Canonet QL17 Question

[Andy K]

My QL17 GIII works perfectly... except for the battery check light.

[Andy K]

The 48mm filter size is easily solved with a 48mm < 49mm adapter ring.

[Anscojohn]

The 48mm filter size is easily solved with a 48mm < 49mm adapter ring.

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Yup. And a solution which should be unnecesary.

[Andy K]

I agree it should be unnecessary. I also think the QL17 would have been greatly improved with TTL metering with shutter release activation.

[AgX]

A Wein cell is just a #375 zinc-air hearing aid battery with a metal outer shell spacer that serves the same purpose as the aforementioned rubber O-ring washer.

-) Wein cells have fewer (and seemingly smaller holes)
-) Wein cells have a different chemistry thus producing only 1.36V nominal.

Source: Popular Photography, March 1995

[bobwysiwyg]

-) Wein cells have fewer (and seemingly smaller holes)
-) Wein cells have a different chemistry thus producing only 1.36V nominal.

Source: Popular Photography, March 1995

AgX,

Are you saying using the 375 batt. is not a good idea or good substitute?

[AgX]

...so I thought I would try one of those adapters. Bought one from CRIS which "claims" to reduce the voltage. Not true. In the adapter still measures 1.5+v.

To my understanding the CRIS adapter works by means of a voltage reducing diode. That means the cell's initial voltage output will fall down under strain. Metering with high resistance voltmeter probably won't put on that strain.

[bobwysiwyg]

Well, not being very knowledgeable about electronics, it doesn't seem like they were very honest then as it is specifically recommended for, among others, the QL17 to reduce the voltage "with no further adjustments necessary."

[AgX]

Bob,

I have no experience with zinc-air cells, so I can't comment on that voltage difference. But I don't think that small difference is crucial. The main problem seems to be the rapid exhaustion of regular zink-air cells in stand-by. Wein stated that their cells would "give about three months of service once the seals are removed".

[AgX]

Bob,

Concerning that CRIS adapter: There won't be any adjustments necessary. It's the camera that produces that strain.

As a side note:
That is also the reason that there are special (cheap) battery testers on the market, though one could think a standard voltmeter would be sufficient (except for indicating that voltage range to tell for good or bad). But these testers put strain on the battery in a range typical for the devices in which they are used. That is why one has to adjust those tester to the size of battery one is testing. The reason behind that testing under strain is that batteries/cells (especially standard batteries) produce less voltage under strain when their capacity has fallen off.

For that CRIS adapter that strain will even be necessary for a fresh cell as otherwise that diode-voltage-reducing would not work.