Canon a1 shutter speech problem

wimholz13 · Feb 20, 2021

Hi Guys, I've recently purchased canon a1. Judging from the outside the camera is in good condition, electronics seem to be working well, shutter fires, winder works, light meter is showing reasonable numbers, viewfinder works accordingly but as soon as the shutter speed is faster than 1/30 the curtain doesn't open at all. Slower than 1/30 works fine. Has anyone encountered this problem or does anyone know the solution? Thanks in advance
FILIP

AgX · Feb 20, 2021

Welcome to Apug !!

Well, I got indeed a talking camera or two, but my A-1 does not speak to me at all...

Concerning your shutter problem with a 1/30sec as the dividing setting, I assume a problem in the electronics, as curtain runing as such and slit forming (curtain running delay) are electronically controlled.

My first guess was the shutter speed setting being inoperative partially, but I got no idea what the result of dead contacts actually would be.

Have you looked into the service manual already?

wimholz13 · Feb 20, 2021

Thank you very much!!!
I was wrong actually, its 1/30 when it it already doesn't move, 1/15 and slower work. I will check the service manual, I only checked on other forums whether someone has this problem.
Thanks again
Filip

AgX · Feb 20, 2021

Have you operated the shutter speed dial many times? And was the result always the same?
Is the camera dusty or even filthy? Or was it so? I mean is there any such rest in corners? Stuff that is hard to get off.

These are questions just right into the blue, guessing around that switch. For a better advice I would have to contemplate a while with my sample and the service manual in front of me...
Repair reports on the A-1 are rare at this forum. We got one A-series specialist amongst us, but I have not seen him here for a while, maybe he will chime in.

wimholz13 · Feb 20, 2021

Hahahahah only now i noticed shutter '' speech ''. I assumed that your joke was about shutter squeak but now I get it hahahahahahahaah. I'll try everything that you mentioned. It was not too dusty and it isn't now. At least for the time that I've had it. I didn't operate it many times,I've just experimented with one roll....
Filip

choiliefan · Feb 20, 2021

There is a magnet accessible when the bottom plate is removed which can be cleaned.
A pretty good video online shows how to do it: Relatively simple procedure may restore your shutter speeds.

AgX · Feb 20, 2021

But malfunction of the magnets out of themselves is not speed-setting depending.
They are actived at a time the camera's brain considers it apt. And then they work or they do not.

And so far the picture of the error is that it is time setting dependant.

So my first guess was: what if all contacts above a certain setting are dead?
I admit, not very convincing. But let's derive from where all starts, the shutter-speed dial. And as indicatd I do not even know if the A-1 in case of a dead contact actually remains unresponsive, or goes to a default speed as "B" instead...

choiliefan · Feb 20, 2021

Bummer...

AgX · Feb 20, 2021

Let's say no better idea arises, how would I proceed?
I would take off anything needed do to get to the respective solder points of that shutter-speed switch. I would set the dial at one of the dead settings and screw-in a cable release and depress and fix it. Then I would shorten the respective contacts at the switch. If the dead settings come to live, then it is the switch and it should be cleaned. Otherwise I would have to contemplate on something further down the line.

As indicated I did not even look at how that switch is made up. Maybe to access those contacts one would have to disassemble it anyway....

wimholz13 · Feb 20, 2021

Guys thank you very much for your help and concern, I was desperate so I posted the thread here but I didn't expect so much ideas so fast. Now I tried many of the things that you mentioned, I used one roll on every setting possible, every possible shutter speed etc and I will see on Monday when they scan it what comes out

Canon a1 shutter speech problem

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