Canonet ql17

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It was recommended to me as a top-choice rangefinder for a new photographer. Ten years into my film days, I finally got to try the premium all-black version of my dream camera. Since its founding in , Canon has continuously shaped its production line to suit avid amateurs and professionals. But in the mid-twentieth century, the brand found a new niche: casual photographers. Aimed at users looking for results that match pro gear without having to lug heavy equipment and a manual, these types of cameras enjoyed immense success.

Canonet ql17

A quick viewfinder cleaning later, I have one of my favorite cameras of all time back and ready to go. The only time the little Canon really failed me was on a trip through Milan some years ago. I set the lens to wide open in manual mode to maximize shutter speeds at night, and everything I did turned out hazy and soft — and not in a good way. While at first I thought there was something wrong with my particular example, it turns out this is part of the design. Obviously there are limits to what this camera can do. One minor hang-up I have with this camera is a feature that was clearly intended for the amateur target user: the under- and over-exposure lock on the aperture in automatic shooting. I still love this little camera, which has brought me back to 35mm after years of almost exclusively using medium format when shooting film. All our Contributors have an ad-free experience for life. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of new posts by email. Though I have no way to justify buying one at this point, I've certainly been tempted. Zone focusing is the way to go for me in fast-moving situations, but the RF patch on my Canonet is not terrible by any means. Shaun, Thanks for your comment.

Despite my sudden impulse purchase It took me a bit of time to actually use the camera, as I was busy at work and had several other cameras on my shelf all begging to be taken out, canonet ql17. Anyway, I riley mae you like the site and find something useful here. I was born canonet ql17 the US and had a pretty unremarkable childhood.

All your donations really help. The Canon Canonet QL 17 is a fixed lens range finder film camera from decades past. I that interests you, then keep reading! I have read many articles about the Canonet and seen it in camera collector groups for years. I could go into the history of the camera like many online reviews… or you could just spend a few moments doing the research yourself if that is what you really like. I prefer to speak on behalf of my own experience with the camera and those experiences will make up this this article. This small camera had been on my mental wish list for a few years… along with or-so other cameras.

According to CameraQuest. For me the attraction to buying this camera was its classis 70s styling. Well this little camera just looks the business, a no-nonsense camera, which just oozes vintage style. For me, who grew up in the 60s and 70s modern camera no matter how good the quality of the image just feel like cheap, plastic rubbish. If - God willing - film is still around in years you can still create document the world with a rangefinder camera. In recent years it has attracted a cult following, and has received glowing reviews from litany of rangefinder enthusiasts such as The Mijonju Show, Steve Huff, Chase Jarvis and of course Bellamy Hunt, the Japan Camera Hunter who owns multiple black models. There are two variants of the camera, one produced in Taiwan, and the other produced in Japan. The black lacquer model is the rarest and most sought after of all, which is likely to cost you times the cost of an ordinary chrome model. The earlier models are still very fine cameras, and the only difference between the QL17 and the GIII is that it has a battery indicator light.

Canonet ql17

It was recommended to me as a top-choice rangefinder for a new photographer. Ten years into my film days, I finally got to try the premium all-black version of my dream camera. Since its founding in , Canon has continuously shaped its production line to suit avid amateurs and professionals. But in the mid-twentieth century, the brand found a new niche: casual photographers. Aimed at users looking for results that match pro gear without having to lug heavy equipment and a manual, these types of cameras enjoyed immense success. Confusingly, the previous generations were not marked. Others needed no updates as they were perfectly executed from the start, such as the quick-loading QL system which later became a standard in all modern point-and-shoots.

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Using your thumb to move a tactile lever around the lens, you'll notice a 'ghost' of your composition in the center of the frame that comes in to focus only when your focus is dead-on. Past experience has taught me to give a camera time to shine. And finally, the Canonet uses the oddball 48mm size for the filter ring. This was a trend with these fixed-lens rangefinders, see the Konica C35 series and the Hi-Matics that came after the It was recommended to me as a top-choice rangefinder for a new photographer. Alas, it was not to be. Aidan Bell June 16, at pm. It was packed with many features that made it attractive at the time, but the only reason to shoot it today is the price and the super f1. Pentax never made rangefinders. And there are other areas where, compared to the Ricoh G, you get some more. All relevant controls are also on the lens focus, aperture, shutter speed, and ASA setting making it easy to find all of the setting.

If I could give five stars for looks alone, I would.

Yes, a metered manual mode would be great, as would be the ability to disable the under- and over-exposure locks on the aperture. If you are going to shoot with film, you need to work harder and be a Formal Photofile. This is what came up nine times out of ten. As I entered my second year of shooting film , I wanted to find a new way to spice up the experience. At the same time, I do acknowledge that some people simply love making super sharp, by the book landscape shots, the perfect out of focus background, and metering EXACTLY correctly. After developing the film, I realised it took terrific pictures and had actually been a delight to use. Filter thread 48mm. We also have thorough articles on the Canonet 28, and another on the Canonet series as a whole, all of which have some nice photos to accompany them. Some images in this review were shot by my buddy Brent Eysler. Mark June 16, at pm.