Canon LTM What's the original Canonet like?

[xwhatsit]

Hi there, posted a thread a little while ago about how I wanted to acquire a compact(er) RF. Many suggested the QL17.

Having a great deal of trouble finding such a thing here in New Zealand. However there is a relative abundance of the original Canonet (along with the Junior, which I will avoid), with the selenium meter around the lens.

If my bid on an absolutely gorgeous little Canon Demi fails (the original, selenium metred as well), I might take an interest in one of these Canonets.

I look at the spec sheet; what's not to like? No battery as far as I can tell, 45mm f1.9, five elements in four groups, relatively compact (although not anywhere as small as I'd like, damnit for missing the Petri Color 35 for $NZ90!). Apparently it can do manual as well, although I'm going to guess I'd lose metering then. Copal shutter; B, 1 - 1/500, I assume the SLV shutter is broadly similar to the SV and SVL in my Lynx 1000 and Minister D.

How does it stack up?

 

[Ranchu]

Shutter release and ergonomics are a bit 'agricultural' imo. QL17 is pretty good in that respect.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

The QL17 III was the third Canonet model, used mercury batteries (1.35 V) and didn't have a selenium meter (though it was still around the lens). It was also slightly smaller, and had the Canon Quick-Load method (which is really fool-proof!!) to load film into the camera, a battery test button, a film advance indicator and a meter that blocked the shutter if the exposure was above or below its sensitivity range. That, along with a very decent flash system (in which camera and flash communicated and set the aperture according to the distance detected by the rangefinder in the camera), makes the QL17 III the best Canonet there is.

But then, if it's not available near you... and your need is really strong, try the others instead. You'll have good, clean fun in the process! 🙂

 

[xwhatsit]

Cheers guys! Well, I won the Canon Demi so hopefully that'll allay the need to buy another old and inevitably broken camera for a while, as long as I can embrace the low-fi half-frame format! However there's simply too many of these old Canonets around to ignore.

Shutter release and ergonomics are a bit 'agricultural' imo. QL17 is pretty good in that respect.

That's a good point. I haven't shot many rolls on the Minister D yet but have really bonded with it because it just feels lovely. However I'm going to sell the Electro because it simply feels clumsy and clunky.

The QL17 III was the third Canonet model, used mercury batteries (1.35 V) and didn't have a selenium meter (though it was still around the lens). It was also slightly smaller, and had the Canon Quick-Load method (which is really fool-proof!!) to load film into the camera, a battery test button, a film advance indicator and a meter that blocked the shutter if the exposure was above or below its sensitivity range. That, along with a very decent flash system (in which camera and flash communicated and set the aperture according to the distance detected by the rangefinder in the camera), makes the QL17 III the best Canonet there is.

But then, if it's not available near you... and your need is really strong, try the others instead. You'll have good, clean fun in the process! 🙂

Have never really found loading film to be difficult, and dislike batteries (and flash too). However I didn't realise it was smaller.

I might see if I can get my hands on one just to have a play. I'll definitely still keep my eye out for a QL17 III though.

 

[airds]

Got a Demi EE17 - a lovely wee camera, beautiful, just SO '60's.
http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/demi.html

 

[btgc]

Judging from Ricoh Five-One-Nine, bottom wind trigger offers great ergonomics.

Probably lens has element less than praised G]I[ QL, but hey, does it costs premium asked for later model? Meter? It's manual camera with selenium decaration in front of lens 🙂

Personally I prefer clean, uncluttered look (especially of top cover) of original Canonet. I like ergonomics and look, too, in cameras.

 

[Argenticien]

A few things I learned when I bought my Canonet a couple of years ago: You could get the QL19 for less, sometimes much less, if you're willing to sacrifice 0.32 stops, or whatever is that difference between f/1.7 and f/1.9. This one, with no admitted "needs repair" or similar, went for USD 5.

Also, even looking at only the 1.7 models, if you're willing to forgo the vaunted "GIII" on the front, you can save a lot, like on this one (although tele & wide lenses? -- I don't know about that!). There are arcane differences among the pre-GIII 1.7 models ("New" vs. "Luxury", or some such) that have to do with non-mission-critical things like battery-check lights. I went with one these models.

People seem willing to pay a lot for those four little red letters or Roman numerals -- often over USD 150 -- and I thought that was bollocks. The minor differences aren't worth it.

Of course I don't know what's out there in NZ, but at least above approaches could work in theory.

--Dave

 

[btgc]

Just realized GIII QL doesn't has typical full 1-1/500 range of speeds, instead of original Canonet. Sure it depends whether one needs those slow speeds at all, or can work around with Bulb mode.

Guys, call me a nerd but there's NO WAY I would pay over-100 prices for fixed lens RF, chrome, black or rainbow.
Well..I will confess...only one were Konica III but I'm not in USA nor Japan so I basically hadn't ways to sneak for cheaper one at yard sales and such. And that were then 🙂