Spencer McCall 2024-06-07 Spencer McCall 2024-06-07

Camera Report: Canon MC (1984)

Even with a copy in perfect working order and having favorable lighting conditions you will not be guaranteed a proper exposure or focus. But hey, that is not why you are using a 40-year-old piece of plastic. You shoot this camera specifically because of the intangible unknowns: lens flare, blurry subjects, low contrast, etc.

Specs:

Film Type: 35mm

ASA: 64-1000 (Manual)

Lens: 35mm f2.8 Canon Lens / 4-elements / coated

Shutter Speeds: 1/8-1/500 seconds continuously variable

Auto Focus: Near-infrared triangulated electronic rangefinder 0.9m to Infinity

Flash Mount: External Canon Speedlite MC-S

Intro

This is my report on an awesome little clunker from the early days of autofocus compact cameras, the Canon MC. I will leave links at the end if this article to some great, in-depth reviews already available on the net. I wrote this with the intention of providing my thoughts on the camera because I love to experiment with gear and if you are reading this and you are anything like me (you landed on a photography website, so the odds are higher than not), perhaps you like to geek out on gear, too. I was lucky enough to find a copy in mint condition and still in prefect working order. This is the biggest problem with the Canon MC in 2024 , trying to find a working copy. It was originally marketed towards the jet-setter crowd in the mid-80s, complete with a grey necklace-style clamshell case that matched the colour of the camera. But I highly doubt Canon had any intention of this camera lasting 40 years. In reality, these cameras would have been upgraded after a few short years. This was the mid-80s and the dawn of autofocus technology. Unfortunately, most copies available today have unreliable electronics. Perhaps the scarcity of good copies has unduly driven up the price on the used market.

My EIGHT Points

The Good:

Small form factor with detachable flash
35mm f 2.8, 4 element lens / Sharp, contrasty
Cool 80s design and vibe, with a hard clamshell case
Pre-focus button: allows you to press the shutter for focus and lightmeter and then recompose – autowind doesn’t trigger until shutter button is released (so you can snap your shot and walk away before the loud noise).

The Bad:

1st generation auto-focus system
Silicon Photo Diode meter with Full Program AE (not great in high-contrast scenes).
Slow, loud shutter : 1/8 – 1/500 seconds continuously variable
ISO and pre-focus buttons are the only manual features

Verdict:

This is a fun and 1980s-cool plastic camera, capable of sharp, contrasty pictures under the right conditions. Despite it’s glaring flaws, I really enjoyed shooting on the streets with this little camera. When people see you, they think you’re a nut, not a professional. It’s a camera well suited to Lomography-style photography. Even with a copy in perfect working order and having favorable lighting conditions you will not be guaranteed a proper exposure or focus. But hey, that is not why you are using a 40-year-old piece of plastic. You shoot this camera specifically because of the intangible unknowns: lens flare, blurry subjects, low contrast, etc. The auto focus is the still first generation from Canon, so keep your expectations low that in high-contrast scenes, the meter, let alone the focus, will be accurate. But use of the pre-focus button and then recomposing does help. And don’t neglect the flash. As with most compact cameras that I have shot with over the years (including digital), I have found that if proper exposure is critical, use the built-in flash. It might have that harsh light that we all hate, but at least it won’t be underexposed. I strongly suggest a 200 ASA film or higher if you intend to leave the flash in the case. Work within its limitations, and this camera is a lot of fun.

I will add more photos to this review as I continue to experiment with this camera. But for now, hope you enjoy the pics and thanks for reading.

Other Review Sources: (All 3 are great reads)

1) https://casualphotophile.com/2020/04/03/canon-mc-review/

2) https://www.35mmc.com/29/04/2019/canon-mc-review/#google_vignette

3) https://therawcamera.net/canon-mc-35mm-film-camera-review-and-add-on-lenses-aa0fa23f70ed

Test Roll: Kodak GB200 - Expired (Scanned using Epson V600) - No Editing, Sharpening or Adjusting other than cleaning up some dust spots from the scanning.