Canon T60
The Canon T60 was the last manual focus FD-mount 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera sold by Canon; it was introduced in 1990, three years after the introduction of Canon's incompatible EOS system of autofocus SLRs and their EF lenses. It was the final camera in Canon's T series.
It was introduced solely as a cheap SLR system for export, and was never sold in Canon's home Japanese market. In some foreign markets, the higher price of the EOS cameras was a problem, while in others, there was demand for a cheap, largely manual camera for photography students and the like.
The T60 shared little with the other T-series models except for a little, superficial styling resemblance. Unlike them, it had only manual film loading, advance and rewind. Film speed and shutter speed/program mode were set with traditional dials.
The only auto-exposure mode supported was aperture priority AE. The camera would choose an appropriate shutter speed. Also supported, of course, was full manual exposure, aided by the camera's built-in meter. Shutter speeds supported were in the fairly narrow range of 1/1000 second to 1 second, plus bulb.
Canon did not actually manufacture the T60 themselves. Along with a number of other low-end bodies sold by major camera companies (such as the Nikon FM10 and Olympus OM2000), it was both built by Cosina, and based upon Cosina's own CT-1 chassis. (Cosina subcontracted work for many other Japanese photographic firms as well as producing cameras to their own design.) Reliability of the T60 is said to be poorer than for Canon-made products.
References
- Photography in Malaysia (2000). The Canon T60. Retrieved on October 20, 2005.
- Canon Inc. (1990) Canon T60 User Manual. Retrieved from the Canon FD Documentation Project on October 20, 2005.
- [Wikipedia article; Nikon FM10, Chassis section]. Retrieved on October 1, 2006.