I think my Canon FD days are over. RIP dad's A-1

trythis · Jun 6, 2014

Today the Canon A-1 my dad gave me in 1985 seems to have died just a week or so after a CLA. It was acting up a bit so I sent it in, but now it only shows "BULB 32 M" in TV mode and Program; and mostly "125 1.8" in AV mode with a red light stuck on at f/4. Anyone know of anything simple this could be? Lens in A, and no its not on Bulb mode, new batteries, not stopped down, etc.

I have been trying out Nikon bodies, older and newer, collecting some cheap lenses from time to time but now I think its time to ditch the FD system and move completely over to Nikon. It makes me sad, even if that's kinds silly, but I have used that A-1 for ~30 years It does simplify things. I don't have that nostalgia tugging me in the FD direction and can focus on getting a few missing lenses for the Nikon kit. I suppose I could get another FD body, but they seem to be a bit weak or limited to shutter priority.
Is it me or are the Nikon bodies, even the electronic ones, are holding up better over the long term?

Tom1956 · Jun 6, 2014

Scout around for a junker with the circuitry good. Although Nikon would be a good move.

Jeff Kubach · Jun 6, 2014

Look up KEH, Canon FD is good stuff!

Jeff

trythis · Jun 6, 2014

Jeff Kubach said:
Look up KEH, Canon FD is good stuff!

Jeff

Yeah, I looked, but I'd have to drop $100 or so and it wouldn't be the same. They'd need repairs pretty soon too. I really like the FDn 50mm 1.8 and an FL 58mm 1.2 I have, but everything else I have is off brand stuff. It feels like I would be throwing money on the wrong shelf. I have an EF (an FD body) body that works in daylight (meaning I can see the meter) but its shutter priority only. I will keep the 2 nice lenses and shoot them every once in awhile, but the A series cameras suffer from a lot of issues relating to the mirror dampers and film advance mechanics.

Prarry · Jun 6, 2014

I would not dismiss Canon FD equipment. With the lens-mount design break with the switch to EOS and autofocus, the older Canon equipment is a contained set and, to be blunt, commands prices that are more affordable than Nikon equipment of similar age and essential functionality. The FD camera body range takes you from the F1 which is astonishingly robust through to the T90 regarded as possibly the greatest manual focus camera ever made and still seen as having one of the most effective metering systems ever.
Mirror dampers are an ‘old SLR’ problem and nothing peculiar to Canon. And, with a little care, are usually straightforward to renew.

Fotoguy20d · Jun 6, 2014

I have three A-1 bodies, one of which I've owned since the late 80s (my first SLR, bought used from a local camera shop), the others being more recent, and unintended, pick-ups. All three are working just fine. Yes, the rubber seals need occasional replacement but that's not unusual for 30 year old elastomers. The FD System is a good one, with some very good lenses to be had cheap.

If it died a week after a CLA, I'd be looking for the repair shop to fix it, at their cost, not mine.

Dan

lxdude · Jun 6, 2014

Fotoguy20d said:
If it died a week after a CLA, I'd be looking for the repair shop to fix it, at their cost, not mine.

Dan

Yes, have them check it out. They might not have plugged in a circuit board all the way or pinched a wire or something.

snapguy · Jun 6, 2014

Nikon lens

I bought a Nikon 50mm f1.4 rabbit ear lens with a Nikon F70 body for $20 plus shipping. The body was worth $20 so basically I got the lens for nothing. But I agree you should have your Canon checked out. Car mechanics and camera repairers sometimes make mistooks or overlook something. Worth a try.

Double Negative · Jun 6, 2014

Ahh, the A-1. A camera near and dear to my heart. My first self-bought camera from 1983/4ish. Still have it! It developed The Squeal(TM) which I had serviced, along with new light seals. Didn't last long. Bought another that was CLA'ed and it's holding strong. First guy (who I've dealt with many times over the years, sucks).

Great camera, but like all Canon FD "A" cameras - subject to the shutter squeal.

Sepia Hawk · Jun 6, 2014

Well, didn't the technician doing the CLA give you any warranty? When I had my F-1 out for shutter repair and CLA I got a three month warranty. Ask - you never know.

trythis · Jun 6, 2014

I did..waiting to hear back but I can imagine if its a chip or circuit flex board the parts would be a financial barrier.
Mechanic analogy: oil change and alignment work...3 weeks later the starter fails...mechanic will not repair that for free.

sent from phone. excuse my typing.

Nick Merritt · Jun 6, 2014

Right -- the fact you just had it serviced tells me that the repair guy didn't do something right. Take it back.

