Canon Canonet QL 19 (1965)
A fixed-lens rangefinder film camera made by Canon around 1965. It has coupled metering and adjustable rangefinder focus.
Overview
The Canon Canonet QL 19 is a rangefinder film camera made by Canon circa 1965. The lens is fixed. The built-in light meter runs on a battery. Rangefinder focus is set with a vertical screw and a horizontal screw. The vertical screw sits under a small circular cover at the top of the camera. The horizontal screw is under the protective cover of the hot shoe.
Design
The fixed lens had its elements originally secured with a lacquer compound. Over time the lacquer can dry and flake, and that causes mechanical trouble. The metering system needs a battery. The rangefinder can be calibrated through the accessible adjustment screws. To get at the shutter blades, you have to take apart both the front and rear lens groups. The job is described as intricate and needs specialized tools.
Market
A common failure on the Canonet QL 19 is the "stuck shutter." Dried lacquer from the lens elements gets onto the shutter blades. The repair means removing several front lens parts - the front retainer ring, face ring, spacer ring, light selector disc and front element group - using a lens spanner, tiny screwdrivers, cotton buds and alcohol. Cleaning the rear of the blades means pulling the rear element group, which is noted as "incredibly fiddly." The original mercury battery for the meter has to be replaced, and the film speed dial may stick over time. A printed instruction manual for the Canon Canonet QL 19 E is available for $15.95, though this may refer to a variant model.
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