Canon Pellix: Semi-Transparent Mirror Design and Service
Originally posted on Instagram. Notes from the repair bench, kept here as a searchable archive. View the original on Instagram
Servicing a Canon Pellix. Interesting design using a fixed semi-transparent mirror that diverts some of the light to the viewfinder. This was the first Canon with TTL metering and this was accomplished using a meter cell on an arm that moved behind the mirror when the stop down meter lever was activated. Similar system to what Leica used on some of their rangefinder cameras. The downside of this system is that the light reaching the film must travel through the mirror and over the years the mirror might get dirty or damaged and this would, of course, affect image quality..As you can see in my quick test of the mirror, it allows approximately 60% of the light to the film and 40% to the finder, so the finder image can be a bit dim in some cases. That is why you often see these with the f/1.2 lens.
This particular example is from 1966 and has QL Quick Loading. Early models from 1965 had standard film loading. Also, this example has the EP imprint in the flash shoe meaning that it was purchased at a military post exchange duty free.
