Canonet QL 17 GIII portrait pics problem

[mich8261]

I just received my first rangefinder camera this morning. A beautiful Canonet QL 17 GIII. It's in great shape. I loaded a roll of film to start the learning curve. After many years of auto focus SLRs and P&S, I am sure I'll blow through several rolls before getting some great shots, but that's okay.

On my way to work this morning I played around with the camera. First impression is that the shutter is soooooo quiet. I am sure I am causing some camera shake by trying to push too hard. I had great difficulty getting the camera to take any pictures in portrait orientation. I would try and try and try and it wouldn't, or I should say that I couldn't get the film to advance which is how I knew no picture was taken. As soon as I would turn the camera back to landscape I was able to take the picture. Then I noticed that I could "take" the picture in portrait orientation, but it wouldn't let me advance the film unless I rotated the camera to landscape. Does this make any sense?

Thank you.

Michel Corbin

 

[rogue_designer]

I'm not sure, but it's probably a slightly loose escapement gear that falls a bit - preventing the cams from turning in that orientation.

I don't think it's anything to worry about. Just a personality quirk of the camera.

 

[airds]

You aren't getting a finger, strap or similar over the light sensor - so reducing the camera light reading to below what is required for a 'correct' exposure - automatic locking out the shutter realease? Remember you are NOT looking through the lens!

Or could it be there is simply not enough light available, ie something like less sky - for the portrait exposure? Check what the meter says in the viewfinder.

You could try fooling the camera with increasing higher ASA values, to get a shot and prove the camera is ok.


Good luck

 

[mich8261]

I'll do some more testing at lunch today. I loaded 400ISO film and now that I think of it, maybe changing the orientation might have been enough to push the light meter above f/16.

 

[mich8261]

Unfortunately, I have to report that it seems worse than I first thought. I have the impression that the shutter is not opening at all. I'll have the roll developed tomorrow. In the mean time, the symptoms are: in most cases, after completely depressing the shutter button I am unable to advance the film, turning the aperture ring or the time value ring seems to release it. I tried taking pictures with the flash and altough the flash powered up and I was able to depress the shutter release button, the flash did not go off. I understand that the leaf shutter is supposed to be very quiet, but this one is completely silent. If I set the speed to 1/4 and the f-stop to 1.7 and I look into the lens I do not see anything happening.

I have written to the person I bought it from as he had claimed it was in working order. I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

Thanks.

Michel