Canon P - Quick and Dirty Review

Elegant in its simplicity, this is quite possibly the most well-built, easy to use and aesthetically brilliant 35mm rangefinder ever made.

Recommended reviews:

See all my content ad-free at my back-up account on the Odysee platform:

If you found this video worthwhile, please check out "Nikon Film Cameras, Which one is right for you?", an e-book on Amazon by yours truly. It's three dollars worth of knowledge, guaranteed.

Awesome classic analog merch available here:

#canon #rangefinder #35mm

[AGL]

The circle with the dot rotates when the shaft that interacts with the film sprockets turns, so when loading it tells you if the film is advancing, and when rewinding, when the film has detached. Very useful if you wish to leave the film leader outside the film cassette. This is a feature in all V, VI and 7 series Canons

[joncaradies]

Love this camera ! This and the VL2 are just one of those designs where everything came together . Less is more .
The thing that always got me is when you read lots of Leica forums they always say ' oh you need to get it CLA'd every couple of years ' where in Canon 'P' forums say . ' Oh, Just go out and shoot it and enjoy " That always said a lot to me Cheers !

[ItsjustmeDJ]

Fantastic review, thank you! I bought one a few weeks ago and brought it to a local camera shop for a cla, can’t wait to get it back. I’m in love with this camera and don’t know why it took so long for me to hear about it, we are both the same vintage! Anyway thanks for such a well written and detailed review.

[ReimannPembroke]

Great video man! I’ve been loving using my Canon P for traveling and street photography videos

[rileysmithphoto]

Right on brother. Thank you. I love those thread mount lenses

[andrewrothman]

Another great review. I have three Canon RFs, a P, a VI-T, and a 7sZ. The P is my favorite by a wide margin. I use it more than my M2 and M5. P stands for "Populaire", but in my book it stands for "perfect". It's also just gorgeous to look at.

[mvonwalter]

Just scooped up a minty L3 this weekend. Amazing build quality. Imagine the P is all of that and maybe more.

[joncaradies]

A really great and at least when I bought mine, undiscovered camera The 1.4, 50mm lens that originally came with the camera is a stunner too . Super sharp and just feels great I often put it on a leica to shoot with The Canon 'P' really gives the M3 a run for the money Not sure why they never took off in America

[CalumetVideo]

Thanks for sharing! I have the Canon L2 works great and well built. I think the Canon rangefinders are great rugged cameras!

[Smaug]

Good review. As for a rangefinder that is better built an easier to use, I think you need to qualify it with: "in its day", because a built-in TTL light meter and a hot shoe would make it more user-friendly. ;-)

I was fiddling with the one I just received, and was stunned to find that the shutter is quieter and has less vibration than that of my Leica IIIc. Maybe that is to be expected, as this camera's design is 10 years newer. technically speaking, and early Leica M would be a fairer comparison, but there's that ever-important element of cost to consider. Even then, early Ms had cloth shutters and that ridiculous bottom loading, still.

I'm afraid that now that I've got this camera, my Leica IIIc is not going to get much use. Just a roll here and there in honor of my grandparents.

[kayshenghong]

Hi Brian! I am planning to purchase a Canon P when im in japan to get started on manual cameras (as im concerned my point and shoots wont last). Other than the lens and the body, do you recommend purchasing any other equipment along with the canon p for casual street photography?

[raychen]

Hello Brain, I appreciate how detail and inspirational are your videos!

I’m still new to analog photography and I currently own a Canon P, but looking for a Bessa R due to its brighter (maybe considerably bigger?) viewfinder and the faster shutter speed. Nevertheless, just as you said in your video of Bessa R, it’s made by plastic and the build quality is far from the level of Canon P. The viewfinder of Canon P just not as clear as I expected, but it’s ok to use for me. I’m wondering in my case, do you think I should maybe grab an Bessa R to try it out since it’s still very popular in the market?

And Im planning to get a black one that I think it may not look as bad the silver ones after normal daily use.

[andrewrothman]

BTW, that 35mm Canon lens looks beautiful. For some reason, Canon ltm lenses frequently have haze built up, which unlike fungus is not removable.

[Dstonephoto]

I’m trying to wrap my head around the rangefinder mechanisms. Fascinatingly clever design. What exactly determines the brightness and magnification of these? Is there a tradeoff with these whereby the smaller magnification yields a brighter image? The holy question is whether one can mod or diy these mechanisms in order to yield a brighter and more magnified viewfinder image?

[VictorBezrukov]

Hey Brian. Thank you for this review exactly about the camera I'm looking for on eBay these days. I'm also living in Israel and trying to get some analog stuff that is almost not available in our country :-) take care.

[punkrachmaninoff]

Hey Brian! Check my reply on the Konica Autoreflex-TC (poor man's Oly) video, I think I missed your notification reply about the 28mm Konica version for a few months.

Very jealous of your Canon P... The prices on those interchangeable Canon thread mount lenses though. If I could have one lens for crop sensor Fuji, it would probably be some sort of LTM lens.

[MajorTomIL]

Hey Brian, thanks for the review! Quick question: I'm coming back to IL very soon and I was wondering if maybe, just maybe, you happen to know someone who's selling a Canon P? Cheers

[robinj.]

Back then, you bought an EXSPENSIVE camera only once or twice in a lifetime! These things were made to last! Today's stuff? It's all designed from the start to end up in a trash bin after just a few short years!

[shawnhinton]

Hi Brian, great video once again. Can you put a collapsable LTM lens on the P?

[mauricevancleef]

Totally agree-up to one point: the Canon P is useless for people who wear glasses.. I do have -5 glasses and can't see the 35mm lines-barely the 50mm with my glasses jammed to the viewfinder...