Who are we?  Featured Cameras  Articles  Instruction Manuals  Repair Manuals  The Classic Camera Repair Forum  Books  View/Sign Guestbook

Canon AE1-P Frame Counter Reset Log in | Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Classic Camera Repair » Archives-2005 » Canon AE1-P Frame Counter Reset « Previous Next »

Author Message
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Robert J. Polickoski

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 11:45 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I have a Canon AE1-P for which I recently purchased a motorized winder. In working with the winder without film in the camera, the frame counter advanced. Now I can't get the frame counter to reset back to "S". The manual doesn't cover this situation. does anybody have any ideas?

Thank you in advance.

VR,
Robert
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

rick oleson

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 03:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

You mean the frame counter on the camera, or is there another counter on the winder?

The one on the camera should reset when you open the back. If it doesn't, it probably means it's dirty; give the camera a good slap while the back is open and it will probably reset the counter.

If there's a counter on the winder, i'd think it should be resettable manually.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Robert J. Polickoski

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 06:10 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Pardon my lack of clarity. It is the frame counter on the camera which worked perfectly prior to attaching the winder.

The manual talks about rewinding the film until the frame counter points to "S." This leads me to think that the act of rewinding the film returns the frame counter to start. But without film in the camera, I can't rewind it.

I will try the "good slap" and report on its success.

Thank you,
Robert
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Robert J. Polickoski

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 11:26 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Well, I tried the "good slap" and it had no change. A behavior I notice is that the frame counter will only advance when the back is closed. I can cock it and release the shutter many times with the back open and the frame counter will not move. But if I close the back and cock it, the frame counter advances.

Any thoughts?

Thank you again.
Robert
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

rick

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 02:30 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

It still seems that the counter should become free to reset when the back door is open, and I can't think of anything in a winder that would have any effect on it one way or the other. I used to have an AE1P and I have worked on a few, but never encountered any issues with the frame counter so it could have a unique design that I'm just not aware of.

In the absence of anyone with better information, my guess would still be that it's most likely gotten dirty, or possibly the return spring has come unhooked. In either case I don't think the winder caused it, it may just have been an unlucky coincidence... and in either case it will require a bit of disassembly to figure it out and fix it.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

sloppyjoec

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 09:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

could the motor winder be blocking the film door from fully opening? does it work again when you take the winder off?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Robert J. Polickoski

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 11:11 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I was able to cycle the frame counter completely around to the starting point using the winder. So the problem is solved.

Thank you.

Robert
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Glenn Middleton

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 04:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Robert, the counter is automatically reset when you open the back.No amount of rewinding film will rewind counter.Counter should not advance when back open,the counter gear is disengaged.The counter wheel is returned by a spring similar to a watch main spring,that is tensioned on assembly.It is unusual for the A series counter to jamb completely. In the main the ones I have seen failed because the spring fractured,hence it will count but not zero.

Now for the bad news,your problems may only just be starting.I have seen two instances where pieces of the broken spring completely destroyed the Delrin shutter gears.I am pretty sure that the spring was broken by the winder,when you operated it without film in camera.All the A series winders depend on the film reaching the last exposure to stall the winder motor,thus telling you to rewind film.If you operate without film you can wind the counter well over 38 exposures.How much will depend on how much tension was prewound onto the spring on assembly.Just like an over-wound watch spring,the spring breaks or pulls free.The very fact that you wound on through to 0 and the counter still works is another indicator of a spring problem.I sujjest that you should find out if you have any bits of spring loose inside camera.Winding by hand you might feel it start to jamb up,using the power winder will certainly wreck the camera.

I have never seen any reference in Canon literature to REWINDING back to S.Winding On to S is important before using power winders,as trying to gain extra frames means that there is not enough film on take-up spool and the inertia imparted by the winder can cause the film to jamb.

Sorry for bad news but it is easy,or not very costly,to remove top and just check that spring is not broken.If that is case then just continue using as is. Glenn
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Glenn Middleton

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 05:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Ooops,second sentence should read'No amount of rewinding film will rewind counter with back open'.Counter of cause counts back when rewinding exposed film and then resets when back is opened,to allow proper reloading sequence.
(Brain not in gear tonight!) Glenn

Add Your Message Here
Post:
Bold text Italics Underline Create a hyperlink Insert a clipart image

Username: Posting Information:
This is a private posting area. Only registered users and moderators may post messages here.
Password:
Options: Enable HTML code in message
Automatically activate URLs in message
Action:

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | User List | Help/Instructions | Program Credits Administration