to the functions they drove for maximum mechanical advantage. One was used to wind the film, achieving a high-speed rate of 4.5 frames per second. A second prepared the shutter, mirror etc. for the next shot. A third motor powered the rewind function. All of this was driven by four AA batteries in the base of the camera. ImageMetadata File history File links T90rearopen. ... ImageMetadata File history File links T90rearopen. ... This article is in need of attention. ... In camera design, a focal plane shutter is so-called because it is right in front of the focal (film) plane of the camera. ... Electric motors of various sizes. ... An AA battery is a standard battery size commonly used in medium portable electronic devices that need more life time than AAA batteries but same power. ...

To control the camera's systems, the T90 used a dual CPU architecture. The main, low-power CPU ran at 32 kHz while the sub-CPU ran at 1 MHz, and was powered down when not needed. The main CPU handled the LCD display and overall state, while the sub-CPU handled exposure calculations, viewfinder display, and control of the camera's motors. This architecture provided for lower power usage. Both CPUs, plus other integrated circuits and components, were mounted on several flexible circuit boards that fitted around the camera's structure. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Optical Microscope image of an integrated circuit showing defects in the aluminium layer deposition. ...

A coin-type lithium battery on the main circuit board retained camera settings with the AA batteries removed. This was not a user-serviceable part, and when it failed the camera had to be brought to a service center where the battery could be replaced by a Canon technician^[4]. Expected battery life was on the order of five years, although this depended on a variety of factors including how long the periods were of being without main battery power. Lithium batteries are primary batteries that have lithium metal anodes. ...

Metering

Metering mode is set by button and command wheel.

For the T90, Canon developed their most sophisticated light-metering system yet. Although it introduced no novel metering techniques, it assembled the majority of the metering techniques then developed into one easy-to-use system. First, it took the metering options from the New F-1—center-weighted average metering, partial area metering, and spot metering—and made them available with but a press of a button and a turn of the command dial. The New F-1 required a focusing screen change to switch metering patterns. On the T90, partial area metering used the center 13% of the picture area, while spot metering used the center 2.7%. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1365, 167 KB) Summary Canon T90. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1365, 167 KB) Summary Canon T90. ... Photograph of a handheld digital ambient light meter, showing an f-stop of 5. ... Canons new pro camera for 1981, the New F-1. ... In photography, the metering mode refers to the way in which a camera determines the correct exposure. ... In photography, the metering mode refers to the way in which a camera determines the correct exposure. ... In photography, the metering mode refers to the way in which a camera determines the correct exposure. ...

To these, Canon copied the metering options found on Olympus' OM-4 ^[5]. Multi-spot metering allowed the photographer to average up to nine spot meter readings from different parts of the scene. In another feature borrowed from Olympus, separate Highlight and Shadow spot readings could be taken. These adjusted the camera's metering decisions to ensure extremes of tonal range were not muted and grey in the final exposure. This article refers to a Japanese camera maker. ...

Two built-in sensors were used to implement all these metering options. Center-weighted and partial area metering were performed by a double-area silicon photocell (SPC) in Canon's standard location above the eyepiece, while spot metering was performed by another SPC located at the bottom of the mirror box. Light reached that sensor via a half-silvered area of the main mirror and a secondary mirror located beneath it. The spot metering cell also allowed for automatic TTL "off-the-film" flash metering, again borrowed from Olympus. A photoresistor is an electronic component whose resistance decreases with increasing incident light intensity. ... In photography a means of making measurement, usually of light levels, through the lens of the camera. ...

Notably lacking was what is now the most common metering mode on SLR cameras, matrix metering. Nikon had introduced this in the FA in 1983, but Canon did not follow suit until 1987's EOS 650. In photography, the metering mode refers to the way in which a camera determines the correct exposure. ... Nikon redirects here; there is also a leader of the Russian Orthodox Church named Patriarch Nikon. ... Nikon FA chrome The Nikon FA was an advanced amateur level single lens reflex (SLR) camera. ... The Canon EOS 650 was the first SLR single-lens reflex camera in the EOS series, introduced in March 1987. ...

