Canonet shutter

[Conan23]

Hey all,

I just picked up a canonet (one of the large original ones), and am having problems with the shutter. It's fine between 1/500th and 1/60th, but at 1/30th or slower, it stays open longer than it should.
If I try 1/8th, the shutter stays open for seconds, and there is a ratchety, grinding noise. It's not the self-timer.

This is my first RF camera, so I'm not sure what to look out for. Ive heard loads of people mentioning "sticky shutters" but am not sure if this is what I have. I assumed that sticky shutters were shutters that were permanently stuck open or closed

I'm sorry if this issue has been brought up before, but I couldn't find the exact problem elsewhere

Thanks

 

[dmr]

I have a similar problem with my Mamiya SD, which uses a very similar shutter. It's fine down to 1/15, but any slower it hesitates and stays open for seconds.

I've been told that this is a common problem with the "slow speed gear train" and that a drop of Ronsonol will free up the lubricant and restore it to normal operation.

One of these days (years?) I'm going to tear it apart and (try to) fix it and when I do I intend to photograph the process so others can see what's being done.

Sorry this does not give you a quick fix, but ... 🙂

 

[btgc]

One drop could help a bit for a minute. Usually if gears are gummed, you need to take out slow speed gearing assembly and soak in naphtha/lighter fluid bath. After two cycles I washed out good amount of crud, I would think I washed my feet after a hard day!

 

[Conan23]

Thanks for that.
It did sound like gears were rubbing past each other, so I thought that maybe they had just worn down with age.
I'll finish off the roll I have with the faster shutter speeds, before I risk breaking something 😉

 

[mikeong]

AFAIK, Canonets use Copal leaf shutters. I've had a lot of problems with this shutter, not with my QL17 GIII but with my Yashica TLR.

Most Yashica TLR users told me that this is one of its downside, specially if the camera/shutter is not being use regularly.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Flood cleaning will cure this in about 50% of the Canonets. You need to take off the name ring and front lens group. Squirt a little Ronsonol or 99% pure Isopropyl alchohol. A few tries might be required. I have two Canonets Ql17's still working several years after doing this fix. Each was under $20 as they were not working.