| Model: | EOS RT |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Canon |
| Built: | January 1990 |
| Acquired: | 28th March, 2007 |
The EOS RT was the first EOS model with a fixed pellicle mirror; this arrangement allows light to the viewfinder even whilst the shutter is open, unlike a traditional SLR. The RT stands for "real-time" — when the camera is in RT mode, the shutter is held right on the edge of firing whenever the shutton release is half-pressed. This reduces shutter lag to a mere 8 milliseconds, down from the 40ms in standard mode (which again was faster than other models since there was no delay as the mirror moved out of the way!)
Unfortunately, when I bought this example it was suffering from the sticky shutter endemic to early EOS models — the rubber Canon used for a bumper below the shutter blades deteriorates over time, leaving a black goo that spreads itself over the blades every time the shutter is fired. This results in almost complete failure to open at fast shutter speeds; luckily I found a chap offering the relevant service through eBay and it's now a very nice machine!
