Canon P vs Canon 7 Japanese Leicas

I go over the similarities and differences between the Canon P and Canon 7 rangefinder cameras.

[emotivemulsion]

Important to remember that a few LTM lenses come dangerously close or even hit the shutter curtain so make sure to look out for that

[LyndonRodriguez]

Thanks for this video comparisons, I just picked up on one thing, you don’t need to press the film speed indicator button on the canon 7 whenever you want to change the shutter speed, only time you will need to do this is when you set your ISO and DIN for the built in light meter. Cheers!

[randallstewart]

Minor error correction concerning the accessory which adds a cold shoe to the Canon 7. It does not attach to the lens bayonet as indicated here. There is a PC flash connection socket on the end of the camera body for the flash cord. There is a small bayonet fitting around the PC socket, which the cold shoe locks into with an arm which reaches acress the top plate of the body and suspends a cold shoe on top of the camera. When I started collecting Canon RF in the early 1980s, they were moderately uncommon but available on ebay often, at a silly price. By 2000, they were almost non-existent, and if found, the price was ridiculous. So, I do not have one for my Canon 7.

For some reason, the P model got very expensive, more than $300 commonly, in the late 1980-90s, and being a "cheap" model, it didn't get added to my collection at that time. In the 2000s, the bottom fell out of P pricing, and near-mint copies could be regularly found for $125 or less. Today, Oct 2021, they are ebay pricing around $200-225 plus shipping without lens, probably in part for being YT hyped to death in the last 2 years. The Canon 7 has two distinct advantages over the P: (1) A far better viewfinder (larger and more clear; less cluttered) and (2) a much more accurate rangefinder, having a longer optical base. (This was required to focus the 50mm 0.95 lens introduced with the Canon 7.)

One factor re both the P and 7 (and 7s) if purchased as a user. The shutter is the same for all models, and uses stainless steel foil as a curtain, compared to the cloth shutter curtains used on Leicas of the period and their copies. This additional mass required higher spring tensions to operate, and those shutter are (1)more prone to getting off speed - slower, and (2) those shutters are not repairable (for that problem) for lack of parts and repairmen with the needed skills. My 7 is victim to this, with a 1/1000 indicated speed which after the best repair possible (Bald Mountain/Ken Ruth) runs nearly a stop slow. Speeds of 1/125 and slower are fine, but there you have it. When I use my Canon RF equipment, I much prefer my VIT, which has an easily maintained cloth shutter.

[alexcarrillo]

The Canon P is Canon's Version of the Leica M3, and also that on the Canon 7 as the Lens Flange is for the Canon Lens 50mm 0.98 aperture as it needs the Bayonet Flange to hold the lens in place to the body. And also that Canon did sell a Flash Bracket that is connected to the PC Shoe Socket on the Left side via a Bayonet style flange as it went over where it saids Canon7 as I bought one in Japan in 2017. And also that the RF Window on the Canon 7 is abit longer in length that the Canon P so you can place a 135mm lens properly.

[FlyingFilm]

I love my Canon P. Just a simple, pretty camera. It's the camera that taught me how to meter by eye.

[randallstewart]

Having revisited this video, I'll add a note on the external bayonet mount unique to the 7, 7S and 7Sz. While it is most often seen as the mount for the 50mm 0.95 lens, to serve an additional lens group. Canon made two versions of a reflex mirror box, which in turn mounts a series of long focus, short barreled, telephoto lenses. I believe these were 400mm, 600mm and 800mm, perhaps others. These were always quite rare in the used market because few were sold, for two reasons: (1) They were, with the related lenses, wickedly expensive - strictly pro level expensive. (2) By the time these accessories became available, SLRs were taking over long telephoto usage, as they were easier and faster operating, and less costly. When I started collecting in the early 1980s, you'd see a mirror box occasionally, but the matching lenses were almost all gone.

[CrusaderRabbit]

i own the 7 and the P and i enjoyed hearing your take on both. i have seen a couple different types of hot shoe attachments for the 7 and own the pc sync type ... it basically covers the top and has a little cutout so you can still see the light meter. i dont use mine much because it seems when i take it on and off i cannot help but scratch the camera up a bit in the process, unfortunately.

[gurhanpekuz]

Thank you for the super informative video. Great explanation, yet still hard to choose

[jude]

Canon 7 all the way, but hey it' good that most people get the P and keep the better camera's price down unti i pick another one up 😂
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[stevofoo]

I go for canon 7, I couldn't decide, but after watching your review, I go for 7! it not a Leica, pay less and has more function. :)

[inthezone]

Super review. I have both, and agree with what you shared here.

[ZommBleed]

Couple of nice examples. Still waiting on lens to be delivered so I can run a roll through my 7. Can you believe I got it for $85 with a working light meter and original case? Fingers crossed that the shutter is Ok. I'll need to replace the light seals, but some tape will work until I get around to doing that.

[caldera]

The Canon 7 cold shoe accessory is not mounted by the front lens bayonet mount. It is mounted on the side instead on where the flash sync socket is.

[KhunTui-jlnj]

Between VL1 and VL2, what are the points or differences that you need to look at when buying a camera?

[jimshulman]

Probably a better comparison would be the the Canon VI-L with the Canon 7, since both have adjustable focal length viewfinders. The P, or Populaire, was a budget version of the VI-L. Since the selenium meter is usually dead or grossly inaccurate having a cold shoe is really handy for a modern shoe mount meter.

[robinj.]

I've always enjoyed shooting with a quality built, classic Rangefinder camera!
Generally smaller/quieter then an slr. And thus less obtrusive.

[ZimmReads]

I wonder if its possible to remove the Canon 7's bayonet mount and replace the P's with it so you could mount the Canon dream lens on the P. think so?

[edinburghtumuran]

Both cameras are wonderful and the Canon lens produces awesome and sharp images! But the Canon P is beautiful though Canon & was more features. I have both cameras too!

[claude-uh]

Hello, I will receive this camera this week, but I wear glasses but my lenses are quite thin, there is a problem, the Canon 7 does not have a dioptric corrector, with my glasses will I have a problem adjusting the viewfinder

[jonlouis]

Very well done. I like these cameras, but I don't use the 7 much due to it;s size. The P seems to whipsaw in price form monyh to month, mine was given to me when I bought a lens.