Canon's pellicle-mirror SLR — the Pellix, fixed semi-transparent mirror, TTL CdS, FL mount, 1965.
The Canon Pellix, launched in 1965, was a distinctive FL-mount 35mm SLR built around a fixed semi-transparent pellicle mirror instead of a conventional moving reflex mirror. This design let light pass to both the viewfinder and the film simultaneously, eliminating mirror blackout and mirror vibration, and it was one of Canon's more technically unusual bodies of the era.
As a 35mm SLR the Pellix used the Canon FL breech-lock bayonet and a cloth focal-plane shutter running 1 second to 1/1000 plus bulb. Its fixed pellicle mirror meant the reflex mirror never moved during exposure. It featured through-the-lens CdS metering by way of a meter cell that swung into the light path for stopped-down readings, with manual match-needle exposure. The CdS meter needed a battery, while the mechanical shutter fired without power.
The Pellix suits users who value the vibration-free, blackout-free operation the pellicle mirror provides, useful for slow shutter speeds and precise composition. The trade-off is that the semi-transparent mirror loses some light to both the finder and the film, giving a slightly dimmer viewfinder and requiring a small exposure allowance. It is a specialist tool rather than a general everyday camera.
When buying, the fixed pellicle mirror is delicate and must never be touched or cleaned aggressively, as scratches or haze on it degrade both image and finder; inspect it carefully. The TTL CdS meter was designed for a mercury cell, so be aware of the discontinued 1.35V PX625/625 battery when judging meter accuracy. Check the cloth shutter, perished foam seals, prism condition and film advance. FL lenses adapt to mirrorless bodies.