Annoying Problem with AE-1P

[holmburgers]

Hey all,

So this problem began happening when I attached the power winder A to my Canon AE-1 Program. What would happen is basically it would start shooting/winding uncontrollably. So, I took it off. However, it would then fire the shutter everytime I advanced the film. Naturally, I'd then have to advance it again but it would fire. Eventually it would right itself and stop doing that. But in the interim I wasted a lot of film.

Now, I thought the problem had fixed itself, but I loaded up a roll yesterday and w/o the winder, the same advance/fire/advance/fire thing would happen and didnt' stop until I got to about 14 exposures.

So, if anyone has any suggestions I'd really appreciate it. It's a real PITA, but hey, at least I can justify the purchase of a F1n now...

 

[John Koehrer]

The switch is electrical or was that the AE1? If it's gotten a bump it could be shorting.
If you set a slow shutter speed will it deliver the set speed?

 

[Andrew K]

Hi

sorry as this is pushing my memory a bit, as it's been over 15 years since I had to repair one at Canon, but it sounds like the relay in the powerwinder is sticking.

I would pull the winder apart, remove the relay and clean all the contacts - hopefully that will fix the problem

If not I'd look for a powerwinder A2 as a replacement - they were solid state and you never really had any problems with them

Cheers

Andrew

 

[AgX]

Andrew,

Holmburgers stated that the camera-body is doing an exposure on itself after he has advanced the film manually, with the winder being taken off.
However that problem started after he fitted the winder to the camera, which resulted in an automatic continuous exposing/winding action.

A malfunction of the winder would not effect the camera after being taken off, to my understanding.

 

[Andrew K]

OK - I mis read the post

The problem is then with the release magnet - the large one near the motor contacts under te bottom cover. The magnet face is probably dirty and is slipping when ti is wound on - thisis a pretty common problem with A series cameras.

Easiest way to clean the magnet face is to cut the plastic cover open and clean the magnet face (both prings that are sticking out of the magnet) and the release lever - the metal bloack that makes contact with both prongs....this should fix the fault...

If it desn't let me know - there are a couple of other things you can try..

And if you are looking at a F1 buy a NF1 (the one that has the 6 volt battery under the battery cover on the front of the camera) rather than a F1n (mechanical Old F1 - new type)...when I was repairing cameras at Canon they were getting a bit old even then......

Cheers

 

[holmburgers]

Thanks guys,

Yes, I do mean the NF1 actually. I've got an EF which scratches my itch for the older body style, and I think the new one is more practical with the EF in backup.

Ok, you say cut the plastic cover open... but that doesn't sound like a "sustainable" exercise. Is it going to destroy the casing? I'd prefer not to break anything in the process. If you could elaborate a bit on the repair, I think I'll give it a whirl.

Cheers!

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

Chris ,

Forget toyota and use your rollie 35 mercedes.

Umut

 

[holmburgers]

Haha,

You can't drive your Mercedes daily though, can you? What about gas mileage, and maintenance costs?! Not to mention the insurance...

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

You would had to think it before buying !

 

[holmburgers]

Well I got the Rollei for $10 (garage sale!) and the AE-1P for free (uncle). Therefore, the Rollei was infinitely more expensive than my AE-1P and must be treated as such. Right?!

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

Damn , I bought mine for 120 dollars. If you find a similar one , buy for me also.
They go more or less than 100 dollars and this is not a big deal.
But may be you like 70s buttoned japanese electronics with cheap comical leds , black finish etc etc.
I strongly advise you to use a good camera , later a Leica.
Leica Mini 3 went for 80 at APUG and I think its excellent camera.
Next summer I will buy a Rollei 35 with triotar and a Leica.
If you have no money for them , I advise you to look for Yashica - Zeiss helps them - or a Minolta - Leica helps them -
I think good cameras have some superior lens merits and investigating them , teach you the pros cons and invite you to Classical Arts.
You have to look every detail of your Rollei pictures. You will amaze with details in time.
Piano playing takes 30 years to learn.

 

[holmburgers]

I concur that the AE-1P is a tad "chintzy", but the F-1's are real cameras, as is the EF. Someday I want a Leica, but I don't believe that a better camera makes better pictures; certainly not in proportion to their cost.

FD lenses are every bit as good as any other SLR lens... though an advantage exists in having no reflex mirror and a shorter flange-focal distance. I will shoot with the Rollei soon!

Ok, back to how to fix my camera....

 

[Andrew K]

Don't start arguing about AE1P vs NF1 - I was a camera technicial for 10 years - 5 of those as a Canon factory tech in the days when FD was still manufactured and th eEOS 1 had just been introduced.

Both are good cameras - I shot motorsport for various magazines for 10 years - anything from touring cars to F1 bikes, F1 cars and world superbikes, with a bit of drags thrown in....

I used AE1P's with motordrives for a few years before switching to NF1's, and you can't see a difference in the photos...plus the A series motordrives have a switch on the body of the motor grip - if you have the motordrive set to single shot and something happens you press the button and it goes to high speed continuous drive. On the F1's I had to have the drive set to high speed continuous and press the shutter button carefully so I only shot a single exposure each shot, but had the option of continuous if something happened (like the time a car went around a corner, rolled, became airborne, and then rolled another 14 times.....- but thats another story..)

Back to the AE1P. Remove the 2 or 3 screws that hold the bottom cover on (chrome have 3, black have 2 screws..). On the end where the motor drive contacts are you will see a magnet with a plastic cover on it (there may be some black tape over the end of the magnet - peel that offirst carefully).

You will now see the magnet is held in place by 3 screws and its 2 contacts are soldered to the flex (the flexible PCB that runs to the top of the camera) - unsolder the 2 contacts, then remove the 3 screws (1 silver screw through the flex, plus 2 at the end of the magnet) and you cna lift the magnet out.

Now grab the plastic cover at the end where the hole is and gently pull forwards and the magnet will come off - now you can get to and clean the magnet faces. Use a clean white card (like a business card) dipped in alcohol (meths/shellac/ethanol) - close the magnet on the card and move the card back and forwards. Do this a few times and the magnet faces should now be clean.

Reverse what you di above and hopefully the camera will work correctly again. You don't need to refit the plastic cover - it is there to keep dust from the magnet faces, but if you leave it off you can clean the magnet faces every so ofter if needed.

If you have trouble following all this you can download a service manual off the net for free from the old americal camera repair school (sorry I cant remember what they were called whcih explains how to do it) - just google Canon AE 1 Program service manual...

If all else fails take a photo og the bottom of the camera with the base off and email it to me - I'll draw some instructions on it and email it back yto you..

Cheers

 

[holmburgers]

Andrew, thanks MUCH! That sounds very doable and I'm going to give it a shot as soon as I can. I'll be sure to report back with any results and/or questions.

And to go along with what you said, one need only reference your signature....

 

[Andrew K]

Thamks

People sometimes forget it's not the camera that makes the photos - it just takes the photos....