Canonet QL-17 GIII Questions

[bensyverson]

Well, I just got my QL17, and it looks like a nice little camera! I had to clean it out the old seals and replace them, which was a pretty nasty job, but now it's nice and clean inside.

I have a few questions...

1) The shutter speed ring seems pretty stiff. What's involved in loosening it up or lubricating it?

2) What's the little lever on the shutter speed ring? Holding it down seems to make turning the ring slightly easier... but only slightly.

3) Along the same lines, the ASA selection is too stiff to adjust with a fingernail -- I had to use a small screwdriver. Is that normal?

4) The focus is okay, but not as smooth as I'd prefer.

5) What's underneath the leatherette? It's a little dried out on my sample, and I have an urge to strip it off.

6) I read somewhere that you shouldn't adjust the shutter speed after the shutter's been cocked, or you could damage the shutter. Is that true?

I didn't realize I had so many questions when I started writing this, but there you go. 🙂

 

[dmr]

1) The shutter speed ring seems pretty stiff. What's involved in loosening it up or lubricating it?

Big burning question, does your shutter fire normally? The one I got a couple years ago had a stuck shutter and a jammed speed ring with a bent tab. It took a disassembly and cleaning of the shutter blades and straightening of the tab to get it right.

2) What's the little lever on the shutter speed ring? Holding it down seems to make turning the ring slightly easier... but only slightly.

It's supposed to let you switch to B mode.

3) Along the same lines, the ASA selection is too stiff to adjust with a fingernail -- I had to use a small screwdriver. Is that normal?

No, should move easily. Something is not right. I hate to speculate, but this and 1 sound like a good CLA might be needed.

4) The focus is okay, but not as smooth as I'd prefer.

I have 2 of these cameras, and the focus is not silky smooth on either, as compared to the Pentax or Mamiya. It's not what I would call rough either.

5) What's underneath the leatherette?

Uh, glue, I think. 🙂

It's a little dried out on my sample, and I have an urge to strip it off.

They do make replacement leatherette kits. Google and I'm sure you will find them. Some people like exotic colors and patterns. 🙂

6) I read somewhere that you shouldn't adjust the shutter speed after the shutter's been cocked, or you could damage the shutter. Is that true?

Not on this model. Yes on some FSU RFs and maybe a few others. I'm not an expert on which ones get hurt with this and which do not.

 

[bensyverson]

Hey dmr,

Thanks for the reply! The shutter does fire normally. I think the lubrication in the rings has just dried up. I forgot to mention that there's an impact/dent on the filter ring. Perhaps that's causing the rings to be tighter as well...

I don't think I'll CLA it. It's not a cosmetically mint model to begin with, and the CLA would probably cost more than the camera... It's definitely still usable in this state.

 

[dmr]

I'm surprised that others have not jumped in here. I usually wait a while since although I've had some hands-on experience, I'm not an expert.

The shutter does fire normally. I think the lubrication in the rings has just dried up. I forgot to mention that there's an impact/dent on the filter ring. Perhaps that's causing the rings to be tighter as well...

Uh, if there's obvious impact damage, it might be that the speed rings and such are actually bent and not just dry.

I don't think I'll CLA it. It's not a cosmetically mint model to begin with, and the CLA would probably cost more than the camera... It's definitely still usable in this state.

You can always look for a better sample and use this one as a parts camera. I made one very nice Mamiya SD out of one which had impact damage plus one that worked but had some flaws.

 

[bensyverson]

Yeah, I'm thinking the rings are a little constrained by the impact. The impact is fairly subtle, although I don't think you'd be able to screw in any filters...

That said, I've been shooting with the camera, and after exercising the shutter speed ring a little, it's moving more freely. I think I'd feel a little guilty gutting it for parts, when it seems to be 100% functional.

