Canon LTM A newbie question regarding metering on Canonet G-III QL17

[modrisco]

Hello everyone,

I recently acquired a Canonet G-III QL17 which appears to be in decent condition. I live near BDC Camera in Madison, WI and brought it into them yesterday and they agreed. I'm running a test roll of Ilford HP-5 Plus through it, so I hope to see the results soon. However, I have a question. From research, I understand metering will only work with the Automatic/Manual aperture setting at "A". This enables the shutter speed-priority EE. Manual control of the aperture can be managed by releasing the ring from the "A" position, but there is no meter available with manual control. I'm currently using a WeinCell MRB625 battery and wonder how do I increase battery life? Is it as simple as turning the aperture ring off of the "A" setting when not in use? I'm thinking there ought not to be any draw on the battery with the camera in that situation. However, I've also read the only "off" switch for the meter is a lens cap. Is the battery in constant state of use or what? What do you QL17 folks do?

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Aristophanes]

It meters with the cap open and the cel exposed. SO if the lens cap is on the battery is not using charge as much. But all Wein batteries have a short shelf life due to oxidation. The Wein battery has 2 holes in the top. Some rumours say battery life can be extended by taping over 1 of the holes, but I am not so sure. My life in Canon is about 3 months once a Wein has been tapped. I doubt you'll be metering often enough to rapidly drain the battery, regardless of whether you shoot in A mode or M.

 

[dmr]

I adjusted one of mine for the "wrong" off the shelf battery and I've had good luck.

The other I never adjusted and it meters quite well with the "wrong" battery.

Remember that the meter is simply making a suggestion as to how to expose. 🙂

 

[modrisco]

It meters with the cap open and the cel exposed. SO if the lens cap is on the battery is not using charge as much.

Thank you. What I was wondering is does it meter with the cap open and the cel exposed while in M mode. It does in A mode by design.

 

[Aristophanes]

You are asking if turning to A mode closes the circuit and engages the battery power supply. Don't know, but I suspect so. The cel is a passive receptor, but the battery is probably used not to meter but drive the mechanism for auto aperture. So if it is an on/off switch turning from A to M is almost certainly the action that does so I would assume.

But it is kind of moot because the Wein battery is discharging anyway regardless. Once it starts oxidizing it has a shelf life. You're really not "saving" battery costs in either A or M mode on the Canonet using a Wein.

 

[modrisco]

The A to M metering idea makes sense. If the meter is only available in A mode then setting the mode to M should not require any draw on the battery. I understand your point about WeinCell batteries. Thank you for the response.