Canon FTb
The Canon FTb is a popular 35mm SLR camera introduced in 1971, designed as an accessible amateur camera featuring TTL metering capabilities. This camera includes through-the-lens center-weighted metering with match-needle display in the viewfinder and stop-down metering operation. The FTb accepts Canon FD lenses and offers shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/1000s plus bulb mode. Notable for its straightforward operation and reliable construction, it features a self-timer and hot shoe for flash synchronization. Targeted at amateur photographers seeking professional-quality features at an affordable price, the FTb became one of Canon's best-selling cameras, introducing many photographers to the advantages of TTL metering and the Canon FD lens system.
There were two versions of the FTb; the original FTb and the improved FTbn which added some features such as viewfinder readout of shutter speed. Some earlier FTbn’s still have all-metal parts but they eventually moved to include some plastic parts. Original FTbs are fully metal.
Repair Notes
- The leatherette can be difficult to remove - use lots of IPA and patience. Don’t pull too hard or it will rip.
- The FTbn makes the mirror box tricky to remove because of the shutter speed wheel. Hook the square frame over the viewfinder and keep it in place with an elastic band. Don’t remove the wheel from the shutter speed dial or the shutter control mechanism can come loose.
- Be careful not to lose any shims for the prism
- Be careful re-seating the slow speed escapement as its position affects the timing. It can be good to scribe its position before removing it.
- Be careful when removing the speed indicator mechanism to note the alignment of the gears with the bar that runs across the camera.
- Note: the fast speeds of the shutter don’t work when the mirror box is removed, unlike a lot of other cameras.
- Be careful not to damage the light meter needle when you remove the mirror box
Adjusting the shutter
The shutter control has three groups of speeds that are controlled in different ways.
- 1s, 1/2s, 1/4s are all controlled by the slow speed escapement when it is fully engaged
- 1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s are all controlled by the slow speed escapement when it is disengaged and using only the weight of the gears to slow it down 1/60s - 1/1000s are all controlled by the high speed cam which is rotated by the first shutter and triggers the second shutter after a certain amount of travel
You can adjust all slow speeds by rotating the cam screw at the end of the slow speed link arm. This adjust how much of the slow speed mechanism comes into contact with the rotating catch. You can also adjust the slow shutter link holder up near the speed dial which moves the link in and out.
You can adjust the slowest speeds by using the cam screw furthest away from the link arm which adjusts how much the escapement engages.
You can adjust the faster speeds by adjusting the cam screw of the second curtain release lever.
Finally, you can adjust 1/500s and 1/1000s by adjusting the position of the release cam.
You will often need to go through this a few times to get the camera properly adjusted, but the FTb is generally a very accurate camera.
Files
Service manual for the Canon FTb