Resurrection II: Canolite D!

I have a fetish for Canonet cameras, something I know is not unheard of among camera junkies. But, my affection extends past the rangerfinder itself to the accessory flash that came with it in the nineteen seventies: The Canolite D. It’s so pleasantly sized, takes two AA batteries, and throws out some much-needed light. I like using it on other cameras too, like the Sprocket Rocket.

Last year, I acquired a Canolite D through some shrewd dealing. But, it seemed the joke was on me, as it didn’t really work. With a little investigation, I discovered some gruesome corrosion in the battery compartment. So, I took the instructions over at The Camera Archive to heart and got out the vinegar and the q-tips. (I omitted gloves, because I’m a real badass!) I spent a couple hours getting rid of corrosion. Success! I had a working Canolite!

But, earlier this year when I whipped it out from my sparse gear on the Oregon-Montana trip, it failed, I thought it was batteries but I replaced ‘em and still nothing. I figured maybe it was getting to be like me: just old and done. Luckily, Scott hooked me up with a classic Minolta that served ably. I threw the Canolite in my suitcase and forgot about it for a few months. Until tonight when I was cleaning out my gear and found it in a bag. So, I sat down to have a look and sure enough, the corrosion had crept back in! Fiends! This time, instead of vinegar I just scraped it with a big knife. Hell yeah!

Anyway the moral of the story is that corrosion comes back pretty quickly if unchecked. And, I have a working Canolite again!

(One of my fave Canolite-lit shots)

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