Canon Canonet G-III QL17 Rangefinder Camera Manual Demonstrating the Camera Interface and Operation

[@CollinSoderholm]

These videos are by far the most helpful and informative videos out there!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@kevinkelly4912]

I didn't see anyone else mention it, but I believe the 3 blue numbers on the aperture ring were for different bulb flash units. I think that is what my manual says.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@PhotoBug3042]

My first “real” camera! Got it in the mid 1970’s and got many wonderful shots with it. Sold it 25 years ago but might pick up another just for nostalgia. Biggest thing holding me back might be the rangefinder focusing patch, which is hard for my eyes to find sometimes! Not a canonet problem- it’s all rangefinders.

[@DavidHancock]

That was hard for me, too, even with younger eyes. I find rangefinders need an exceptionally bright and relatively large focusing patch for me to use them any more.

[@Fast58Eddie]

I have on these cameras, I had it CLA and the electronics reworked so it can use a modern battery that allows the meter to work correctly. It is a wonderful little camera that takes great photos without a great deal of complications. Thank you for the review.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@jd5787]

Just received mine & haven't loaded a film in yet. It looks like it is in mint condition... Eager to go out and shoot with it! Thanks for the useful video.

[@DavidHancock]

Nice and thank you!

[@mbecker163]

You're FINALLY doing a rangefinder!! Very excited!! Two to consider - Olympus 35SP and the Minoltina ALs. Thanks for all of the great videos!!!!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! So I have a small box of rangefinders (and maybe a couple of viewfinders) to do videos on. They'll have their own theme month probably at the end of this year. That will include the Leica IIIb, Ricoh 800, and Konica S2 for sure.

[@cosminovidiumunteanu]

Thanks a lot. A have one since 2009. Works great!

[@DavidHancock]

Nice!

[@tomc8273]

Hi David, and thanks. this is one of my favorite "little" cameras. works great and meter works too. and is accurate and is not expensive to buy. Just don't have giant hands!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you, Tom, and yes, this would be hard to use with large hands.

[@andykphoto]

6:48 the “backup indicator” is apparently the shutter charge indicator, red for ready to shoot, white for not advanced/charged shutter.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@andykphoto]

@@DavidHancock no problem, I’ve been bingeing canonet videos 😹😸

[@geloybautista8667]

This video is a gem. Thank you!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@0rb0d]

Funny....I just came across this the same day it was posted, as I was working on replacing the light seals on my G-III!

[@DavidHancock]

Nice! That's perfect timing. I also have a video on replacing light seals with cotton yarn light seals. That's a very reliable approach.

[@0rb0d]

@@DavidHancock yes, I've seen your cotton yarn video you did earlier, and like that approach....and did that for an Olympus half-frame camera. On the G-III, the worst part is re-attaching the door! I almost gave up this week..but I had done it 10 years ago, so I knew it was possible...perhaps my tolerance has gone down!

[@Ricardo-SW]

Love mine, no need for a Leica or .... Thanks for posting!

[@peskymacaw9033]

The Canonet are good range finders, but personally I prefer my Hi-matic 9

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@DavidHancock]

Also very nice cameras for sure.

[@The-Travel-Man]

I have Canon Canonet QL-25, which has slower but surprisingly sharp glass and working meter. Also, on many of these, case in point being a Konica Auto S1.6, many meters just have faulty wires. The meter might be functional.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you and that's a good point. This is about to go on to the Shawnee Union channel I'll run that past him and see if he wants to look into it.

[@eckergus]

David, thank you for the review! Excellent. You mentioned that the light meter is not working on your copy. You did mentioned the problem with the voltage discrepancy--I agree. But, I am wondering if your copy is also having some difficulties because the black plastic face plate on the front of the lense is not aligned. It looks like it is offset. The light meter window may not be aligned with the opening where the light meter sensor is, so light is not being fed to the meter appropriately. It may be worth taking a look at. That could be an easy fix. Anyway, that's just a thought. Thank you for your review.

[@DavidHancock]

I'm not sure. I ended up sending this back to the owner already, but that's always possible.

[@jacwally1426]

Hi David! Thanks for this tutorial! Just wanted to make sure that I understood that the built-in light meter only works in A-mode which is confusingly not aperture-priority mode but shutter-speed priority? The light meter in the viewfinder doesn’t work in manual mode, is that right? And I still did not understand what the numbers on the other side of A mode from the shutter speeds are all about. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! All the best, PJ ☺️🙏

[@DavidHancock]

I believe so, but big asterisk, on the one I had the meter was totally dead in all modes.

[@atroche1978]

I doubt the electronics are shot. It could be something as simple as the positive battery lead. I replaced mine and the meter came to life. It's a pretty easy fix.

[@DavidHancock]

That's a distinct possibility. I sent this back to the owner already but I'm hoping he'll get it fixed.

[@davidcunningham1206]

I pulled out one of these that’s probably been in storage for at least 20+ years. It seems to be in generally good shape with slight corrosion on the battery and a bad light seal. My main concern is that the shutter release doesn’t seem to be functioning (the winding feels good, just no release/shutter opening). I’m not sure when I’ll get it to a shop, but I’m wondering if people have anything I might try/whether there would be hope on getting parts/repair done.

[@DavidHancock]

Very nice! If it needs repairs, the channel to ask on that is the Fix Old Cameras channel. He knows camera repairs very well.