Exposure

Eight exposure modes were available. Program AE (Auto-Exposure) mode put exposure control completely in the hands of the camera. Variable Shift Program AE allowed the photographer to bias the camera towards narrow aperture with 3 Wide Angle settings, or fast shutter speed with 3 Telephoto settings as well as the standard mode. For more manual control, Aperture Priority AE and Shutter-Speed Priority AE allowed the photographer to set one exposure variable manually while the camera chose the other. In photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the film (or electronic sensor in the case of digital photography) during the process of taking a photograph. ...

In either of the latter two modes, a Safety Shift feature allowed the camera to adjust the "fixed" parameter if it could not obtain a correct exposure otherwise. For example, in Aperture Priority mode, if the photographer had the aperture fixed wide open to photograph a very bright scene, the correct shutter speed to expose correctly at that aperture might be faster than the camera was capable of. Safety Shift would let the camera reduce the aperture until it could achieve a correct exposure at maximum shutter speed. The Safety Shift feature could be turned on and off with a button on the back of the camera near the base.

If no automation of exposure was desired, a Manual mode was available. In this, the camera's metering acted as a sophisticated light-meter, but all decisions were made by the photographer. For use with older lenses that did not have an automated aperture diaphragm, Stopped-down Aperture Priority AE or Stopped-down Manual could be used; these instructed the camera that the currently set aperture would be the taking aperture, and to therefore adjust the metering calculations accordingly. Finally, a Flash AE mode was available for flash photography. The word aperture means an opening, from the Latin aperire, to open. ... A diaphragm is some sort of separating membrane. ...

Flash

The T90 was the first Canon camera to support through-the-lens (TTL) flash metering. This measured the actual light levels reaching the film by measuring reflected light off the film (OTF), shutting down the flash unit once the film is sufficiently exposed. The measurement is calculated using the average reflectivity of color negative film. This system was also used on Canon's new EOS system, making the T90 the only non-EOS Canon body compatible with TTL Canon flashes^[6]. The T90's X-sync speed of 1/250 second was the fastest Canon had achieved and was better than most other cameras available at the time. In photography a means of making measurement, usually of light levels, through the lens of the camera. ... TTL is an elite band of men and boys that originate, live or are involved in the tadley bmx scene. ... In photography, a flash is a device that produces an instantaneous flash of light (typically around 1/1000 of a second) to help illuminate a scene. ... Color, positive picture (A) and negative (B), monochrome positive picture (C) and negative (D) In photography, a negative is a rectangle of material (nowadays usually photographic film) coated with chemicals that, upon photographic exposure, cause the material to record the colors or monochromatic shades of the scene in inverse, negative... X-sync is the correct synchronisation between a camera shutter and the connection to an electronic flash unit. ...

A new, dedicated flash unit, the Speedlite 300TL^[7], was launched alongside the T90 to supports its new flash modes. It had a zoomable head, capable of adjustment (by moving the head in and out) to cover the fields of view of 24, 35, 50 and 85 mm lenses. For bounce flash, the head could be rotated up to 90° vertically, 180° to the left, and 90° to the right. As well as the plain TTL mode, the 300TL supported A-TTL (Advanced TTL); here, the flash-to-subject distance was calculated using an infrared pulse with a detector mounted on the flash body. In bounce mode, however, it used a 1/20th power pre-flash instead. The Canon EOS (Electro-Optical System) film and digital camera system was introduced in 1987 with the Canon EOS 650. ...

A pre-flash was also used in FE Lock mode (flash exposure lock). Here, the pre-flash was used in conjunction with spot metering to determine the correct exposure in advance of taking the picture. Thus, the camera could be moved to reframe the main subject off-center and still expose correctly.

For exposures slower than the X-sync speed, previous SLR flash systems triggered the flash at the start of the exposure, as soon as the first shutter curtain had finished its travel. However, for motion blurs and light trails in a longer exposure, this gives the impression of backwards movement, since the motion trails out in front of the moving object after the flash. The T90, for the first time in a mass-market camera, supported second-curtain flash, where the flash fires at the end of the exposure, just before the second shutter curtain starts to close. X-sync is the correct synchronisation between a camera shutter and the connection to an electronic flash unit. ...

