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Gerard Curley

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Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 08:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Glenn or Steve (or anyone with an answer): The meter now responds to light changes but the apeture ring (the little indicator that moves in the viewfinder when you change apetures) doesn't move now. I am sure it moved before but now it stays on the bottom section of the viewfinder. I've tried poking around with the lens off but nothing changes. Any ideas? Gerard
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Ben

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Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 08:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

The aperture needle is mechanically linked to both the aperture signal lever and the maximum aperture signal pin, both of which are located on the right side of the lens mount with the front of the camera facing you.

You should be able to pull the aperture signal lever down with your finger and watch the aperture needle move up to the top of the viewfinder. Also, when you activate the depth of field preview(push the big lever toward the lens mount), the aperture needle should move all the way down to the bottom. If none of these things happen, the needle is either stuck or there's some other sort of problem in the linkage.

If these things do happen, the only thing I can think of was that maybe the lens wasn't mounted properly. You might try mounting it again.
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Gerard Curley

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Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 08:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I can move the signal lever down but it doesn't move the aperture needle at all. Likewise with the depth of field preview - no effect.
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roberto Rossi

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Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 08:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Seem to recall a piece of string and a pulley in the FTb. Long time since I had the top off a FTb, but pulley is fastened near frame that holds screen and prism.
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Gerard Curley

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Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 08:46 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Don't think I'm going to fish around inside the FT-b - last time I took apart a Canon I ended up with a bag full of parts, and a promise to myself to get back to it when I retire. Where is the actual aperture needle located? Is it in the top of the camera, in the viewfinder section?
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Don

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Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 09:10 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Take off the bottom & look at the front next to the lens mt. Theres a cutout for the tab on the manual SD slide that is mtd. to the bottom of the mirror cage & connects the SD lever to the lens sensing slide. This SD slide is slotted to allow lateral movement but you can't see that w/the mirror cage in place. When you push the SD lever, the tab on this link pushes the lens sensing lever. If the slide does'nt move, try pushing it w/small tweezers. Could be it's sticking or "frozen" in place causing the problem. If it works ok, then it's likely as posted above, the "lollipop" is sticking.
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Gerard Curley

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Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 01:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks Don. I'm going to try this. What is the manual SD slide? A lollipop? Gerard
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Doug Wilson

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Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 08:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

The "lollipop" is the indicator that, at present, is not moving. This may be a stupid question but, what shutter speed is selected at the moment?
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Don

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Posted on Friday, April 21, 2006 - 08:58 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

The manual stopdown slide is the link at the bottom of the mirror cage that activates the lens sensing slide ( slide w/the "lollipop".) When you press the stop down lever (on the body) towards the lensmt., it activates the manual stopdown slide which in turn runs the lens sensing slide. If you have'nt already, see if it works ok w/o a lens.
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JJ

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Posted on Sunday, April 23, 2006 - 02:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hey guys I own a FTb with a macro 80-200mm,I have never taking it to a shop to be look at,is ther something I can do to clean the inside?
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Gerard Curley

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Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 02:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I have tried taking the bottom off the FTb, but I cannot see any connection between the stopdown lever or lens sensing slide from that angle. How does one get at the "lollipop" to see if it is sticking? If I have to take the top off this old relic, I'm not sure it's worth the risk. As I said, the last time I tried this, I ended up with a plastic bag full of AE-1 parts. Gerard
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Glenn Middleton

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Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 07:15 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Removing the top is a simple matter; what you find underneath, may have you searching for a bag to store another retirement project in. There is every likelihood that any foam around the prism/screen will be degraded. It could be that the foam is causing the problem, to clean this out may require the removal of prism or other items.

If you cannot find the instructions for removal of top in the archive, (cannot remember if I posted same) contact me.
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Gerard Curley

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Posted on Monday, May 01, 2006 - 08:41 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Glenn: I know you posted instructions for removing the top of an AE-1. With the FT-b, is there another tungsten wire going across the top of the camera? (I would suspect not). I think I know how to get the film advance arm off without losing parts, and the film rewinding mechanism is not a hassle, but will the shutter button give me trouble?
I suspect the "lollipop" is jammed in some way. It does respond when I push in the depth of field tester, by going to the bottom of the viewfinder, but it never goes up. Gerard
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Glenn Middleton

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Posted on Monday, May 01, 2006 - 07:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

No 'cheese wire' to trap the unwary! however I seem to remember a piece of cord and a little pulley near bottom of prism. Removing top does not interfere with this. It might be a figment of my imagination as I last dived into a FTb quite a time ago, but I know I have seen the set up on some Canon camera.

