Canonet 28 vs GIII QL17?

Rob · 06-26-2004

I got one of these a week ago just to display next to my GIII
since they are so cheap and maybe a part or two could be used
in fixing my GIII's...Hows the lens on these cameras?

Russ · 06-26-2004

Rob

I ran one roll of color neg film through my Canonet 28, many years ago. As well as I can remember, the negs and prints were pretty sharp, and well exposed. I haven't given my GIII QL-17, a decent test yet. Though I have heard many good reviews on it. I plan on using the GIII QL-17 tonight. Stay in touch, and I'll give you my review of it. Just today, I slapped a new "old style" Mercury 625 battery in it, for use tonight. So far, the Vivitar ES & Oly RC, are delivering great results.

iMacfan · 06-27-2004

Don't quote me, but apparently the GIII is one of the few cameras which take the P625 which have a circuit that allows for accurate metering with the new alkaline 625s. Mine seems to work fine, and they are definitely much cheaper than the expensive and short-lived mercury replacement ones.

David

pshinkaw · 06-28-2004

My New Model QL-17 ( the one just before the GIII) has the same lens and exposure meter. I use the Alkaline 625 battery and it gives very close exposures to what I would consider normal. In some situations it is about a stop off, but that may be due to the high contrast situations and the wide angle of view. It is certainly much closer than the 2.5 stops off that I get with the alkaline battery in my Minolta Hi-matic 9.

I got caught in a situation about a month ago with only my QL-17 where I was asked to do a group picture for a Middle School Science Olympiad team. I shot a group of about 20 teenagers in bright sunlight with iso 100 film. Enlarged the central 75% to 8X12 inches. I managed to get all of the bored expressions, closed eyes and other gestures perfectly.

It really is a good lens!

-Paul

nwcanonman · 06-28-2004

Although I wouldn't call it "the poor-man's Leica" as some have, my QL-17 GIII gives very good results. I still use the real 625 in it, that I put in 2 years ago. The originals last many years if you remember to put the lens cover back on or remove the battery when not using it for extended periods.
With it's small size and silent "click" of the shutter, it's the perfect street shooter.

chenick · 06-29-2004

How does the QL-17 III compare in size to the new Canonet 28?
Is the body the same size and just the lens bigger, or does the Ql-17 III have a bigger body too.
-Nick

pshinkaw · 06-29-2004

The bodies of the Canonet 28 , QL17 New Model and QL17 GIII are the same. I think some components like the wind levers and rewind cranks may be interchangeable. probably others too.

-Paul

Rob · 06-29-2004

The rewind cranks are cosmetically different between the GIII
and 28 but I bet it would fit and work just fine.

Russ · 06-30-2004

That's odd. I just compared my GIII QL-17 rewind knob to the rewind knobs on my Canonet 28's, and they look identical? Maybe they changed the desing somewhere during production?

Rob · 07-01-2004

I think they did change it...Looking at about 6 auctions for
canonet 28's half have the GIII style, half have the flatter
style rewind knob on them...