Canon F-1 Shutter Goes "ping"

gone · Aug 15, 2013

I bought an early Canon F-1 camera (think it's the second version w/ the round rubber eyepiece and split prism focus screen). Other than the battery check not working it seems fine, but the shutter has an annoying "ping" to it that I don't remember having on my earlier original F1. Is this just how they are, or is mine just an odd duck? Thanks,

Mackinaw · Aug 15, 2013

As for the type of F-1 you have, what kind of battery does it take?

As for the "ping," what shutter speed(s) do you hear this sound?

Jim B.

gone · Aug 15, 2013

Jim, I'm not even sure what battery is in it. The meter looks lively enough, but I'm shooting it w/ that R 100 f2 lens of mine and waiting on an FD 135 2.5 that will meter w/ it. It doesn't like metering w/ the R lens, but that's OK w/ me. I played w/ one of the little arms in the mirror box that apparently work with the FD and FL lenses, and the meter needle works well when I do that. But the R lens has no connection whatsoever in there, so I think it needs the FL or FD lenses to meter right. Fine w/ me, that R 100 is good enough to put up w/ hand metering the scenes. I've been shooting a tiny Nikon EM that I modified to shoot a non a.i. H 50 lens with, and compared to that the F-1 is like a medium format camera! Very big and heavy, but pleasantly so.

The ping is on all the speeds, and it comes a little after the shutter has fired. It's probably not the shutter itself, ii may be one of those little arms in the mirror box that are for aperture movements. It's not real loud like the Nikkormat EL I used to have, but it's there. I just know that it wasn't part of my old, original F-1's way of firing the shutter.

John Koehrer · Aug 15, 2013

If you remove the bottom cover is the ping still there? Some of the FTb, TLb's had a spring in the bottom that was annoying.

Nikon Collector · Aug 15, 2013

That is usually referede to as the Cannon whine, lived with it for year4s, didn't seem to effect anything except my ears.

benjiboy · Aug 16, 2013

Time for a C.L.A., you can't expect 40 year oid cameras to work perfectly.

benjiboy · Aug 16, 2013

Nikon Collector said:
That is usually referede to as the Cannon whine, lived with it for year4s, didn't seem to effect anything except my ears.

The "Canon whine" only occurs in the A series of cameras and is due to a dry bearing in the mirror braking mechanism, the, F series are constructed differently and not prone to it.

Mackinaw · Aug 16, 2013

"R" lenses will mount on your F-1, but the aperture mechanism is different and won't couple to the camera. You'll have to use "stop down" metering if you use a "R" series lens on an F-1 (as you turn the secondary aperture ring on your "R" lens, match the needle with the index mark you see on the side of the viewfinder. Of course this assumes you're using the camera's meter).

The ping may be the lens stop-down mechanism. Try pressing in the stop-down lever and firing the shutter. If the ping goes away, or sounds different, that's the cause of the noise you hear. If you still hear the ping, one of your shutter brakes may be bad.

On the original F-1, the battery compartment is located on the bottom plate. Unscrew the slotted cover. On the F-1N, the battery compartment is located on the front of the camera.

Jim B.

gone · Aug 16, 2013

When I put film in the camera the ping got quieter. Thank for all the helpful replies. I did try grabbing all of the little arms that connect to the FD and FL lenses and firing the shutter, but the ping still pinged. It's not the end of the world, and nowhere near as annoying as Canon Squeek, so I'm happy. Next I'll investigate the spring that John mentioned and see if that's the source. For such a heavy camera it feels very well balanced. Unfortunate that there's no metering w/ the R lens, but I'm used to hand held metering. When I get my FD SC 135 2.5 lens I'll have metering. The battery turned out to be the wrong one. I ckd the voltage and it's 1.5V, not 1.35V, so a trip to the store for some hearing aid batteries is in order. Think I'll buy one of those cheap Chinese glassless adapters and shoot my Nikon non a.i. H 50 lens on it. The Canon FD 50 glass is very good, but that old Nikon lens is really sharp, and has beautiful bokeh.

Nikon Collector · Aug 16, 2013

benjiboy said:
The "Canon whine" only occurs in the A series of cameras and is due to a dry bearing in the mirror braking mechanism, the, F series are constructed differently and not prone to it.

Didn't know that, but then I'm kinda a Nikon guy except for a FTb QL back in the early 70's,,awsome camera wish I'd ket it

Mackinaw · Aug 16, 2013

momus said:
........Unfortunate that there's no metering w/ the R lens, but I'm used to hand held metering. When I get my FD SC 135 2.5 lens I'll have metering........

I guess you didn't see my earlier post. You can meter with "R" lens attached to your F-1, but it will be stopped-down metering, not full aperture metering, like you get with a FD lens. With a battery installed, turn on the camera's meter and set your desired shutter speed. Then turn the secondary aperture ring on your "R" lens (there are two aperture rings) and, as the viewfinder darkens, the meter needle along the right side of the viewfinder will move up or down. When this needle intersects the black index mark, whatever you're photographing has been properly metered and you can now press the shutter button.

Not the most convenient way of metering, but it does work.

Jim B.

GarageBoy · Aug 19, 2013

The Canon F1 I had at one point pinged. Never had an issue though

blockend · Aug 19, 2013

Some metal bodied cameras tend to resonate and amplify the shutter sound. I've had it on Nikons, Canons, Yashica, etc. Pro models like the F1 seem to do it less because of better damping but none are completely immune, although I never recall my OM1 pinging. Some audibly ring for a few seconds afterwards, which can be irritating. Plastic bodied cameras are less prone, generally speaking, to the dreaded ding. My theory is the pressure plate acts as sounding board for the stop down lever or mirror mechanism. Film tension damps the springs in the plate, reducing resonance. If it's any consolation, some rangefinders are equally subject to shutter ring.

sjauch · Aug 20, 2013

Mine pings, haven't had an issues though.

Canon F-1 Shutter Goes "ping"

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