I got this little beast a while ago now, but have only got a chance to make a post about it today.
The Canon P (”Populaire”) was made between 1958 and 1961. It’s one of Canon’s last screw mount rangefinders and regarded by many as one of the best looking rangefinders ever produced. All i know is that it works and feels great to use.
They’re were originally made as a base/basic model, but in reality were one of the last truly “bulletproof” cameras produced by Canon, so many are still working as well today as they were over 50 years ago.
Theres not too much to the camera. No light meter, so theres no electrical issues. No fancy features that cause problems. Just a simple, clean looking camera, that works as good as it looks with a smooth film advance, and a satisfying shutter sound. The viewfinder is quite big and very bright with nice clear framelines (maybe mine has been CLA’s recently?).
Why use a camera with no light meter and no features that make life easier? Well, its fun.
Below is a photo of mine with a Jupiter 8 attached i had lying around. The 50mm framelines are particularly well placed in the VF, so i think a 50mm lens will live on the Canon now.
I got this camera for a steal of a price, but they regularly sell for around $100-$150, and at that price i still think they’re great value. If you want a super reliable camera, stripped back on fancy features that will take some of the greatest lenses ever created (Leica Thread Mount), then i cant think of any camera more suitable than the Canon “Populaire”.

Ok, i’ve been cutting back on my camera collecting, but this little gem was going very cheap so i had to buy it. I mean, for less than $20 you cant really go wrong.
Its a Canonet 19 from the mid to early 60’s. Sort of a beefed version of an Olympus trip bit with a faster 45mm f/1.9 lens and manual control. Oh and a funky bottom film advance lever too. I wasnt too confident on the condition as it was really cheap (they’re not worth a great amount anyway), but i was plesantly surprised when i received it today. Aperture and shutter are all working, and even auto mode seems to be going good which means the light meter is ok. Cosmetically its in top condition too. It also came with its original eveready case and yellow filter which look great. But what is even cooler is its original box. I think it looks great with the fancy “Canonet” typeface, and canon logo with colour design etc.
I have a little time off soon, so will put a roll through it and see the results. It looks as though someone changed the light seals not too long ago, so im quietly confident that it’ll work.
Heres a shot of it below. I didnt take it in my light box as i couldnt be bothered setting it up. I just put it infront of a window on white cardboard and put some white paper behind it. You obviously cant get the same lighting control you would with a proper light box, but this is a decent quick/temporary solution.