Canon Sure Shot AF-10 (AKA: Prima AF-10)

[Dave S.]

I recently picked up a Canon Sure Shot AF-10. I was looking for an inexpensive small film camera (about the size of an Olympus Stylus Epic) with a large viewfinder and a wide angle lens (the AF-10 has a 26mm lens!). I'm in the midst of shooting my first roll with it and had a few questions:

1. Has anyone here shot with one of these? Please share your experience and/or pictures.

2. I've listed the specifications below and was wondering what Canon's "Smart AutoFocus" is? Specifically, how does "Smart AutoFocus" work?

3. Does the indication of shutter speeds "1/250 - 1/40 seconds" via a "Electromagnetically controlled programmed shutter" mean that the camera fires only at one of two speeds: 1/250 or 1/40? Or, does that mean it could be anywhere between and including 1/250 and 1/40?

Thanks!

SPECIFICATIONS:

Type: Fully automatic 35mm camera with built-in flash
Lens: 26mm (3 elements in 3 groups)
Focus: Center 1-point Active Autofocus. Smart Autofocus.
Aperture: Fixed f/6
Exposure: Focus/Exposure lock with LED indicator (half press of the shutter button).
Shooting Distance Range: 3ft./0.9m to infinity
Shutter: Electromagnetically controlled programmed shutter/aperture.
Shutter Speeds: 1/250 - 1/40 seconds
Film Speed Setting (ISO): 100 and 400 (Automatically set via DX-coding)
Built-in Flash: Red-Eye Reduction. Auto, Fill Flash (flash on), and Off modes.
Flash Recycling Time: Approximately 6 seconds with new battery.
Flash Operating Range: (ISO 100) 0.9 - 1.9 m / 3 - 6.2 ft. (ISO 400) 0.9 - 3.9 m / 3 - 12.8 ft.
Viewfinder: 0.55x magnification. 80% coverage.
Film Loading/Advance/Rewind: Automatic. Also, button-activated mid-roll rewind
Self-Timer: Electronically controlled with 10-second delay
Batteries: Two AA-size alkaline (1.5V) batteries
Dimensions: (W x H x D): 4.3” x 2.5” x 1.5”/109mm x 64.3mm x 37.2mm
Dimensions DATE MODEL: (W x H x D): 4.3” x 2.5” x 1.6”/109mm x 64.3mm x 41.7mm
Weight: 5.5 oz/155g without batteries.
Weight DATE MODEL: 5.6 oz/150g without batteries.

 

[pinkarmy]

26mm!!!
please post photo results with it!!

 

[farlymac]

According to the manual for the Sure Shot 120 Classic, the Smart Autofocus has a wide field it covers, and will focus on the main subject even if it is off center. Now how it determines what the subject is, I don't know. Most likely whatever returns the largest signal to the receptor.

And the shutter speeds are given in a range, with every speed available in between. You may get 1/147 sec sometime.

PF

 

[Dave S.]

Thanks for the information farlymac! I'll be sure to post results of my first roll in the near future (hopefully next week). Dave

 

[Dave S.]

I checked out the user manual for the Canon Sure Shot Classic 120 (marketed in September 1999) to read the explanation of what Smart AutoFocus is. Indeed, it looks like the same system that's in the Canon Sure Shot AF-10 (marketed in October 2003).

Here's a quote from the Canon Sure Shot Classic 120 manual:

"AiAF (Smart AF) Function

Ai=Artificial Intelligence, AF = Auto-Focus

The AiAF (Smart AF) function has a wide measuring area and is the latest mechanism for accurate focus adjustment. This mechanism was developed based on the analysis of several thousand photographs and on Canon's unique expertise.

The camera focuses on the subject even if it is not in the center of the viewfinder, or if there is an obstruction in front of it. The camera will also focus accurately on two subjects positioned side-by-side, and not on the background between them."

And another quote from marketing material for my video camera (Canon FS200):

"9-point AiAF will automatically select from 9 metering frames on the screen to help bring images into sharp focus."

Thanks again for your help farlymac!

Dave

 

[farlymac]

You're always welcome, Dave.

PF

 

[Dave S.]

I agree, the "Electromagnetically controlled programmed shutter" is a step-less shutter which can shoot at or between 1/40 and 1/250 (i.e. 1/147). Having handled the camera a while now it appears that way.

Also, it occurred to me that having a fixed f6 aperture + only the option of a 1/40 or 1/250 shutter speed would be an extremely limited camera in terms of achieving proper exposure. Essentially you would only have only two exposure value situations where you could achieve proper exposure (!). That now seems unlikely to me.

BTW: Another thing I've discovered I like about this camera is it has Canon's "Real-Time Release" which Canon describes as follows:

‘RT’ (Real-time release) mode gives you instant response shutter control to help you capture exactly the right moment.

Nice! 😀

 

[farlymac]

Canon really hit their stride when designing the Sure Shot line of cameras, always making improvements, and coming up with variations to fill any need. The Zoom XL was a beast of a camera (in size only as it works very well), but had a lens based on the FD line of lenses. And the 120 Classic has the lines of the Canon P rangefinder, while being able to totally recess the lens into the body. Quite inovative for consumer cameras.

At one time it was quite common for consumer cameras to have only one or two speeds, and one or two apertures. Lots of the box cameras were like that, and even in the post WWII years, manufacturers were churning out simple no-thinking-involved types of cameras. Kodak made a bundle off cameras that really dumbed down the thought process of photography, and in the meantime created a market that kept folks wondering why their pictures didn't come out as good as the ones on the box it came in. But they kept taking them anyway.

PF