Canon L 1 (1959)
The Canon L1 came out in 1959. It was the first Canon rangefinder with a rapid advance lever, and the first Canon body fitted with an automatic-aperture lens. The bundled standard lens was the Canon 50mm f/1.4 L. Some later bodies were sold with f/1.8 or 35mm f/2.5 lenses instead. It uses the Canon L mount, a 39mm screw mount with 0.9mm pitch, distinct from Leica's. That mount set the standard for Canon's later rangefinder line.
The camera is fully mechanical, with no battery and no meter. It has a coincident-image rangefinder and a bright-frame viewfinder with automatic parallax correction. The frame lines are 35mm, 50mm, and "S" for the 50mm f/1.2. The Canon Synchro M-X focal-plane shutter runs 1-1/1000 plus T and B, with M and X flash sync. There's a self-timer and a rewind crank. The film counter lives in the base.
The L1 is widely regarded as the most collectible of Canon's interchangeable-lens rangefinders, and the most desirable. Ken Rockwell has called it "The Best Canon Rangefinder," praising its heavier all-metal body and noting that it remains far less expensive than equivalent Leica M bodies. The images are excellent, and the camera is still usable today. The slow shutter speeds often need servicing, and the light seals may need replacing. The auto-diaphragm mechanism is delicate and frequently broken. Parts are hard to find. Expect to pay $300-$600 for a body, with prices rising.
The L2 followed a year later. It is essentially the same camera minus the 1/1000 top speed, and it sold for less as a junior version.
High Fidelity (May 1984, p.48) noted Canon's broader push into video accessories around this era. Period coverage of the L1 itself in the audio press is essentially nonexistent. This was a camera reviewed in photography magazines, not stereo journals.
- Type: 35mm rangefinder, fully mechanical
- Lens mount: Canon L mount (39mm screw, 0.9mm pitch)
- Standard lens: Canon 50mm f/1.4 L (Super-Canomatic R)
- Shutter: Canon Synchro M-X focal-plane, 1–1/1000, T, B
- Viewfinder: Bright-frame with automatic parallax correction
- Rangefinder: Coincident-image
- Flash sync: M and X
- Weight: approx. 1 lb. 6 oz. (630g)
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