Black Canon GIII Mystique....

They are pretty, and were worth every bit of that extra $10 over a price of a new chrome one. In 1971.

You can get lucky. Mine was $20 at an antique store. Sold for well over $200, and went into a Nikon SP.

I have a "Panda" QL17L now. Bought an as-is Black QL17 for $40 that was hopelessly jammed from the "previous repair". So I put the black parts on the good one.
 
I picked up one for $40 and it came with a gordy wrist strap. The film advance went bust and its been out of commission ever since. I've been debating having it fixed and either using it again or selling it. The gordy wrist strap on the other hand has been performing flawlessly...
 
This is sort of funny: all the significant cameras in my photographic existence (Canon F-1/EF/A-1, Nikon F2T/F3, Pentax LX, Minolta 9000/9xi, and all my Konica Hexars past and present) offered the Henry Ford Option. Thus, no "premium" paid for black finish.

Yes, I did once own a nice (not mint) black Canon GIII, with the rare and matching lens hood. Great little camera. Six C-notes for one? Not for me.

(My Konica Auto S3 only came in black, too...except for the truly rare Japan-market-only version, which carried the C35 moniker.)


- Barrett
 
I wonder what my NOS, black Canonet top and bottom plates would be worth. Bought them, years' back on eBay, from some retired camera repairman who was selling his old stock. They're absolutely mint, still in their plastic sleeves, and never been used. Would make a great Panda Canonet if I so desired.

Jim B.
 
I haven't seen any go for near $600 ! I had a great one that I think I sold it for $300-350 a few months ago. I guess it could have been hyped a bit since then. 🙂

I only sold it because the lens was just plain mushy wide open. But it was a beauty!

Canonet_%2814_of_14%29.jpg
 
I've found that the lens on the Ql17L to be sharper than 9 of 10 GIII's. I've gone through 10 GIII's for a pick of the litter. Never had to with the Made in Japan QL17L.

The Ql17L is close to Konica S2 quality.
 
It also depends on whether it is Japan made or Taiwan made version, good condition or mint condition. The Japanese black version is very rare and people are willing to pay more to collect them.
 
I hear you all... the prices are all over the map...

I hear you all... the prices are all over the map...

But occasionally, a couple or more bidders will get in a pissing match at the end. I just put this up to watch.

I saw the $600 auction... about a year ago. I also sold one for $429.00 a few years ago... 4 or 5 years.

Just thought it might be interesting to follow this auction.

My considerations for a high price... established camera seller. I suspect a number of people watch this mans inventory. Excellent auction layout, and good succinct description.

The two disappointing (read low final bid).... auction on a holiday weekend (this totally surprises me with this seller) and (2), the auction closing on a Sunday. In my experience, that's my "buy" day on camera's. Has been for 5 years.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
 
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I didn't pay $600! Not even 1/3 of that, but I admit the, uh, mistique of it kinda talked me into picking up a black one a couple years ago, to go with the chrome one. Here it is:

wlrub9.jpg


This one is the Japanese one.

I admit there is a thing about the black models. Years ago when I got my Spotmatic I paid a few $$$ extra for the "black press" model. I guess I was over it when I got the K1000, since I didn't even think of getting it in black.

I didn't think of the color when I got the first, chrome GIII, but ... oh well ... 🙂
 
Brian Sweeney said:
I've found that the lens on the Ql17L to be sharper than 9 of 10 GIII's. I've gone through 10 GIII's for a pick of the litter. Never had to with the Made in Japan QL17L.

The Ql17L is close to Konica S2 quality.
Click to expand...

Being made in Japan didn't help mine, the image quality was still bad. I really wanted to like it, but it wasn't in the cards.

The last thing I needed was a FL cam I had to be careful with, but did not give good performance. It really is incredible that anyone would pay over $200 -300 for one, mine was for sale here for a long time before it went - and then to a guy who stiffed me the shipping! I must have sold at the wrong time!

Canonet_%288_of_14%29.jpg


Canonet_%282_of_14%29.jpg
 
So there is a Data Point for the QL17L being better than the GIII, does not matter where it was made.
 
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So happens with latest models...I read about people arguing about Yashica GSN while with early G model there are less complains (don't mix Professional here). Well, maybe it's because GSNs made major volume of them, though from my experience GSN is built at lower standard than plain G35, and finally my GSN also developed problem.

So I'm not suprised if latest model in not greatest.
 
btgc said:
So I'm not suprised if latest model in not greatest.
Click to expand...

I know for the Pentax K1000, the later versions were quite inferior to the earlier ones, in that they started substituting plastic and (supposedly) cut back on QA and such.

For the GIII, I have two of them, one chrome made in Taiwan and the other black made in Japan. The only thing I ever noticed as far as differences is that the Taiwan one has a plastic plug over the one mirror adjust hole and the Japan one has a metal plug. They look and perform totally identically.

I've had the chrome (Taiwan) one apart most of the way and there's very little plastic in there.

The sharpness is good on both, the feel is identical, and the astigmatism at wide f-stops is predictably the same on both.
 
To pay that much for what was the point & shoot of that era is odd. Still, I find these threads interesting.

With these cameras, construction was average. Lenses were good but not spectacular. These were clearly aimed at the amateur or advanced amateur.

Even so, bizarre things happen when it comes to collectible merchandise.
 
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