Description: Canon's Sure Shot Classic 120 series continues the Canon tradition of pushing the technology envelope further ahead. New and improved features include a powerful 38-120mm built-in zoom lens with aspherical optics, a 7-mode Best-Shot Dial for convenient and automatic camera settings, a 3-point dual hybrid autofocus system, built-in dioptric viewfinder adjustment control, and a high-efficiency built-in Light Guide flash.
Summary: One of the best point and shoot cameras I have ever used. The optical quality is outstanding! Versatility is another plus for the Classic 120. Build quality is far above average too. This is a great camera for a professional or casual photographer. Makes a great quick-shot camera for times when all you want is normal size prints and don't want to log around a heavy SLR. I have never been a fan of Canon SLR'r, but this little gem is better than than competition within its focal range.
Strengths: Great optics
Tremendous build quality
Exposure versatility
Low cost
Weaknesses: Needs 400 speed film in telephoto due to horrible aperature! (this can be said for all point & shoot cameras)
Rating Reviewed by: Roger Roberts(Unregistered User)
(Expert)
Review Date June 29, 2003
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for 3 Months to 1 year
Visitors rate this review 3.00 of 5,
2 votes
Review 2 of 65
Price Paid:
$275.00
from Auckland, NZ
Summary: I bought a Canon Classic 120 Sureshot to replace my other camera that malfunctioned on the first day of a tour through New Zealand and Australia, in October 2002. I had to pay an inflated price of $275 in Auckland but I wanted a quality point-and-shoot that would deliver good pictures. I was not disappointed. I shot 10 rolls during the tour and the pictures I got were of excellent quality. Although Canon recommends ASA 400 for this camera I used Kodak Gold ASA 200 with very good results. It's unfortunate that this camera is no longer marketed by Canon, although I believe some are still available through Internet sources.
Strengths: The Classic 120 has an all-metal housing and telescoping lens barrel, in an attractive design. The size and weight are perfect for carrying in the convenient carry case that is provided. The lens quality is typical for Canon, top quality. The auto focusing system is much more sophisticated that than that provided in other point-and-shoots, and capable of providing accurate focus over a wider range of conditions. This is one of the strong points of this camera, as well as the versatility provided by the control-wheel for selecting operating modes.
Weaknesses: Small aperature over the zoom range. However, this is typical of all point-and-shoot cameras.
Similar Products Used: The original Canon SureShot (1980s), Olympus point-and-shoot 35mm cameras, such as Olympus Stylus with 35mm f/2.8 lens, and Olympus Zoom 38-115mm. Also Nikon TeleTouch 300 with Zoom 35-55mm.
Summary: I was looking for a better travel camera to replace an Olympus 3500 (not at all a bad camera). My primary peeve with the Olympus was the extra bulk and weight, and the camera's propensity to use flash at the wrong time, complicated by the extra few seconds it took to turn it off. The Canon has a mode dial on the back which has a "personal" setting on it. This allows you to select your own set up. I chose spot AF and flash OFF. Since the personal setting is next to the OFF position, one click of the wheel, and I'm ready to go. No more shots of my own flash in the bus window. By use of the personal setting along with the other settings on the wheel, you should hardly ever have to use the controls under the flap.
As I write this the camera and I just got back from an 18 day cruise around Cape Horn. I shot about 14 rolls with this camera and the results are very good. Popular Photography did a review on this camera, and my experience pretty well confirms their review. AF performance is outstanding. Let off is very quick (despite some reviews in this website) and the metering is quite good.
Battery life is at least good. I'm now up to 16 rolls on the original set of cells and going strong. I would have preferred the larger CR123A cells, but the use of the "personal" setting with flash OFF seems to be important in increasing battery life. The higher voltage of the dual cells does seem to give the camera faster zooming response and flash recharge.
I wish the lens was faster than the f/10.9 at 120 mm, although it did not cause me any problems with ISO 400 film.
