Canon Canonet QL17 Lens Disassembly and Shutter and Aperture Cleaning

The majority of issues with the Canonet stem from sticky shutters and aperture blades. To get at the shutter and aperture you have to remove the front lens element. Here's a quick look at how it's done.
If you're looking to disassemble to top half of the camera to clean a dirty viewfinder here's a link to another video showing that;
• Canon Canonet QL17 Ran...

[@michaelraus-m9f]

Great! Thanks to your video I succeeded to repair the shutter of my first camera that haven't been used since 45 years! Your video is clear and easy to be followed. Thanks a lot!

[@DisturbedMephit]

Thank you! I was able to fix some of my Canonet because of your video! This is gold!

[@ivory0dawn]

Thanks for the video. Was able to disassemble and tighten up the lense that had loosened up over many years of travel.

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

Glad to hear it! 👍

[@rezasadeghi1050]

Before you advance the film, the aperture only closes but not open. After advancing, it both opens and closes. If you open the aperture before advancing the film, it will snap into the correct opening once you actuate the lever. This is normal. In your video also aperture doesn't open every time before you have advanced the film.

[@filmlovephotography]

The aperture only open if the advance lever is cocked. Will close, but not open until you cocked the shutter. Cheers

[@markroy2098]

I can see how this method might remove the oil from the visible parts of the front side of the aperture and shutter blades . But what about the back? Sticky blades are usually caused by helical lubricant breaking down and separating into dried gunk and thin oil,. The thin oil then migrates to places it where it shouldn't be. Obviously the oil is not choosy and is going to affect the back of the blades just as much, if not more so, than the small visible area at the front. How will this hack clean the oil from the back of the blades? Or from the hinged edges, which are not visible? I'll give you a clue: it won't. So the problem will simply recur later. To do the job properly, the whole lens and shutter assembly needs to be removed from the body. The blades need to be taken apart and cleaned individually, then reassembled. It is a good idea to replace the old helical lubricant at the same time - you know, the stuff that caused the problem in the first place - with a synthetic product of the right grade.

[@SteveSelvidge]

My QL17 GIII has the other problem, the shutter speed ring doesn’t click and change speeds. Don’t know how to fix that.

[@matthewl.4269]

Any idea how to access where the focusing lever is attached? Mine is loose and wobbly - I’d like to tighten it

[@f1remandg]

Tweezers, oh once you start to get used to using them, you use them more and it’s so nice!

[@karasnider4868]

I have a ql17 that won't fire the shutter, but the self timer also appears to be stuck in the on position. Any suggestions for cleaning out the gears in the self timer assembly?

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

I'm so sorry I didn't respond to you sooner, you've got a couple options. You can try to muscle the timer back into the off position, or you can take the whole thing apart. That'll mean taking out the front lens elements. Check out my IG, cult_of_the_canonet. There are lots of videos there, repair tips and tricks, etc

[@Riverbear14]

Hello! Any advice on how to fix connection to an external flash. I tried connecting mg flash through hot shoe and even through the sync cord, but it won't work. I have a Canonet QL17 GIII too.

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

If the cover isn't attached to the sync port the hotshoe won't trigger a flash, so make sure the cover is installed. Also I believe you can't shoot in auto with a flash unless it's a Canon Canolite D, so select a speed and aperture manually. If neither of those things help you may have a loose or broken connection somewhere.

[@foxinacoconut8989]

I managed to fix my canonet aperture following your guide! Now I have a partially stuck rangefinder mechanism. The mirror rotate only between 5m to infinity. Any idea about how to fix it? Few days ago it was working perfectly. Fixing one thing, and another immediately breaks 😅

[@foxinacoconut8989]

The rangefinder is also calibrated when at infinity

[@foxinacoconut8989]

Thanks!

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

Well I'm glad you got the aperture working 😂. Pull the top off (instructions in my other video) and see if you can see why the mirror isn't moving. It moves with the focus ring

[@MrRochaAndrew]

are these methods the same for fixing the shutter speed ring? Mine is really hard to turn... I dropped my camera from 2 feet so i dont know if something got misaligned inside the camera. Please let me know what you think

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

Be real honest with you, the shutter speed ring is not something I mess with often. Dropping it could have compressed the rings on the lens barrel making it hard to turn or something internal could be blocking it. You could get the repair manual and take it apart if you're feeling brave. I guess it depends on how confident you are doing that sort of thing.

[@SDsailor7]

Do they still sell batteries for these cameras? The QL19 I have had a battery that says H-D on the positive side. I don't know what would be a current replacement.

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

Yes and no 🤣. The original battery is no longer made because it contained mercury. There are a few modern replacements. instagram.com/tv/CMLsszjHm-A/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[@enosone]

Anyone know the size of the top plate screws? I bought a pretty used QL17 and wanted to see if anyone knows the right screws used to hold the plate in place.

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

I've got no idea unfortunately. You could take it to a hardware store and just try screws until you find something that fits 🤷‍♂️

[@juliakuijpers2608]

Hey Ryan do you have an idea on how i fix my diaphragm?

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

I dunno, what's wrong with it?

[@tonyhomsi2245]

Hey Ryan do you have one of these for the olympus rd?

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

I do not, unfortunately, but I did just get an Olympus RC yesterday which I imagine is similar and I may crack it open for educational purposes 🤷‍♂️

[@mrfeelnothing9586]

Hey Ryan, Can I do this with the ql19? I’m having issues with the light meter. Electronics work but something finicky is happening where it’s not reading light all the time

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

Yes you can, either the smaller body new QL19 or the older models with the larger body.

[@erikalvner]

I bought the QL19 GIII in mint condition and it worked flawlessly for a couple of days, but I think I somehow got something into the focus system. The ring feels stuck and gritty, if I insert a toothbrush with a tiny bit of isopropanol into the focus ring and scrub a little, the stiffness goes away temporarily. I've tried naphta as I read it would help online, but it didn't do anything. Do you have any idea how I would go about lubricating or cleaning out the focus system? The problem is obviously not in the rangefinder path area, as it clears up if I put alcohol around the focus ring

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

Well, if there's junk stuck under the focus ring the best way you clean it out is to take off the focus ring. This is getting into some pretty in depth disassembly. If you feel confident taking it apart I'd say go for it, but if not I wouldn't advise pulling apart the whole lens barrel on a camera that's functioning fine otherwise

[@marker4986]

hi there! i tried opening up the lenses but could not take out the front lens. only the black metal piece and the first lens came out

[@brendanbaxter3438]

I came here trying to solve the same issue 😑

[@SDsailor7]

Does it apply to the QL19 also?anyone know? Thank you

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

I'm so sorry I missed this. Yes it does apply to the QL19 as well. You might find minor differences here and there but the concept is the same.

[@kaysibbeston]

I'm new to photography and cameras in general, is there a way to install/add a better lens? I've got my eye on a Hanimex macro, but I'm not sure what it's compatible with.

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

The Canonet lens is fixed and can't be interchanged for another. You'd need an SLR camera with a removable lens. Are we talking film or digital?

[@wiseanddead6045]

Will this work for the Canonet 28?

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

Yep, same method, but the parts will look a little different.

[@joeyvigil]

Have you ever seen the classic movie "Flyin' Ryan"?

[@jssvdr]

thank you!

[@ontheflywithryan5611]

I hope it helps!