Canonet QL17 GIII - A Leica for hard times? 35mm rangefinder film camera

[@then_comes_dudley]

found one of these many many years ago in an old antique store for like $10. very excitedly ordered some new light seals for it, replaced them, then promptly shoved it in a drawer for a decade. finally getting back to shooting film and, for a number of reasons, it's my only camera. very stoked about putting it through its paces for the next however-long-until-i-run-out-of-money

[@JamieMPhoto]

Glad you kept it around! I think it's a wonderful little camera that lives up to the hype. Easy to load, easy to shoot. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@then_comes_dudley]

@@JamieMPhoto have you had any film advance lever weirdness with yours? I noticed that if I agitate it slightly after advancing the film, something gets knocked out of place & I can advance the film again (but the shutter stays armed). Kind of a non-issue since it has that "ready" indicator, but I think I lose a couple of frames per roll because of accidentally advancing through them

[@JamieMPhoto]

Hmm. The only thing that's happened to me is that it's possible to stop advancing after the shutter has re-primed and you can take slightly overlapping/toughing frames. But maybe there's a thing that comes up as the lubrication dries out.

[@Chrisb8s]

I picked up one of these a few years ago. It is so sturdy and I know that is sounds strange, but if just feels like a camera. I love the nearly silent click of the shutter, and you didn't mention it, but the sound of the timer is so cool. I mainly use my cameras on vacation. My family goes a little crazy with all the photos that I take (on my Sony digital camera) I want to shake it up a bit on our next trip to Japan. I also have DJI pocket 2, for videos and I am thinking about just using that to document the trip and keep my eye out for awesome photos using this camera that is hanging around my neck. Getting the photos developed after the trip will be fun. I tried it on a recent trip to San Francisco and I find myself looking at the actual print photos of that trip from this camera, more than I would go back and look at my instagram photos.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Print is so underrated! Even small prints just look so much better than anything on a phone ... and phones are stupendously nice these days. Something about having it in your hands is so nice, and it's such a full sensory experience without notifications coming up or the urge to swipe over to something else. Now that you mention it, old school self-timers are seriously undervalued, too. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@andrewmeissner3858]

this is very interesting, used to shoot with an M4p that had M6 eyes installed. I shot in the field professionally for many years, but wearing glasses now, rangefinders are just no longer an option. I stick with my Nikon FM2 now for quick street work and prefer the VF over the FM3A. Keep 'em clickin'.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Interesting! Yeah, my eyes aren't awesome, but they're hanging in there so far. That said, I really appreciate ultra bright/large viewfinders and focusing aids. And it's nice to have autofocus when I'm able. Thank you for watching and for the comment!

[@richardt1792]

A Leica is a piece of jewelry that happens to take pictures. People are obsessed with status symbols. Clothing, purses, cars, homes; more than there function, they imply status. I have a Honda Accord that Credit Karma is worth less than $5000 (actually less that $2000 because of body damage), It is highly reliable and gets me where I need to go. I live in an area where most people own cars that cost at least $80K with occasional sports cars selling for up to several million dollars. I don't worry about my car getting stolen or getting carjacked. Likewise, no one is going to shank me for my Canon G III. A lot of people go broke trying to impress strangers. Whatever that is, I don't have that.

[@JamieMPhoto]

I have to say that at least Leicas are exceptionally well made and do produce excellent results. Now, if that slight improvement in quality of build and image are worth $5,000 ... it's very debatable.

[@utcb0823]

I had someone’s car door fling into mine during a wind gust and I was not concerned in the slightest. Why? Because i am gonna drive this thing into the ground and it camouflages it further when parking downtown. I don’t have to worry as much about car break ins. Chevy Volt with 180,000 miles.

[@AndrewGoodCamera]

I used to have two of them. I miss them. I love the focus experience, between the throw and the rangefinder.

[@JamieMPhoto]

I really avoided this camera for years, but I'm glad I've given it a chance. It's really only a bit behind the Leica M4-P I used to own for ease of focus. I'd have kept the Leica but didn't see myself committing to that lens system at the time. Thankfully the investment in this thing is minuscule, so hopefully I can hang onto it. Thank you for watching and commenting!!

[@gianmarcomaioli]

Those Delta 100 + Yellow Filter results... what a combo!

[@JamieMPhoto]

Thank you! I need to pull out this combination again soon. Maybe try some with red, too.

[@AimShootDevelop]

Those images taken with Kodak gold are gorgeous!

[@JamieMPhoto]

Thank you! Every time I am ready to dismiss Gold, I remember how nice it can be.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Do you have a favorite shot from my Canonet QL17 GIII photos? Have you tried this camera or another one of these compact rangefinders?

[@TerraMarique007]

“...can survive the EMP...” made me laugh out loud. My copy also has a bad battery compartment and needs the Sunny 16 rule. I agree with Jamie, but I couldn’t be this good. I love this!

[@JamieMPhoto]

Haha, awesome. And thank you! I am excited to take the camera out again sometime ... with a properly fitted filter. Do you use any filters with yours?

