| Author |
Message |
    
Jonagnew
Tinkerer
Username: Jonagnew
Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 04:10 pm: | 
|
I just bought a Canonet QL17 (not giii). Of course, there were some problems with it. Like most Canonets (from what I've read) the light seals need to be changed (expect a purchase from me in the coming days, Jon Goodman). There was also a problem with the slow shutter speeds. I followed the instructions I found on another forum and placed the camera in front of the heater for a little while, then fired the shutter until it snapped correctly. Everything was looking great until a few minutes ago...
It seems that my shutter will no longer fire at any speed. I advance the film, depress the shutter button and nothing happens. Now the film advance doesn't lock...I could run through an entire roll of film without even attempting to fire the shutter. I know this can't be right.
I paid $20 for this camera, and was expecting to have to do some minor repairs...now this job seems like it's gone from minor to major pretty quickly. I know that Canonets aren't exactly the easiest machines to tinker with, but considering the low cost of admission, I'm willing to take my chances. I've downloaded the exploded view repair manual and bookmarked about 5 different sites with diagrams....So now I just need to know what to fix. I know a lot of you have quite a bit of experience with this camera, and I would appreciate any advice you could give me. Thanks in advance! |
Jonagnew
Tinkerer
Username: Jonagnew
Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 05:30 pm: |
|
UPDATE:
As unexpectedly as my shutter release problem occurred, it has fixed itself. My mind is temporarily at ease, however I am still eager to fix the root of the problem. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 632
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 31, 2009 - 03:41 am: |
|
Warming a camera up can solve a problem, but, as you have found, can also arise because of this treatment.
If I were in your shoes I would do the seals, then run some film through it and see what happens - you could find that the camera performs perfectly now that it has had a bit of 'strenuous exercise. On the other hand it might fail again due to the need of a cla, but you can deal with that if and when it arises. |
Monopix
Tinkerer
Username: Monopix
Post Number: 31
Registered: 11-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 05, 2009 - 12:48 am: |
|
The first time I handled a Canonet 28 I saw the same thing. I assume there are similarities between the two. The reason for mine was simply inadequate light. The camera prevents the shutter from being released if there is too little light (or too much I think). In theory, you shouldn't be able to wind on again until the shutter is released but, for reasons I never worked out, sometimes after having the shutter locked due to lack of light, the wind lock would release and allow the film to be wound on again.
What you're describing sounds exactly the same so try testing the camera in differing light conditions and see what happens. You can also try to continue winding on until the lock comes in and then it will probably continue normally. |
Charlie
Tinkerer
Username: Charlie
Post Number: 214
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 05, 2009 - 04:15 am: |
|
On the Canonet 28 I think you can always fire the shutter if you move it off the "A" setting which then allows you to operate the crank again. The manual says the default shutter speed for flash is 1/30 sec, |
Monopix
Tinkerer
Username: Monopix
Post Number: 33
Registered: 11-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 05, 2009 - 07:15 am: |
|
"On the Canonet 28 I think you can always fire the shutter if you move it off the "A" setting which then allows you to operate the crank again. The manual says the default shutter speed for flash is 1/30 sec,"
True, but that wasn't what was happening in my case. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 960
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 06, 2009 - 03:54 pm: |
|
I don't know of any problem that heating will solve, that won't return when the camera cools off. The shutter is sluggish because there's hardened oil in places where it doesn't belong. Heating softens it and lets the shutter run, as long as it stays hot, but that isn't much practical help.... the oil needs to be removed. This is done by opening the shutter and cleaning it with solvents. I'm not familiar with the pre-GIII QL17, so I can't say whether this is a practical job or not. The GIII is virtually impossible to open for this kind of service, but thankfully never seems to need it (for reasons I can't explain). More conventional (usually earlier) shutters are often fairly easy to open and service. But I don't know which kind you've got. |
Casual_collector
Tinkerer
Username: Casual_collector
Post Number: 18
Registered: 04-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 09, 2009 - 04:34 pm: |
|
I've had a Canonet not work and then fix itself. The problem turned out to be a gummed up self timer. The timer lever would get snagged and partially armed. Pressing the release would start the timer but it wouldn't run due to age related problems. Time and vibration would eventually run down the timer and I could take pictures again. It took me five or six years to figure out what was happening! |