It does need a makeover, though. That leatherette has got to go. 🙂

 

[photophorous]

I'm a few days late here, but I just wanted to comment on the ASA dial. Mine is very stiff too, although I can usually move it with a fingernail as long as I apply pressure at the appropriate angle. My sample has not been CLA'd, but seems to function perfectly except the meter is one stop off. I'd like to get the RF adjusted (it's a little off vertically) and get the meter recalibrated, but I suspect it's not worth the money. Fun little camera, though.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

ASA dial: Should push in with finger nail and then turn. Two steps. (the old nikkormat was difficult at best when new) I'd run film through since you have replaced the seals. For street work set at A so meter works. Set at 125 shutter speed. If the camera functions properly then it will change the f stop automatically. It sounds like a working camera in bargain condition. As far as the dent goes that is questionable. I just checked out a camera with a seriously large dent and everything seemed to turn properly. But, I would not rule it out as a cause either.

 

[pachuco]

I have had two of these and the ASA dial is a pain on both of them. Still, even with problems they are great little cameras and can take a beating. When the shutter froze on my first one I just purchased another rather than have it fixed. That is the cool thing about this camera, great glass and you can buy one for less that you can fix one!

 

[daniel~]

A couple of years ago I bought one, too. My GIII-QL17 came in original packaging and possibly never used through all the years. The dials were also stiff. The shutter release, too. They got a bit better after some use, but still not as smooth as that on my Konica S3.

BTW, what do the "28 20 14" (next to "A") on the barrel mean? They are in lovely colour blue. Unfortunately the colour paint came off when I tried cleaning the exterior with just wet cloth. Ouch.

 

[40oz]

BTW, what do the "28 20 14" (next to "A") on the barrel mean? They are in lovely colour blue. Unfortunately the colour paint came off when I tried cleaning the exterior with just wet cloth. Ouch.

Those are the guide numbers if you aren't using a matching Canonet flash. The idea is the camera sets the aperture based on focus distance to match the specified flash guide number. If you are using the matching Canolite D flash, just leave it on A.

 

[MazG]

Quote:
2) What's the little lever on the shutter speed ring? Holding it down seems to make turning the ring slightly easier... but only slightly.



It's supposed to let you switch to B mode.

It overcomes the lock so you can selct a slow speed outside the meter range and "B".

 

[FallisPhoto]

Yeah, I'm thinking the rings are a little constrained by the impact. The impact is fairly subtle, although I don't think you'd be able to screw in any filters...

That said, I've been shooting with the camera, and after exercising the shutter speed ring a little, it's moving more freely. I think I'd feel a little guilty gutting it for parts, when it seems to be 100% functional.

It does need a makeover, though. That leatherette has got to go. 🙂

If you want to get leather that is precut, go here: http://www.cameraleather.com/

If you want to go the DIY route, go here: http://stores.ebay.com/Fashion-Leather-International_Special-Price-Hides_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ10QQftidZ2QQtZkm You are looking for .03mm to .04mm thick baby lambskin or goatskin (kidskin). That is what custom camera coverings are made from. You'll find it in the section marked "specials," and a one square foot section of it costs about a dollar.

If you can cut, measure and glue, it is pretty straightforward. You scrape the old stuff off, apply contact cement to a cut piece of leather, and stick it on while the glue is still wet. You will have a few seconds to slide it around before the glue sets up. If you're wondering what it looks like, I have several releathered cameras in my gallery, and this is one of them:

 

[FallisPhoto]

1) The shutter speed ring seems pretty stiff. What's involved in loosening it up or lubricating it?

The most complicated CLA in the world. Seriously, the Minolta Hi-matics and the Canonets are the most difficult cameras to get into, and then get back together so they still work right, that were ever made.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Unfortunately the colour paint came off when I tried cleaning the exterior with just wet cloth. Ouch.

Go to Micro Tools http://www.micro-tools.com/ and look for lacquer sticks, if you want to replace the paint. A temporary fix can be done by rubbing a crayon into the etched place. You'll have to clean it out VERY thoroughly to get paint to stick there if you do that though.