Canon Model IIS

Your camera would appear to be a Model IIS. It has the following distinguishing features:

• No Model Name on Camera
• Top Shutter Speed 1/500th
• Has Slow Speed Dial
• Has one piece View Selector Lever
• Has Side Rail
• Hi and Low Speeds split at 1/25th
• Has a Slow Speed Dial Lock,
• Has “X” Position between 8 and 25

Dates: February 1954 thru March 1955

Produced: 1,850

Ser. Nos.:  108870 – 160150

The IIS is a relatively rare Canon rangefinder camera. It is basically a IIF with added strobe sync. The strobe is an easy modification and so many IIF’s were upgraded. This is why you will find cameras that seem to be IIS’s but the serial numbers are wrong. Or even more puzzling, the load diagram on the bottom will say IIF when the characteristics are IIS.

Another way to view it is that this camera is a IVSB without the 1/1000th shutter speed.