Rangefinder with Slow Speed Dial

Even for experienced collectors of Canon rangefinder cameras the naming of the various models can be frustrating. There is simply so much to remember and no obvious logic to the names. For the beginner or casual collector is seems impossible to sort out. Without Peter Dechert’s very excellent book on the Canon rangefinders we would be lost. I want to acknowledge his contribution to this utility right up front. Buy his book. It is an essential tool for the Canon collector.

There are 39 models of Canon classic rangefinder, give or take a couple.  We are excluding the Canonets and other “point and shoot” rangefinders here and dealing with the serious photographic instruments used by serious amateurs and professionals around the work. They are, with their date of introduction, as follows:

Here I have tried to create an app that makes this process easier. It is not perfect because there are many cameras out there that don’t really fit anywhere. But we can be pretty certain in most cases. By answering a few questions about the camera in your hand the idea is to tell you what you have

So let’s get started with some questions.

 Is there a Model Name on the Camera

Some of the later Canon rangefinders did have the model name on the camera. That name would appear on the top plate, on the front or on the bottom. If your camera has a name on it in one of these locations chose the button on the left.

Caveat:

Canon has not helped this process. During production of their cameras the company often introduced changes in a model without changing the model name. Usually small changes, they did create sub categories. Added to that we have the problem of upgrades to cameras by repair personel, either at Canon or privately, that created sub categories or even changed a model from one classification to another. These can be confusing. I will comment on these as we go but not all possibilities will be covered.