During ‘Many Happy Returns’, Number Six, on finding the Village deserted equips himself for his escape. As a last thought he selects a strange looking camera from a photographic display, this was not a futuristic film prop but an actual camera, a CANON DIAL 35.

As Number Six holds the camera to his eye we can see that the makers name is covered with black adhesive tape, interestingly a second DIAL is used for the Portmeirion location shots, using rather less black tape on its silver metal body.  Outside we see him take about four photographs at various locations in the Village before leaving on his oil-drum raft.  When safely out to sea he is seen to open the camera back and remove the film cassette, which he stores in a plastic bag for safety.

The CANON DIAL used had several very unusual features for its time, it was a half-frame (or demi size) 35mm camera, which means that when loaded with a 24 exposure film it delivers 48 photographs, a feature very much in vogue at the time.  The ‘Village’ film used would be transported by an ingenious clockwork motorwind lasting for twenty exposures on a single winding of the hand grip.  Strangely Number Six does not make use of this feature and winds on after every shot, possibly it was considered too advanced for its time or more likely nobody could understand the quaintly translated instruction booklet!

The CANON DIAL and later DIAL II were available from 1963 to 1971, priced originally at £34-17s-6d which made it quite an expensive camera.  At least five years ahead of its time it was advertised as: “Designed for 1970...AVAILABLE NOW.”  The Tokyo built camera featured a F2.8, 28mm, 5 element lens which was surrounded by a distinctive CdS (Cadmium Sulphide - Webmaster) light meter that gave it, for the first time on a demi, automatic exposure.  The unusual styling of the meter is also responsible for the telephone dial appearance, hence the name.

All the necessary information, i.e. aperture and distance are visible in the viewfinder, the speeds being set manually by turning the ‘dial’ from 1/30 to 1/250 sec. as required.  Focusing is also manual and goes down as close as 0.8m.  The exposure counter is mounted conveniently on the front panel just above the shutter release and counts up to 70.  The camera weighs 430 grams and is protected by a very nice soft leather zip-pouch in black with red piping.  The CANON DIAL 35, to give its full title, came in a very attractive shiny silver and orange box which is not seen in the Village store display, the zip-pouch is visible, but not taken by Number Six.

The DIAL 35, if you wanted one today, is now a very collectable and sought after camera due to its unique design.  Remember that all examples are now over twenty years old (closer to forty years, now! - Webmaster) and have a less than perfect record of reliability.  The light meters do cause problems and clockwork motorwinds are prone to expire due to overwinding.  Batteries to power the CdS meter are now difficult to obtain and are needed to check operation.
(In fact, they are no longer made as the battery contained mercury, which contravenes EU legislation - Webmaster)

In view of the high prices now asked by collectable camera dealers (somewhere around £100 usually) it would be wise to ask for a full demonstration before purchase is considered.  The camera is very difficult to find, it took me five years to obtain my boxed example (complete with strap, pouch, instructions etc.) and I left my number with a lot of dealers.  In my search I did handle an immaculate DIAL II, once owned by (60s pop star)  Freddie Garrity of Dreamers fame, it was not for sale of course.  One strange feature of the camera is that the only way to display it is upside down, just as Number Six finds it!

So if you need a compact camera to take a few photographs of a holiday resort from ground level, what better choice than a CANON DIAL...?