Canon AE1 - repair/salvage

nyoung · Mar 21, 2007

A coworker asked today if I knew of any one who would be willing to try to fix a Canon AE1.
I thought maybe someone on the forum might have a lead. He says he has four AE1 bodies - all broken in one way or another - that he would be interested in having salvaged and rebuilt into one or possibly two working cameras.
Money will probably be a limiting factor and I know that he would be better off to get another one off E-bay.
Nevertheless, if someone has a name he can contact I'd like to let him get into the game and figure all that out for himself.

bjorke · Mar 21, 2007

The labor of someone skilled (e.g. AE1REPAIR@AOL.COM) would outweight the value of the bodies. You can get ecent ones for $50 or less these days. Sometimes with the lens.

You can't have mine, of course.

film_guy · Mar 22, 2007

I agree with bjorke, it's simply cheaper to replace the broken cameras rather than fixing them. There's plenty of cheap, used film cameras on ebay, photo.net and sometimes even craigslist that it just makes sense to buy another when one stops working (unless you have a Leica). I remember seeing a used AE1 with a 50mm lens for sale for $75 on ebay a few months ago; extremely tempting but I need a SLR with AF so that it'll work with my lenses.

If your friend needs a replacement Canon SLR, let me know since I have a really nice and hardly-used Elan 7N with vertical grip for sale.

reub2000 · Mar 22, 2007

Cameras on ebay aren't always in perfect shape. So you might end up needing to have those repaired anyways.

colrehogan · Mar 22, 2007

nyoung said:
A coworker asked today if I knew of any one who would be willing to try to fix a Canon AE1.
I thought maybe someone on the forum might have a lead. He says he has four AE1 bodies - all broken in one way or another - that he would be interested in having salvaged and rebuilt into one or possibly two working cameras.
Money will probably be a limiting factor and I know that he would be better off to get another one off E-bay.
Nevertheless, if someone has a name he can contact I'd like to let him get into the game and figure all that out for himself.

I would suppose that it depends on what is wrong with them. I know of a local camera repair shop who would certainly look at the cameras and give an estimate of repair cost. I don't know where you are located and what the postage might be to get them there. If you want, PM me and I can give you the address/phone number. He doesn't have a website.

airgunr · Mar 25, 2007

KEH repaired my old AE-1 and did a good job of it and it ran about $120 for a full rebuild.

That being said you will pay around $100 for one in E+ condition from Cameta, KEH, Adorama, ETC. You might want to consider trading the whole lot in to KEH or Cameta and putting then $ to a new one.

patrickjames · Mar 25, 2007

If the money is not an issue I would go for the repair. These cameras have certain little problems that crop up because of age. Buying another one will still leave you open to these problems.

Hope this helps.

Patrick

jnash67 · Mar 25, 2007

http://www.garryscamera.com/ fixed two of my Canons. An AE-1p and an A-1. The program just had the sqwauk, but the A-1 had some issues, like the "on" switch was always on. He was able to fix it with parts from a donor A-1. Both cameras cost 116 bucks.

Shmoo · Mar 25, 2007

I just had 2 repaired at Eric's cameras in Glendale, CA. Costs a lot (close to $200), but they're sentimental for me (my very first camera). Mine had shutter sticking issues and the ISO dial was stuck...but when you love that camera...

Canon AE1 - repair/salvage

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