Canonflex R2000

General Overview

First marketed in September 1960, the Canonflex R2000 was Canon’s third model in the Canonflex SLR series. Its standout feature was a top shutter speed of 1/2000 second—a groundbreaking specification for a 35mm SLR at the time. With production running only from June 1960 to January 1962, the R2000 quickly gained a reputation for precision and superb build quality, though its uncommon design choices (such as the bottom-mounted film-wind trigger, inherited from earlier Canonflexes) limited mainstream acceptance. Today it is considered the rarest of the early Canon SLRs, with relatively few units ever reaching North American shores.

Historical Significance

• Fastest Shutter of Its Time: The Canonflex R2000 was the first 35mm SLR to offer a 1/2000 max speed, exceeding previous benchmarks like the Rectaflex (1/1300).
• Rare Production: Estimates place total output at only around 8,800 units, making it the scarcest model among the four original Canonflex versions.
• Canon’s Early SLR Legacy: Though well-built and innovative, the R2000 ultimately struggled against Nikon’s F system. Its lineage, however, helped Canon refine future SLR releases.
• Collector’s Challenge: Finding a functioning R2000 with its proper attachable meter (which includes the 1/2000 marking) is notably difficult, raising its desirability in the collector market.

Collectibility and Value

The Canonflex R2000 holds special appeal for collectors of early Canon SLRs, thanks to its short production run and advanced features for the era. Minty examples with matching accessories – including the hard-to-find Canonflex meter calibrated for 1/2000 – can command premium prices. Working bodies alone may be seen in the range of €350–€600 on European auction sites, depending on condition. Bodies requiring repair can be less expensive, but spare parts for the original Canonflex series are increasingly scarce.

Canonflex R2000 Specifications

Collector Notes

1. Shutter Timing & Curtains: The cloth shutter curtains can become brittle or lose speed accuracy at 1/2000. A professional CLA (Clean, Lubricate, Adjust) can address these issues.
2. Attachable Meter Matching: If you want authenticity, seek the meter that shows “1/2000” on its dial. These are quite rare and can boost collector value substantially.
3. R-Mount Lenses: Canon R-series lenses were semi-automatic “Canomatic” or “Super Canomatic” types. Not all R lenses behave identically on the R2000, and lens interchanges with later FL/FD bodies can be limited.
4. Load & Wind Mechanism: The bottom trigger film advance is ergonomic to some, awkward to others. Make sure it operates smoothly, as parts for the mechanism are difficult to source.

Among Canon’s earliest SLR designs, the Canonflex R2000 stands out for its pioneering 1/2000-second shutter and low production figures. While it never achieved mass success, its uncommon features and scarcity have turned it into a prized classic for collectors seeking a unique piece of Canon’s early SLR evolution.

To cut costs, the camera had a fixed, eye-level pentaprism viewfinder. This was the economy or “Populaire” version of the Canonflex.

The self-timer was operated by a simple lever, and the pentaprism cover was part of the single-piece top cover. Other features and performance were the same as the original Canonflex.

Although this camera belongs to the Canonflex series, it was developed as an entirely different model.

Although it used the same body shell as the Canonflex, the pentaprism was set very low, giving the body a unique shape. The top cover looked high, and the film advance lever fitted stylishly into a slot on the top cover. Coupled to the large shutter speed dial was the built-in selenium exposure meter which indicated the proper aperture. Following the Konica F in 1960, the Canonflex RM was Japan’s second SLRcamera to feature a built-in exposure meter. The RM’s meter was based on the same concept as the Canon 7’s built-in meter. A built-in exposure meter was deemed as essential for taking good pictures.

By the 1950s, the Japanese camera industry had turned their interest towards the 35 mm SLR camera, which to that point had been exclusively manufactured in Europe, and in particular in Dresden, Germany. The first Japanese 35 mm SLR camera was Asahiflex. It was soon followed by several manufacturers. The Miranda T was launched in 1955. In 1958 Minolta and Topcon followed, while Nikon presented their Nikon F in 1959, by that time a supplier of rangefinder cameras based on the Contax concept. Canon had established itself as a 35 mm rangefinder camera manufacturer, featuring a wide variety of camera models and lenses using the Leica 39mm standard lens mount.

The Canonflex was introduced in May, 1959 by Canon of Tokyo, Japan. It is Canon's first 35 mm single-lens reflex camera. Its standard lens is the Super-Canomatic R 50mm f/1.8, using the first version of Canon's breech-lock manual-focus lens mount, the R lens mount, which would evolve into the Canon FL and Canon FD lens mounts over the next three decades. The Super-Canomatic lens features fully automatic aperture operation, using two internal connections.

Canomatic and R-series lenses use semi-automatic or manual diaphragms. Though the breech-lock mount itself remained unchanged until the introduction of the EF lenses for EOS autofocus cameras in the late 1980s, the actuating levers of the Canomatic or R-series lenses operate differently from their FL and FD descendants.

The Canonflex RP was inspired to an extent by the company's rangefinder camera models. It has a wind-on lever on the camera's base operated by the left middle finger. This aided rapid shutter release but hindered tripod mounting and rendered the leather case unwieldy. At the right-hand camera front is a wide accessory shoe taking a selenium exposure meter, which couples to the shutter speed dial.

The camera stayed in production for one year before it was replaced by the Canonflex R2000, adding the 1/2000 sec. shutter speed and the thumb operated wind on operation