Canolite D recycle time

[CleverName]

I finally got around to using my canolite d flash on my Canonet QL-17 GIII last night and was very dissapointed by the recycle time for the flash. I was using brand new batteries and still it seemed to take a minute to a minute and a half to fully recycle before I could take another shot. Needless to say I missed several good shots because even though the light said it was charged, it wouldn't fire. Is this normal?

 

[FrankS]

I just tried my Canonlite D and it took 10 seconds to recycle. Try cleaning the battery contacts in the baxe of the flash unit and on the sliding cover top.

(This Canonlite flash and my best Canonet GIII QL1.7 will soon be on its way to Croatia for Denis!)

 

[Russ]

Re: Canolite D recycle time

I finally got around to using my canolite d flash on my Canonet QL-17 GIII last night and was very dissapointed by the recycle time for the flash. I was using brand new batteries and still it seemed to take a minute to a minute and a half to fully recycle before I could take another shot. Needless to say I missed several good shots because even though the light said it was charged, it wouldn't fire. Is this normal?

Clever

It sounds like you have a problem there. Check all of your contacts. Were they "newly" purchased batteries? When I use my GIII QL-17, for flash photography, I opt to use the very small Vivitar 252 unit, on it's auto F/8 mode. In that way, the flash never fully dumps it's full load, and it recycles very quickly. (seconds) I just set the aperture on the Canonet @ f/8, and blaze away. That also assures that you'll be using the better f/8 appy on that lens. For standard alkalines, I find that the Duracell brand to be the best. However, I usually use lithiums in my poppers (flash unit's) they last much longer, and recylcle almost instantly. I don't know if the Canonlite D popper can handle them, though I suspect it would. I know of many GIII QL-17 user's that have abandoned the Canon D unit, in favor of a unit with "auto" modes.

Yours is till recycling much too slowly. Check and clean the contacts, and start from there.

Yesterday at the camera show, I picked up an even smaller Vivitar 202 unit (guide # of 60) with an auto mode of f/11 or larger. It's mint, and works perfectly. All for the handsome sum of $3.00. I find these small popper's to be perfect for the rangefinder's. You may want to consider something along these lines.

Russ

 

[denishr]

I just tried my Canonlite D and it took 10 seconds to recycle. Try cleaning the battery contacts in the baxe of the flash unit and on the sliding cover top.

(This Canonlite flash and my best Canonet GIII QL1.7 will soon be on its way to Croatia for Denis!)

I'm glad to hear that the Canonlite works OK 🙂
Can't wait to try that little machine... Actually, I think it was Canonet and Stephen Gandy's site that got me interested in rangefinders...
A friend of mine got one recently, and he's full of praise - nice lens, sharp, small... Perfect carry-around camera!
And, finally, there's a Canonet in my not too distant future 😀

Denis

 

[Russ]

I'm glad to hear that the Canonlite works OK 🙂
Can't wait to try that little machine... Actually, I think it was Canonet and Stephen Gandy's site that got me interested in rangefinders...
A friend of mine got one recently, and he's full of praise - nice lens, sharp, small... Perfect carry-around camera!
And, finally, there's a Canonet in my not too distant future 😀

Denis

What's the guide # of the Canonlite D ?

Russ

 

[Rob]

I have had 3 of them and they should take about 10 secs to
recharge, if not you may have a corrosion problem in the
battery compartment or a capacitor going bad. I have also
fixed intermittent firing of these by taking the flash contacts
apart and cleaning them.

 

[CleverName]

Thanks for all your help guys. I tried the flash on a different camera and it recycled in about 10 seconds. The camera's contacts seem clean but the flash sits a little loose in the shoe.
Could have been just not making contact when held sideways; most of my attemped shots were vertical.
Oh, well. most of the shots I missed were of scantily clad ladies in provocative halloween costumes. At least this way I don't have to try to expain anything to my wife.
I like the canolite D because it's so small, but I may have to check out some other fancier small flashes.

thanks

 

[CleverName]

Oh, yeah, and Denis, congrats. you're gonna love it.

and frank, why did you give him your best one? 🙂

 

[Sonnar Brian]

If the flash had not been used in a long time it may have been the "capacitor forming". The first few times to recycle tend to be very slow, then goes back to normal provided the electronics are good. I remember way-back-when being told to take a Honeywell Strobonar (BIG ONE) out once a month and fire it 5 times. It is amazing that they work at all after 30 years. But, I have had some old electronic flashes go bad and some capacitors leak.