The Casual Collector
Canon P
or, How To Succeed In Business After Trying Really, Really Hard For A Long Time!
Canon 7
Canonet
Canonflex
Canon FL
F-1
New F-1
FTb
TLb
EF
A-1
AE-1P
The Canon P as I recall first seeing it in 1973. I used Tri-X then, so most of the recollections are in black and white!
The Canon P was a milestone model for the Canon Camera Company: The first to out-sell the 1953 model IVSB; The first Canon to sell more than 50,000 units; The first to sell more than 75,000 units. All told, the Canon P sold about 87,875 units, according to Peter Dechert’s book; Canon Rangefinder Cameras 1933-68. That’s over three times as many as its’ contemporary models, VI-L and VI-T, together. More than the first three Canonflex models combined! The P was Canon’s best selling camera up to that time.
What was the secret to this success? The P was an eminently useful camera at an attractive price. Interchangeable lenses, a range of shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/1000th, easy flash sync, a rewind crank, self-timer and parallax corrected framelines for three lenses. The Canon P had everything a serious hobbyist or pro needed with no bells or whistles.
My first encounter with the Canon P came at the New York Auto Show in 1973. At lunchtime I took a break from the fast cars and beautiful models to go outside for a breath of NYC air. As I recovered, I spied a shop called The Camera Boutique, across the street. I went inside for a look. It was a small shop, with a friendly young man behind the counter.
In the case behind him was the expected selection of new SLRs. On the top shelf were several cameras lettered Canon, but not in a style that I was accustomed to. “They’re Canonflexes”, I was told. “Ancestors of the Canon FT you have there”, as he noted my camera. “They’re the owner’s and are not allowed out of the case”. Hmm.I walked towards the back of the store and on a desk, spotted a Canon like I had never seen before. It was a rangefinder, with a longer than normal lens. A very handsome camera, too.
"That’s a Canon P". "One of the nicest cameras Canon ever made”, he related. “And that lens is special too, very sharp” It was a 100mm lens, very compact and all black. It was his personal camera and his favorite. I was intrigued.
Fast forward to 1986. I’ve just moved into a new apartment, free, after enduring four years of marriage. One day, I bought my first copy of “Shutterbug” magazine and leafed through it. In the classifieds was an ad for a Canon P. The wheels started turning. No more wife to say “No, you can’t spend the money”. I deserved a little reward after four years. “It only costs one child support payment and I’ll be making plenty of those over the next 17 years” I thought!
I called. Area code 201. New Jersey. Home! A weary sounding voice answered the phone. His name was Mel. “Yes I still have the camera. One of the nicest Canon rangefinders I’ve come across. The case is nice, the meter works and it even has the diffuser”. I pictured a little Jewish man, well into his 60s, in my mind. I sent a check and waited.
The Canon P was as handsome as I remembered. Smooth and quiet, handy and lighter than my SLRs. The viewfinder was a bit disconcerting though. One set of framelines right in the middle of things, another that you have to search the edges for and a third set for the 50 between the other two. Kinda’ busy in there! The rest of the camera was so nice, though.
The "P" equipped with optional meter and shown with lenses appropriate for its' viewfinder brightlines. To the left, the Serenar style 35/2.8. Mounted on the camera is the 50/1.8. To the right is the late style 100/3.5. I have cobbled hoods for the 35 and 50. I've not yet improvised a hood for the 100.
About a year later I called Mel again looking for another lens. “I have a 100mm f3.5. The all black model. Fabulous lens”. I sent another check!
What a pair, the Canon P and the 100/3.5. I use the 35 and 50 on it, but I like it best with the 100. I’ll bet the guy in New York City felt the same way.
With the P, Canon found a successful combination of features and price. The theme of useful features without complexities would be tried again with the Canonflex RP of 1961 and Canon FP of 1964.The Canon P’s usefulness and elegance keep it very popular with collector-photographers today. Don’t expect to find one in good condition cheaply, but if you have a hankering for a traditionalist, all metal, rangefinder 35, the Canon P may be the most economical way to go.
Well, that’s my story. Many others have written of the virtues and foibles of the Canon P. Follow the links to read what they think.
I left the technical stuff out of my article 'cause these folks have already done it and "dunnit good".
My Classic Camera Collection Guys aren't the only collectors! Karen Nakmura has a wide ranging and eclectic group of cameras profiled.
Dante Stella Insightful and impeccably logical. He seems to have an endless supply of very photogenic people around, too.
Davidde Stella Well traveled, inherited the Stella family photo gene. Another excellent site.
CameraQuest.com Stephen Gandy has a "thang" for Leicas and Nikons. I detect a closet respect for certain Canons, though.