Canon VT de luxe

Canon VT de luxe

The Canon VT de luxe, also written Canon VT Deluxe, is a 35mm Leica screw-mount rangefinder camera marketed by Canon Camera Co. in May 1957. It was introduced as the deluxe version of the Canon VT and belongs to Canon’s late 1950s V-series rangefinder family [1][2].

The camera uses Canon’s threaded mount, compatible with the Leica Thread Mount standard, also known as LTM, M39 or Leica screw mount. It accepts Canon screw-mount lenses as well as other compatible 39mm screw-mount rangefinder lenses [1][4].

Canon described the VT de luxe as a deluxe version of the VT. The improvements included a safety latch to prevent accidental opening of the camera back, a new rewind crank for faster rewinding and compatibility with dedicated Canon film magazines. These changes made the camera more refined than the standard VT while keeping the same basic trigger-wind V-series body concept [1].

The VT de luxe has a two-axis, horizontal-travel focal-plane shutter. Canon’s official specification lists cloth curtains and a shutter-speed sequence with T, 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/15 second on the slow-speed dial, plus X, B, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500 and 1/1000 second on the main dial [1].

The viewfinder is a coincidence rangefinder integrated with a reversed Galilean viewfinder. It can be rotated between three viewing modes. Canon describes the system as a rotatable finder with three magnifications, while user and collector references commonly describe these as practical settings for 35mm viewing, 50mm viewing and magnified rangefinder focusing [1][4].

The camera also has broad flash synchronization support, with lever-switchable contacts for FP, M-F and X synchronization through Canon’s side bayonet terminal. The body includes a cold accessory shoe, built-in self-timer, shutter safety lock, bottom trigger film advance and a supplementary top winding knob [1].

History

Development and Launch

The Canon VT de luxe was marketed in May 1957 as Canon’s upgraded trigger-wind V-series body. It followed the standard Canon VT, which had introduced the swing-open camera back, trigger film advance and new three-mode finder concept to Canon’s Leica-compatible rangefinder line [1][3].

Production Evolution

Leica Copies Japan, citing Peter Dechert, gives production for the first VT de luxe version from approximately February 1957 to September 1957. Canon’s official marketed date is May 1957, which is the safest release-year reference for a database field [1][2].

Serial Number Notes

Serial-number identification should be handled carefully. Leica Copies Japan gives the Peter Dechert serial range for the first VT de luxe version as 540000 to 545500, while found examples are recorded from approximately 54074x to 54486x. This narrower range applies to the first version commonly identified as VTD [2].

Later related versions are often described by collectors as VT de luxe Z and VT de luxe M. These versions may extend beyond the first-version serial range and can show differences in magazine key design, shutter curtain material and finder coating [2][4].

Relationship to Canon VT

The VT de luxe should be stored separately from the standard Canon VT. Both models share the same basic LTM mount, trigger-wind body layout, three-mode finder, self-timer and 1/1000 second shutter specification. The VT de luxe adds the improved rewind crank, safety latch for the back and dedicated film magazine compatibility [1][2].

Later VT de luxe Variants

Canon’s Camera Museum treats the VT de luxe as one model, but collector sources identify later updates. Leica Copies Japan separates the first VT de luxe, the collector-named VT de luxe Z and the internally named VT de luxe M. Mike Eckman similarly describes three versions, identified internally as VTD, VTDZ and VTDM [2][4].

The first VTD version has the bottom trigger wind, rewind lever, no film magazine key, cloth curtains and warm-tinted finder optics. The VTDZ added the film magazine key. The VTDM introduced stainless steel shutter curtains and cooler blue or silver finder coating, although repaired cameras can show mixed features [4].

Finish Variants

The VT de luxe is historically notable because later VTDM examples are known in both silver and black paint. Finish should be treated as variant metadata rather than part of the main model name [2][4].

Identification

The correct main database name is Canon VT de luxe. Canon’s official English page uses VT Deluxe, while many collector sources use VT de luxe. Listings may also appear as Canon VT Deluxe, Canon VTD, Canon VT de luxe Black, Canon VT Deluxe M or Canon VTDM.

The model name MODEL VT de luxe is engraved on the front of the base plate. Leica Copies Japan notes that early examples may have the model name picked out in red, while later examples are often black-filled [2].

Collector Notes

The Canon VT de luxe is one of Canon’s most interesting Leica-compatible screw-mount rangefinders. It combines LTM compatibility, a 1/1000 second shutter, trigger film advance, hinged-back loading, a three-mode viewfinder, self-timer and broad flash synchronization.

Collectors should check the trigger advance, rewind crank, back latch, base-plate engraving, rangefinder clarity, shutter curtains, finder coating, flash terminal and whether the camera is an early cloth-curtain version or a later metal-curtain VTDM variant.

The Canon VT de luxe should be stored as a separate LTM camera entry because it is a Leica-compatible screw-mount rangefinder and a significant Canon body for collectors using 39mm screw-mount lenses.

Sources

• [1] Canon Camera Museum. VT Deluxe. https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film30.html
• [2] Leica Copies Japan. Canon Rangefinder Cameras, Canon VT de luxe. https://leica-copies-japan.com/Canon.html
• [3] Canon Camera Museum. VT. https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film28.html
• [4] Mike Eckman. Canon VT de luxe, 1957. https://mikeeckman.com/2023/11/canon-vt-de-luxe-1957/