Which Canon RF camera to use?

rover said:
Well, the eyepiece in the VT is still larger than the IVSb2, but I think the finder itself is the same. The improved finder moved up to the V series.

I think that is correct, oh well, another reason to pick up Peter's book again and do more re-reading.
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No Ralph, the finder is not the same, the VT's finder is larger at both openings front and back (eyepiece).
it is not a Canon P or a VIT finder, yes, but the VT is a real improvement over the so called improved bottomloader Canons.

Canon should have made a bottomloader with a Zorki 3 type Viewfinder.
 
I have a P, L1 and VT and tend towards the L1 as a true user, the only downside for me is the two shutter speed dials. The P is also a gem and I do tend to pick it up quite often but only because I know if it gets lost or broken I can replace it easily whereas the L1 is rarer. The VT is for those more playful days. All i need now is a 50 1.2 for my P!!!
 
With a L-1, VI (L), P and 7, beeing an eyeglass-wearer, I found the minifiying finders and small metal eyepieces annoying. I don't care much about finder brightness but with my cameras it is all comparable, and the etched framelines are visible good enough. Even with a 35mm attached, the P (with attached meter) and 7 are still the Canons I use most. Who cares which is the most "collectable"? As far as aesthetics are concerned, the "last" to chose is obviously the 7, but the first? I cannot decide.
 
Sonnar2 said:
With a L-1, VI (L), P and 7, beeing an eyeglass-wearer, I found the minifiying finders and small metal eyepieces annoying. I don't care much about finder brightness but with my cameras it is all comparable, and the etched framelines are visible good enough. Even with a 35mm attached, the P (with attached meter) and 7 are still the Canons I use most. Who cares which is the most "collectable"? As far as aesthetics are concerned, the "last" to chose is obviously the 7, but the first? I cannot decide.
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the Canon P and the 7 still have some of the best viewfinders there is for LTM Canons.
 
I have an SIIB (I think) s/n is 37113 and top shutter speed is 1/500. Has the "made in occupied japan" written out onf the bottom and top reads CANON CAMERA COMPANY LTD. Also has 3 position setting for the viewfinder (if you can call it that) - F 1x 1.5x...

I'm guessing 1949; Anybody know for sure???
 
fehutchings said:
I have an SIIB (I think) s/n is 37113 and top shutter speed is 1/500. Has the "made in occupied japan" written out onf the bottom and top reads CANON CAMERA COMPANY LTD. Also has 3 position setting for the viewfinder (if you can call it that) - F 1x 1.5x...

I'm guessing 1949; Anybody know for sure???
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I'm betting you have a IIB, rather than an SIIB. SN is too late, and the position setting started on that model. Also, MIOJ engravings are seen on those, as well. That would date it to 1950, possibly 1951. Nice camera, and usable if recently CLA'd.

Harry
 
Canon IIB

Canon IIB

fehutchings said:
I have an SIIB (I think) s/n is 37113 and top shutter speed is 1/500. Has the "made in occupied japan" written out onf the bottom and top reads CANON CAMERA COMPANY LTD. Also has 3 position setting for the viewfinder (if you can call it that) - F 1x 1.5x...

I'm guessing 1949; Anybody know for sure???
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*****

Your camera is in fact a IIB, and was probably made toward the end of 1949, as you suggest. The serial number is too early for it to be the improved version of the IIB that was made from sometime in 1950 until 1952. The "Occupied Japan" engraving was required by the occupation forces at that time, and is entirely proper on your camera. Thanks for getting in touch!
Peter D
 
Thanks for the help. Took me a while to get back to the forum The IIB works fine. Put a 35 summaron on it and a canon viewfinder. It travels with me every day. Sorry about the delay. We're still involved in the post Katrina stuff here. Nuff said. Just wanted to say Thanks.
 
The only I have is a Vt de luxe with a 2/35... and I love it. The finder is the old-fashioned version before the P and other cameras came, but it has that wonderful "RF" feature: I can enlarge the rangefinder spot and focus very exactly. My camera has a lot of sign of use, but it works like a new camera.
 
