Canon LTM Canonet QL25

Canon M39 M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
garythegit

garythegit

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Hi guys, I recently purchased a mint canonet QL25 off ebay (the opiate of camera collectors!) I was wondering if anyone could point me towards a manual for working this camera and whether there is anything I should look out for. i.e. something I won't accidentally do and break the thing!!

Does this camera need batteries? If so what kind?

Thanks guys!
 
It says I need a password to get in, and anyway it didn't have the manual for the ql25. But as far as i know it should be the same as the others bar the f2.5 lens. Also as far as I can gather the battery is an old 1.3v mercury cell which only controls the meter? Therefore can I use the camera on full manual if i can't find any batteries??
 
Thanks very much! I read somewhere that these hearing aid batteries don't last as long as 'specially made' replacement ones which are around $10 each on ebay!!!!! The zinc air with their cheap prices are tempting but will the 1.4v affect the meter?? If so how much compensation should I give it?? Also how much use do you get out of one of your batteries?? Sorry for such noob questions as I have only used fully manual soviet rangefinders before and have *never* played around with canon! :)
 
garythegit said:
Thanks very much! I read somewhere that these hearing aid batteries don't last as long as 'specially made' replacement ones which are around $10 each on ebay!!!!! The zinc air with their cheap prices are tempting but will the 1.4v affect the meter?? If so how much compensation should I give it?? Also how much use do you get out of one of your batteries??
Click to expand...

I've been studying how the meter works in the QL17 GIII, as I'm about to attempt an intentional mis-calibration in order to change the ASA/ISO range from 25-800 to 50-1600. No two people ever seem to agree on anything regarding those batteries and the meter calibration, but here's what I can tell you ...

With the "bad" off the shelf battery, the GIII agrees perfectly with the Pentax K1000 (my lab standard) :) :) in my precision standard test box (the blank wall of the bathroom with the lights on dimmers). :) Under sunny-16 daylight, the GIII reads about 1/2 stop overexposed compared to the Pentax.

Since I've always considered a meter to give you a suggestion and not a mandate for exposure, I consider them both to be quite close enough.

The true test, however, is how it performs in the real world. Both of these cameras do produce consistently well exposed shots, even with slide film (I recently ran a roll of Kodachrome in the CIII) so I would call them both good.

Our sole remaining camera shop does now sell the air cells, so I may try one of them, but my guess is that there won't really be that much difference. Some people do claim that using the wrong battery will do such things as cause your camera to self-destruct or keep the country from winning the war. :) :)

My suggestion is to pick a battery, shoot a few rolls, and check the negatives to get an idea of how the exposure is.

Sorry for such noob questions as I have only used fully manual soviet rangefinders before and have *never* played around with canon! :)
Click to expand...

Hey, the only stupid question is the one that is not asked, right? :)
 
I received this post on a similar question regarding the possiblity of using the QL25 on manual. Is this true?? If it is then it's quite annoying!

"I'd go for the 1.35v replacements. As long as you keep the lenscap on when not using the camera, you'll get a rather long life out of the battery, so it's worth the cost difference.

The lower-end Canonets are shutter-priority only, so you can't run them without batteries, unlike the QL19 and QL17 models."


Also what do people think of these ones:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7538707078&fromMakeTrack=true
 
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Sorry to bump this guys but does anyone know the answer to my question as to whether I can use the QL25 on full manual if I can't get batteries for the meter or is it a fully automatic camera like the chap from the other forum says.

Thanks!!
 
I think that the QL25 has shutter speed-priority.

I recommend G'Mans diode conversion though, it's a shame your not on the same side of the pond :(
 
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From the pictures it looks like it has a standard apeture ring with 'A' for auto on the far left. The shutter speeds are on another ring. Here are some pics http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~rd2h-ari/CANONETQL25.htm

From the pictures it looks like I might be able to use it on manual otherwise what is the point of having a special 'A' on the apeture ring?? TPP could you point me towards G'man's diode conversion? Do you have any suggestions as to anything in the UK which might do this?
 
Gary,

I'm sure you can shoot it on either speed-priority or manual.

If you PM G'Man I'm sure he can talk you through it, he's a master at restoration and gives me and others here lots of help ;)

Off the top of my head in the UK Kim Coxon knows his stuff and might be able to help if you send him a PM (sorry for putting you in the frame Kim ;) )

BTW G'Man = greyhoundman (see earlier in thread :) )
 
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