[@randallstewart175]

I bought one, then later another, of these Canons when they were devalued yb folks going digital and before the film resurgence". The lens is not just "decent" per the video, it is flat incredible. Along with the lens in the Olympus RD, the best lenses ever put in a compact rangefinder camera. As the rest of the camera, as good as any, better than most, but it is basically a sheet metal Japanese camera. Never would be confused with a Leica for durability. Of course, it also has a lot more features and function missing from the classic Leicas. (I probably paid about $35 for my first camera; I know I paid $15 for the second. Both are mint.)

[@jd5787]

Good prices... When did you buy? I can't find anything cheap...

[@randallstewart175]

@@jd5787 Probably the first in the late 1980s at a camera swap meet, The second was bought as a gift for the (I thought) budding photographer son of a friend on the spur of the moment as I was walking out the door at another swap meet. The Kardashins were still fighting to see who could get felt up in the back seat of daddy's Mercedes, so these types of cameras had very little cash value in the face of the "digital revolution". I ended up keeping the 2nd one because it became evident that the proposed donee had lost all interest in film photography. A few years later, I did buy him a small Nikon digital two-zoom rig for his birthday. and his photo bug did get firmly planted eventually.

[@jd5787]

@@randallstewart175 no chance for me to go back in time and get cameras at these sort of prices then haha! 😁

[@Narsuitus]

Before I could afford my Leica rangefinder, I routinely used the Canonet when I needed a quiet rangefinder. I now use the Canonet as a disposable backup to my M6.

[@JamieMPhoto]

It handles both situations quite well. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@aspookyfox]

Did you load batteries? Do the batteries do anything? I’m curious because you said that the light meter is broken?? How does that affect the ISO/ASA jawns?

[@JamieMPhoto]

Actually, the only thing that was broken was the battery check button and I just never checked close enough. ha ha. It shot fine manually, but it was actually fully functional ... I just discovered it a few months after making the video.

[@Nerdzombiedisco]

My copy was jamming at around 14 shots. The film was "fat rolling" on the take-up spool. I fixed it by remembering to advance the film with a quick & forceful motion to keep the film taught.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Wow, glad you found a solution, at least! Too good of a camera to go to waste without trying something. Thank you for sharing!

[@Nerdzombiedisco]

@@JamieMPhoto Sometimes I get lucky after all the film cameras I've been through. Perhaps this advice will help someone too.

[@jazzman1626]

It shouldn’t be too hard to find a 48mm filter adapter. I got one for using with my 52mm filters which I also use on my Zorki 4K with its adapter. Love your photos especially the monochrome ones. That yellow filter is great.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Thank you! I did manage to find one, I was just mostly exasperated that I had collected some 30 adapters and didn't have a single 48mm thread among them. ha ha. I appreciate it! I am trying to concentrate on shooting more black and white film for the moment, and I feel like a yellow filter will be living on my cameras.

[@atroche1978]

Mine also came with a non working light meter. I took it apart and soldered a new battery lead. It spring back to life. The meter is pretty close to accurate.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Awesome! Also helpful in case I want to score future deals. Love being able to do that. Thank you for the tip and comment!

[@filmismorefun]

I had a laugh when you were listing the quirks.. "is got some light seal probs, the shutter winder had a bit of an issue..." Such is life shooting film cameras lol. I had a QL 2.5 and loved it. The lenses in those QLs are sharp as heck.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Haha, yeah. Thankfully both of those things are pretty easy to work around. I discovered that the battery check light still works, and so does the meter! I'm going to buy a viewfinder frame soon to see if I can make it whole again. And yeah! I've thought about selling it, but I really feel like I'd regret it.

[@filmismorefun]

@@JamieMPhoto That's cool the meter ended up working. With those QLs long as the rangefinder is in good shape a lot of the other stuff is easily repairable. I've definitely done the 'sell it and regret it' a couple times myself lol.

[@randallstewart175]

Canon's use of odd filter sizes for its lenses over the rangefinder era is a revolving source of frustration, however adapting to the 48mm filter threads complained of here is cheap and simple. Ebay currently has several dozen step-up rings from 48 to 49mm, or to 55mm, for around $5 new. If you are older and really cheap, ebay also has adapter rings from 48mm to Serties 6 or 7, allowing the purchase of very high quality, very cheap filters from the 1950s and 60s in the Series sizes, which sell for peanuts. If you want to complain about something, try to find either the custom Canon ventilated lenshodd made for this camera, or the custon hard shell camera case, to replace the softer plastic case which came with the camera when new, but disintegrated years ago.

[@RobMoses]

I enjoyed the video. Looks like a really good little camera.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Thank you! I appreciate it. It's a lot of fun, easy to use, and really high quality ... a great combination!

[@GavinLyonsCreates]

Nice little review, the Ilford shots with the yellow filter came out well - the constrast

[@JamieMPhoto]

Awesome, thank you! I agree. I always like Delta 100, and that little extra punch really sold me. I'm going to get a proper adapter for the 48mm thread and probably keep using it like that.

