Posted by Griffin Malone posted on October 29, 2025
The WP-1 is a fun and capable water resistant and shockproof camera ready for your next adventure whether thats on land or sea. It features a sharp 32mm f/3.5 lens, a fast and smart autofocus, built-in flash, and a macro mode with a minimum focus distance of just 45cm! This rugged but compact and light-weight camera is the perfect companion for your next vacation.
Canon's Most Waterproof Camera
The Canon WP-1 aka the Canon Sure Shot A1 aka the Canon Prima AS 1 and sometimes even occasionally known as the naughty Auto Boy D5 is a (debatably) waterproof camera from the early 90s. It’s wacky looking, sturdy but surprisingly competent as the camera to keep in your pocket.
The camera comes in a couple of versions, you can tell which is which because the name is on the front. The insides are nearly identical, though some of the A1’s were reportedly using a different type of plastic that seems to yellow really badly with age.
"If Fisher-Price had made a 35mm camera."
It looks like a toy. It feels like a sturdy toy. It is not a toy, it is an instrument, a tool. It creates beautiful art - often in spite of the operator.
The shutter button is big and easy to find, and the dial for switching on/off and between flash modes has a satisfying smoosh as it clicks into each spot.
The camera is strong, the lens is protected at all times, so you don’t have to worry about tossing this in a bag or having it around your wrist. The body can definitely take hits and bumps that might dent or scratch some of the bougier point and shoots.
Why should I buy this camera?
Because right now your photos are trash and it’s not because you’re boring or poor. You’re boring, poor and you don’t have the right camera. The WP1 might be the right camera. Only you can decide.
The WP1 was advertised to go underwater, down to 5m. That’s like 16 feet.
The WP1 has a self timer. This means you can put it on a shelf (I know you don’t have a tripod) and the camera will countdown 10 seconds so you can run into the photo.
The WP1 will let you force the flash on or off. It’ll also let you let the camera decide if it wants to use the flash. Don’t do this - you’re in control of your WP1 and of your destiny.
The WP1 is fully automatic, it’s rewinds the film itself, it advances itself.
What Should You Fear?
This is a really big question. Some fears are practical and are worth respecting.
The plastic film door latch on the WP-1 can be prone to breaking. Obviously once it’s broken it won’t be waterproof anymore until the latch is replaced (something we offer here at BFC).
Also - about this whole “waterproof” thing. There's a dispute over whether all versions of the camera are “weatherproof” or “waterproof.” The WP1’s that we have at BFC were originally marketed as being “weatherproof” though its counterpart the A1 was sold as being “waterproof.” Getting to the bottom of Canon's mid-90s marketing is beyond the scope of this article.
I can say that all the cameras at BFC have been submerged in about a foot of water after being CLA'd to confirm that they're watertight.
** Photo is not representative of Brooklyn Film Camera's waterproof testing for the Canon WP-1. **
Features & Shooting Experience
The WP1 has a 32mm lens, which is cool because it’s a little wider than the standard 35 or 38mm lens that comes on a lot of these point and shoots. Being wider means your selfies will look more like selfies.
The things that are hot about the WP-1 are subtle. The lens is sharper than it has any right to be. The autofocus actually locks on. The flash? Powerful but flattering. It’s the kind of camera that makes you look like you’re shooting your friend’s vacation pics, but then when you get the scans back you realize you accidentally made a Nan Goldin tribute.
It’s also a perfect “don’t-care” camera. You can toss it in a tote, drop it in a puddle, or hand it to your drunk friend and it’ll probably survive. It’s not precious. You don’t baby it. And that’s kind of the magic: you stop thinking so hard about photography and start doing it.
It’s dorky, it’s clunky, and it’s a blast. The shutter sound is like a tiny robot sneeze. The viewfinder shows maybe 80% of what you’re actually framing, which keeps things spicy. The flash recharges faster than you’d expect from something that looks like it was made by Fisher-Price.
"It’s imperfect, goofy, and kind of amazing."
Final Verdict
The Canon WP-1 isn’t (but actually is) a camera to brag about. It’s the one you throw in your jacket pocket and forget about until you’re waist-deep in the ocean or standing under a rain gutter. It’s the one you trust to document the kind of night you’d normally be too nervous to bring a Contax to.
It’s imperfect, goofy, and kind of amazing.
Buy it if you want a camera that encourages you to treat photography less like a somber endeavor and more like a fun silly adventure.
And if you drop it in the toilet it’s probably fine.
