Canonet QL17 - shutter lock/release problem

[brbo]

Hi!

My Canonet QL17 G-III has a problem with shutter locking (and then consequently with shutter release).

It seems like it never fully cocks the shutter. The shutter also doesn't lock, I can wind the film forever. It also doesn't fire the shutter. If I help it to fully cock the shutter it will fire when I return the wind lever to original position.

I've recorded the problem in a video with my phone as I don't know if I can explain it clearly enough:



(click on the image, it should take you to flick where you can play the video)

According to Rick Oleson...

...this is the part that locks the winder.

And I would assume that his next picture shows the shutter in uncocked and the winder in unlocked position:

And this is the same on my camera:



The problem is that on my camera the position of this lever is the same before and after winding.

This is when the winder is fully tensioned:



Obviously the shutter charge lever below the winder lock lever retracts too far back into the uncocked position. There is obviously some mechanism that should prevent that to happen after winding that is not working correctly in my camera...?!

Anyone have an idea what is going on?

 

[YVR2011]

I had a similar problem on one of my QL17 GIIIs. Even with bending that metal "wind lever" piece pictured in Rick Oleson's informative diagram the shutter mechanism never "locked" in place to allow shutter cocking. If I manually coaxed the sliding metal piece attached to the spring under the lens toward the shutter release side of the camera, the shutter would cock and then I could activate the shutter button.

I took the camera apart and it seemed that the actual shutter was not moving freely enough thus causing friction "drag" on the rest of the camera wind mechanism. I tried cleaning of the shutter but there was something wrong with it whenever I reinstalled it. After many months I managed to find a new (!) shutter only sourced in France. I transplanted the shutter and the camera winding, shutter cocking and shutter release now works.

Not sure if that helps you any but that was my experience.

 

[David Lyga]

My first inclination would be to remove all glass elements, front and rear, along with removal of both top and bottom covers (not too difficult), and squirt a little lighter fluid into the gearing mechanism allow it to drain from the bottom of the camera), trying to avoid hitting the aperture leaves and greasy helicoid. I have a feeling that this will work, as I have taken apart many a GIII 17.

However, oftentimes the shutter lags or does not fire because there is a minute amount of oil on the shutter leaves. This can be cleaned carefully, again all elements removed, with a tiny bit of lighter fluid and waiting (or using a hair dryer) for all to dry completely.

Whatever you do, make certain to keep cocking and releasing the shutter (keep the advance lever attached) so that you do not put everything back together until everything is perfect. - David Lyga