The Canon Canonet QL17 GIII:
A practical camera for practical folk.
This camera is so easy to carry and so easy to use that I’ve been carrying it and using it for most of recent history. In the past three months I’ve taken it to Michigan, the Grand Canyon, and twice to San Francisco. I’ve not once managed to get results that are true to the camera however. Each time I’ve managed to screw things up film exposure / development-wise. But still likin’ the images. First, I used a few rolls of Efke 400 b&w (10 years expired), processed grainily in D76. Granted, my scanner isn’t the latest and greatest.
Then, I loaded (using that exquisitely brilliant “quick loading” feature) some Kodacolor 200 color negative film.
What I’m thinking is that maybe I wasn’t wearing my cheaters when I loaded it. Later, I’d forgotten what I’d loaded. The setting on the camera said 800. I went with it. When I finished the roll and discovered my mistake, I wrote on it “Push it. Push it real good.” Then forgot about it. I dropped it into an envelope with a bunch of c41 and sent it off to the lab. I got a call from the lab. Not being Salt -N- Pepa fans, they needed to know what I wanted to do. Processed normally, I got some fun images with weird color.
Right now, the camera is loaded (QUICKLY loaded, I might add) with Kodak Ektachrome 64 tungsten E6 slide film (expired 05/2006). Which got me to thinkin’ – with the change to other-than-tungsten lighting, is there still a market for tungsten film? I mean, here at the junkstorecameras, we’re all switched over to those energy saving bulbs and LEDs. I’ve used this very film in non-tungsten settings and really liked the results. Back to the camera … but you could say this is just another in my string of fuck ups with this camera. Anyway, I’ll post the results when I finish the roll. So … more later …
Everything in the name means something. It’s like shorthand. “QL” means “Quick Loading”. 17 refers to the widest lens opening of ƒ1.7. “G” refers to either “Generation” or “Grade up”, depending on who you believe. I should’ve written this review in shorthand. This camera has an automatic setting. “A” … that means auto. If you set it to “A”, then set the shutter speed, it will automatically set the ƒstop. That is, it will set it if your shutter speed is within the realm of the correct exposure. If not, the camera won’t fire. I think the numbers to the right of “A” are flash guide numbers. I used it with studio lights rather than a flash, so I haven’t checked those out. By the way, I’m using a 625A battery with no apparent problems.
UPDATE: That Ektachrome 64 T :
