Canon QL17 III

CanonQL17-8445

In 1971 Canon was advertising the Canon QL17 as a carry-it-anyplace camera that gave quick and precise rangefinder focusing and that it was the most automatic precision camera you can buy but that it could be used 100% manually if you prefer.

QL17AD1971

My camera is actually the QL17 G-III but there is little difference between them.

It may have been superseded as the most automatic precision camera you can buy in the last 48 years but it is still an easy to carry precision rangefinder.  The lens of the QL17 is a 45mm f1.7 constructed with 6 elements in 5 groups. and is a fantastic performer.  The image bellow shows details from the corners and center without any editing.  You can see there is just a tiny amount of chromatic aberration but the entire field is sharp.  This image was taken with the lens stopped down but it is good even wide open.

CanonQL17_Portra400_2018_034-Edit copy

The shutter a Copal SV has a top speed of 1/500 second and can be used without a battery which is fortunate because the camera was originally designed to use a 1.3V mercury cell.

So there is good reason that this camera is still well regarded its just a great little fixed lens rangefinder.