Uncle Bill · Jun 7, 2014

Here's what I would do, hold onto your FD Glass and get a FTb, they are great cameras and built much like Nikkormats, like trucks.

trythis · Jun 7, 2014

Had one that needed work. The shutter slow speeds were off. I cracked the prism reassembling it. :-/ . I like them well enough but they are also quite long in the tooth.

sent from phone. excuse my typing.

Tom1956 · Jun 7, 2014

Canon never tripped my trigger. Although I can respect and F1 or FTb OK. But still don't get all warm and gooshy inside over a Canon. To me a Canon is a fax machine or something.

John Koehrer · Jun 7, 2014

trythis said:
I did..waiting to hear back but I can imagine if its a chip or circuit flex board the parts would be a financial barrier.
Mechanic analogy: oil change and alignment work...3 weeks later the starter fails...mechanic will not repair that for free.

sent from phone. excuse my typing.

It may be related to the original job even though it doesn't seem logical.
Wouldn't be the first time.

trythis · Sep 6, 2014

Draggin this thread up from the depths,
I fixed the camera!

I should have taken photos, but for anyone else with this problem in the future, here is the fix.
I was hoping for a loose wire, but it was weirder than that and I caught it by accident.

Remove top, then attached to the underside of the plastic shutter speed/aperture wheel should be a 6 toed metal rotary contact foot. It contacts a pattern on the PCB below telling the camera what has been selected. It is supposed to be welded to the underside of the plastic selector wheel through two holes but the thin layer of plastic that was essentially a melted plastic rivet had failed. THe foot was floating and no information was reaching the camera.

A sharp soldering iron point through the two holes, into the wheel forced enough plastic back up and made new "rivets." I grabbed a piece of shim stock and ironed the little blobs of plastic flat down to hold the foot sucurely. Good as new, maybe better!

I have just acquired a Nikon FA, which will most likely win out the what I carry contest, but its nice to have my first SLR back if I wanted it.

lxdude · Sep 6, 2014

Good going!

benjiboy · Sep 6, 2014

I have had an A1 that I bought second hand more than 25 years ago and remember how revolutionary they were in those days both in the metering systems the L.E.D viewfinder readout, laser cut focusing screen, laminated plastic top and bottom plate on a lightweight alloy frame and highly automated manufacturing techniques that allowed them to be largely made by machines enabling Canon to offer the public a highly capable, multi-mode S.L.R. that was affordable by the man in the street that speaking generally has been very reliable, but you must consider it's about 27 years since the last one came off the production line and the majority of them have never been serviced since, I had mine C.L.A'd a couple of years ago that cost about the same as buying another one on ebay, becauseI prefer to do that than get another one of unknown history.

RalphLambrecht · Sep 7, 2014

Tom1956 said:
Scout around for a junker with the circuitry good. Although Nikon would be a good move.

That's what I was thinking too.everybody starts as a Canon guy;only the talented can overcome it.

dynachrome · Sep 12, 2014

I have many Canon and Nikon cameras and lenses. If you can't do good work with either brand, it's not the equipment.

frank · Sep 12, 2014

Get yourself an F1 small n body for your lenses. It won't let you down.

Mainecoonmaniac · Sep 13, 2014

Can't agree more

Jeff Kubach said:
Look up KEH, Canon FD is good stuff!

Jeff

I've been using it for over 30 years and it sure is good stuff. My favorite is my 85mm f/1.8 lens.

Dennis S · Sep 13, 2014

One FD lens is really surprising me is the FDn 35-105/3.5 seems even better than some of my primes (50/1.4 SSC, 85/1.8, even FL 55/1.2) Very nice contrast and nice results from it. Heavy but a good workout/photo shoot never hurt anyone.

trythis · Sep 13, 2014

dynachrome said:
I have many Canon and Nikon cameras and lenses. If you can't do good work with either brand, it's not the equipment.

Agreed, happy to have my old A1 working again but after getting into Nikon gear the Canon stuff feels ckunkier and less durable. Having been inside several Nikon bodies, several Canon Ftb's and finally the A1; I can say the Nikons and older Canons appear a bit more durable mechanically. The A1/ae1's are built like portable cassette players or remote control cars from that era. However The nice thing about the Ae-1p is they are soooo cheap and easy to work on.

Fd glass was really cheap for a while but the mirrorless crowd has pushed the prices up a bit reducing my interest in building up my fd lens cache.

frank said:
Get yourself an F1 small n body for your lenses. It won't let you down.

I would love to but they seem to hold their value and that prevents me from buying.

I think my Canon FD days are over. RIP dad's A-1

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