Canon P Camera¶
maker: Canon
format: film
lens mount: Leica Screw
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The Canon P or Populaire may have been an ironic name for this exclusive-looking camera. By omitting the three-mode optical viewfinder, the price could be lowered. The viewfinder magnification was fixed at 1x for the 35mm lens. Reflective frames for 50mm and 100mm lenses were inscribed for automatic parallax correction. The parallax correction pin on the accessory shoe featured in other V-series cameras was gone.
This camera was targeted people who used lens focal lengths from 35mm to 100mm. The compromise in price and features worked well to boost sales to almost 100,000 units.
The Canon P camera has a 39 mm screw mount used by Leica cameras at the time — before the Leica M3, which use M-Mount lenses. This is sometimes referred to as the Leica Thread Mount (LTM) or the Leica Screw Mount (LSM). It’s also sometimes abbreviated to M39, but that’s not accurate. The LTM was introduced by Leica with the Leica model I. It was used until the model IIIg.
Photos Taken with this Camera
Related Articles
Below is a list of articles in which this camera is discussed, or at least mentioned, on this site.
Learning Monochrome (mar 17, 2010)
As part of my latest activities to relearn film photography, as well as to learn what escaped me about film in my youth, I have begun trying black and white film this week. It’s been an interesting experience.
Without a Built-in Meter (mar 10, 2010)
Rangefinder cameras can be impressive looking, but some don’t have built-in light meters. For many decades photographers did without them, but now it’s frustrating. Using a simple guide and a hand-held meter, I’m learning how do without.