| Author |
Message |
    
Mjtolan
Tinkerer
Username: Mjtolan
Post Number: 2
Registered: 04-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 06:31 pm: | 
|
I have an AE-1, must have been used a couple times I assume but is still in the box and mint. Camera works and meters perfectly above 1/60th. Camera meters perfectly under 1/60, but the shutter stays open several seconds, especially on 1/30th and 1/15th. Shutter can be closed by turning speed dial to 1/60th. The very slowest speeds, less than 1/8th, appear to be correct. It is not the lens aperture as it does the same thing with no lens mounted on the body. It is not the battery as it does the same with a new battery, and battery check feature is accurate. Best I can tell this is the only problem with an otherwise perfect looking and working camera, the shutter speeds just under the flash sync hold up for several seconds (not always a consistent time either, but 4-8 seconds). |
Brcamera
Tinkerer
Username: Brcamera
Post Number: 36
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 07:22 pm: |
|
My first stop would be the speed selector that lives underneath the shutter speed knob once you have the top cover removed. It has wipers that connect to different resistors for various shutter speeds. Often the wiper and/or the contacts on the speed resistor board RT get dirty and just cleaning will resolve the problem. Or you could have an open in the resistor string. |
Mjtolan
Tinkerer
Username: Mjtolan
Post Number: 3
Registered: 04-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 07:33 pm: |
|
I now notice the sub-sync speeds are sometimes super slow usually after letting the camera sit overnight or longer. After several fires on faster speeds (above 1/250) and some on really slow speeds (under 1/8), the 1/30th and 1/15th will work right when "warmed up" from use. But, sitting overnight ends this. |
Aphototaker
Tinkerer
Username: Aphototaker
Post Number: 271
Registered: 12-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 09:35 pm: |
|
Looks like a dirty contacts problem. As brcamera suggested, try cleaning the contacts.
However, the AE-1 does not have any contacts under the speed selector knob. The relevant contact is under the rewind knob and it is coupled to the speed selector knob via tungsten cable.
Which brings me to the most important warning while removing the top in a Canon AE-1: be sure you have detailed instructions and precautions in front of you before you attempt to remove the top, else you may end up with a broken tungsten cable.
Search google for the instruction. If you wish, just ask and I will post the main points here to get you started.
Wonderful camera, btw! |
Brcamera
Tinkerer
Username: Brcamera
Post Number: 37
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 10:00 pm: |
|
Well, I think what Aphototaker is mentioning is the functional resistor which indeed is beneath the rewind knob. However, since the meter is working OK, I would sort of rule out the functional resistor. There are contacts under the shutter speed selector and they are what actually control the shutter speeds and it is know as the RT resistor, actually made up of several resistors for the various speeds. Your mentioning that is works after use leads me to believe that the wiper is dirty and when it sits for a while, caused the issue of erratic speeds. |
Aphototaker
Tinkerer
Username: Aphototaker
Post Number: 272
Registered: 12-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 10:20 pm: |
|
Ah! I missed that completely, the RT board. Mea culpa. Please accept my apologies. Thanks for correcting me. |
Brcamera
Tinkerer
Username: Brcamera
Post Number: 38
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 10:54 pm: |
|
Well, the RT board doesn't get that much attention because it mostly behaves so it is easy to miss. On the other hand, the functional resistor under the rewind knob is well known because of that pesky tungsten wire that will break from time to time. In fact, about the only time that the RT board becomes an issue is when the shutter speed wipers get dirty, although I have seen AE-1's where the tungsten wire breaks on the rewind side and then wraps up underneath the shutter speed control wiper and causes shutter speed issues! |
