There are certain words that are so synonymous with a subject in question that they spread beyond their boundary. Where’s the Hoover? for example – meaning where is the vacuum cleaner! Have you got a film for my “instamatic”? There’s another! I’d say that “Sureshot” is approaching that level. There have been 10’s of different models over the years, I’ve sold 100’s of them, amazing to think that this camera was only the 4th in line!
Last week I played with the SLR equivalent, the EOS 1000F, so this week I thought I go to a compact for a change. As a compact it’s pop the film in and off you go, so there is not a great list of controls to master. The lens is the main thing to mention: 35mm, f/3.5 with 3 elements in 3 groups. It has a “macro” down to 45cm. Hardy extraordinary but not bad for a compact!
It’s powered by two AA batteries, including motorized wind on – when one considers that this camera is 40 years old, and I suspect un-used for the last 20, I popped two fresh batteries in and off it went with no issues whatever, that’s pretty amazing really! I took it for a stroll around Dorchester one day with some FP4.
One thing I had to be wary of was the fact it’s a DX camera. Film speed is set to either 100 or 400 ISO depending on the markings on the film cassette. That’s fine except when I randomly load FP4 into any once used cassette – I had to make sure to choose one that had a 100 ISO film in it originally!
The top of the camera shows the clear frame counter and the flash that slides out to switch on, it has a guide number (GN) of 9 (m) at ISO 100. If used, it must use a fair bit of juice! The little instruction book suggests that a new set of alkaline batteries (2x AAA) will get you through about 5 rolls of 24 exp if all of the images are with flash, that increases dramatically to 50 (!) if no flash is used!
From my test roll I would suggest that it’s primed for family shots at mid distance. Closer and infinity look a little soft to me. Mid distance seems pin sharp. I also think I can see some vignetting in the corners too.
Verdict: Very easy camera to use, light to carry, good but un-remarkable results. No need for me to keep in my collection. Perfect for someone looking to to try 35mm the easy/cheap way, much better than a disposable camera!
As a footnote in routing about online I came across the Canon Camera Museum, I recommend a visit!!
S.H.O.U.T. 
Nice pictures. The little car looks great in B&W.
I have four Sure Shot models. A Telemax, which I’ve had fron new when my mum and dad bought it for us in the early 90s; A Supreme, which is an early model with a fixed 38mm f/2.8 lens; a Z135, with a telephoto and a bunch of different modes; and an Ace, which is quite basic, but has a great addition in the shape of a waist-level finder. They all take nice pictures and it surprises me that people will spend several times the cost of a Supreme for an Olympus Mju-II, which does pretty much the same thing.
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Hello! I know the Supreme well having fitted new batteries in them for customers back in the day – I did so many I had my favourite screwdriver for the job!! The Max and the Telemax I used to sell and all the “Z’s” – by strange coincidence my mother also had a Sureshot, I really need to find it and do a post about that! I also used to sell the Mju, and version two, and they were/are nice cameras but I never really got why people thought they were so much better than the “Sleek” for example! Strange world! Cheers Andy
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