Canon WP-1 Review
The WP-1 is a fun and capable water resistant and shockproof camera ready for your next adventure whether thats on land or sea. It features a sharp 32mm f/3.5 lens, a fast and smart autofocus, built-in flash, and a macro mode with a minimum focus distance of just 45cm! This rugged but compact and light-weight camera is the perfect companion for your next vacation.
Canon's Most Waterproof Camera
The Canon WP-1 aka the Canon Sure Shot A1 aka the Canon Prima AS 1 and sometimes even occasionally known as the naughty Auto Boy D5 is a (debatably) waterproof camera from the early 90s. It’s wacky looking, sturdy but surprisingly competent as the camera to keep in your pocket.
The camera comes in a couple of versions, you can tell which is which because the name is on the front. The insides are nearly identical, though some of the A1’s were reportedly using a different type of plastic that seems to yellow really badly with age.
"If Fisher-Price had made a 35mm camera."
It looks like a toy. It feels like a sturdy toy. It is not a toy, it is an instrument, a tool. It creates beautiful art - often in spite of the operator.
The shutter button is big and easy to find, and the dial for switching on/off and between flash modes has a satisfying smoosh as it clicks into each spot.
The camera is strong, the lens is protected at all times, so you don’t have to worry about tossing this in a bag or having it around your wrist. The body can definitely take hits and bumps that might dent or scratch some of the bougier point and shoots.
Why should I buy this camera?
Because right now your photos are trash and it’s not because you’re boring or poor. You’re boring, poor and you don’t have the right camera. The WP1 might be the right camera. Only you can decide.
The WP1 was advertised to go underwater, down to 5m. That’s like 16 feet.
The WP1 has a self timer. This means you can put it on a shelf (I know you don’t have a tripod) and the camera will countdown 10 seconds so you can run into the photo.
The WP1 will let you force the flash on or off. It’ll also let you let the camera decide if it wants to use the flash. Don’t do this - you’re in control of your WP1 and of your destiny.
The WP1 is fully automatic, it’s rewinds the film itself, it advances itself.
What Should You Fear?
This is a really big question. Some fears are practical and are worth respecting.
The plastic film door latch on the WP-1 can be prone to breaking. Obviously once it’s broken it won’t be waterproof anymore until the latch is replaced (something we offer here at BFC).
Also - about this whole “waterproof” thing. There's a dispute over whether all versions of the camera are “weatherproof” or “waterproof.” The WP1’s that we have at BFC were originally marketed as being “weatherproof” though its counterpart the A1 was sold as being “waterproof.” Getting to the bottom of Canon's mid-90s marketing is beyond the scope of this article.
I can say that all the cameras at BFC have been submerged in about a foot of water after being CLA'd to confirm that they're watertight.
** Photo is not representative of Brooklyn Film Camera's waterproof testing for the Canon WP-1. **
Features & Shooting Experience
The WP1 has a 32mm lens, which is cool because it’s a little wider than the standard 35 or 38mm lens that comes on a lot of these point and shoots. Being wider means your selfies will look more like selfies.
The things that are hot about the WP-1 are subtle. The lens is sharper than it has any right to be. The autofocus actually locks on. The flash? Powerful but flattering. It’s the kind of camera that makes you look like you’re shooting your friend’s vacation pics, but then when you get the scans back you realize you accidentally made a Nan Goldin tribute.
It’s also a perfect “don’t-care” camera. You can toss it in a tote, drop it in a puddle, or hand it to your drunk friend and it’ll probably survive. It’s not precious. You don’t baby it. And that’s kind of the magic: you stop thinking so hard about photography and start doing it.
It’s dorky, it’s clunky, and it’s a blast. The shutter sound is like a tiny robot sneeze. The viewfinder shows maybe 80% of what you’re actually framing, which keeps things spicy. The flash recharges faster than you’d expect from something that looks like it was made by Fisher-Price.
"It’s imperfect, goofy, and kind of amazing."
Final Verdict
The Canon WP-1 isn’t (but actually is) a camera to brag about. It’s the one you throw in your jacket pocket and forget about until you’re waist-deep in the ocean or standing under a rain gutter. It’s the one you trust to document the kind of night you’d normally be too nervous to bring a Contax to.
It’s imperfect, goofy, and kind of amazing.
Buy it if you want a camera that encourages you to treat photography less like a somber endeavor and more like a fun silly adventure.
And if you drop it in the toilet it’s probably fine.
If you still need convincing, check out this video featuring Fred Herzog walking around with a WP-1.