Metal or Polycarbonate?

Or how about both. Polycarbonate over a nice metal like the F5 and I think the F-100...I think the Maxxum 9 was also like this. I do not know anything about Canon cameras.

Yes, foam seals fail. Take a look in many of the German made cameras and you will find a cotton cord. Replacement foam materials these days is of a material that is unlikely to ever turn into goo, so longevity issues there become moot.

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It was very disappointing borrowing an AE-1 for my grandfather, and then getting back 2 rolls of film with stripes down the middle of the pictures. On the other hand, the ELAN 7 that I bought used hasn't had any problems that I know of and has worked flawlessly.

Auto focus on the other hand is something that is prone to failure. I was testing a camera, and found that it was front focusing. With manual focus, you have only one thing to blame when your pictures are out of focus.

reub2000 said:

It was very disappointing borrowing an AE-1 for my grandfather, and then getting back 2 rolls of film with stripes down the middle of the pictures. On the other hand, the ELAN 7 that I bought used hasn't had any problems that I know of and has worked flawlessly.

Auto focus on the other hand is something that is prone to failure. I was testing a camera, and found that it was front focusing. With manual focus, you have only one thing to blame when your pictures are out of focus.

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Actually, that is not always the case. A manual camera can be out of focus because the focus of the SLR camera is off; that is it could be the camera and not that you were off when you focused the lens.

Rich

Pragmatist said:

And this is why both of my 35s are black A-1s, and my MF is an RB Pro with a custom green kidskin covering on the body, WLF, and backs, and all trim redone in black krinkle finish...

P.S. Enjoy Florida. I lived there for 33 years, and was done medium well when I left...

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My RB needs new skin as well. Problem is that the wife put her foot down and refuses to let me get the red leather! It's easier to hide a recently purchased F or two, but a red RB is too easy to spot!

reub2000 said:

It was very disappointing borrowing an AE-1 for my grandfather, and then getting back 2 rolls of film with stripes down the middle of the pictures. On the other hand, the ELAN 7 that I bought used hasn't had any problems that I know of and has worked flawlessly.

Auto focus on the other hand is something that is prone to failure. I was testing a camera, and found that it was front focusing. With manual focus, you have only one thing to blame when your pictures are out of focus.

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Yes, this is one of the risks of an older camera that is borrowed and has not likely been used in a number of years. Just in the past year, I have had to replace the foam on both of my A-1s. But this is not unique to SLR's. I buy and sell accessories for Mamiya RB's, and I have yet to come by a Pro or Pro S back that did not require new seals.

Likewise, many SLRs that I have repaired for others have had damper foam go bad in the mirror box. For the most part, if any camera that used a foam seal OEM and is 25 years old it is best to replace them as a matter of course.