Advance lever just requires a pin faced wrench or a small set of circlip pliers can be used, just lift off bits and note order. Use same on shutter speed dial and lift off complete. Note that when you lift off dial the disc underneath sometimes rotates slowly clockwise for a few degrees. I visualise original position and mark this with fine removable marker pen. I also set shutter to 'B', ASA to 100 and shutter uncocked before stripdown.

Shutter button is no problem. I removed the lock lever - small slot head grub-screws - but this may not be necessary just for top removal, again cannot remember. Either way nothing drastic happens.

Remove the battery compartment cover and the cover around lens mount. Remove all + head screws and carefully lift off top cover - the cover is still attached by a wire from the hotshoe. Some top covers are tight and require a careful pull upwards.

The prism comes out quite easily if required, but watch the meter needle.

As previously stated watch out for bitty/gooey foam.

I have just checked one of my FTb bodies as your description of problem niggled me. Note the lollipop only moves downwards when DOF preview lever pressed. With no lens fitted lollipop rests just below the stopdown exposure/battery check datum rectangle and when DOF lever pressed it moves downwards.

With lens mount facing you and no lens fitted you should not be able to see a RED dot below mirror on your righthand side. If no dot visible press DOF lever and as internal lever moves you will see the red dot. If red dot visible before operating DOF lever, then stopdown mechanism jammed.

Now with body in same position look at 2 o'clock position on lens mount and inside mirror box you will see the aperture indicator lever/finger at the top of it's slot. Gently move this downwards with a finger tip - it should move freely to bottom of slot. Make sure the lever/finger in the mirror box is parallel to the film plane.

Now place camera to eye and with left forefinger gently move the finger to bottom of slot. The lollipop should move to top of frame, if it does lollipop is not stuck. If lollipop does not move proceed as above, but first look at the working of the internal mechanism at the non visible end of lollipop ie the end that is inside top of body.
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Gerard Curley

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Posted on Monday, May 01, 2006 - 10:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Glenn: As always, you are the MAN. I will give this a try and if I end up with a bag of parts, then I'll order a repair manual and start from scratch. From the bottom, the FT-b doesn't look that complicated, but I am wary. Thanks again. Gerard
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Gerard Curley

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Posted on Tuesday, May 02, 2006 - 01:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Glenn: I got the top off without much trouble and managed to un-jam the "lollipop" - very satisfying. I put the camera back together and it seemed to fire okay and the meter appeared accurate for the most part (though that's quite a hassle getting the shutter speed/ASA knob set up right). Anyway, it fired okay for about ten shots and then the shutter and film advance stopped working. All jammed. I'll take it apart again tomorrow - now that I have all this new confidence - and see if I can see any troubles. Thanks again for the help Glenn. Much appreciated. Gerard
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Glenn Middleton

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Posted on Tuesday, May 02, 2006 - 07:48 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Gerard,

Did it jam as you were winding on, or is shutter fully wound and will not release? I did have a FTb that was so full of dirt/grit that it was jammed solid, but one of my parts bodies is so worn inside that it jams nearly every other shot.

Glenn.
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Gerard Curley

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Posted on Tuesday, May 02, 2006 - 08:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Glenn: Looks like the shutter is fully wound and will not release, so winder won't advance either. I took apart a TX (now that I have all this confidence) to see how they compare but couldn't find anything. So many little gears. I thought it might be the little plastic window from the film counter, because that fell when I last put the top back on, but I got that out and still the shutter's stuck. Any suggestions? Gerard
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Glenn Middleton

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Posted on Wednesday, May 03, 2006 - 10:19 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Gerard,

Do some simple things first: Try and gently move the film advance sprockets in direction of film advance. If wind on has fully cycled they should not move. If they rotate and lock with a click, you should be able to release shutter and you will have to check the timing on the advance cycle. Try a cable release, if shutter releases the button is jammed.

If the problem still persists take off the top and reassemble shutter dial/wind on. You can then trace the problem from release of shutter by watching the mechanism moving. (I usually unsolder the hotshoe lead and thus release the top)

Sorry I cannot be more helpful at this point, as I said only had this problem on a really worn FTb model.

Glenn.

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