I have an L and have owned a 7 and a P. I like the L best because it is smallish and quiet. I think the P is over-rated, with an unusable (to me) 35mm finder with too many frame lines and the 7 is just too big. Also, I like the look of the L with its funky slow-speed dial on the front and I like the cloth shutter too. I've got the Canon 35mm f1.8 but tend to use an Ultron instead because it's got better performance at wide apertures, quicker focussing and better balance. The L is a terrific little camera and the best of the Canon rangefinders.
 
lawrence said:
I have an L and have owned a 7 and a P. I like the L best because it is smallish and quiet. I think the P is over-rated, with an unusable (to me) 35mm finder with too many frame lines and the 7 is just too big. Also, I like the look of the L with its funky slow-speed dial on the front and I like the cloth shutter too. I've got the Canon 35mm f1.8 but tend to use an Ultron instead because it's got better performance at wide apertures, quicker focussing and better balance. The L is a terrific little camera and the best of the Canon rangefinders.
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If the Model P is "overrated", it was also oversold w/ 100,000 purchased. There's a reason-it is simply the sturdiest, best engineered, and simplest to use non-metered RF ever made IMHO.
 
rogue_designer said:
Well, with an RF I currently don't use anything except a 35 or a 50.. so the range isn't as big a deal.

Projected framelines are nice. But I've never had an issue with the ones etched into the P. And the 1:1 viewfinder is a clincher for me.

But that's just me and the way i shoot.
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What he said. The 35 is my perfect lens, but I love the 50 as well. So I bought a second P and will mount a CV Ultron 35/1.7 on one and a Canon 50/1.4 on the other. I think it's perfect that way. For me, anyway.
 
The only 35mm rf I have is a Canon L1, but with a metal shutter. I really enjoy shooting with it, but being a glasses wearer, the viewfinder can be a little tricky. I put some masking tape over the wheel beneath the viewfinder that changes the focal length.
The only lens I've got for it (so far) is the 50/1.2. I would like to find a decent collapsable 35mm lens.
 
My L1 VF eyepiece scratches my glasses unmercifully. I've found out that the various Leica M eyepiece protectors on the market don't fit. What can we do? I like my Model P too, but my L1 is my favorite due to a brighter RF patch and vintage looks.
 
januaryman said:
What he said. The 35 is my perfect lens, but I love the 50 as well. So I bought a second P and will mount a CV Ultron 35/1.7 on one and a Canon 50/1.4 on the other. I think it's perfect that way. For me, anyway.
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Jim,

I have two P's for a very practical set of cameras. I have a wide angle lens on one P and a 50mm lens on the second P. It is just great.
 
Bill58 said:
If the Model P is "overrated", it was also oversold w/ 100,000 purchased. There's a reason-it is simply the sturdiest, best engineered, and simplest to use non-metered RF ever made IMHO.
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Good said. If you don't like the 35mm finder on a P, or want a 85mm, buy a 7 and don't complain: about size, weight, the 100mm frame too small, or other stuff.

Buy a P as FIRST rangefinder camera with changable lenses. I can highly recommend that. You can buy 10's of other cameras in addition LATER ONE, but you will hardly find a (alltogether) "better" one...

I thought it until I bought my L1 and VI. Both have good finders but smaller eyepiece and eyeglass killers. Alltogether they aren't "better". Different taste, best. And of course, no cloth shutter (my L1) is a match for the metal shutter of a P or VII.
 
Sonnar2 said:
I thought it until I bought my L1 and VI. Both have good finders but smaller eyepiece and eyeglass killers.
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The solution to the eyepiece problem for spectacle wearers is to find a small rubber washer:

L1washer.jpg


This works perfectly, though perhaps it is not for the purist...
 
Thanks for that, Lawrence. I glued a washer on my L1, and it works great, even with plastic glasses lens. This solves my major issue with the camera.

I have a Canon III that I often use with Voigtlander 21 and 25 mm lenses and the respective external finders.

I have a Canon 7 that I take when I know am going to use an assortment of lenses in one day.

I just got my first parallax corrected 100 mm brightline finder, and if I can find these for my other focal lengths, I may go back to my L1 in preference to the 7 for the longer lenses. I also got the sport finder, but haven't had a chance to use it yet. These appear to be fairly rare, after doing an internet search. Does anyone else use one?

I really enjoy all three cameras.

Bruce
 
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