Canon F1 "Old" Power winder vs Canon F1 "New" Power winder

Laurent · Feb 4, 2025

Hello all,

to further help my film wildlife photography, I'm considering adding a power winder to my kit, so that I can increase my shooting speed, and make the setup more stable by using a stock and grip (like the Novoflex setup, with a second grip for the trigger)

I'm considering either a new F1 with AEFN finder (which may help exposure when set on "A", but I'm not 100% sold on this) or adding a power winder to my "old" F1 (or... purchasing a Old F1 with a finder, which would become my main body and the current one would become the backup)

Advantages for the old F1: I already have some accessories, especially the speed finder which is gorgeous for wildlife, and some dedicated screens for my lenses (one "G" for the novoflex setup, one regular for the 300/2.8 setup)

Advantage for the new F1: the AEFN finder would add aperture priority mode. Additional screens can get me spot measuring. The battery is easier to find, even if I have an adapter for the old F1.

But the main questionning I guess is about the winder itself, and how much noisy they are respectively?

I'm not considering the motor drives, as my setup is heavy enough and an addition pound does not temp me, and the high speeds are not necessary.

So if you had an experience with the comparative noisiness of these two winders, I'd be delighted to hear (pun half intended) from you. Audio files would be even greater

Thanks in advance

benjiboy · Feb 6, 2025

I have both winders, and they are about the same volume, they aren't interchangeable.
You definitely don't need the Motor Drive FN because it can't be removed from the camera in daylight without exposing the film, and at a maximum speed of six frames a second you need to use bulk film.

Laurent · Feb 6, 2025

Thanks, not sure it helps me in deciding, as I'm still happy with the old f1 and getting a new f1 may be only giving up to gas. .

But at leastI'll know I can't get a new f1 for a more silent winder.

I agree 200% on the motor drive, I don't need that speed! I just want to be ready faster when shooting animals and hope I can get rid of the monopod. in favour of a should stock

Laurent · Feb 6, 2025

(but I'm tempted to get back to the defective motor drive I started fixing, ADHD is a bitch)

Mackinaw · Feb 6, 2025

I own both Power Winders. I consider both equally noisy. Kind of a two-staged noise as the camera trips the shutter, then advances the film. If you need quiet, forget the winders and advance the film by hand. If you're in a situation with background noise, then the noise from the winders won't be a factor. Hope this helps.

Laurent · Feb 7, 2025

Mackinaw said:
I own both Power Winders. I consider both equally noisy. Kind of a two-staged noise as the camera trips the shutter, then advances the film. If you need quiet, forget the winders and advance the film by hand. If you're in a situation with background noise, then the noise from the winders won't be a factor. Hope this helps.

Thanks.

My issue is wildlife scenes are quite short and winding by hand makes me lose the subject and the action.
I also would like to make my setup more stable and this would imply a shoulder stock and a way to keep both hands in the same plaec all the time.

I'm considering (again) digital for these reasons, not sure what to do at the moment...

Mackinaw · Feb 7, 2025

Laurent said:
My issue is wildlife scenes are quite short and winding by hand makes me lose the subject and the action.
I also would like to make my setup more stable and this would imply a shoulder stock and a way to keep both hands in the same plaec all the time.

I'm considering (again) digital for these reasons, not sure what to do at the moment...

I categorize the noise from either winder as jarring. I mainly photograph people, and they, overall quickly get use to the noise. It's no problem with street photography, the background noise from the street is enough to mask the noise from the winders. But for quiet settings, like weddings, I turn off the winder and advance film by hand.

benjiboy · Feb 9, 2025

The power winder FN Laureant with the AE Finder FN in addition to aperture priority also gives you shutter priority AE.

Laurent · Feb 10, 2025

benjiboy said:
The power winder FN Laureant with the AE Finder FN in addition to aperture priority also gives you shutter priority AE.

Thanks, I know this but am not really interested in shutter priority. I used it too much and it even was imposed on me as I did not chose my first camera. Atvthe time they told me it was mandatory to have AE ans preferably shutter priority for wildlife.

Took me years to discover manual cameras were more efficient ( at least for me, ans safe for the AF) as light does not change _that_ often.

