Canon Bell & Howell Canonet 19 |
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Manufactured or assembled in Japan from 1961 to (After) 1961.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 10536
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Canon
With the Canonet, Canon entered the international markets for amateur compact cameras. Until then, the brand had remained relatively obscure in the European market. Over a decade, various models of the Canonet succeeded each other. Almost all of them were rangefinders with exposure control.
The range primarily revolves around two lenses opening respectively at f/1.7 and f/1.9. To offer cheaper models, Canon released the Canonet Junior and the Canonet 28, with a 2.8 lens and without a rangefinder. The second-generation Canonet 28 has a rangefinder. The Canonet 25 remains an isolated case with a 2.5 lens.
Models with a Selenium cell have it around the lens. In the American market, some models bear the dual branding of Canon and Bell & Howell.
Year | Rangefinder | Lens | Shutter | Lightmeter | ||
Canonet | ![]() |
1961 | Yes | 1.9/45mm | Copal SV 1 to 1/500 |
Selenium speed priority |
Canonet 19 (Bell & Howell) | As previously mentioned, for distribution in the American market. | |||||
Canonet Junior | ![]() |
1963 | No | 2.8/40mm | Seiko L 1/30 to 1/250 |
Selenium program |
Canonet S | ![]() |
1964 | Yes | 1.7/45mm | Copal SV 1 to 1/500 |
CdS speed priority |
Canonet QL 17 | ![]() |
1965 | Yes | 1.7/45mm | CdS speed priority | |
Canonet 17 (Bell & Howell) | ![]() |
1965 | Yes | 1.7/45mm | CdS speed priority | |
Canonet QL 19 | ![]() |
1965 | Yes | 1.9/45mm | CdS speed priority | |
Canonet QL 19 (Bell & Howell) | ![]() |
As previously mentioned, for distribution in the American market. | ||||
Canonet QL 25 | ![]() |
1965 | Yes | 2.5/45mm | Copal SLV 1/15 to 1/500 |
CdS speed priority |
Canonet QL 19E | ![]() |
1965 | Yes | 1.9/45mm | Seiko SE 1/15 to 1/500 |
CdS program |
Canonet 28 | ![]() |
1968 | No | 2.8/40mm | Seiko LA 1/30 to 1/250 |
Selenium program |
Second-generation | ||||||
Canonet QL 17 (new) | ![]() |
1969 | Yes | 1.7/40mm | Copal 1/4 to 1/500 |
CdS speed priority |
Canonet 28 (new) | ![]() |
1971 | Yes | 2.8/40mm | Copal 1/30 to 1/620 |
CdS program |
Canonet QL 19 (new) | ![]() |
1971 | Yes | 1.9/45mm | Copal 1/4 to 1/500 |
CdS speed priority |
Third-generation | ||||||
Canonet G-III 17 QL | ![]() |
1972 | Yes | 1.7/40mm | Copal 1/4 to 1/500 |
CdS speed priority |
Canonet G-III 19 QL | ![]() |
1972 | Yes | 1.9/45mm |
The Canonet 19 is a 35mm 24x36 rangefinder camera. It is the first model of the brand to carry the Canonet name. Even though the distributor Bell & Howell renamed it Canonet 19 for their purposes, its series name remains "Canonet." In the Canonet series, the number always corresponds to the maximum aperture of the lens: here f/1.9.
This Canonet has excellent build quality and finish.
It features a shutter priority automatic mode, thanks to its selenium cell around the lens (EE > Electric Eye), although it can be switched to manual operation. Its lens (Canon SE 1.9/45 mm) is of superb quality, which has established its reputation. The viewfinder is framed for 45mm with automatic parallax correction. The rangefinder image is rectangular, pinkish, well-contrasted, and large. In the viewfinder, there is also an aperture indication in automatic mode. The mechanical frame counter appears in a window next to the shutter release.
The film advance is rapid thanks to the lever located underneath the camera.
The COPAL SV shutter offers speeds from 1 second to 1/500th (+ B). It has a mechanical self-timer and X and M flash sync.
Even today, this battery-free model remains highly attractive for the pleasure of "playing with the rangefinder" in film photography. The quality of the photographs is recognized as excellent.
![Canon Bell & Howell Canonet 19](../../canon/images/canon_bh_canonet19.jpg )
In August 1950, Mr. Mitarai, President of Canon, made a trip to the USA to seek partnerships for distributing their cameras. At that time, Japanese products were poorly regarded in the USA, and Canon sought to gain some recognition. The initial visit to Bell & Howell ended in failure, as Bell & Howell claimed that Canon cameras were constructed of wood and therefore risked catching fire. Canon then turned to the C.R. Skinner Company of San Francisco to import their cameras. They were then labeled "Made in Occupied Japan / Services and Guaranteed in San Francisco California".
In 1955, Canon opened offices in New York but still needed a major partner to penetrate the American market. They reestablished contact with Bell & Howell, and an agreement was signed in 1961, which lasted until 1976.
The first Canon 7 and Canonflex RM cameras appeared under the Bell & Howell / Canon brand in April 1962, and subsequently, cameras like the FD 35 were exclusively labeled Bell & Howell (equivalent to the Canon TX).
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