New Canonet QL17 vs GIII QL17

U

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Hi guys & gals!

Can any of you tell me what the difference is between these two cameras?

All I've been able to find out so far is that the GIII is meant to be an updated model, with a battery test light and a strengthened rewind handle. Other than that, are there any differences?

How is battery testing achieved in the earlier "New QL17"? Is it using the meter needle in the viewfinder?

Does this earlier model feature automatic parallax correction in the viewfinder like the GIII?

Does anyone know if the lenses are the same, with the same number of elements, same quality coatings, etc.

I'm just trying to get a better feel for whether it's always worth paying the extra for a GIII.

Thanks for your help.
Treve
 
The G-III is more recent and smaller than the non-G-III. Otherwise, they have the same AE system, lens type and film load mechanism. The non-G-III tend to come cheaper, while the G-III's prices are inflated by a certain measure of fetishism.
 
Actually, there are three (3) Canonet 17's. The original is the big one and it uses a longer lens. It is recognizable by its flat top.

The second is the one that Treve is thinking about getting. I have one. It is built on the same body as the GIII (which is the third model). However, it uses the meter needle as the battery check device. It does have automatic parallax compensation via the bright lines in the finder.

The lens and shutter are identical with that of the GIII. It was only made for a few years before the GIII was introduced and so exists in smaller numbers. One would think that that fact would make it more valuable than the GIII which is more common. However the 2nd model (designated by Canon as the new Model) costs less on the auction market.

All three also have the QL loading system. Look closely before you buy, so you don't inadvertently end up with the Original QL17. It's a good camera, but considerably larger than the New Model and the GIII.

-Paul
 
According to an exchange on the RF forum that Steve Gandy runs, The lens changed slightly on the GIII. The poster, had bought a parts Canonet G (2nd vers) to use the front element (I think) as a replacement for the one on his GIII. He found the two were slightly different. I would stick to the same model if looking for parts for repair.
 
I've read that generally, it's not a good idea to mix lens components from different lenses in making a repair. There is probably always some slight variation between optical components and manufacturers are supposed to make an effort to match them as best as they can.

I don't follow that forum, but it should have been possible to swap an entire lens/shutter assembly between those two cameras given their similarity. Some re-calibration of focus would still have been required. On the other hand, sometimes manufacturers make significant internal changes during production that makes swaps impossible. The GIII was in production a long time. A lot could have changed over the years.

Nonetheless, they both had (nominally) 40mm/1.7 lenses while my original model QL17 has a 45mm/1.7.

-Paul
 
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