Camera has 1/500th Second Shutter Speed

Of all the rangefinder models there are only 19 cameras with this set of characteristics. We have some work to do. The 19 are:

  • No Model designation on Body
  • Maximum Shutter speed 1/500th
Model Date Model Date Model Date
Canon J Jan 1939   Canon II C Mar 1951   Canon VL2 Jan 58
Canon NS 1940   Canon II A Mar 1952   Canon II F2 Jun 1955
Canon JS Apr 1945   Canon II D Oct 1952   Canon II D2 Mar 1955
Canon J II Dec 1945   Canon II D1 Oct 1952   Canon II S2 Feb 1955
Canon S I Dec 1945   Canon II AF Jun 1953   Canon II S Feb 1954
Canon S II Oct 1946   Canon II AX Jun 1953   Canon II F Jul 1953
Canon II B Jan 1949    

Third Question:

Does the Camera have a Slow Speed Dial?

For reasons I won’t go into right now the early cameras, and not only canons but even the Leicas they were copiying, had two dials for speed settings. The one on the top deck was the high speed dial and it set speeds from a 25th or a 30th and faster. On the front of the camera was another dial and it set speeds lower than those on the top or high speed dial.

This Canon rangefinder has a Slow Speed dial just to the left of the lens.

This Leica camera has no Slow Speed Dial on the front of the camera. 

If you make a wrong selection you can go back one step or all the way to the beginning one step at a time. If you simply get lost or want to look up another camera you can go straight to the beginning again and start over. Or, if you feel you don’t need all the explanations you can go to the Rapid Finder. You get the same questions but in abbreviated form with no discussion or photos.