Canon ELPH 370Z

At 165 grams, it slips into a coat pocket like a secret—light, unassuming, and built around the fleeting promise of APS film.

Overview

The Canon ELPH 370Z is a compact APS film camera released in 1998, designed for casual shooters who wanted zoom flexibility in a pocketable body. It’s not a cult classic, nor does it carry the weight of a Leica or even the nostalgic charm of a disposable. Owners report it was positioned as a premium point-and-shoot in Canon’s ELPH (or IXUS) lineup, offering a real-image zoom viewfinder and a mechanical-electronic shutter system that balanced reliability with basic automation. The camera’s most notable feature is its 38–105mm f/4.2–9.9 zoom lens (35mm equivalent: approximately 29–87mm), a rare spec for APS cameras, which typically stuck to fixed 28mm or 35mm equivalents. This zoom range gave users modest compositional freedom without sacrificing portability.

Autofocus relies on a 3-point AiAF system with a center-point override, a step up from simpler single-point sensors of the era. Focusing ranges from 0.6m to infinity normally, and down to 0.1m in macro mode—useful for close-ups, though the small viewfinder can make precise framing tricky. Exposure is managed via evaluative, center-weighted, or spot metering, with compensation available in 1/3-stop increments across a range of ±2 stops. ISO settings are fixed at 50, 100, 200, and 400, or set to Auto, leaving film choice as the primary creative variable.

The 1.8-inch TFT LCD, with approximately 114,000 pixels, serves solely for playback and menu navigation—there’s no live view. Images are recorded in Exif 2.2 JPEG format to SD or MultiMediaCard, a curious inclusion for a film camera, but this model also captures Motion JPEG video at 320×240 or 160×120 resolution, up to 30 seconds at 15 fps. That dual functionality—film stills and low-res digital video—feels like a transitional artifact, a product caught between two worlds. Power comes from two AA batteries, with alkaline cells yielding about 100 shots and Ni-MH packs pushing that to 300, according to CIPA standards. At just 87mm wide and 27.8mm thick, it’s a true pocket camera, though the protruding lens and pop-up flash add bulk when extended.

Specifications

Manufacturer	Canon
Product type	Camera
Zoom Lens	38-105mm f/4.2-9.9
Autofocus	3-point AiAF, 1-point AF (Center)
Focusing Range	Normal: 0.6m (2.0 ft.) - infinity, Macro: 0.1-0.6m (0.33-2.0 ft.)
Viewfinder	Real-image zoom viewfinder
LCD Monitor	1.8-inch Low-temperature Polycrystalline Silicon TFT Color LCD, approx. 114,000 pixels
Shutter	Mechanical shutter & Electronic shutter
Shutter Speed	1 - 1/500 sec.
Metering System	Evaluative, Center-weighted average, Spot (Center)
Exposure Compensation	+/- 2 stops in 1/3-stop increments
ISO Speed	Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400
White Balance	TTL Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H)
Built-in Flash	Auto, Auto with Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash Off
Flash Range	0.6 - 3.0m (2.0 - 9.8 ft.) (W), 0.6 - 2.0m (2.0 - 6.6 ft.) (T)
Self-Timer	Approx. 10-sec. or 2-sec. delay
Recording Media	SD Memory Card, MultiMediaCard
File Format	Still Images: Exif 2.2 (JPEG), Movies: AVI (Motion JPEG)
Number of Recording Pixels	Still Images: 2272 x 1704, 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480, Movies: 320 x 240, 160 x 120 (15 fps, up to 30 sec.)
Playback Modes	Single, Index (9 thumbnail images), Slide Show, Magnification (approx. 2x - 10x)
Interface	USB (mini-B), A/V output (NTSC or PAL, monaural)
Power Source	2 AA-size Alkaline or Ni-MH Batteries (NB4-300)
Battery Life	Approx. 100 shots (Alkaline), Approx. 300 shots (Ni-MH) (CIPA standard)
Operating Temperature	0 - 40 °C (32 - 104 °F)
Operating Humidity	10 - 90%
Dimensions (W x H x D)	87.0 x 57.0 x 27.8 mm (3.43 x 2.25 x 1.10 in.)
Weight (Body only)	Approx. 165 g (5.82 oz.)
Weight (Including batteries and card)	Approx. 195 g (6.88 oz.)

Collectibility & Value

The Canon ELPH 370Z has not emerged as a sought-after collectible. It lacks the mechanical precision of rangefinders, the design flair of contemporaries like the Contax T2, or the cultural footprint of disposable cameras. Original MSRP was reportedly $200, placing it in the upper tier of APS point-and-shoots at launch. Current market examples appear sporadically, with one Etsy listing showing a price of $80.00 for a working unit. Parts-only models have sold for as little as $15, suggesting repairability is limited or demand is low. Owners note that production ceased more than a decade ago, and functional units are increasingly scarce, partly due to aging electronics and the obsolescence of APS film processing. While the zoom lens and dual media support (film and digital video) give it a niche appeal, most collectors view it as a curiosity rather than a cornerstone.