If you had to choose one point and shoot camera to get the job done, which one would you choose?

The Canon 130u is a Good Value

This is a delightful camera.  I purchased it for five dollars in the summer of 2010 at a garage sale in Lindenhurst, IL.  Then I found another Canon 130u at a thirft shop for $5 and purchased that one also.

My best sample photo with the Canon Sure Shot 130u

How does the Canon 130u feel?

It’s been a while since I shot a roll of film with my Canon 130u.  So it’s a little hard remembering.

1. 38-130mm range.  I remember thinking, hurray.  The zoom range is 38mm to 130mm.  I can do landscape, portraits, and a some nature photography.
2. Pre-focus.  Many point and shoots require depressing the shutter button half way to focus, pause a brief moment, and then push the button again.  Some people have trouble with this feature.  For me, it worked just fine.
3. Long snout.  When you zoom to 130mm, the lens does protude quite a bit.

 Problems with the Canon Sure Shot 130u?  One.

My Canon Sure Shot 130u was trouble free.  When I shoot another roll of film I’ll spend more time taking photos indoors with flash.  I didn’t take enough of them to test the camera properly.  My two indoor flash photos were a bit blurry, but it could have been the photographer (me).

Technical Description for the Canon 130u

1. Aluminum.
2. Focal Length.
3. Battery.  Powered by one 3V lithium battery (CR2).
4. Flash modes.  Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Auto mode, Flash OFF mode, Red-eye reduction.

The next time I shoot a roll of film with the Canon Sure Shot 130u, I’ll be sure to take more photos at night using the flash OFF mode.  That feature worked very nicely.

To find more detailed technical specifications, visit Amazon for info.

Provenance or History

I purchased my first Canon Sure Shot 130u in a subdivision of Lindenhurst, Illinois.  Whenever I fish at Deep Lake I visit one or two garage sales during the summer.  In the summer of 2010 I found this little camera in a sale.

I asked the retired couple:

Do you like the camera?  Did you take good pictures with it?

They said they had taken the camera to Ireland and it had done wonderfully.  They loved the photos.  I offered the couple five dollars.  They accepted.

In the spring of 2011 on a thirft shop excursion to Evanston, IL I found another Canon Sure Shot 130u in seemingly good shape and purchased it.  Again, $5.

My Repairs for the Canon Sure Shot 130u

None.  Point and shoot cameras either work or they don’t.

I have since learned to put fresh batteries into a used point and shoot camera and run an expendable test roll of film through the camera.  I experiment with the controls for time delay, flash, no flash, and then I hope the camera rewinds when the photos are done.

I always keep a batch of expendable old 35mm film handy.  If you go to garage sales as I do, snatch up the old 35mm film but don’t pay too much for it.  Tell people their film is old and undependable.  You buy old, expired 35mm film to test your old cameras.

A Great Photo with a Canon 130u

If you’d like to see a terrific photo of NYC using this camera, go to Queensbridge Park on Flickr to see a photo by Rafakoy.

I don’t steal people’s photos.  So visit Queensbridge Park to see a great photo taken with this wonderful little camera.

My Sample Photos with my Canon 130u

Do you see the large bird in the middle of the photo, just gliding along?

As I recall this photo…

1. My camera was already “on”.
2. I saw the bird flying in from the left and aimed where he would be.
3. I depressed the shutter half way even before the bird came into view.  Instinctively I perhaps knew the shot would focus on infinity.
4. The bird came into view and I fully depressed the shutter.

Not bad for a five dollar point and shoot.

My mother was very fond of the color purple.  Whenever I see purple flowers, I smile and take a photo.  This one’s for you Mom.

Canon Sure Shot 130u Final Review

I own two of these cameras but I’ll probably never sell them.  Just selfish I guess.

I own a Yashica T4, Olympus Stylus Epic and a few other point and shoot cameras.  Although their photos are dazzling, they don’t have a zoom lens.  The Canon 130u does have the very adequate 38mm to 130mm zoom lens.

I don’t think anyone will go looking for a Canon Sure Shot 130u after reading this review.  But if you bump into a 130u at a garage sale, smile, and offer the owner five dollars for it.

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