A camera back to its birthplace

[yann1]

<p>The Canonet GIII Ql17 was a big success. About 1.2 millions were made. I bought this one from a gentleman from Kyoto for a fairly good price. I replaced the light seals myself and asked my camera doctor to take care of the sticky blades. It was made in Taiwan, in the suburb of Taichung (Tan-Zih town to be more precise) between 1972 and 1982. But if the Japanese wanted to build a factory here to reduce the cost of production, it seems that not many people in Taiwan could afford to buy this camera at that time, which is probably the best MADE IN TAIWAN one.</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>So, this camera is back home, and I want to shoot with it. A 40mm 1.7 lens is particularly attractive. Let’s shoot, yes, but what ?<br>

Between the late sixties and 1982, the Japanese also had some MADE IN TAIWAN Kawasaki motorcycles made in the south of the country, this time for the local market: The B1 Kawasaki-Yuen-Fong 125 motorcycle. I found funny to use this camera to shoot those bikes, they have things in common after all (or I’m just too stupidly romantic…).<br>

Some are still around, usually in poor shape.</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>They are used mainly by the gas company to deliver the gas bottles. Notice the back of the motorcycle were the two bottles can be laid down.</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>Or by farmers to transport sugar cane with this three wheeled version.</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>Or by old people who don’t want to change their habit after all these years.</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>Another three wheeled vehicle to transport the trash to recycle.</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>Another one</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>I see them as somewhat a kind of cultural heritage and I’m quite sad they seem to disappear little by little. Hubert Kilian knows what I’m talking about</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>Same one</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>They are cute with their shiny mirror like fuel tank.<br>

I couldn’t resist to have one myself.</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>Front view.</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>They were nicely built and they are fun to ride. Easy to find parts since they were made locally. But nowadays, everybody prefers those more convenient ugly plastic looking scooters, and less and less people know how to fix them.</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>One more</p><div></div>

[yann1]

<p>There’s a club for people who still fancy them and restore them. Just like old cameras, they can sometimes be given a second life.<br>

Out of date tri-x 400 in HC 110 dilution B. Scanner Epson V600. Not very good scans, but the negatives are very good and this camera is awesome.</p>

[yann1]

<p>Last one.</p><div></div>

[dennis_w3]

<p>Excellent essay, wonderful photos. The Canon certainly does its job, I've had several over the years and it's hard to find any faults with them. Your eye is what counts here, though. Wonderful!</p>

[Dan Deary]

<p>Excellent presentation what the little Canon GIII QL17 can do. It's one of my favorite small rangefinders, the other being an Olympus RC. I see nothing wrong with your scans--I wish my scans were that good. </p>

[yann1]

<p>Thanks Dennis and Daniel. The scanner gives poor contrast, and some photos glow. Also this films curl like hell...</p>

[Charles_Sumner]

<p>Two of my favorite subjects, old cameras and motorcycles! Thank you for posting,well done.</p>

 

[SCL]

<p>If I was in the market for one of those motorcycles you almost convinced me to get one. Nice narrative and photos. It's too bad so many of these old cameras get tossed...many of them, as you so aptly demonstrated, do a fine job in he digital age.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>I've had two GIII QL17 cameras over the year, one where I worked and another that I bought. For many years it was my "pocket" camera to carry around for snapshots and family photos when i didn't want to lug the big Nikons, but was also capable of serious work. Not using it these days -- besides the seals needing work, the gears seem to slip and when I advanced it might skip a couple of frames before the shutter cocks and the film stops. May tinker with it someday to get it working right again since it's still a very fun camera.</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>Engine appears to be mounted transversely in some photos.</p>

[rick_janes]

<p>Splendid!<br>

A thoroughly enjoyable photo essay, the meeting of past and present.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Marvellous! Informative and interesting with a very high pictorial quality. Many thanks, <strong>Yann</strong>.</p>

[Andrew in Austin]

<p>Yann - I enjoyed the documentary style images portraying the passing of an era in Taiwan. <br>

It reminds me of the soon to be ending days of my driving my old air-cooled VW Bus. Proper replacement parts are getting scarce and I'm not nearly as able to do all the maintenance as I used to be. I caught a fellow photographing the Bus in a downtown parking spot last weekend and told him to title one of the images as "The Last of the Mohicans"</p>