Canon EOS 620

I bought my very first single lens reflex camera. It’s a second-hand Canon EOS 620, a 35mm SLR with electronically controlled automatic exposure, focal plane shutter and built-in motor drive. Released just after 2 months when the first EOS camera (Canon EOS 650) was introduced to the world in March, 1987. The body costs around Php54,400 or $1,177. I got mine for only Php3000 or around $65 with a free original Canon 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5 EF lens. Yes, it’s cheap, but it’s normal for it’s age, 23 years old. The good thing is it functions like new. I didn’t have to send it to a repair man for CLA (clean, lubricate, adjust).

Prior to buying this particular model, I already made a research on what film slr to buy for a novice like me. I considered buying even older, fully manual SLR, the Asahi Pentax K1000 but it’s not easy to find. When I stumbled upon the 620, I didn’t think twice, I bought it right away. Of course, I checked if the item have any defects whatsoever. But it’s good to go so I own it now. Though I haven’t got any decent output yet, I’m happy and proud to shoot with this camera.

Canon EOS 620 Specification:

Marketed: May, 1987

Discontinued: September, 1988

Type: 35mm autofocus, single-lens reflex camera with electronically controlled automatic exposure, focal plane shutter, and built-in motor drive.

Lens Mount: Canon EF mount

Viewfinder Type: Fixed pentaprism SLR, 0.8X magnification at infinity with a standard 50mm lens.

Field of View: V-94%; H-94%

Viewfinder Information: Shutter speed, aperture, metered manual exposure level, incorrect exposure warning, AE lock, flash charge completion indicator, exposure compensation, AF in-focus indicator, manual exposure indicator

Display:

(1) Seven-segment LCD digit and character display
* Shutter speed/aperture value-flashes at 2 Hz to give out-of-metering range warning
* Metered manual exposure level (OP, oo, CL)
(2) LCD mask character display
* AE lock indicator in partial metering mode
* M-manual exposure indicator
* flash charge completion. indicator
+/ – Exposure compensation indicator* AF in-focus indicator (flashes at 8 Hz when AF is not possible)

Focusing Screen: Interchangeable, full-screen laser matte screen (type Q with AF frame provided as standard, Six interchangeable Screen types are available optionally.

Focusing Method: TTL-SIR AF. One-shot AF mode ONLY

Shutter: Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal plane shutter. Can be set to 1/4000 see. to 30 sec. and bulb. (in 1/2-step increments)

Flash Sync: X, 1/ 250sec.

Battery: 2CR5 Lithium Battery

Self Timer:Electronic, 10 sec., operation indication by LED

Film Transport: Auto-loading, automatic blank film advance, auto-winding by built-in miniature motor, winding speed 3 frames/sec. during continuous shooting, automatic rewind at completion of designated number (36) of exposures or detection of film end, automatic stop at completion of rewind

Film Loading: After film positioning and back cover closure, the film automatically advances to the first usable frame and then stops (approximately 1.5 seconds).

Film Wind; Automatic using a built-in miniature motor.

Film Winding Mode: Two selectable modes: S (single exposure) and C (continuous exposure at the maximum speed of approx. three frames per second).

Film Rewind: Automatic using the built-in miniature motor (approximately seven seconds with 24-exposure film), Mid-roll rewind performed by pressing the film rewind button.

Metering System: TTL full aperture metering using SPC. Two selectable metering patterns: 6 zones evaluative metering and partial metering (approximately 6.5% of the picture area).

AF Control System: TTL-SIR phase-detection type using BASIS (Base-Stored Image Sensor). AF in-focus indicator lights upon ranging completion, Three Selectable Modes:

*ONE SHOT: AF operation ends and focus is locked once ranging is completed. Shutter does not release until ranging is completed.
*SERVO: Focus continuously adjusts to follow subject movement. Shutter can be released at any time regardless of ranging completion.
*Manual: By rotating the manual focusing ring.

AF Working Range: EV 1-18 at ISO 100

AF Auxiliary Light: The ultra-bright red LED (peak sensitivity: 700 nm) is automatically projected with specified Canon Speedlites.

Automatic Flash (using Speedlite 420EZ1300EZ with the camera set at “P”): A-TTL flash auto-The correct aperture value is automatically set, using the camera’s A-TTL program and the flash’s near-infrared preflash. X-sync speed is also automatically set between 1/60 and 1/250 second upon flash charge completion.

Multiple Exposures: Presetting up to nine exposures is possible, Automatically cleared upon completion.

Camera-Shake Warning: Operates for program AE and aperture- priority AE modes. When automatically set shutter speed falls 0 to 0.5 steps below f/focal length of the lens in use, the electronic beeper sounds.

Film Speed: ISO 25-5000 is automatically set in 1/3-step increments according to DX code standard. ISO 6-6400 can also be set manually.

Misc. Specification: Multiple exposure, AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing), ±5-step exposure compensation (in 1/2 step increments), depth-of-field priority AE not available

Grip: interchangeable. Grip GR20 (with remote control terminal) is standard. Grip GR30 (without remote control terminal) and large-size Grip GR10 are available optionally.

Battery Checker: BC button. 3-stage bar mark on LCD

Power Source: One, six-volt lithium battery pack (2CR5).

Dimension: 148 X 108.3 X 67.5mm

Weight: 700g body only; 740g with battery pack

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After I bought it, I shot a roll of Centuria ISO 200 12 shots film and here are my results:

They’re a failure, really. There was something wrong and I remembered that the Centuria film I used was supposed to be ISO 200 but it registered as ISO400. I shot another 2 rolls of Centuria but this time they’re ISO100 and both were 36 shots. To my disappointment, the colors of my shots were washed out. I was shooting in Program mode and compensating a step down when needed and still I got overexposed shots. I decided to ditch the cheap Centuria and switched to Fuji Color YKL.

Results will posted soon.

Reference:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/eos/eoscamera/620/eos620.htm