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Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 27
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 05:25 pm: | 
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Well, I have yet another F-1 question. This is the original F-1 by the way. I bought a Winder F for the F-1 and it arrived today. It's in very nice shape and the previous owner said that it worked fine the last time he used it.
I loaded it up with fresh batteries, and mounted it to the F-1, and gave it a try. When I depressed the shutter button mounted on the Winder, the shutter fired, but the winder didn't advance the film. Hoboy. So, I pull out the battery pack, use an eraser on all the electrical contacts on the winder, battery pack, and camera, then remount it and give it another go. This time, the shutter will not fire when I depress the shutter button on the winder. And when I trip the shutter from the camera, it will not advance the film.
So, I used a trick I learned years ago, and took a coin, and shorted across the two electrical contacts on the winder. The motor spun freely. So, that means the winder is working as promised. And it also means to me the culprit likely lies with the camera somwhere -- hence the subject of this post.
I got out my digital multimeter, set it to the Ohms x100 scale (the meter's lowest), held the probes to the camera's two contacts, and tripped the shutter. There was no response. The circuit was open before I tripped the shutter, and there wasn't even so much as a hiccup from tripping the shutter. I tried at various speeds, especially slow ones, reasoning that perhaps during slow speeds the circuit might be closed longer. Didn't make a difference.
So I am inclined to think that the problem lies somewhere in the camera's circuit that sends a signal to a motor or winder to wind the film.
I've dismantled quite a few cameras before, but have never worked on an F-1. They're so reliable, they seldom break, so not much reason to.
For this problem, I'm inclined to start with the plate that covers the two contact points on the base of the camera, and work inward from there.
Thoughts?
Michael |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 28
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 06:48 pm: |
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Heh, well I tried to edit the above message, but since I posted it more than 15 minutes prior, I can't. So instead I need to submit an update.
I decided to give things a look-see and removed the small plate that covers the two electrical contacts. Three tiny screws hold it on. It isn't necessary to remove the battery cover to remove this plate.
The electrical contacts are molded into a piece of plastic material that has a couple of blade type contact points on the underside. Kinda reminds me of old automotive voltage regulators or ignition points (remember those?). Turns out this is all to this circuit there is inside the camera. Definitely electromechanical with a special emphasis on the mechanical.
There's an arm that moves across these contacts, which opens and closes the circuit, and it had some gray grease residue on it. Aha! thought I.
Two screws hold down this piece that holds the contacts. I removed it so I could examine it and clean them. Grabbed a bottle of alcohol and a Q-Tip, and gently cleaned the metal blades. Reinstalled this piece, and attached the winder. As soon as the winder made contact with the camera, it made a quick winding noise. Charged the shutter.
Success!
So, I guess if you ever run into a situation where your old F-1's motor drive or winder won't fire, it might not be the winder or drive that's the problem. Could be these little contact points might have gotten a bit of grease on them. Doesn't take much.
Michael |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 686
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - 02:34 pm: |
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Whilst I cannot say this is a common fault, it should be the 'first port of call' with any well used original F-1 showing Winder function problems - especially if it has not been serviced properly/regularly. |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 29
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - 07:56 pm: |
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And in my case, a not so well used one. This F-1 I recently bought is a very clean, very lightly used camera. But it's probably been years since its last CLA (although it looks to have had its mirror bumber and light seals replaced recently), and perhaps more significantly, it may have spent some time inside a hot car, causing that gray grease to flow onto areas it didn't belong.
So, well used or not, it deserves a look. |
Jet
Tinkerer
Username: Jet
Post Number: 1
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 - 11:14 am: |
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I have a Canon F1 and cannot depress the shutter. It has been freezing up over time and now does not work at all. My daughter wanted to borrow this for her photography class so I am trying to fix quickly. Her prof also recommended the AE1 and I have this as well---ran into a problem with my zoom lens but it may work ok otherwise but very old and probably needs some maintenance. Any suggestions? |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 842
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 - 05:15 pm: |
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Suggest that the F-1 needs a CLA - these things are bloody tough but will eventually expire through lack of lubrication. |
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