Canon also produced a dedicated macro ring flash for the camera, the ML-2. This supported TTL and manual models only, and contained two flash tubes, one on either side, which could be fired separately or together. The system consisted of the flash ring itself, which fitted onto the end of the lens, and a control unit which screwed into the hot shoe atop the camera. The later ML-3 ring flash, introduced for the EOS system cameras, also supported the T90. Colony of aphids on a stem. ... A hot shoe is a mounting point on the top of a camera to attach a flash unit. ...

Accessories

While the T90 did not support the vast range of accessories available for Canon's F-1, F-1n or New F-1, a number of significant accessories were available. The pentaprism was not interchangeable, but the focusing screen was; eight different screens were available for different applications. Standard was the New Split/Microprism screen, which offered three of the most common focusing aids simultaneously; the central circle was a split image prism, surrounded by a microprism ring; the rest of the screen was a laser matte. 1971s F-1, Canons first true professional grade SLR. The Canon F-1 was a 35mm single-lens reflex camera produced by Canon of Japan from March 1971 until 1976s introduction of the mildly updated F-1n, while in 1981 a New F-1 was launched. ... The Canon F-1n was an improved model of the Canon F-1 35mm FD-mount single-lens reflex camera, introduced in 1976. ... Canons new pro camera for 1981, the New F-1. ... A pentaprism is a five-sided reflecting prism used to deviate a beam of light by 90°. The beam reflects inside the prism twice, allowing the transmission of an image through a right angle without inverting it (i. ...

Two optional data backs were available for the T90. The first, the Command Back 90, both allowed date and data imprinting on the photographs and also allowed various forms of time-lapse photography. The second, available only in certain markets, was the Data Memory Back 90, which stored 16 shot variables for up to 156 exposures, or six variables for up to 338 exposures. The computer interface to the Data Memory Back 90 supported only the MSX home computer standard^[8]. Third parties have adapted connectors to other computer systems. MSX is the name of a standard for home computers in the 1980s (see also The Home Computer Era in the History of computing hardware). ... The home computer is a consumer-friendly word for the second generation of microcomputers (the technical term that was previously used), entering the market in 1977 and becoming common during the 1980s. ...

yes, yes youm muscjh ,,y w meet me at the park little igrl

Modifications

A number of modifications to the T90 have been performed over the years, by Canon or third parties, in order to add features missing from the camera as-built:

• PC flash sync socket: The T90 lacked a separate flash sync socket. The addition of one could be performed by request by Canon support centers. It was fitted on the left-hand side of the prism housing, as seen by the user.
• Vertical shutter release: actually an accessory, since it required no camera modification. A vertical shutter release, convenient to the right index finger when holding the camera vertically, was available from Canon Professional. It fitted into the remote control socket on the camera at that location.
• Mirror lock-up: Canon considered the mirror in the T90 sufficiently damped as to need no mirror lock-up feature. Many users disagree, and instructions on how to modify the camera to add this feature are available^[9].
• Leader-out film rewind: Photographers who like to change film mid-roll prefer the film leader to be left out when the film is rewound, so they do not have to fish for it with a leader retrieval tool. Instructions on how to perform a modification to enable this are detailed online^[10]. Since the modification consists only of connecting two solder pads on a circuit board with a wire, clearly the capability was built in to the camera's electronics but not enabled.

Use today

As of 2005, the T90 is almost 20 years old. Canon ceased supporting the camera in 1998 and spare parts are no longer available from them. The consequent difficulty in obtaining repair services is likely to discourage any remaining professional use of these cameras. Users report that the cameras continue to be quite reliable, with two exceptions. 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The first is with the LCD display and is not unique to the T90. LCD displays age and wear out at a varying rate dependent on environmental conditions, use and other factors. Commonly quoted lifespans are about five to ten years^[11]; thus, many T90s will have displays nearing the end of their lives, even if they have been replaced. The spare part is no longer available and no third-party replacement has emerged.

The second and more serious problem concerns the shutter. The T90's shutter appears to develop a 'sticky' nature as the camera ages. It is prone to locking up, in which case the camera's LCD displays "EEE" and the message "HELP" appears in the viewfinder display. This is commonly called the "EEE syndrome" among users. The problem is most likely to crop up after the camera has been left unused for some time; thus, the best way to prevent it is regular use of the camera. It does not seem to cause inaccurate shutter speeds before failure. The problem can be corrected by a knowledgeable technician without replacing the shutter mechanism. It is reportedly caused by dirt on the shutter's magnets affecting their performance.

