Canon Sure Shot A-1 Water Resistant 35mm Camera

by Canon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.1 x 5.2 x 3.5 inches ; 10.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004SC3N
• Item model number: A-1
• Batteries: 1 CR123A batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,176 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Designed for sports enthusiasts, the Canon A-1 35mm point-and-shoot was engineered to perform under the toughest of conditions. Beneath the Canon Sure Shot A-1's rugged exterior lies an array of sophisticated electronic features including fully automatic functions. So waterproof is the Canon A-1 that it floats--even when loaded with film and batteries. It operates as deep as 16.4 feet and takes underwater shots with a focus range of 1.5 to 9.8 feet.

The Canon A-1 includes a wide-angle 32mm f/3.5 lens and 3-point active Smart Autofocus system with off-center focusing possible. A built-in flash equipped with red-eye reduction fires automatically in dim light. Other highlights include a 10-second self-timer, optional panoramic mode, and date imprinting. This camera comes with a one-year warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Skiing, Underwater, and All-Around Camera, May 11, 2001

By 

MartyHansen (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canon Sure Shot A-1 Water Resistant 35mm Camera (Electronics)

I have many cameras from full-featured SLR's (Nikon) with a variety of lenses to wide-angle point-and-shoots (Olympus) which I use for different occasions.

But when the going gets wet -- from either water or snow -- then I use my Canon Sure Shot A-1. It's water-resistant, goes underwater (down to 11 feet), it's simple to use, and it takes great pictures. It also has what I consider to be the most important feature -- daytime fill flash (which is activated by simply switching to flash mode) which helps to make foreground colors pop. (My friends are always amazed at the color and clarity of my photos. My secret is using fill-flash, which all of my cameras have.) The flash also works underwater, which again helps to make colors come alive and compensates for the bluish cast which happens to photos taken even when below the surface only a few feet.

Getting an underwater camera with flash, incidentally, is normally an expensive proposition. And many underwater cameras aren't really made to use on-land. The Canon, by contrast, is relatively inexpensive, and it works well both above and below the water. And since the Canon uses 35mm film (and not APS film), there's more detail in the photos which makes them more satisfying. (With 400 speed film, the flash range underwater extends out to 22 feet, which is also very impressive).

I've taken my Canon A-1 to the mountains when I taught my kids to ski for the first time. And I took it snorkeling in Hawaii where the photos I shot were fun and colorful. And since the Canon works both above and below the waves, I have photos of my kids and my wife both on deck and swimming with the fish, which everyone in the family loves.

I've also taken my Canon A-1 on less exotic vacations. When the kids retire to the pool (which they always insist upon), I would formerly put my camera away and read a book. With my Canon A-1, I can now keep shooting -- from inside the pool. I have fun photos of my kids playing underwater (which are among their favorites from our vacations) -- and many great shots of other people teaching their kids -- and their babies -- to swim. (People actually love to have their pictures taken while in the pool.)

With its extra large viewfinder, the camera is easy to use underwater -- and on land. (All cameras should have a viewfinder this large.) And underwater photos are also point-and-shoot easy (and much better than any I've ever gotten from underwater disposable cameras).

I've even used my Canon A-1 at the Los Angeles Auto Show where it took great images of everything from Porsches to auto show booths, to the outside of the Staples Center at night (bracing the camera on a pole for a long exposure). The shots came out great using either flash or available light. The semi-wide angle 32mm lens was also good for taking in enough of the scene, especially of the cars up close.

This camera must be good. I do wish, though, that Canon made a zoom version of the A-1. And the camera is sometimes fooled by the lighting on overcast days, as are many point-and-shoot cameras. In these instances, I simply shoot close to my subject -- with fill flash -- and keep the amount of sky in my composition to a minimum. (On overcast days, the sky is often times brighter than objects on land causing the camera to mistakenly under-expose the photos. On sunny days, by contrast, the sky and land are actually of similar brightness.)

The Canon Sure Shot A-1 is an amazing camera -- at an equally astounding price (especially when compared to other underwater cameras). If ever I go back to Hawaii, I plan to take three A-1's with me -- so I won't need to reload film while snorkeling.

Don't let water or snow dissuade you from taking pictures -- get a Canon Sure Shot A-1.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great pictures from a durable camera, July 23, 2000

By 

C. Kerns "Chris" (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Canon Sure Shot A-1 Water Resistant 35mm Camera (Electronics)

I have had one of these for 5 years now, and it continues to hold up to my abuse and give me great pictures. I bought this when I was in the Army and toted it around Bosnia for 8 months, all over Germany including backpacking and ski trips in the alps, and now I take with me mountain climbing in Colorado. I would have destroyed most cameras by now, but this one take pictures as good as the ones shot with my first roll. The light meters work great, and I've even managed to get some great night-time shots. I love this camera!

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great camera, no problem mon!, June 3, 2000

By 

Dennis Lyew (Jamaica, W.I.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canon Sure Shot A-1 Water Resistant 35mm Camera (Electronics)

I live in the Caribbean and I had many other cameras before and they were all riuned by constant sand getting into the edges and zoom lenses.It takes great picture underwater and can take a banging. I carried it on my European vacation and found the wide angle very very useful in taking pictures of large monuments at close distances, eg: The Vatican. My friends had to go way down the road to get the full picture, not to mention how great it handles the freak rains that come in those cities, its an all weather camera, definetly noooo regrets.