Canon II S2

The Canon II S2 is a LTM-mount film rangefinder camera, introduced in 1955. As of June 2026, it sells from €273 used across 1 listing, with a 30-day median of €273. Leica camera price index ↗

Reference maintained by · prices updated June 2026

Prices for Canon II S2

Lowest right now €273
Median (last 30 days) €273
Available 1 from 1 source

The lowest listing is about average for the last 30 days.

Canon II S2 — frequently asked

How much does the Canon II S2 cost?

As of June 2026, the Canon II S2 sells from €273 used, with a 30-day median of €273, across 1 active listing.

Where can I buy a Canon II S2?

As of June 2026, the Canon II S2 is sold by 1 source (1 listing), from €273 used — all compared cheapest-first on this page.

General

Mount
LTM
Release Year
1955
Type
Film
Model Number
II S2, II-S2
Serial Range
170000 to 227000

Dimensions

Length
70mm
Width
140mm
Height
72mm

Viewfinder & Shutter

Magnification
0.67x
Shutter Speeds
T, 1s, 1/2s, 1/4s, 1/8s, 1/15s, X, B, 1/30s, 1/60s, 1/125s, 1/250s and 1/500s
Shutter Type
Cloth

Features

Hot Shoe
No
Tripod Socket
Yes
Self Timer
No
Flash Sync
Approximately 1/45s X-sync on main dial, approximately 1/30s slow-dial X-sync for older electronic flash units

Canon II S2

The Canon II S2, also written Canon II-S2, is a 35mm Leica screw-mount rangefinder camera marketed by Canon Camera Co. in April 1955. It was introduced as an economical companion to the Canon IV Sb2 and shares much of that camera’s layout, but with a lower top shutter speed of 1/500 second instead of 1/1000 second [1].

The camera uses Canon’s universal threaded mount, compatible with the Leica Thread Mount standard, also known as LTM or M39. It accepts Canon screw-mount lenses as well as many Leica-compatible screw-mount lenses, making it directly relevant to LeicaLensList’s rangefinder camera scope [1].

The II S2 retained Canon’s combined coincidence rangefinder and reversed Galilean viewfinder system. The finder can be rotated between three magnifications, commonly interpreted as approximately 0.67x for 50mm, 1.0x for 100mm and 1.5x for 135mm. There are no projected framelines, so the chosen finder magnification determines the approximate field of view [2].

The shutter is a two-axis, horizontal-travel focal-plane shutter with cloth curtains. Canon lists a slow-speed dial for T, 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/15 second, and a main shutter-speed dial for X, B, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250 and 1/500 second. This places the II S2 close to the IV Sb2 in use, but without the faster 1/1000 second setting [1].

Canon’s official dimensions and weight are listed as 140 × 72 × 70 mm and 790 g with Canon 50mm f/1.8. Because the weight is stated with lens, collectors should not treat it as a body-only weight. The camera uses bottom loading, knob film advance, top-mounted rewind knob, side flash rail, manually set frame counter and film-speed reminder [1].

History

Development and Launch

The Canon II S2 was introduced in April 1955 as a more affordable alternative to Canon’s top-specification IV Sb2. Canon’s own description states that it was the same as the IV Sb2 except for the lower top shutter speed of 1/500 second. This made it less expensive while retaining the improved shutter sequence and flash synchronization features of the updated IV-series design [1].

Production Evolution

Leica Copies Japan, citing Peter Dechert, gives production from approximately February 1955 to July 1956. The model was produced in larger numbers than the earlier Canon II S, with a stated production total of 16,575 cameras. This makes the II S2 one of the more commonly encountered later bottom-loading Canon screw-mount models [2].

Serial Number Notes

Serial-number information should be handled carefully. Leica Copies Japan gives the Peter Dechert serial range as 170000 to 227000, while found examples are recorded from approximately 17171x to 227593. For LeicaLensList, the safest approach is to use the reported Dechert range while noting that observed examples slightly exceed the upper end [2].

Relationship to the IV Sb2

The II S2 can be understood as a lower-priced IV Sb2 without the 1/1000 second shutter speed. It shares the same general updated control logic, including the revised shutter sequence and improved finder concept, but it belongs to Canon’s “II” tier rather than the top IV-series tier. This makes it an important model for understanding Canon’s mid-1950s rangefinder hierarchy [1][2].

Naming and Identification

Canon’s naming around these mid-1950s “2” models can be confusing. Leica Copies Japan notes that Canon later embraced names such as IV-Sb2, II-S2, II-D2 and II-F2, but period materials often presented them more casually as improved versions of earlier models. For database use, II S2 should be the main name, while II-S2 and Canon 2S2 can be stored as alternate search names [2].

Collector Notes

The Canon II S2 should be distinguished from the Canon IV Sb2, Canon II S, Canon II D2 and Canon II F2. Compared with the IV Sb2, it lacks the 1/1000 second top speed. Compared with the II S, it has the updated “2” shutter sequence with 1/15 and 1/30 second settings. Compared with the II D2 and II F2, it retains the fuller flash synchronization specification with FP and X-sync through the Canon side rail [1][2].

Collectors should check the shutter-speed dials, X-sync markings, side flash rail, finder magnification selector, serial number and lens pairing. As with other Canon bottom-loading rangefinders, the model name is not always engraved prominently on the body, so identification often depends on control layout and serial range rather than a simple front nameplate [2].

For LeicaLensList, the Canon II S2 should be stored as a separate LTM camera entry, not merged with the Canon IV Sb2. It belongs in the database because it is a Leica-compatible screw-mount rangefinder and represents Canon’s economical, but still highly capable, version of the improved IV Sb2-era design.

Sources

Community Posts

Discussions about Canon II S2
No discussions about this camera yet.

Comments