The “1” in the name “EOS R1” doesn’t just signify the camera’s position at the pinnacle of the EOS R system. It also marks the camera as a worthy successor to the esteemed “1” series heritage, which professional users have trusted for over 50 years. In this article, we look at the “1” series history and how the EOS R1 continues the legacy.
The history of the “1” series
Watch: Celebrating 50 years of Legacy of the Canon “1” series
1971: F-1 (1971)—Canon’s first successful professional SLR camera
Notable facts
- Ended a rival company’s domination of the professional grade 35mm SLR camera market.
- Very rugged, solid brass body.
- Set the foundations for professional SLR cameras.
- Remained in production for 10 years.
Prior to the F-1, Canon was mainly known for their rangefinder cameras and entry- to enthusiast level SLRs. Meanwhile, the professional SLR market had been dominated by another brand for a decade. Canon invested significant effort and resources into developing and producing the F-1. It is said that the time and energy put into developing it could be used to develop 10 or more conventional cameras.
Built to endure 100,000 shutter fires, temperatures from -30°C to 60°C, and 90% humidity, the F-1’s durability, reliability, well-thought-out features, and outstanding performance won over many professional photographers. In 1976, it was designated as the official recording camera of the 1976 Montreal Olympics, solidifying Canon’s position in the professional SLR market.
The F-1 was launched with the new FD mount and over 180 interchangeable accessories including more than 40 interchangeable lenses. This high level of customisability endeared it to users.
Canon understood that what professional photographers wanted most was to be able to capture the best possible images and shoot dependably even in harsh conditions. Achieving the ultimate performance and reliability became the key philosophy that guided the F-1’s development and production. The resulting strict quality standards and manufacturing capabilities laid the foundation for today’s EOS “1” series flagship cameras.
Learn more about this camera at:
Canon Camera Museum: F-1
Canon Camera Museum History Hall: 1970-1975
1989: EOS-1— AF performance that revolutionised professional photography
Notable facts
- The first professional-grade camera in the EOS system.
- First professional camera to feature AF.
- Low light AF limit of EV-1
- Introduced the cross-type AF sensor, predictive focusing and tracking (AI Servo), Quick Control Dial.
Inheriting the F-1’s design concept, the EOS-1 was released in 1989, two years after the launch of the EOS (Electro Optical System) system. Unlike the mechanical FD mount system, the EOS system used the fully electronic EF mount, facilitating better control over autofocus and aperture from the camera instead of the lens.
At that time, autofocus (AF) was only around five years old and still distrusted by professional photographers. However, the EOS-1 earned their confidence with its unparalleled AF speed and precision, made possible by its then-innovative cross-type sensor and predictive autofocusing and tracking (AI Servo AF). It changed the way professional photographers shot and allowed them to produce images with stronger impact. AF became indispensable to professional photography.
The EOS-1 pioneered many operability features that would be continued on future EOS cameras, such as the top LCD panel and Quick Control Dial, which allowed the intuitive adjustment of exposure settings.
Notable successors:
- EOS-1V (2000): First Canon camera with magnesium alloy body
Learn more about this camera at:
Canon Camera Museum: EOS-1
2001: EOS-1D—Into the digital age
Notable facts
- The first professional-grade EOS digital SLR camera.
- First 1-series camera with an integrated battery compartment and vertical hand grip
- APS-H CCD sensor (1.3x crop compared to full-frame)
- Image processor that was the predecessor to DIGIC.
- Body: Magnesium alloy
As cameras transitioned to the digital age, the precedents set by the F-1 and EOS-1 were inherited by the EOS-1D, Canon’s first digital “1” series camera. It was the first EOS professional news and sports digital SLR camera that Canon developed and produced entirely on its own.
The EOS-1D was built to prioritise speed. For example, the developers chose to use an APS-H CCD sensor, which would offer a faster image data readout than a full-frame CMOS sensor considering the technology of that time. It realised a groundbreaking 8 fps maximum continuous shooting speed even with its relatively high-resolution 4.15-megapixel image sensor.
The EOS-1D was also Canon’s first flagship camera to feature the integrated vertical grip. Crafted for the comfort and ease of its target users, this would become a staple on future “1” series cameras.
The flagship “1” cameras of the EOS DSLR lineup were originally split into two models: EOS-1D and EOS-1Ds. While the EOS-1D series was speed-oriented, the EOS-1Ds series had a full-frame sensor and higher 11-megapixel resolution, responding to the demands of professional portrait, commercial, and landscape photographers.
Both lines were merged starting from 2011’s full-frame EOS-1D X, which had the best of both worlds.
Of course, Canon’s commitment to delivering pinnacle performance and reliability stayed the same throughout all incarnations.
Notable successors:
- EOS-1D X (2012): The first full-frame EOS-1D camera (result of merging the EOS-1D and EOS-1Ds lineups)
- EOS-1D X Mark III (2020): First EOS-1D camera to feature deep learning-based subject detection and RAW video recording.
Learn more about this camera in:
Canon Camera Museum: EOS-1D
2024: EOS R1—towards a new era
Notable facts
- The EOS R mirrorless system’s first flagship camera.
- The first ever Cross-type AF on an image sensor-based phase detection AF system.
- Debuts Action Priority AF mode, capable of complex subject detection.
- Canon’s first flagship camera to feature Eye Control AF.
Announced in 2024, the EOS R1 is the first full-frame flagship camera of Canon’s new EOS R mirrorless camera system. It contains half a century of refinements based on feedback from many professional users since the F-1, as well as the innovative technologies required by each era.
Like the blazing-fast EOS-1D, it boasts high speed, excellent ergonomics fine-tuned over decades, and ultimate reliability. Some operating details have been refined, but it will still feel familiar to those using it for the first time.
Like the EOS-1 that pioneered the cross-type sensor and rewrote the future of autofocusing, the EOS R1 debuts game-changing new AF technologies, such as the innovative image sensor-based cross-type AF and the deep learning-based Action Priority AF mode that expands subject detection to complex subjects such as sporting action.
And like the F-1, the camera that started it all, it delivers uncompromising durability and quality control. It bears the highest level of dust, moisture, and impact-resistance of all Canon cameras, ensuring that the camera keeps shooting in the harshest conditions, whether it’s on a sports battlefield or an actual war zone.
At the same time, the EOS R1 is also a camera built for a new generation. From the use of advanced deep learning technologies to aid performance, efficiency, and workflow, to the incorporation of powerful, advanced video features from the Cinema EOS system, it is future-proofed with new technological possibilities to cater to a new imaging culture.
What kind of legacy will the EOS R1 leave for future “1” series cameras? Only time can tell. One thing is for sure—Canon’s “1” series will keep evolving and adapting, continuing to provide the ultimate performance and ultimate reliability demanded by professionals of the era.
Find out more about the EOS R1 in:
Be ONE with Mastery: Introducing the EOS R1
Watch: History and Philosophy of the Canon “1” Series Legacy | Story Behind the New Canon EOS R1
