The Canonet GIll 17

     The Canonet GIll 17 is a modernized version of the old Canonet cameras. At the first glance you will notice that the old selenium photocell that surrounded the lens is replaced by a CdS electric-eye system. This is but one innovation among many I will discuss further on. First let us examine the basic features of the camera.

    The camera is a noninterchangeable lens type rangefinder camera. The maximum aperture of the lens is f/1.7. It is a six element lens in four components with four rare earth element members. The shutter is of the conventional leaf-type and it is located between the lens components. The shutter speed can be set from 1/4 sec. to 1/500 sec. and B. The rangefinder is a coincidence type and is located in the center of the viewfinder. The bright frame of the viewfinder moves automatically while focusing the lens to provide automatic parallax compensation. The aperture scale and the over-and underexposure warning marks are visible in the viewfinder. The exposure-control system of the Canonet GIll 17 is similar to the Canon EX EE SLR camera. First the film speed has to be set, and then the required shutter speed (shutter-speed priority method). When the control ring is on the A (automatic) position and the shutter release button is depressed, the electric eye automatically readjusts the aperture, which actually closes down to the preadjusted mark. The actual f/stop used is visible in the viewfinder. When the pointer is on one of the red marks, this indicates that either there is not enough light (if the pointer is on the upper red mark near f/1.7) or that there is too much light, (the pointer is on the lower red mark near f/16), so the picture would be overexposed. In both cases the shutter speed has to be readjusted (increased or decreased) to bring the exposure into the correct range. When the aperture ring is turned from the A position the electric eye is disconnected and you can set the aperture to any desired f/stop manually. In this case the pointer in the viewfinder is on the upper red mark, near f/1.7.

    A unique feature of the Canonet GIll 17 is the completely automatic aperture control when using either the Canolite D Speedlite unit or any other type of flash or speedlight unit of known guide numbers. When you slide the Canolite D into the accessory shoe of the camera, and the aperture ring is set to A, a miraculous thing happens. While the lens is focused, the focusing mechanism, which is coupled mechanically to the diaphragm-setting mechanism, automatically sets the diaphragm to the correct f/stop that is required by the flash to subject distance in accordance with the guide number of the flash unit and the film. Thus, there is no need to calculate the correct f/stop in the usual way (dividing the guide number by the subject distance). The only thing you have to watch is that the pointer in the viewfinder is within the two red marks. If it points to one or the other of them, it indicates that you are either too close (too much light) or too far (insufficient illumination) to or from the subject. You can set the f/stop automatically while focusing with flash or strobe units other than the Canolite D, as well. Just move the aperture ring from position A to one of the corresponding blue numbers to the right of the A (28, 20, or 14), and plug the synchro cable of the flash or strobe unit into the flash socket of the camera.