Canon AF35M

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Canon AF35M
Canon Autoboy
Canon Sure Shot
My Canon AF35M (4307694589).jpg
Overview
Maker Canon Camera
Type 35 mm point-and-shoot
ReleasedNovember 1979
Lens
Lens mount Fixed
Lens 1:2.8 38 mm
F-numbers f/2.8 to f/16
Sensor/medium
Film speed ISO 25 to 400
Focusing
FocusAutomatic; triangulation AF system with near-infrared beam
Exposure/metering
Exposure Automatic
Exposure metering EV6 to EV17 at ISO 100
Flash
Flash Built-in
Shutter
Shutter speed range1/8 s to 1/500 s
General
Battery2x 1.5V size-AA
Dimensions 132×77×54 mm (5.2×3.0×2.1 in)
Weight 405 g (14 oz)
Made in Japan
Taiwan [1]
Chronology
Replaced Canon A35F
Replaced byCanon AF35ML
Canon AF35M II

The Canon AF35M (also known as the Autoboy in Japan and the Sure Shot in North America) [1] is a 35mm point-and-shoot compact camera by Canon Inc.. Introduced in November 1979, it was Canon's first compact camera with an autofocus feature. [2]

Contents

History

The AF35M's official name was the "AF-Plus Motor-Drive Camera", but it became more famous by its nicknames "Autoboy" in Japan" and "Sure Shot" in North America. It took Canon 14 years to develop the camera's autofocus mechanism. [2] The active autofocus system used a near-infrared emitting diode and a PIN photodiode to determine the subject position by triangulation in a manner similar to a coincident-image rangefinder. This meant that the system was independent of ambient light levels and achieved a high degree of accuracy; however, it could be fooled by glass (which is not transparent to infrared radiation). The autofocus area was marked on the reverse-Galilean optical viewfinder, which also had projected framelines, zone focusing marks for near, medium and far (lit to indicate the approximate area the autofocus had selected), parallax correction marks, and battery-check and camera-shake warning LEDs. Viewfinder magnification was 0.5× and coverage was 85% of the full 135 frame area. [3] [4]

The lens was of 38 mm focal length and with a maximum aperture of f/2.8. A ring around the lens optic itself was used to set the film speed (ISO 25 to 400), which was indicated on a small window on the front of the lens assembly; also there, but below the lens optic itself, was the cadmium sulfide (CdS) photoresistor for the light meter. The location of this, inside the filter ring of the lens, meant that the meter would function accurately even with filters fitted to the lens. [5] [1]

Film transport was fully automatic in both directions, but the camera was not fitted with Canon's Quick Load feature; film still had to be manually threaded to the take-up spool.

An integral flash was fitted; this retracted into the top of the camera on the left (from the user's perspective) and was manually extended via releasing a catch on the camera's front. The unit had a guide number of 14 (at ISO 100 in meters) and featured auto-exposure with the camera's light meter as well as supporting fill flash. Also on the front was a self-timer control. [6]

The camera received the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry's Good Design Award in September 1980. [2] It proved successful among similar cameras from the competition and sold well; production reached 110,000 per month by the second half of 1981. [2]

The AF35M was partly supplanted the higher-specified AF35ML (Autoboy Super in Japan and Super Sure Shot in North America) in 1981 and wholly replaced by the AF35M II (Autoboy 2/2QD in Japan and New Sure Shot/New Sure Shot QD in North America) in 1983. [7] [8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sergio_M (2010-12-21). "Canon AF35M". Lomography. Retrieved 2025-11-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "1979 — The AF35M (Autoboy) fully automatic auto-focus compact camera is launched". Canon Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-10-19. Retrieved 2006-09-10.
  3. ↑ sandergroen (2013-01-23). "Canon AF35M: The Absolute Automation of the 'Autoboy'". Lomography. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
  4. ↑ Tocchio, James (2015-02-23). "Canon AF35M vs Nikon L35AF – Camera Review". Casual Photophile. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
  5. ↑ Kathke, Torsten (2018-08-03). "Canon AF35M Review – Making Mere Adequacy Intriguing". 35mmc. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
  6. ↑ "A pleasant surprise with the Canon AF35M point and shoot". Hoto Cameras. 2019-06-02. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
  7. ↑ "Super Sure Shot". Canon Inc. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
  8. ↑ "(New) Sure Shot/(New) Sure Shot QD". Canon Inc. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
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