Photoclubalpha

I have an old (1959 I think) Canon P (populaire) rangefinder camera which was my great grandfathers. It has the 50mmf1.4 lens. Everything works on it, including the self timer and the detachable light meter, but there is some fungus on the lens. If the camera has any antique value I will probably get the lens cleaned and the body serviced for good measure if i can find someone to do it. If not i will keep the camera as is for sentimental value. What does everyone think I should do with it?

Tony

If the lens is a detachable screw thread 50mm f1.4 and both body and lens can be cleaned, it's worth it up to a certain point. Good examples can be worth enough to buy you a secondhand A100

David

Thanks David

The lens is a detachable screw thread 50mm f1.4. It seems by the markings in the view finder that there might be 35mm and 100mm lenses also available for the camera, but i don't have any of these. I would not sell the camera, even if it was worth a bit. I might get the lens cleaned up and put a few rolls of film through it. Also, in this day and age of auto everything, I can see that a camera like this could be very useful for teaching a beginner the fundamental relationships between shutter speed, aperture and ISO.

I would definitely hold onto it if it was mine. It has been in your family for a long time so that is one reason, but also it is a type of camera that just isn't made anymore. Here is some info about it:

http://www.cameraquest.com/canonp.htm

http://www.photoethnography.com/Classic ... ~mainFrame

http://www.vermontel.net/~wsalati/Casua ... canonp.htm

Oh, here is one more:

http://www.kuroneko-camera.com/cameras/canon_p.html

Thanks for the links Henry. Heaps of good info there. I was always going to keep it, but now I'm convinced I should spend a bit on it and get it back into top condition.

Tony