Canon Canonflex R2000 35mm SLR with Super-Canomatic R 85mm f/1.8

The Canonflex R2000 comes from an interesting chapter in Canon's history, when the company was finding its feet in the world of 35mm SLR photography.

Introduced in 1960, the R2000 was built around something quite remarkable for its time: a mechanical shutter capable of reaching 1/2000 second.

It's a beautifully straightforward camera. There's no autofocus, no automatic exposure and no screen telling you what to do. Just a mechanical camera, a lens and the decisions you make behind it.

This has a Canon Super-Canomatic R 85mm f/1.8 lens, a lovely focal length for portraits and photographs where you want your subject to stand apart from the background.

The fast aperture gives you room to work with softer natural light, while the traditional SLR viewfinder lets you see your composition through the taking lens.

There's something particularly satisfying about cameras from this period. They're mechanical, deliberate and full of small details that remind you how much thought went into making a photograph.

A wonderful piece of early Canon SLR history, and an appealing option for collectors or experienced film photographers who enjoy taking their time.

Best for

Collectors of early Canon cameras, experienced 35mm film photographers, manual photography, portraits and anyone interested in the history of Japanese SLR cameras.

What to expect

The Canonflex R2000 is a fully manual film camera.

You'll need to select your shutter speed and lens aperture yourself, and focus using the viewfinder. Because there's no built-in light meter, a handheld meter or a separate metering app can help you find the right exposure.

The R2000 uses Canon's early R-series breech-lock lens system. This is different from Canon's later FD, EF and RF systems, so lens compatibility is worth checking carefully.

The photographed 85mm f/1.8 lens is a particularly nice pairing for portraits, although its narrower field of view makes it less suited to situations where you want to fit a lot into the frame.

Developing

The Canonflex R2000 uses standard 35mm film.

• Colour negative film: C-41 processing

• Black and white film: Black and white processing

• Slide film: E-6 processing

The appropriate developing process depends on the film you choose.