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A Weekly Column By Mike Johnston
TwentyAprils: The Classic Era of the SLR
The classic era of the 35mm single-lens-reflex extended, by my personal reckoning, across twenty Aprils. It began with the introduction of the Nikon F in April 1959, and came to an end with the introduction of the Canon A-1 in April 1978.
What exactly defines a classic SLR? I've been known to refer to them as "MMM" SLRs, an idiosyncratic term that is sure not to catch on <s>. In no particular order, one M stands for Manual, one for Mechanical, and the other for Metal.
Most of the significant developments after 1978 revolved around the incorporation of electronics, but there have been some "classic-era" cameras introduced after that year. The most recent one, the Nikon FM3a, a true throwback, is treated in depth in the next issue of my newsletterThe 37th Frame(issue #4). But for the most part, those nineteen years comprised the classic era.
It's true that most modern cameras run cir...

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