Canonet G-III QL17

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Canonet G-III QL17

Type	35 mm rangefinder camera
Lens mount	integrated
Focus	Coupled rangefinder with parallax compensation, 0.6x magnification
Exposure	shutter priority autoexposure
Flash	External hot-shoe, PC connector
Dimensions	120 x 75 x 60 mm, 620 g

The Canonet G-III QL17 is a coupled-rangefinder, leaf-shuttered, fixed focal length 35mm camera first manufactured by Canon in 1972. It features fully shutter-priority automatic exposure and fully manual shooting modes.

The Canonet G-III is the third generation of Canonet, following the original Canonet and the New Canonet.

The G-III features a 40mm f/ 1.7 with 6 elements in 4 groups. The integrated lightmeter provides shutter priority and manual modes. The sensor is located on the forward part of the lense, which allows use of filters without manual compensation of exposure. The Canonet can use standard flashes, or the Canonlite D which was custom-designed for the Canonet.

[edit] Lightmeter

The lightmeter uses a PX625 mercury battery, which is now discontinued. The alkaline version can be used, but the different electric tension, different discharge curve, and absence of electronic compensation circuit, induce a defective exposure metering, between a 1.5-f-stop at the beginning of the life of the alkaline battery, and a 1.5-f-stop underexposure and the end.

Furthermore, the mercury battery has a life-span of several years, compared to a few months for the alkaline battery. These defective measures are tolerable with negative colour or black-and-white films, but are more noticeable with Slide films.

Many users will use a 1.4V hearing aid Battery or adapters featuring Schottky diodes allow use of SR-44 battery with better results. A Zinc-air battery can also be used reliably.