If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
A Tale of Two Canonet QL17s
A couple of days ago I decided to go inside my old Canonet QL17, the one
with an f/1.7 45mm lens and a CdS cell meter, to clean the viewfinder, which had become hazy over the nearly fifty years it's been knocking around. I found the camera in a pawn shop 10 or 15 years ago, back when you still found old cameras in pawn shops. It cleaned up nicely and I also adjusted the rangefinder, which was slightly off vertically. There is an adjustment screw accessible through a small port in the rear of the camera to do this. The Canonet QL17 is about the same size and shape as the expensive, interchangeable lens Canon rangefinders. I think it is a better made camera than the GIII version, which I also have. The old Canonet still meters OK, compared to a handheld meter. using for power either a Wein cell or a silver oxide battery in a voltage reducing adapter. For some reason the GIII is almost exactly one stop off. I have to set the film speed on the GIII to 800 to get a correct reading for 400 speed film, for example. I don't know whether this was done on purpose for color print film or whether the meter is just off. There appears to be a trim pot inside the GIII. hidden behind the film-advance-OK flag, for adjusting the meter. However, I decided to leave well enough alone. I couldn't see how to get behind that flag without bending it. One drawback to both cameras is that the instructions say you can break the camera by setting the shutter to bulb while the aperture is set to automatic. The old QL17 book has an elaborate procedure on how to get out of trouble in case you accidentally did this. There is a lever you have to hold in before you can set the shutter to bulb, to remind you to check the aperture. This isn't as bad as those Russian cameras where changing the shutter speed with the shutter uncocked will break the camera. Turning the aperture to one of the manual f/stops turns off the meter, which saves batteries, but precludes metered manual operation. These are really good cameras for candid pictures, being nearly silent. Bud |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
A tale of two Sigmas | J. Clarke | Digital SLR Cameras | 13 | February 16th 09 08:47 AM |
A tale of two Sigmas | J. Clarke | Digital Photography | 10 | February 13th 09 10:27 PM |
A Tale of Two Pentaxes... | [email protected] | 35mm Photo Equipment | 32 | November 6th 06 11:57 PM |
A heartening tale | Chris Brown | Medium Format Photography Equipment | 16 | January 27th 05 10:20 PM |
A CORNY TALE !!! | Deathwalker | 35mm Photo Equipment | 1 | June 15th 04 06:22 PM |