Many Happy Returns CANON DIAL (Well almost)

 You may click either picture to see more info at Canon’s Camera Museum site, here to go to their home page.

          The original 60's Dial                   The '90's equivalent

The photo buffs among you may be aware of a familiar looking compact camera from Canon, the Japanese firm who brought us the Prisoner's camera seen in "Many Happy Returns" (the Canon Dial 35, pictured left).  The Canon IXUS (pictured right) caught my eye immediately, its styling is so reminiscent of the 60's Dial that you wonder whether the designers set out to create a 90's version.   

Of course as this is the late 90's, the IXUS has all the modern features you would expect:  autofocus, auto exposure, flash, power wind, and a zoom lens, all of which should ensure perfect photos of the Village to show to the Colonel, but it also uses the new APS (Advanced Photo System) film format designed by the industry to supersede 35mm film.  This format offers many features including drop-in loading, a boon to anyone who (like me!) has ever cocked up loading their 35mm film.  The most notable feature is the choice of three print formats, even a panoramic mode for those sweeping Village,  scenes.  When your film is developed (I hate that word 'processed'!  Film is developed; peas are processed!), an index print is provided with your photos, making it much easier to choose your enlargements than sifting through strips of negatives.  

The APS film offers a maximum of 40 exposures, compared with the 72 shots the half frame Canon Dial was capable of (on a standard 35mm 36 exposure film) it appears not to offer such good value; however the reason the half frame format faded out was this very economy, some people would take months, even years to get through 72 shots!  

So to any No. 6 wannabes who are looking for a suitable camera for that early morning "Many Happy Returns" re-enactment photo-shoot, stop that futile search for a (rare) Canon Dial and start saving your pennies for an IXUS to use at a future Convention!  

Footnote:  If they do get around to the Prisoner film remake, wouldn't the IXUS make a great product placement?  That's my attempt at blagging a freebie, if anyone from Canon UK is reading this!

For a follow up article on the Canon Dial itself please click here.