com are the exclusive property of the named author (except where stated otherwise) and are protected by copyright. The photographer adopting the snapshot vernacular recognizes the energy, rawness, and emotion this form can communicate and employs visual devices that reference it. The resulting images show that the Canon Sure Shot XL does indeed match the image quality of a more sophisticated SLR, at least in this limited sampling. Meet the Canon Sure Shot Supreme, this camera may look like an ordinary 35 mm Point and Shoot Film Camera but in fact, this camera is equipped with a stunning strap autofocus lens that is guaranteed to produce beautiful clear photos time and time again.

But there is one point that sells it better than the others, and that is the top shutter speed, which is 1/1200 of a second. Simply center the focus spot in the viewfinder upon whatever subject we want in focus, half-press the shutter release button to set focus distance, and recompose for the final shot.There are 2 smaller buttons – one for the timer and one to cycle flash modes (auto, force on and force off) that are recessed as is a smaller mid roll rewind button which is well positioned and almost impossible to set off accidentally. If you are not feeling your Cute Camera, just send it back within 30 days and we will take care of the rest. In just an hour or less of shooting, the size and weight of the Canon Sure Shot Zoom XL quickly shifts from perceived liability to definitive asset.

The only other compact camera I know of that has successfully executed a waist-level finder is the Yashica T series. Despite the camera having been released during the late ‘90s, the AF system is pretty basic offering only 3 steps with a minimum focusing distance of 0.

The big finder allows for fast aim, no need to lose time aligning your visual axis with a squinty VF that tends to black out at suboptimal viewing angles. Keep in mind that anyone can view public collections - they may also appear in recommendations and other places. A green light turns on when you’ve pressed halfway to let you know the auto-focus is locked in, with a second light blinking if the auto-flash is going to fire. Beware that in this mode, the minimum shutter speed is 1/100s, so it’s likely that the flash will tend to fire a lot when slow film is used under less than ideal lighting conditions.

Information in the viewfinder is minimal, there is only a green LED which lights up when focus is locked, a process that is really fast given the fact that the AF system only has 3 steps. No need to reset the flash after each shot is fired, no automatic shut-down of the camera after a couple of minutes if you decide to keep it turned on in your pocket to avoid the flash resetting to auto. The button on mine doesn’t seem hard to press the whole way although it does stop halfway if you only press it lightly.

While this is slightly less convenient than a flip-open battery door, bear in mind that the trade-off may be a net positive. The viewfinder is nice and clear, though the frame lines do blend into the scene on very bright days. Been a few years since I last used one but I agree with nearly all you say James, an excellent option, and even if you never use the Tele lens, the 40/2. The only manual feature of this camera is the ISO, which is found underneath the lens with the window on top. I think these twin lens point and shoots represent an underappreciated sweet spot in the “compact” film camera market.