Canon F-1
The Canon F-1 is a 35mm single-lens reflex camera introduced in 1971 as Canon's first professional-tier SLR. It uses the FD lens mount and is built around a mechanical, metal-bladed focal-plane shutter with interchangeable viewfinders and focusing screens, positioning it as a system camera aimed at working photographers.
At UK auction in 2026, hammer prices for the Canon F-1 typically fall between £110 and £460, with a median result near £240 across recent sales. Outliers push the spread wider — a single 2024 lot reached £1,700 — but these almost always reflect outfits with multiple lenses, motor drives or finders rather than a body alone, and condition-sensitive factors such as meter accuracy and cosmetic wear drive most of the variation in what an F-1 is worth today at saleroom level.
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
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| Apr 2026 | £150 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 125) Title: A Canon F-1 35mm SLR Camera Body
Description:
black, serial number 127189, body VG-E, a very nice example, viewfinder clear, meter needle responds to light, shutter works, with body cap and case. |
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| Feb 2026 | £150 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 221) Title: A Canon F-1 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial number 627147, body G, light brassing to corners, light depression to prism cover, shutter works, with a Vivitar f/2.8 55mm Auto Macro |
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| Nov 2025 | £125 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 77) Title: A Canon F1 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial no. 627362, body G, shutter working, viewfinder VG, with Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 lens, body G, optics P, fungus & haze present, (Qty: 1) |
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| Nov 2025 | £280 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 104) Title: A Canon F-1 Montreal 1976 SLR Camera
Description:
A Canon F-1 Montreal 1976 SLR Camera, serial no 300597, shutter working, meter working, self timer working, body G-VG, with Canon angle finder B, |
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| Nov 2025 | £200 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 155) Title: A Canon F-1 SLR Camera
Description:
A Canon F-1 SLR Camera, serial no 245339, first version, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, body G, missing servo EE finder |
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| Oct 2025 | £164 | Chiswick Auctions | |
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Auction: Photographica (Lot 284) Title: A Canon F1 SLR Camera with Accessories
Description:
A Canon F1 SLR Camera with Accessories Serial No: 661957 Body: VG however missing bottom plate cover Shutter: working Lens: Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C (Qty: 1) ... read more |
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| Sep 2025 | £162 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 235) Title: A Canon F-1 New 35mm SLR Camera Outfit
Description:
black, serial number 194359, body G, light brassing to edges, shutter works, meter responds to light, with a Canon 35-70mm zoom lens, barrel G, |
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| Aug 2025 | £438 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 93) Title: A Canon F-1 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial number 638297, body VG, shutter works, with a Canon FD f/2 35mm lens, barrel G, optics G. |
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| Jun 2025 | £238 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 121) Title: A Canon F-1 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial number 119454, body F-G, shutter works, meter responds to light, small depression to prism cover and bottom plate, with a f/1.8 50mm, |
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| Apr 2025 | £150 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 319) Title: A Canon F1 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial number 167324, body G, brassing to top and bottom plates, shutter working, with a FL f/1.4 50mm lens, barrel G, optics VG, with lens |
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| Aug 2024 | £175 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 93) Title: A Canon F-1 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial number 540883, body VG, shutter works, not battery tested, with a FD f/1.8 50mm lens, barrel G, optics G with light haze. |
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| Jun 2024 | £1,700 | David Duggleby | |
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Auction: Cameras, Maritime & Scientific Instruments (Lot 3057) Title: Canon F-1 SLR camera body serial no. 300461, boxed, together with thirteen Canon camera le...