The lens is excellent and there was no flare in any shots. Shots were comparable to my Stylus Epic in detail, contrast, and "snap", which is to say pretty damn good! Flash is very conservatively rated, and coverage is uniform. You can push the flash in to supress it without hurting anything. The manual says so. You could do that on the Z-135, but Canon wouldn't endorse it on that model. (I did it anyway) In the vertical format, the flash hits my hat brim, so I just push it in and shoot.
It's not a problem indoors as I don't wear a hat there.
Bottom line: It's a keeper! It is now my primary P&S for all general snapshots and travel. (I also carry a Stylus Epic or a Pentax Espio Mini) I became very attached to it after a roll or two and found myself using it in preference to the Stylus Epic.
This model is now discontinued, but they are still some on dealer's shelves. I bought mine at the end of January, 2003.
The specified focal length range is 38 to 120 mm. I haven't had time to measure the minimum focal length, but it seems wider than 38 mm. The earlier Z-135 was also spec'd at 38 mm but mine measured closer to 43 mm. I measured it because it didn't seem to get enough into the frame. The Classic 120 is much better.
Strengths: Solidly made
Fairly light and compact (fits in a shirt pocket)
Excellent AF
Excellent lens
Very good flash
The "personal" setting
Weaknesses: Slow lens
Flash gets in the way of a hat brim in vertical format shots
Similar Products Used: Olympus SuperZoom 3500, Olympus SuperZoom 120 (same as 3500, but a Ritz exclusive), Canon Z-135, Canon 105, Pentax IQZoom 140, Olympus Stylus 105, Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 80, Ricoh TF-500, Nikon Zoom
Rating Reviewed by: brenda hunter(Unregistered User)
(Casual)
Review Date January 27, 2003
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for Less than 1 month
Visitors rate this review 1.00 of 5,
2 votes
Review 4 of 65
Price Paid:
$199.00
from costco
Summary: The 4X6 pictures from this camera are every bit equal to our SLR Rebel. (Red eye reduction even works better)The Clarity of the pictures using the Flash where much superior to the T4 Zoom. i.e they where not as dark at the edges or washed out on close ups. I`m sure that the weight and larger size help reduce camera shack. (We previously use to see some in the pictures we took with our Point and Shoot where we never seen it with our SLR) This camera just feels good.
The pop out flash was a concern initially but we seemed to adjust very easy to it. I guess quality will do that.
The camera (for clarity of colours) likes Fugi Extra 400 film at least for indoor shots. The colours are much more lifelike than Kodak 400 Max. The Fugi 200 Extra where also good but not quite as alive.
At this PRICE it would be hard to believe you could better.
Strengths: Price, This was the caption/date model, was in Canadian Dollars, Not a refurbish with a 2 year Canon International Warranty. Clarity of Pictures, Quality of Flash, Easy of Use, Great looks.
Weaknesses: Control buttons could have been even just a little larger. Cannon does however provide a tool on your strap to assist.
Summary: This is more of a tip than a review. Several reviewers have complained about adjustments on this camera being under a flap. However, there is almost no reason to ever use the buttons under the flap. If you set the "Personal" setting on the speed dial to flash off, and the "Auto" setting to no redeye reduction, then you can access the following flash/focus combinations simply by rotating the dial to the indicated setting: flash off (Personal); auto flash without redeye reduction (Auto); autoflash with redeye reduction (Nighttime); spot focus/metering (Spot); fill flash without redeye reduction (Macro); fill flash with redeye reduction (Portrait). When taking portraits outside, I almost always use the Macro setting to achieve a nice fill-flash with almost no shutter lag -- works great!
Strengths: Excellent optics; fast and accurate autofocus; soft, even flash for a P&S; relatively effective, non-confusing redeye reduction; little shutter lag; good looks. I also consider the pop-out flash to be an advantage, as it increases flash-lens separation, and I don't find it to interfere with handling.
Weaknesses: Slow lens (as with all P&S zooms); zoom range begins at 38 rather than 28; no exposure compensation with flash; no ASA/ISO adjustment.
Similar Products Used: Olympus Stylus Epic (lens may be sharp, but autofocus, shutter release, and flash are awful -- pictures with Canon are almost always better); Olympus zoom P&S (inferior autofocus and build quality); L
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