The “Point And Shoot” Cameras
When I began collecting Canon’s a few years ago I was interested in SLR’s and Rangefinders. I was feeling that the “Point and Shoots” were not of interest to me. I had always used more advanced cameras and, any way, there were so many of them and their naming and features were real unknowns.
However, as I prowled swap meets and second hand stores I kept coming across “Point and Shoots” in excellent condition for a few dollars each. So I began acquiring them but I did no serious study of them. I just put them away for that day when I ran out of things to say about more serious cameras. As if that day will ever come!
But I have begun to put this page together. It is not finished so don’t get too involved in it. But I have always worked on my web site out in the open so you can watch it grow. Besides, if I waited to finish things before posting them I would get nothing out for you to follow. So, forgive the unfinished nature of this page.
The Various Series of Cameras
There are several clearly defined series of Point and Shoot cameras and there are many micellaneous cameras that fit the definition of “Point and Shoot” but don’t fall into any particualr series. There are literally hundreds of these cameras and so it helps our understanding to group them, say, like this:
The Canonets | Canonet (1961) | thru | Canonet G-III 19 (1972) | 13 |
The Demi’s | Demi (1963) | thru | Demi EE28 (1967) | 7 |
Sure Shot | Sure Shot (1979) | thru | Sure Shot 90u II Date (2005) | 57 |
Elph – Film | Elph (1996) | thru | Elph Z3 (2002) | 16 |
Snappy | Snappy 50 (1982) | thru | Snappy LX II/Date (1998) | 16 |
Misc. Film | Dial 35 (1963) | thru | MC10 (1985) | 20 |
PowerShot Elph Digital | PowerShot S100 Digital Elph (2000) | thru | PowerShot Elph 185 (2017) | 74 |
PowerShot A | PowerShot A5 (1998) | thru | PowerShot A3500 IS (2013) | 63 |
PowerShot D | PowerShot D10 (2009) | thru | PowerShot D30 (2014) | 3 |
PowersShot G | PowerShot G1 (2000) | thru | PowerShot G1X Mk III (2017) | 22 |
PowerShot N | PowerShot N (2013) | thru | PowerShot N2 (2015) | 3 |
PowerShot Pro | PowerShot Pro70 (1998) | thru | PowerShot Pro1 (2004) | 3 |
PowerShot S | PowerShot S10 (1999) | thru | PowerShot S200 (2013) | 19 |
PowerShot SX | PowerShot SX100 IS (2007) | thru | PowerShot SX740 HS (2018) | 35 |
Misc. Digital | CE300 (1995) | thru | PowerShot E1 (2008) | 8 |
As you can see, this is a lot to digest: 359 separate models listed in the Canon Museum. And this does not count name variations or different colors. We may be many years before we can unravel it all. And then, who will care? But still, as I hold these little cameras in my hand, I like them. They are marvels of photography and worthy of consideration. However, it may take a decade or two!
A few Miscellaneous Point and Shoots
As nice as it is to divide so many cameras into various Series so that we can better understand them, there are always some that don’t really fall into one or other grouping. Even the Canon Museum acknowledges this. I have these cameras below that are not easily classified:
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