Canon's first Canonet — fixed-lens 35mm coupled rangefinder with leaf shutter and selenium meter, 1961.
The Canon Canonet was the first model in Canon's long-running Canonet line of fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder cameras, introduced in 1961. It arrived as an affordable coupled-rangefinder camera aimed at everyday photographers, and its commercial success helped establish the Canonet name that Canon carried through the 1960s and into the early 1970s across many variants.
As a 35mm fixed-lens rangefinder, the Canonet focuses through a coupled rangefinder rather than by autofocus or zone estimation, with a bright-line viewfinder. The lens is permanently fitted, so there is no interchangeable mount. It uses a leaf shutter built into the lens and a selenium light meter for exposure, of the era when selenium cells needed no battery to power the meter itself. Treat any focal-length or maximum-aperture figure as something to confirm from the specific example, as this early Canonet shipped in more than one configuration.
In use the Canonet suits general everyday shooting, street work and travel, offering quiet leaf-shutter operation and rangefinder focusing in a compact metal body. It is a straightforward camera for someone who wants a mechanical fixed-lens 35mm without the bulk of an SLR, though the metering system and ergonomics are dated by modern standards.
On the used market, check the foam light seals around the film door, which commonly perish on cameras of this age. Inspect the fixed lens for internal haze, fungus and separation since it cannot be swapped out. Test the coupled rangefinder patch for contrast and alignment, and confirm the selenium meter still responds, as selenium cells lose sensitivity over decades. Check the film-advance and rewind feel and look for corrosion in any battery compartment used for flash or accessories.