Description:
Canon F-1 SLR camera body serial no. 300461, boxed, together with thirteen Canon camera le... |
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| Jun 2024 | £200 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 316) Title: A Canon F-1 35mm SLR Camera Outfit
Description:
black, serial number 584849, body G, minor mark and slightly concave prism housing, some brassing to top plate, shutter works, with a f/1.4 50mm FD |
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| Apr 2024 | £190 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 139) Title: A Canon F-1 SLR Camera
Description:
A Canon F-1 SLR Camera, serial no 511044, shutter working, meter working, self timer working, body G, some light wear, with FD 50mm f/1.8 S.C. lens, |
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| Apr 2024 | £140 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 146) Title: A Canon F-1 SLR Camera
Description:
A Canon F-1 SLR Camera, serial no 252365, shutter working, meter working, self timer working, body G, some brassing to edges, scratches to base plate, |
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| Apr 2024 | £460 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 131) Title: A Canon F-1 SLR Camera
Description:
A Canon F-1 SLR Camera, serial no 303054, shutter working, self timer working, body G-VG, with FD 55mm f/1.2 S.S.C. lens, serial no 91071, barrel G, |
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| Apr 2024 | £850 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 109) Title: A Canon F-1 SLR Camera
Description:
A Canon F-1 SLR Camera, serial no 627362, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, body G, brassing to finder & base plate edges, with |
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| Jan 2024 | £212 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 167) Title: A Canon F1 SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial no. 624598, with Canon FD f/1.8 50mm lens, body, G-VG, shutter working, lens, G-VG, some internal haze |
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| Jan 2024 | £262 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 170) Title: A Canon F-1 New SLR Camera Body
Description:
black, serial no. 156229, body, F, shutter working but meter untested, together with a Canon FD f/4 200mm lens, complete with motor drive (untested) |
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| Nov 2023 | £250 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 236) Title: A Canon F-1 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, original model, serial no.100857, date code 1970, with a FD f/1.8 50mm lens, serial no.262972, date code 1972, shutter working, aperture iris |
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| Jun 2023 | £112 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 136) Title: A Canon F-1 New SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial no. 247649, with Canon FD S.S.C. f/1.4 50mm lens, body, P-F, untested, lens, F, cleaning marks and internal haze, complete with Canon |
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| Mar 2023 | £350 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 190) Title: A Canon F-1 SLR Body with Servo EE Finder and Motor Drive MF
Description:
black, year code 1974, serial no.236937, shutter working, otherwise untested, body F-G |
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| Oct 2022 | £175 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 283) Title: A Canon F-1 NEW SLR Camera Body
Description:
black, serial no. 155941, body, F-G, untested, complete with Canon AE Motor Drive FN Note: Lot imported under Temporary Admission. 5% UK import VAT |
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| May 2022 | £225 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 352) Title: A Canon F-1 New SLR Camera
Description:
complete with FD S.C. f/3.5 35mm, FD S.C. f/3.5 28mm and a FD f/4 200mm lens, body, G, shutter not tested, lenses, VG |
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| May 2010 | EUR 1,300 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 17 (Lot AI_17_11359) Title: Canon F-1 'Rotes Leder'
Description:
F-1 body with Motor Drive Unit including grip and 250 film back, all with very well custom made red leather covering Estimate: EUR 800 - EUR 1,000 |
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| May 2010 | EUR 300 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 17 (Lot AI_17_11357) Title: Canon F-1 Chrom
Description:
near mint, beautifully custom made chrome version in good working order, cap Estimate: EUR 600 - EUR 700 |
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| Jun 2004 | £382 | Christie's | |
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Auction: LEICA, NIKON AND 35MM CAMERAS (Lot 225) Title: Canon [New] F1 no. 213078
Description:
Canon [New] F1 no. 213078 Estimate: £300 - £500 |
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| Jun 2004 | £227 | Christie's | |
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Auction: LEICA, NIKON AND 35MM CAMERAS THE PROPERTY OF A COLLECTOR (Lot 28) Title: Canon [old] F1 no. 201169
Description:
Canon [old] F1 no. 201169 Estimate: £200 - £300 |
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| Apr 2003 | £176 | Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT.THE PROP OF DRS.M.SORRELL (Lot 254) Title: Canon F-1 no. 585734
Description:
Canon F-1 no. 585734 Estimate: £200 - £300 |
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| Sep 2001 | £199 | Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 121) Title: Canon F-1 no. 305369
Description:
Canon F-1 no. 305369 Estimate: £250 - £350 |
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| Sep 2001 | £199 | Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 120) Title: Canon F-1 no. 174420
Description:
Canon F-1 no. 174420 Estimate: £250 - £300 |
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| Aug 2000 | £352 | Christie's | |
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Auction: Cameras and Photographic Equipment (Lot 207) Title: Canon F1 Post no. 259414
Description:
Canon F1 Post no. 259414 Estimate: £150 - £250 |
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| Jun 1998 | £460 | Christie's | |
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Auction: LEICA AND 35MM CAMERAS (Lot 95) Title: Canon F-1 no. 225886
Description:
Canon F-1 no. 225886 Estimate: £400 - £600 |
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