Help requested. What Canon rangefinder have I just bought?

[newst]

I just bought this camera from a prominent online camera store located in the midwest. It was listed on Ebay as a Canon III, and it certainly looked like one. It is a bottom loader with a 1/1000 top speed, slow speeds that start at 1/25, the smaller, early, eyepiece, and an adjustable 50/100/135 viewfinder. While it is still in the mail to me I thought I would check it out in Peter Dechert's 'Canon Rangefinder Cameras 1933-68'. That's when it hit me. Peter describes the III as not having a flash sync, going as far as to fill the spaces in the body shell required for the sync wiring with grout. Unless I am mistaken though, on the back of this camera, directly under the cold shoe, is a flash sync socket.

I have flipped through the Dechert book a few times now and can't find a flash sync on the back of any of the bottom loading Canons.

Am I looking at a modification? Any ideas?

Thanks,

55991-TOP by newst54, on Flickr

55991-Right by newst54, on Flickr

55991-Open by newst54, on Flickr

55991-Left by newst54, on Flickr

55991-Front by newst54, on Flickr

55991-Bottom by newst54, on Flickr

55991-Back by newst54, on Flickr

 

[p.giannakis]

Am I looking at a modification? Any ideas?

That Is what came to my mind.

 

[dexdog]

Just finished looking at my copy of Dechert's book and think you are right that it is a Canon III with an added flash sync.

 

[Mackinaw]

I agree. 1/1000 top speed and no side flash rail, Canon III.

JIm B.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Mine is just a little older- 53xxx, yours has the added flash sync.

If it comes with a Case: look for Made in Occupied Japan on the Case, well-hidden under the flap of the top cover.

 

[helen.HH]

Since the riddle has been solved
I will just add
A Beauty... A sexy RF

 

[newst]

Mine is just a little older- 53xxx, yours has the added flash sync.

If it comes with a Case: look for Made in Occupied Japan on the Case, well-hidden under the flap of the top cover.

Unfortunately, no case was included in the auction.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Mine came with a Nikkor 5cm F1.5, perfect glass after 20 years of searching for one at a reasonable price.

 

[raid]

The camera looks very cool. Use it. Enjoy it. I need to get out my Canon RF too.

 

[bluesun267]

Nice camera. These Canon Barnack "copies" are dense, heavy little work horses. Enjoy!

 

[newst]

The camera looks very cool. Use it. Enjoy it. I need to get out my Canon RF too.

Thanks. FEDEX says it will be delivered on the 2nd. How soon I go out to shoot it will depend solely on the weather. I don't know how long it will take Youxin to repair my IIIF so this may be my go-to 'barnack' for a while.

 

[Mackinaw]

I put more film through my IVSB2 last year than any other of my rangefinders.

Jim B.

 

[raid]

I put more film through my IVSB2 last year than any other of my rangefinders.

Jim B.

My Canon Barnack is either a IVSB2 or a IVSB.

 

[newst]

Originally posted by Mackinaw View Post
I put more film through my IVSB2 last year than any other of my rangefinders.

Jim B.

My Canon Barnack is either a IVSB2 or a IVSB.

My only problem with the IVSB & IVSB2 is the flash rail on the side of the body. It isn't a huge issue, but I don't like it.

 

[Mackinaw]

.......My only problem with the IVSB & IVSB2 is the flash rail on the side of the body. It isn't a huge issue, but I don't like it.

Yeah, some folks hate the flash-rail, but I'm so used to it I don't even know it's there.

Jim B.

 

[iphoenix]

My Canon Barnack is either a IVSB2 or a IVSB.

If the slow speed dial starts at "30", it's a IVSB2; at "25", you've got a IVSB.

 

[hap]

A very nice camera. NIce to have the flash .....and without the ugly ridiculous proprietary flash rails.

 

[dexdog]

I have always thought that classifying Canon RF cameras is a lot like keying out plants in botany, for example difficult genera like Solidago or Brassica. Some of my old notes of field work from the 1980s to the early 2000s exhibit my frustration. I have way too many notes bearing the abbreviation of SFM, meaning some F-ing mustard, i.e., a Brassica of some sort that I could not identify because it was not in flower at the time I saw it. I really appreciate Dechert's book for this reason.

 

[Bingley]

Judging from the serial number and your photos, and after consulting Dechert’s book, I’d say you have a Canon IV that had the flash rail removed. I have a Canon IVSB2 w/out a flash rail, so I know these modifications were done. All the other details indicating a Canon IV appear to check out. My guess is that it will be a very nice shooter, if you like bottom loader, Barnack-style cameras. I’d suggest using an external VF, as the Canon viewfinders are pretty squinty. I would expect it to be a quality camera. My IVSB2 is terrific, and I’d choose over a Leica IIIf any day.

 

[dexdog]

If you look at page 102 of Dechert's book, you will see that the Canon IV has a printed notice of built-in flash synchronization on the bottom frame of the camera. The third pic of the original post does not show the text about flash sync on the camera in question, which implies that it is not a Canon IV. Also, if someone had removed the flash rail from the Canon IV it would have entailed replacing all the leather wrapping the sides, front and back of the camera, which appears to be all one single piece. I think that adding a sync to the back of the Canon III is the more likely option given that it is a lot easier and less complicated.

Edit: I just looked at my IVSB, and it has the notice of flash sync printed on the frame of the camera