Canon T90s fetch reasonably good money on the used market. Prices from used camera dealers providing warranties range from approximately US$150 for a camera in poor condition to approximately US$700 for a camera in "as new" condition with box and all original accessories and manuals. Most examples in reasonable shape fetch US$250-350. Prices on auction sites such as eBay are lower. eBay Inc. ...

Canon FD lenses, however, remain quite affordable compared to their EF counterparts^[12].

See also

• List of Canon cameras

The following is a partial list of products manufactured under the Canon brand. ...

Notes

1. ^  Stephen Gandy (Canon T90: Best Canon Ever?) and Leo Foo (Canon T90) both mention this.
2. ^  Stephen Gandy runs CameraQuest, a well-known used and new camera dealership, is the US distributor for Cosina/Voigtländer, and has written numerous articles on cameras.
3. ^  See Canon's A Design Revolution: The T90 SLR Camera.
4. ^  See the Canon T90 User Manual, page 87.
5. ^  Leo Foo mentions this in Photography in Malaysia's Canon T90 pages, among others.
6. ^  See NK Guy's Flash Photography with Canon EOS Cameras.
7. ^  See the Canon Speedlite 300TL Manual.
8. ^  See the Canon Data Memory Back 90 Manual.
9. ^  Ketil Johansen discusses this in Canon T90 MLU modification.
10. ^  Robert Seagal gives instructions for this modification in Robert Seagal's Photo Gizmos.
11. ^  See the Canon T90 User Manual.
12. ^  See Vladimir Antonov's Canon FD eBay price guide. This was last updated 2003; prices have fallen somewhat more since then.

Cosina Co. ... Voigtländer is an optical company founded in 1756 by Johann Friedrich Voigtländer in Vienna and thus the oldest name in cameras. ...

References

• Canon Inc. Canon Camera Museum: T90. Retrieved October 17, 2005. Specifications and short description.
• Canon Inc. (2001). A Design Revolution: The T90 SLR Camera. Retrieved October 18, 2005.
• Foo, Leo (2000) Canon T90. Photography in Malaysia. Retrieved October 17, 2005.
• Canon Inc. (1986). Canon T90 User Manual (PDF). Retrieved from the Canon FD Documentation Project.
• Canon Inc. (1986). Canon T90 Brochure. Retrieved from the Canon FD Documentation Project.
• Canon Inc. (1986). The Canon T90 Performance Book. Retrieved from the Canon FD Documentation Project.
• Canon Inc. (1986). Canon Speedlite 300TL Manual. (PDF). Retrieved from the Canon FD Documentation Project.
• Canon Inc. (1986). Canon Data Memory Back 90 Manual. Retrieved from the Canon FD Documentation Project.
• Gandy, Stephen. (2003). Canon T90: Best Canon Ever?. Retrieved on October 26, 2005.
• Johansen, Ketil (2005). Canon T90 MLU modification. Retrieved on October 27, 2005.
• Seagal, Robert (2002). Robert Seagal's Photo Gizmos. Retrieved on October 27, 2005.
• Antonov, Vladimir (2003). Canon FD eBay price guide. Retrieved on October 29, 2005.
• "NK Guy" (2005). Flash Photography with Canon EOS Cameras. Retrieved on October 31, 2005.

Canon Inc. ... October 17 is the 290th (in leap years the 291st) day of the year according to the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Canon Inc. ... October 18 is the 291st day of the year (292nd in Leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 17 is the 290th (in leap years the 291st) day of the year according to the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Canon Inc. ... Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format developed by Adobe Systems for representing documents in a manner that is independent of the original application software, hardware, and operating system used to create those documents. ... Canon Inc. ... Canon Inc. ... Canon Inc. ... Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format developed by Adobe Systems for representing documents in a manner that is independent of the original application software, hardware, and operating system used to create those documents. ... Canon Inc. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 63 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining, as the final day of October. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Canon Inc. (1986). Canon T90 Service Manual. (PDF). Retrieved from the Canon FD Documentation Project.
• Canon Inc. (1985). Canon Command Backs 70/80/90 Manual. Retrieved from the Canon FD Documentation Project.
• The CanonFD Yahoo group, a useful source of T90 and other FD information.