2 Canon QL17's (non-GIII). Both use different batteries. What do I have?

Hi all,

My father bought a Canon Canonet QL-17 new back around 1965. I now have the camera and want to have it repaired so I can use it.

Items that appear to require repair include...

The aperture blades & shutter which appear to be stuck (non-moving). I'm hopeful it's just the original lubricant being very old and therefore sticky.

The battery compartment needs repair as it appears to have had a leaky battery in the past.

Speaking of batteries, I'm not sure what battery it requires. I can definitely confirm it is not a 625 button cell that later QL17' use.. Dimensions are about 9/16x1/2" (cylinder shape) unlike the 625 button cell which is the same diameter but only 1/8" tall.

In fact the battery has no model info stamped on it.

Also, does anyone have a manual for this specific 2nd gen model?

TIA!

Ray

Problem with the Canonets isn't that the oil on the shutter blades got sticky, it's the grease on the focusing helical decomposed, and oil vapors went and condensed all over the shutter blades. The shutter blades should be bone dry.

Larger battery sounds like PX27. There are substitutes, but they don't put out the exact same voltage.

There was a thread on APUG concerning this battery issue.

http://www.apug.org/forum/index.php?threads/canon-canonet-ql17.97077/

Thanks John & Marc,

John, I checked the PX27 and although it looks like it could be the right size, it's unfortunately 6v which is >4x too high. :(

Marc, thanks for the insight on that thread. I think I'll try using a wein cell (already using one for my Yashica Electro 35 GTN) but incorporate an aluminum block below the battery to act as a spacer... well, once I get my dad's camera repaired. :)

Speaking of repairs, I did find this write-up on repairing canonet camera fixed lenses (http://blia101photo.blogspot.com/2013/12/canonet-ql25-sticky-shutter-repair.html). It seems simple & straight forward but I'm still determining if I want to try that. Otherwise I may send it to a shop I found online in Vermont (http://lezot.com/canon-canonet-repair-service/) who will fix it for $99 + S&H.

Thanks again for the help and any other insights you can share.

I think a Wein cell with an aluminum block is your best bet.

The original batteries were a Mallory MR-1 or a PX-1. There is a A1PX Excell replacement but it is an Alkaline cell @ 1.5V.

An alkaline battery, when new, would typically measure above 1.5V. That voltage would slowly decrease during the battery's useful life. With the simple resistive circuits used in these older cameras you have to be constantly have to recalibrate the meter.

I have had good luck with wein cells by replacing the tape over the two air holes after each use.

I think a Wein cell with an aluminum block is your best bet.

 

The original batteries were a Mallory MR-1 or a PX-1. There is a A1PX Excell replacement but it is an Alkaline cell @ 1.5V.

 

An alkaline battery, when new, would typically measure above 1.5V. That voltage would slowly decrease during the battery's useful life. With the simple resistive circuits used in these older cameras you have to be constantly have to recalibrate the meter.

 

I have had good luck with wein cells by replacing the tape over the two air holes after each use.

I agree a resistor alone is not the best option. I'd use a diode to regulate the voltage.