Canon P - Squeaky shutter advancement - What kind of lubricant?

Hello!
I’ve recently purchased a Canon P although with two issues… The most annoying one and main on is a squeaky shutter advancement that happens when you advance the frame.

When I confronted the seller he told me while he ”did” CLA he didnt touch anything that was working, but at the same time I can’t be asked to return it. Canon P seem very straightforward to open up and from my understanding the shutter advancement (some gear) has a dried out lubricant or lack of…



I would love to work on this myself as I do have some experience in restoring lenses, although not helicoids so I never owned any lubricant.

Would anyone be able to point me to what kind of lubricant do I need for such work? Oil? Grease? What kind of grade?

Thank you so much!

How to refurbish a Canon P Rangefinder Camera (YouTube)

I couldn't pick up much of a squeak there. Does it get any better after many advances?

Each lubricant has specific use cases, depending on the camera components—Moebius or NYOIL for gears and shutter pivots, and lithium grease for winding mechanisms and detent surfaces.
More experienced repairers might have better advice.

I would try 1 drop of lighter fluid before I touched a screw. If that doesn't work consult a professional.

Bearman said:

How to refurbish a Canon P Rangefinder Camera (YouTube)

I couldn't pick up much of a squeak there. Does it get any better after many advances?

Each lubricant has specific use cases, depending on the camera components—Moebius or NYOIL for gears and shutter pivots, and lithium grease for winding mechanisms and detent surfaces.
More experienced repairers might have better advice.

Click to expand...

I figured on a video it would be difficult, but in person it’s very obvious.

i took the camera apart to look into it, but for the love of me I can tell which part it would be even when I did advance it.



And no, it’s all the same. With film or without.
I tried to get a quote to fix it and one repair shop wants £360

Hozu said:

i took the camera apart to look into it, but for the love of me I can tell which part it would be even when I did advance it.

Click to expand...

There are stethoscope-type devices with a small metal tube at the end for isolating noises in devices. That would probably be ideal for your use case as you can position it close to moving assemblies as you manipulate the camera.

Chris

Most likely you need to remove the top cover. If it is winding, it may be inside the gears and such underneath the winding lever. Do some research on how to remove the cover and how to handle any rangefinder issues that might arise from this.

Dan Daniel said:

Most likely you need to remove the top cover. If it is winding, it may be inside the gears and such underneath the winding lever. Do some research on how to remove the cover and how to handle any rangefinder issues that might arise from this.

Click to expand...

I don't feel like its from the top cover to be honest. It feels like I can hear it either from the bottom cover or inside.
I think this video gives a better audio of it. You can hear a very loud whine noise.

Also to point out when the camera is set to film rewind and I move the film advance leaver, that does not happen. So it has to be related to the shutter gears?



I'm also suspecting this part, but until I get some oil I have no clue...

Does it squeak with film loaded? or only when dry firing it?

My L1 is kind of noisy when there is no film, but film loaded it advances fine with no noise.

aw614 said:

Does it squeak with film loaded? or only when dry firing it?

My L1 is kind of noisy when there is no film, but film loaded it advances fine with no noise.

Click to expand...

It squeaks even with film inside it

Hozu said:

I don't feel like its from the top cover to be honest. It feels like I can hear it either from the bottom cover or inside.
I think this video gives a better audio of it. You can hear a very loud whine noise.

Also to point out when the camera is set to film rewind and I move the film advance leaver, that does not happen. So it has to be related to the shutter gears?

Click to expand...

Setting the camera to rewind should disengage the sprocket wheel as well as the shutter cocking. It does not necessarily mean that the noise is coming from the shutter.

Camera wind and shutter mechs are designed to work with little to no amount of lubricant. It is possible that the mechanisms need to be cleaned, but if you start by putting any more than a trace amount of oil into the mechanism, it is quite possible that it will work worse, not better.

Hozu said:

Also to point out when the camera is set to film rewind and I move the film advance leaver, that does not happen. So it has to be related to the shutter gears?

Click to expand...

When you set to rewind, you are disengaging the sprocket rollers or whatever they would be called. That's it. So doesn't this point to something with the takeup spool? Do you have a fine paint brush and some lighter fluid? Put small drops top and bottom of the takeup spool and see what happens? Tilt camera so that any excess fluid will not find way to shutter mechanism. The bearings for the takeup spool is under the wide flanges.

And yes, this is not a safe procedure, especially just working off some guy on the internet. Be careful, be sparing of any fluid use.

Dan Daniel said:

When you set to rewind, you are disengaging the sprocket rollers or whatever they would be called. That's it. So doesn't this point to something with the takeup spool? Do you have a fine paint brush and some lighter fluid? Put small drops top and bottom of the takeup spool and see what happens? Tilt camera so that any excess fluid will not find way to shutter mechanism. The bearings for the takeup spool is under the wide flanges.

And yes, this is not a safe procedure, especially just working off some guy on the internet. Be careful, be sparing of any fluid use.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I will think about this over some sleep and see if It's worth doing it or not. I really hoped it could be a straightforward job, but to pinpoint where its from makes it even more difficult! I might alternatively just get a repairman do a CLA that I found just now that's not asking for a price that feels like daytime robbery.