Point and Shoot Review - Canon Sure Shot Max

This plastic-bodied, slim point and shoot from Canon appeared in 1991. Called the Autoboy Mini in Japan, and Prima 5 in Europe, it is a pretty sensible camera that does not try to do too much.  With its 38mm f/3.5 lens, the Sure Shot Max is a compact AF camera that fits in a jacket pocket and can be ready for photography almost immediately.  It has one odd little feature - you turn the camera on with the switch located on the lens bezel.  With the lens retracted into the body, it sure does have a thin profile.



Features:

• 3 point smart AF, prefocus is enabled.
• 38mm f/3.5 lens  (3 elements in 3 groups)
• Shutter: Electromagnetic programmed shutter and aperture. Range of f/3.5 to f/22; 1/8 sec - 1/250 sec shutter speeds, all automatic. 
• Self-timer
• Viewfinder: 85% coverage, parallax correction frame, OK to shoot indicator, flash-ready, red-eye reduction indicator, and close-up warning.
• DX coded ISO setting from ISO 25-3200. 
• Flash: Built-in, Guide No. 9 (at ISO 100). Flash can be turned off. Red-eye reduction lamp.
• Battery: 1 3V CR123A.
• Film winding is automatic, rewind automatic at end of roll. 
• Weight: 245 grams w/battery; dimensions- 125 x 68 x 43mm
• Tripod socket

My overall impression while using this camera is that it works pretty well as a walk-around camera.  I shot a roll of Kodak Tri-X over the course of a week, and found it was easiest to leave the camera on while in my jacket pocket, which means its ready to shoot.  One thing in its favor is the fixed focal length, which not only makes the camera lighter, but also more nimble.  There are a lot of P&S cameras out there that lack some of the features of this Sure Shot Max, and definitely many that surpass it, but I think Sure-Shot means just that.  It was a relatively cheap snapshot camera (okay, I paid 50 cents for this one) that is going to get an image in most situations.  I have not yet tried it with any color film, but it looks like it will get a spot in one of my camera bags to shoot with again.

Here are some sample images from lunch-hour walks around town:

A Sure Shot with a Sure Shot 115u

Canon Sure Shot 115u

A little history:

As we moved into the digital camera explosion, manufacturers still had to cater to the average consumer, and in 2003, a really good digital point and shoot was still quite expensive. Consumers were caught between buying a point and shoot digicam with about 3 megapixels  for around $400, and engaging in the new adventure of digital  prints, etc., or buying a film camera that used technology they were familiar with. Canon introduced  the Sure Shot 115u in 2003, a stylish, compact camera that also looks a lot like some of the digital cameras of that period.   It should be noted that it was expected that the world-wide market for film cameras was diminishing, as it was estimated that 50 MILLION digicams were sold in 2003.    That is a lot of cameras, and yet not all consumers wanted a digital camera, some opting for what they were familiar with.   My 85-ish mother in-law was thrilled last year when I have her a fairly recent high-end Canon P&S to use, as she really missed "getting prints."   

 In June, my buddy Marc and I stopped at a Goodwill store in Petoskey, MI.  I don't usually expect to find much in the way of cameras these days, but I ended up buying a nice-looking Canon Sure Shot 115u.  At first glance it looked like a digicam, but  for $1.99 I figured it was worth a try to run some film through it.  When the camera was new in 2003, it sold for about $130.  This particular camera looks like new, and like many film P&S cameras, it was probably quickly relegated to the closet as a digicam replaced it soon after it was introduced.

Why bother with late-model P&S cameras, anyway?

As someone that appreciates classic cameras -- and I have definitely had my share of them over the years, a plastic P&S camera must seem like a silly purchase.  But remember, these later high-end models have pretty much all the features one might desire in a 35mm pocket camera - a zoom from 38mm to 115mm, various shooting modes, excellent optics, and as much technology as one can pack into such a small space.  In addition, a print from one of these cameras, using good technique and low ISO film would have blown away any digicam at that price point. In fact, this Sure Shot can handle 25 - 3200 ISO film.  Don't confuse such a camera with the tons of trashy plastic cameras that were available at the time.  In my mind, however, this camera would be perfect if it had only a 35mm 2.8 lens.  Without the zoom, it would be lighter, faster, and a perfect P&S for snapshots and street photography. The typical f/5.6 aperture is due to the zoom feature.  A wider, faster lens with no zoom would be preferable, in my type of use.

I ran a roll of expired Tmax 100 and while I did not use the camera as I normally might have tested a camera, the results are satisfactory.  I'll try a 400 ISO color film in it next to see how it does.  Don't underestimate these cameras, they can produce some good results.   At some point, these newer P&S cameras will become quite "classic."  If you see one for less than $20, pick it up, and use it.  I think you'll be surprised at just how good they are.

It's true that the "best camera" is the one you have with you, and these compact 35mm and APS point and shoot cameras were easily carried around.  It's a shame that they are not more appreciated than they are.  While the all-metal classics may have all the retro appeal, some of these plastic wonders are possibly better in terms of features and compactness.  However, its obvious that now your phone can probably do a better job, since it's always with you.  In 2003, well, that was not the case.