Traduction de Manuel M

Canon IIF was put on the market as from June 1953. It was never marketed in Japan, it was a strictly reserved model for export. The end of manufacture took place during 1955. The number of specimens produced during this period was 11900.

Its main features are:

Interchangeable lenses with the Leica standard screwing of 39mm.
Rangefinder viewfinder combined type reversible Galileo, with three positions, allowing the selection of 3 frame of centring for the 50.100 and 135mm. The system, relatively complex, is simply operated by a lever being near the eyepiece. There is no correction of parallax.
Focal plane shutter, elastomer curtains giving of the second to the 1/500s, synchronization flash M only (F for Flashbulb) with the 1/25s on a specific rail fixed laterally at the body.
Loading by the sole.
Standard lens Canon Serenar 50mm f/1.8 Gauss type, diameter of the threading of filter 40mm, focusing minimum 1 meter.

The quality of manufacture is exemplary, as well with the level of the quality of chromium-plated, machining as optics.
Beginning of the year 50 was indeed prosperous for the Canon firm which had just moved in new buildings, the ex-factory of the instruments aeronautical Fuji, in the suburb of Tokyo, which was quickly modernized. Canon was finally avoided to attack the worldwide market, in its new factory where all the various production units had been finally gathered.
The model presented here is stamped “EP” in red, (for Post Exchange) what means that it was sold by a military store to an American soldier.
With the use, this camera is pleasant, relatively compact, and the viewfinder rangefinder combined, although sizes very modest, is a net progress compared to the viewfinders of Leica III where the rangefinder and the viewfinder are separate.

Selling price at the time unknown. As example Canon IID was sold 56.000 yen in 1952.

Picture one: Canon IFF with its original lens Canon Serenar 50mm f/1.8

Picture two: Canon IFF with a Japanese Tokyo Kogaku Nikkor 50mm f/1.4

Pictures three and four: On the left: view of the control lever of change of focal distance of the viewfinder, and inscriptions EP for external Post, on the right, view side cocking/advance

Picture five:from left to right: Lenshood of the 85mm; 85mm f/2 Canon Serenar; Universal viewfinder made in japan, unknown manufacturer (Tower?); Cap of the 85mm, Canon IIF and 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor + airy lenshood not of time (brand-new) + flash Canon model Y +self-timer mechanics; viewfinder of the 85mm; viewfinder and cap of the 35mm; lens hoods 50mm and 35mm; 35mm f/2.8 Canon Serenar