Snappy

Canon made many series of cameras aimed at different groups of consumers. One group they identified were the occasional users who were not interested in photography but who wanted to take the odd family picture. These were unsophisticated users who wanted an inexpensive camera that was totally effortless to use. Canon’s last film series to meet these criteria were the Snappy cameras.

Beginning in July of 1982 and continuing until July of 1998 these film cameras comprised a series of 16 different models, more if you count “Date” cameras and different colors. They  are all lightweight plastic cameras with fixed focus lenses. They have easy, almost automatic, film loading features, totally motor driven, and all have fully automatic exposure. They have no means of setting the aperture or shutter speed manually.

Although made of plastic they still maintain a feeling of sturdy build and quality construction mainly through the fit and finish of all of the parts that make up the cameras. And they are easy to use in the extreme! Film speed is read 

through the DX Codes, aperture and shutter are set automatically, and film loading is almost foolproof.

The intended audience were people like my wife, Susan. She just wanted snap shots of the children and grandchildren. She is a technophobe and wanted something totally automatic that she could carry in her purse of keep in a kitchen drawer. These were a perfect camera for her. Unfortunately, because these cameras were inexpensive and were used by people not familiar with camera equipment, they tended to be roughly used and many you find today on the used market are heavily worn. The plastic marked easily and they were usually not kept in cases.