This is my Canon IIB (Ser. No.: 37439) with a Serinar S 50mm 1:1.9 which is the “Kit” lens for the IIB
The Rangefinder
With thanks to Peter Dechert and the Canon Museum
Canon began with the 35mm Rangefinder camera in the early 1940’s and updated and improved them until the early 1960’s. At first they were into Leica copies but very quickly they began modifying and improving their cameras and eventually became a market leader in range finder cameras.
When you pick up a Canon rangefinder
the first impression you get is the solid feeling of the body and a sense of precision in the build. They are a delight to hold.
The Canon Museum is very helpful in listing the following models and their dates of introduction:
| Model Designation | Date of Introduction | Model Designation | Date of Introduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model J II | January 1946 | Model IV Sb2 | March 1954 |
| Model S | January 1946 | Model II S2 | April 1955 |
| Model S II | October 1946 | Model II D2 | April 1955 |
| Model II B | April 1949 | Model II F2 | April 1955 |
| Model II C | July 1950 | Model VT | August 1956 |
| Model III | February 1951 | Model L2 | March 1957 |
| Model IV | April 1951 | Model VT Deluxe | May 1957 |
| Model III A | April 1951 | Model L1 | May 1957 |
| Model IV F | December 1951 | ||
| Model IV S | January 1952 | Model L3 | November 1957 |
| Model II A | March 1952 | Model VL | March 1958 |
| Model II D | October 1952 | Model VL 2 | March 1958 |
| Model II D’ | October 1952 | Model VI-T | September 1958 |
| Model IV Sb | December 1952 | Model VI-L | September 1958 |
| Model II AF | June 1953 | Model P (Populaire) | March 1959 |
| Model II AX | June 1953 | Model 7 | September 1961 |
| Model II F | June 1953 | Model 7 S | April 1965 |
| Model II S | February 1954 |
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Cameras in my Collection
Kwanon Prototype
Early Seiki-Kogaku Canon Test Bed – 1935
Model III
Introduced February 1951 – 10,175 produced
Seiki-Kogaku Model S-II
Introduced October 1946 – Approx. 2265 produced
Canon Model S-II
Introduced October 1946 – Approx. 5285 produced
Model IIC
Introduced March 1951 – 800 produced
Model IIB
Introduced January 1949 – 14,400 produced
Model IVS
Introduced April 1952 – about 4900 produced
Model IID2
Introduced March 1955 – 16,175 produced
Model IIB
Introduced January 1949 – 14,400 produced
Model VT Ser. No. 542327
Introduced April 1956 – 15,575 produced
Model VI-T Ser. No. 603420
Introduced June 1958 – 8,175 produced
Model L1
Introduced Febraury 1957 – 7,975 produced
Model L2
Introduced November 1956 – 7,350 produced
Model L3
Introduced October 1957 – 12,975 produced
Model P
Introduced December 1958 – 87,875 produced
Model 7
Introduced June 1961 – 137,250 produced
Model 7sZ
Introduced August 1967 – approx. 4.000 produced
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