[@JamesBerry]

I have one of those beauties myself and just love it :D

[@JamesBerry]

You should try to get your hands on an Olympus 35 RC. It's an absolute beast for it's size even with a very plastic'y feeling lens.

[@JamieMPhoto]

I've heard really good things about those, too! They're definitely on my radar. You have to love cameras with really wonderful design. Thank you for the tip, and comments!

[@GindahouseC]

I've just serviced one and will try to test it out next week. It's a more than capable camera but it's not as sturdy as it looks to be honest. It's rangefinder couldn't be more different than the one on a higher end camera. It's focusing patch is similar to the one of a Yashica Electro, Polaroid 600SE or Fuji 645. Anyways, nice review!

[@JamieMPhoto]

Thank you! Yeah, I feel like the lens area isn't the sturdiest. I agree that the rangefinder isn't up to (let's say) Leica standards, but I was very pleased that the actual use of it (at least casually) was not as far removed as I had feared. Thanks for the comment and for watching!

[@theoldcameraguy]

48mm? Yeah that’s a new one...Glad to see I’m not the only one who digs run down basketball hoops

[@JamieMPhoto]

There unsurprisingly are not a ton of 48mm step up options. Haha. And yeah! Some goals have a really neat design, and since the city removed the hoops, it’s another level of interestingness.

[@jaredengland1955]

It's now on my wish list. Very cool video mate

[@JamieMPhoto]

Awesome! I'd say it's definitely worth it. Thanks for watching and thank you for the comment!

[@aaron3455]

this camera was built to use what are now banned mercury batteries; to get the light meter to work you need to use a wein cell MRB625 battery or a schottky diode adapter with a SR-44 battery

[@JamieMPhoto]

I actually got it figured out a while after I posted the video! I assumed it was broken, as the previous owner said. But you are right: The meter matches my Sekonic perfectly, and the only broken thing is the eyecup. Thank you for commenting and watching!

[@jd5787]

Hi! Where would you write the diode please?

[@theplourde]

For someone getting into film for the first time would you recommend this camera? Also I’ve heard that the batter itself isn’t made anymore is there a replacement I can easily get?

[@JamieMPhoto]

Hello! This would be a very fine first film camera, though if you want something on an even tighter budget, the Canon Rebel, A2 and Elan EOS cameras are wonderful options that can use modern Canon AF glass. Nikon has some budget beauties that are very similar, too ... such as the F90 or even cameras like the N2020. As far as the batteries go, I actually got this Canonet's meter to work after all, and it seemed to be accurate. I used a WeinCell MRB625 purchased from a ubiquitous online retailer. I hope this is helpful!

[@injeolmi6]

I subscribed. I will, hopefully, get one for my birthday!

[@JamieMPhoto]

Awesome! Thank you, and I hope you can get one! They're great cameras.

[@roydaone]

It can shoot without the battery?

[@JamieMPhoto]

It can! Obviously no meter or automatic mode, but you can do manual exposure without the battery. I actually found out my battery and meter were fully functional after this video.

[@naufalmuhammad7478]

is it iso 400 (pushing) in your fujicolor result?

[@JamieMPhoto]

I think I used Colorplus 200 and Gold 200. Both used at box speed. I hope that helps!

[@Clemente310x]

How do you know what settings to dial if there is no light meter in manual mode

[@JamieMPhoto]

If the meter works, you see what it says in auto and then switch to manual and go from that. Or what I did during this video, when I thought the meter was broken (it wasn't), I used an external meter app on my phone. You can also Sunny 16 pretty successfully with this camera, as well.

[@hannajessamalicdem1402]

@@JamieMPhoto Hi what app is that? Thanks

[@JamieMPhoto]

@@hannajessamalicdem1402 Hello! It is Pocket Light Meter ... I think it might cost close to 12.99 USD now, but it's done me well and I have to say it's probably worth it. Super helpful in a pinch, and is accurate, too. I hope that helps!

[@ribsy]

"apocalypse leica" haha great thumbnail

[@JamieMPhoto]

Haha, thank you! Glad you appreciate that one.

[@capone_rd_809]

These things are hard to find one that actually works 😖 I have bought two so far that have been total trash, and it's haunting me, I just want to find one that works, and It's not overpriced.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Aw, shoot! Yeah ... I wish they hadn't gotten out of hand after this. If it helps, I hear the other Canonets are very much worth a look. Possibly the QL19? They seem to be priced much more reasonably and some of them are not much larger than this more popular model. Thank you for watching, and good luck!

[@JamieMPhoto]

Oh yeah, also looks like the Original QL17-L especially was very close and is priced a lot more like the GIII was when I made this video.

[@devinlyons4626]

I got mine for $25 and got luck finding new glass that had no scratches on it for another $20 so it has great body and perfect glass it's my favorite to use haha

[@JamieMPhoto]

Awesome! Great find. I probably could have found a few dirt cheap, but I was always pointlessly dismissive of them. My loss, for sure.

[@gui4j]

chill out dude... life is normal...