Canon VL2

Canon VL2

The Canon VL2 is a 35mm Leica screw-mount rangefinder camera introduced by Canon in 1958. It was marketed as the economy version of the Canon VL and retained much of the same V-series body concept while simplifying the shutter-speed range and rewind mechanism.

The camera uses a threaded lens mount, compatible with Leica Thread Mount lenses, also known as LTM or M39. It accepts Canon screw-mount rangefinder lenses and other compatible 39mm screw-mount lenses.

The Canon VL2 has a swing-open back, top-mounted film advance lever, built-in self-timer and pop-up rewind knob. The rewind knob is one of the easiest ways to distinguish it from the Canon VL, which uses a collapsible rewind crank.

The viewfinder uses Canon’s rotating three-mode system. It combines a coincidence rangefinder with a reversed Galilean viewfinder and can be rotated for different viewing magnifications. The accessory shoe includes a parallax correction pin coupled to the lens draw, allowing compatible accessory finders to be adjusted during focusing.

The shutter is a two-axis horizontal-travel focal-plane shutter with metal curtains. Speeds are split between the front slow-speed dial and the top main dial. The camera offers T, 1 second to 1/30 second on the slow dial, and X, B, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250 and 1/500 second on the main dial. Flash synchronization includes FP and X-sync, with X-sync at 1/55 second.

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History

Development and Launch

The Canon VL2 was marketed in March 1958, at the same time as the Canon VL. Canon described it as the economy version of the VL. The two cameras share the same general late V-series lever-wind body concept, but the VL2 has a top shutter speed of 1/500 second rather than 1/1000 second.

This made the VL2 the junior model in the VL pair, while still retaining important features such as the metal shutter curtains, self-timer, full flash synchronization and top film advance lever.

Position in the Canon V-Series

The Canon VL2 sits between the earlier Canon L2 and the more advanced Canon VL. Like the L2, it has a top speed of 1/500 second and a pop-up rewind knob. Unlike the L2, it has a self-timer, metal shutter curtains and the more complete VL-style flash synchronization system.

Japanese Leica Copies summarizes the difference clearly: the only two differences between the VL and VL2 are that the VL2 uses the pop-up rewind knob instead of the crank and lacks the 1/1000-second top speed. It otherwise retains the full VL flash synchronization.

Metal Shutter Curtains

The VL2 uses thin stainless-steel metal shutter curtains. This places it in the same technical generation as the Canon VL and late VT de luxe M-type bodies. The metal curtains were intended to improve durability and reduce the risk of pinholes caused by sunlight burning through cloth shutter curtains.

Because the VL2 is part of Canon’s transitional L/VL generation, some odd-spec bodies exist with mixed features. Identification should not rely on one detail alone.

Viewfinder System

The Canon VL2 uses Canon’s three-mode rotating finder rather than the later VI-series projected bright-line finder. It should not be confused with the Canon VI-L or Canon P, which use a different finder and shutter-control concept.

The VL2 still belongs to the earlier V-series design, with separate slow and fast shutter-speed dials and a rotating finder system for different viewing modes.

Serial Number Notes

Japanese Leica Copies gives the reported Peter Dechert serial range as 527000 to 585000, with found examples around 53697x to 58350x.

The safest database wording is 527000 to 585000, reported Peter Dechert range, with found examples around 53697x to 58350x. Canon V-series serial-number matching can be difficult because Canon used overlapping parts and some L3, L2, VL and VL2 bodies show mixed features.

Relationship to Canon VL

The Canon VL2 should be kept separate from the Canon VL. The VL has a 1/1000-second top speed and collapsible rewind crank. The VL2 has a 1/500-second top speed and pop-up rewind knob.

Both cameras have top lever wind, metal shutter curtains, self-timer and full flash synchronization, so the shutter-speed dial and rewind system are the most important practical identifiers.

Relationship to Canon L2

The Canon VL2 should also be kept separate from the Canon L2. The L2 is an earlier economy lever-wind model without self-timer and without the full VL-style flash synchronization system. The VL2 adds the self-timer and retains the more advanced synchronization arrangement of the VL.

A simple rule for matching is: L2 equals 1/500s, no self-timer. VL2 equals 1/500s, with self-timer.

Relationship to Canon L3

The Canon L3 is usually described as an L2 without flash synchronization, but some odd-spec L3 bodies exist with features that overlap with the VL2. Japanese Leica Copies notes that certain L3 examples show flash sync, X markings or mixed L/VL parts.

For database matching, the standard Canon VL2 should still remain separate. Mixed-feature bodies should be handled as transitional or odd-spec examples rather than merged into the normal VL2 entry.

Identification

The Canon VL2 is identified by its LTM screw mount, top film advance lever, pop-up rewind knob, built-in self-timer, metal shutter curtains, two-dial shutter layout with 1/500 second top speed, side bayonet flash terminal and accessory shoe with parallax correction pin.

Common listing names include Canon VL2, Canon VL-2, Canon V-L2, Canon Model VL2, Canon VL2 LTM and Canon VL2 rangefinder. Hyphenated and non-hyphenated names should point to the same base camera.

Collector Notes

The Canon VL2 is a useful collector camera because it is less common than the Canon P and Canon 7, while still offering late V-series handling, metal shutter curtains, self-timer and practical LTM compatibility.

Collectors should check the pop-up rewind knob, self-timer, metal shutter curtains, shutter-speed dial, flash sync switch, rangefinder alignment, rotating finder, top film advance lever, side bayonet flash terminal and evidence of mixed L/VL-series parts.

The Canon VL2 should be treated as a separate LTM film camera because its 1/500-second metal shutter, self-timer, top lever wind and pop-up rewind knob distinguish it from the Canon L2, Canon VL and later Canon VI-L.

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Sources

• [1] Canon Camera Museum. VL2. https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film34.html
• [2] Japanese Leica Copies. Canon Rangefinder Cameras, Canon VL-2. https://leica-copies-japan.com/Canon.html
• [3] Canon Camera Museum. VL. https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film33.html
• [4] Canon Classics. Canon VL2. https://www.canonclassics.com/canon-vl2/20-126/
• [5] Lens DB. Canon VL2. https://lens-db.com/camera/canon-vl2-1958/