Just got a canonet 28

[R Alan]

My wednesday jaunt down to St. Vinnies was well worth it today. I found a nice canonet 28, canolite, (with working batteries), and a never used Patterson single tank. Funny thing is I just got a great canolite last saturday from JoeFriday. Feast or famine I guess. I cleaned the little button side of the battery terminal, and the meter works, but I don't know how to verify its accuracy since there doesn't seem to be any way to check the shutter speed. I'll just run a roll of fuji neopan 100 through it and see what happens. I am really impressed with my canonet gIII, but I like the focus ring better on the 28. I wouldn't think the lens is as sharp as the gIII, but I'll print up some 11x14's and compare some similar shots. Anybody else notice a big difference in the two lenses? (other than the gIII being 2 stops faster)

 

[zeos 386sx]

I wouldn't think the lens is as sharp as the gIII, but I'll print up some 11x14's and compare some similar shots.

Please post them. I would like to see.

 

[Rob]

I have had a couple 28s but never got around to shooting them. I did like its simplicity and its focusing ring as you do. Please post some pix when you can.
Rob

 

[filmgoerjuan]

I have both a Canonet 28 and a Canonet GIII QL17. I really lucked out and got a pristine 28 off of eBay.

Although I prefer having the full manual control of the QL17, overall I've enjoyed the shots from my 28 much more. The focus ring is definitely easier to use than the QL17's lever. The two major downsides to the 28:

1) Automatic metering. You have no control over the shutter speed/aperature (well, you can manually set the aperature, but then your only shutter speed option is the flash sync 1/30!). Although under normal conditions (i.e. not too dark) the settings the camera chooses have worked well -- it seems to aim for the mid-range and the DOF makes up for any minor focusing errors.

2) Reliance on the meter. If the meter goes or the battery connection goes, the camera is mostly useless (beyond the aforementioned 1/30 default shutter speed). I have one working Canonet 28 and one with a busted meter. Not sure if it's possible (and surely not cost-effective to get someone else) to fix it. At least the QL17 can still work using manual settings.

If you can get your hands on a working Canonet 28, by all means do so. It's a great little camera for throwing into a bag and just taking photos without worrying about changing all the settings).

My Canonet 28 Set on Flickr

My Canonet GIII QL17 Set on Flickr

 

[pcfranchina]

Nice find. I too have both a New 28 and GIII. The 28 is a great little camera. Very basic, simple and such a bright viewfinder makes it a pleasure to use.
Great pics Filmgoerjuan!

 

[Silva Lining]

Great find! I love the Canonets. I have a QL19, QL17 and did have a 28 until it's meter died and went to the great rangefinder shelf in the sky!! I found the 28's lens to be pin sharp and, fast-ness aside, you'd have to be pretty keen to tell the difference between it and the QL19/QL17.

 

[filmgoerjuan]

Yeah, I think I'm going to try my first ever repair with the meter on the 28. Hopefully it's just the battery compartment issue and I won't have to remove the leatherette to access the right front panel (although it's also got the film advance lock issue as well, which would require removing the leatherette to access that part).

P.S. Thanks for the compliment, pcfranchina