CanonPrima Twin S

Place the Canon Prima Twin S in context and you land in the moment 'titanium' started appearing on spec sheets and ad copy alike. Catalogued as a autofocus compact, it pairs the Canon 38mm f/3.5 & 70mm f/6.0 (dual focal length) with a 35mm film path. Worth knowing up front: sold as the Sure Shot Del Sol in North America and Autoboy Tele 6 in Japan — same body, three different names.

Format

35mm

Year

1993

Lens

Canon 38mm f/3.5 & 70mm f/6.0 (dual focal length)

Min. focus

0.6 m

Flash

Built-in auto multi-mode with red-eye reduction

Battery

1× CR123A

The Canon 38mm f/3.5 & 70mm f/6.0 (dual focal length) doesn't chase exotic specifications; it just renders cleanly, focuses predictably, and gets out of the photograph's way. On the film-availability spectrum, plain 35mm is as easy as it gets in 2026. A single CR123A lithium cell powers everything including the motor; still cheap and stocked at most camera shops. The built-in flash will fire whenever the meter decides it should, so learn the override before your first night out. Minimum focus is 0.6 m, close enough for a coffee cup or a face but stops short of true macro. Worth knowing in the field: the 'S' upgrade added AiAF three-point autofocus over the original Prima Twin, so it locks focus off-center without a shuffle. The mild-normal focal length flatters faces and street scenes alike without either looking forced.

The Canon Prima Twin S sits exactly where you want a sleeper to sit: low prices, working examples plentiful, and a spec sheet that holds up against far pricier rivals. A footnote that often comes up: two prime focal lengths in one body instead of a zoom — sharper corners and a full stop faster than any 38–70 zoom compact.

• §1Sold as the Sure Shot Del Sol in North America and Autoboy Tele 6 in Japan — same body, three different names.
• §2The 'S' upgrade added AiAF three-point autofocus over the original Prima Twin, so it locks focus off-center without a shuffle.
• §3Two prime focal lengths in one body instead of a zoom — sharper corners and a full stop faster than any 38–70 zoom compact.