"Affordible" Collectible-ish Canon RF

harry01562 said:
... The later M3-ish type Canons are excellent picture taking machines, and are as different from the early models as the M-series is from the Barnack Leicas. Either will deliver an excellent negative, but there is a convenience factor or a nostalgia factor that comes into play. I like both, for different reasons, and indulge myself for the pleasure of owning and using them. Gearheads of the World.. Rejoice, for prices are nice right now!

Harry

Other than the Canon 7, I don't know of any later interchangible (M39) lens rangefinder Canons that came after the P I own.

In many respects to userbility, I have shot with a Leica IIIc and IIIg before, since I sometimes borrow one from the store on occasion. And I can pretty much tell you that the Canon P seems to be better userbility wise than any of the screwmount leica cameras I've tried. Now if you put a Leicavit on a IIIg or such, that changes the playing feild a little. I think what gets me the most is generally where the shutter button is, the advance lever, and the lifesize viewefinder, as well as the quick ability to change shutters before or after advancing the film.

The one thing I would look to see is a P that has the same kind of brightness on the yellow rangefinder spot as you would see on an M3, but in comparism to the Leica screwmounts, it seems a bit better with the P. Perhaps the lifesize incorporated VF/RF has some bias on my eyes.

Besides seems to be a really beautiful camera, I know that is a matter of opinion. it would seem that if I were around before the time the M series was released, I might think that the M body in the loosest comparism possible copied off the canon in looks. But atlas I don't know what every rangefinder looks like, or what all the major players had out at the same time.
 
the Leica M 3 came out in 1954
the Canon P was released in Dec. 1958
Leica could not have copied the P.
more like the other way around.
 
xayraa33 said:
the Leica M 3 came out in 1954
the Canon P was released in Dec. 1958
Leica could not have copied the P.
more like the other way around.

It's somewhat apparent that Canon looked at the M3 in designing their V and VI series cameras and improved on the theme with an opening back for quicker and easier loading, and a PC plug that didn't poke you in the forehead ( I'm left-eyed). I had an M-3 for a couple months and found no advantage over the Canon P. For the price of an average user M3, I can find two excellent P's. I prefer the 1:1 viewfinder.
I also have several knobwind Canons. The quality of build is very good, though I can't compare it to similar Leica's having never used one. As a group, the early Canons are under-appreciated and under-valued.
 
xayraa33 said:
the Leica M 3 came out in 1954
the Canon P was released in Dec. 1958
Leica could not have copied the P.
more like the other way around.

I learn something new every day. I for some reason thought the M series was a 60s thing.
 
I think the biggest problem with most bottomloader Canons is that most of them have a small dark vf, as opposed to Leica's small vf , save the IIIg.
I am sure a good cleaning and a 50/50 mirror replacement will help on these 50 something year old Canons.
 
stesm said:
I agree about the viewfinder. The best descriptive word I've heard for them is "squinty". Normal light levels are only okay and low light levels make focusing a tad slow. What is a 50/50 mirror?
that is the angled mirror that the rf prism reflects off, so you see both the view and the rf secondary image.
this mirror reflects about 50% of the light, the other 50% is transparency.
this mirror ages very badly on LTM Leica's it seems, is not too bad on some Canons & Niccas and actually holds very well on FSU cameras.
keep in mind that these cameras are over a half a century old.
 
The Canon VI-L has a great viewfinder for three focal lengths, and it is built beautifully too. The P is also good.

Raid
 
raid said:
The Canon VI-L has a great viewfinder for three focal lengths, and it is built beautifully too. The P is also good.

Raid


I love my VI-L. Whenever I feel a little bit down I reach for my VI-L and fire the shutter a few times....the world becomes a little bit brighter.🙂





If I didn't have a VI-L I suppose I would have to get a life, or something.
 
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