I think aperture priority coule be a plus but am not even sure.

In the short term, I've recommitted to the F1 old ( 'n' version) and found one with power winder to let me explore the stabilizing rigs and also be ready faster when a short action happens. At the moment when something really interesting happens ( like a bird catching a fish) I have at most one shot as it's finished when I'm done winding and reframing.

I'll see if I want to add a noise réduction gizmo

koraks · Feb 10, 2025

Laurent said:
My issue is wildlife scenes are quite short and winding by hand makes me lose the subject and the action.

Digital seems like the best option, rally. Preferably something mirrorless. If you want to shoot film, consider something like the later EOS cameras; I generally use the EOS30v and it is a fairly quiet camera.

I can imagine that your choice will be dictated primarily by the lens(es) you want to use, which will narrow down the available cameras considerably. If you're wedded to one or more FD mount lenses, I think your best bet will be to go digital.

flavio81 · 2025-04-22T16:20:57-0400

The New F1 is altogether a more ergonomic camera to operate and quicker to operate due to Aperture priority and Shutter priority AE (the latter enabled via using a winder).

I'd choose the New F1.

Cholentpot · 2025-04-22T18:38:38-0400

Laurent said:
Thanks, not sure it helps me in deciding, as I'm still happy with the old f1 and getting a new f1 may be only giving up to gas. .

But at leastI'll know I can't get a new f1 for a more silent winder.

I agree 200% on the motor drive, I don't need that speed! I just want to be ready faster when shooting animals and hope I can get rid of the monopod. in favour of a should stock

YoUooUooooOOoo NeeEeeeEeeeeEEEEeeed the New F-1...OoooOooOooOoOOOooOOo

I was given one, had no clue what I had. It is incredible. And my photos are better now because it has a 1984 Olympics branding.

Laurent · 2025-04-23T09:35:59-0400

flavio81 said:
The New F1 is altogether a more ergonomic camera to operate and quicker to operate due to Aperture priority and Shutter priority AE (the latter enabled via using a winder).

I'd choose the New F1.

In fact, most of the time I set the exposure for a moment, as conditions do not change THAT much in a few minutes (that's for wildlife), this is one of the reasons that pointed me to a shiny Old F1...

Winder is a bit noisy, the electric triggering is a it too much, so when I want to keep unnoticed I use manual triggering and winding.

Cholentpot said:
YoUooUooooOOoo NeeEeeeEeeeeEEEEeeed the New F-1...OoooOooOooOoOOOooOOo

I was given one, had no clue what I had. It is incredible. And my photos are better now because it has a 1984 Olympics branding.

I have no doubt I'd be happy with one, but I already have 4 FD cameras (not counting the one under CLA, nor the ones for sale)

Cholentpot · 2025-04-23T11:31:28-0400

Laurent said:
In fact, most of the time I set the exposure for a moment, as conditions do not change THAT much in a few minutes (that's for wildlife), this is one of the reasons that pointed me to a shiny Old F1...

Winder is a bit noisy, the electric triggering is a it too much, so when I want to keep unnoticed I use manual triggering and winding.

I have no doubt I'd be happy with one, but I already have 4 FD cameras (not counting the one under CLA, nor the ones for sale)

One fell into my lap, wasn't looking for it. Now I need lenses and I'm not really up to speed on the FD lineup. I have a 50 1.8, 28 28 2.8 and a few 135's. I don't know the legends are heroes of the FL/FD lineup. I know Nikon, what's the Nikkor 105 2.5 of the FD lineup? I should start a thread.

1957ExaktaVarexIIa · 2025-04-23T14:15:54-0400

The New F-1 got a new kind of split-image for focusing: It avoids darkening. When I put an FD standard lens f/1.8 on my New F-1 in daylight the split-image is even usable at f/11.
I find this kind of split-image pretty useful when I focus with a slow lens.

There are also two kinds of "Bright Laser Matte" screens, Type J and K - it seems to me that the image in the finder gets significantly brighter than with a standard matte screen: with the Bright screen J at f/2.8 it looks like if I use a standard matte screen C at f/2.0.

Canon F1 "Old" Power winder vs Canon F1 "New" Power winder

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