[@ChairmanZhongXiNa]

Don't get discouraged if the battery check lamp doesn't light up with a fresh battery, these old lightbulbs tend to burn out really easily. Mine died, and I nearly had a heart attack before I decided to actually check the meter :)

[@DavidHancock]

I had hoped! They camera locks up in anything except manual mode until it's switched back to manual. :(

[@denisatrixie]

Hi David, love this video! Is there any way to shoot double exposure with this camera? Some articles said that it has something to do with the rewind/release button at the botton. Any idea?

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! I think I cover double exposures at the end. If they're possible, it's typically the last subject. There's an index in the description that will have time stamps and links to the content.

[@caldera878]

David, what do you think about Canon LTM rangefinders like the Canon P or 7?

[@DavidHancock]

I don't have any thoughts. I haven't ever held one of them, let alone used one. Someday.

[@beckylee7118]

thank you for this video! how do you check if the battery is working if the check light is not turning on?

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! Check the automatic modes. If they are working then so is the battery.

[@Cheetorblz]

My flash (sunpak pz42x) on the hot shoe won't fire on this camera. Are there any particular camera setting to get it to work.?

[@DavidHancock]

Nothing comes to mind. Does the flash work on other cameras? If yes, do you have another flash you can use yup test on this camera? That will identify if the issue is a faulty hot shoe or a faulty flash.

[@Cheetorblz]

@@DavidHancock Yeah. I have several. I will try when I get home.

[@Cheetorblz]

@@DavidHancock it was the flash. The the pins didn't line up- the front of the door too long I used a Canon 420ex flash and it worked fine. Thanks!

[@richard-fy2mu]

I have one found in trunk in rolled up paper. It is solid but I question whether it has any value now

[@DavidHancock]

If the optics are clean and it works, fairly good. These are surprisingly expensive cameras (a couple hundred for a good one.)

[@richard-fy2mu]

@@DavidHancock I found a battery in our inventory BR625 that is as close as possible t epx625 which is mercury I think I have the flash for it. Locally the buyer pool is slim and maybe later can sell in California for that. Reducing voltage ups current to compensate. Problem is most newer batteries are higher voltages but cannot sustain a current draw. I will let you know how it works out but even no battery it does well!!!! Locally we have no real photo shop and film I am not finding here let alone development is a concern. I like taking shots from a telescope and field binocs.

[@erikepskamp1991]

David, thanks for the video. I have a Canonet QL 17 (not G-III), what is the major difference?

[@DavidHancock]

I think the light meter placement is the significant difference.

[@werewolf164]

Hi, the blades always remain with the small aperture seen at 12:55 in this type of camera? Thanks!

[@DavidHancock]

I believe that they always remain at the selected aperture after exposure.

[@Stesalti]

I am undecided whether to buy this or the Olympus 35sp. which is the best rangefinder between the two? and the quality of the optics? In your experience, which is the largest and brightest rangefinder that exists? at 54 and with glasses I'm afraid of not being able to focus well

[@DavidHancock]

I haven't used the 35SP, so I can't speak to it. All RF viewfinders are pretty small and brightness will be more affected by age, dirt, and mirror tarnish than anything else now. If size isn't an issue, I might look at a Yashica GSN. Another approach would be to get an RF with a wider lens than standard and use a smaller aperture and greater DoF to your advantage.

[@Stesalti]

@@DavidHancock ty i have used an gsn but the problem is the same...

[@richard-fy2mu]

I work with battery supplier what was number of original battery for this camera. Might be a newer battery then A76357 closer in voltage.

[@DavidHancock]

I forget the original number for these. They were the 1.35-V mercury cell batteries that are the same size as the PX650 (or 625, I forget which) today. Wien Cell has an option, but they're spendy.

[@richard-fy2mu]

@@DavidHancock Very spendy but more I toy with this camera less likely I am to sell. Film still not locally a find but it seems way lens is can attach to telescope or field glass to take pics.

[@hilmanazman8734]

hey do u know why when i set the camera to Automatic mode, the shutter wont fire.. ?

[@DavidHancock]

Is there a battery installed? If yes, then that means there's an electronic issue. The camera should still work in manual mode in that case.

[@affigueiredo74]

In automatic mode the shutter won’t fire in order to prevent you from shooting a photo with the wrong exposure. In the viewfinder you can see that the needle it’s in the red area. Just adjust your speed so that the needle moves to the white area and the camera will fire.

[@vlekov]

Finally :)

[@DavidHancock]

I know. It took a long time to arrive.

[@vlekov]

Are you planning on getting the light meter running?

[@chandikalakmal5838]

Can this camera use without battery?

[@DavidHancock]

Yes but only in full manual and you won't have a light meter. You'll need to use an external light meter.

[@chandikalakmal5838]

@@DavidHancock thanks for the info 💖💖

[@fatherheer]

What is your favorite range finder camera? How would the Canonet rank in your list?

[@DavidHancock]

I don't know that I have a list. I think the Canonet is a good camera with a good lens. In general, I like as small a rangefinder as possible. If an RF is the same size as an SLR, then the SLR has a number of usability benefits and I'll just use one of those instead. If I had a favorite, it might be the Yashica 35 GSN due to the amazing lenses those have.

[@jeanninebrewer]

interface?

[@DavidHancock]

Interface. How the user interacts work the camera.

[@jeanninebrewer]

@@DavidHancock then say that.

[@DavidHancock]

@@jeanninebrewer I did. That's the definition of interface.