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Message |
    
Linda959
Tinkerer
Username: Linda959
Post Number: 2
Registered: 05-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 13, 2011 - 08:58 pm: | 
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I purchased a canon AE-1 from ebay...he said it had worked great but just has
not used it in many years. while trying it out..I feel like the winder is
sticking somewhat..all the pictures if they take turn out very fuzzy. Is there
a way to oil or clean these old cameras? I am wanting to take a photography
class in the fall. Can you
suggest anything? |
Monopix
Tinkerer
Username: Monopix
Post Number: 210
Registered: 11-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 13, 2011 - 11:47 pm: |
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Can you elaborate on the problems a bit more? There's lots of reasons why a picture may not be clear and some have nothing to do with the camera. Are they out of focus, blurred (as in movement), grainy or maybe something else?
As for the winder, do you mean the manual film advance or do you have an auto winder of some sort attached? And when you say 'sticking' do you mean the film isn't winding on as it should or does it just feel tight? |
Chiccolini
Tinkerer
Username: Chiccolini
Post Number: 127
Registered: 06-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011 - 11:48 am: |
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Your winder is not "sticking" and there is nothing wrong with the camera. The problem is you haven't got it set right.
What is happening is the camera is shooting at whatever setting you have it on and the shutter is staying open long enough to compensate and make a proper exposure (which sounds like 1/8th or longer) and that is why the lag in the winder winding (it is waiting for the camera to finsh shooting the pic.) and the fuzzy pic.s (because you got it set too slow).
Now look at your film and see what ISO it is and set your ASA/ISO dial to that number. Next set your aperture to "A" on the lens. Next set your speed dial to 60. Now you have it set up in "point and shoot" mode.
You don't really need a photo course. Just buy a used book on beginner photography and find out what an f-stop is and depth of field and all that. Get the instruction manual free from http://www.butkus.org/chinon or at Canon online.
There is no such thing as "oiling" a camera. It ain't a tractor. |
Monopix
Tinkerer
Username: Monopix
Post Number: 211
Registered: 11-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011 - 03:53 pm: |
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Hey Chiccolini, You are great. Spot on I would say. Hey, I have a camera on my desk right now, a Contax, it doesn't work. Letherette's a bit rough and I assume that's part of the problem. Can you tell me what's wrong with it please? Because you're so great at diagnosing these camera problems I'm sure you can help. By the way, my tractor needs servicing. Can you tell me where I put the oil? |
Hanskerensky
Tinkerer
Username: Hanskerensky
Post Number: 96
Registered: 05-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011 - 04:09 pm: |
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Hi Monopix,
You should check the battery of your Contax, it's probably empty. Would advise a conversion to a Li-ion accu pack ;-) |
Old_school
Tinkerer
Username: Old_school
Post Number: 34
Registered: 04-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011 - 04:53 pm: |
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Hey Chiccolini, you are wrong! The cameras do need oil on the internal mechanisme or the surfaces acting as bearings, or actual bearings, which Canon has (ball bearing races) on its shutter rollers, will gaul & siez. The film transport & shutter cocking mechanisme are lightly lightly greased. Plus any sand, dirt, or film chips in the inside need to be removed to avoid damage. They do require periodic service hence, CLA, stands
for clean, lube & adjust. Remember, these are precision instruments not your Toyota!
But, your other advice is a good start!
Good luck Linda & hope some of the above information helps out. |
Chiccolini
Tinkerer
Username: Chiccolini
Post Number: 128
Registered: 06-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011 - 05:40 pm: |
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Yeah, but, the way she said it I got visions of the Tin Man's oil can and a can of 3 in 1.
Hey, Mono, don't make fun of a guy who has ten feet of fake leatherette for recovering Contax. You may need a foot or two of it some day. Sorry, great grandpa didn't have a tractor on his farm. That was so long ago the farm was organic before the word even was coined. |
Michael_linn
Tinkerer
Username: Michael_linn
Post Number: 6
Registered: 04-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011 - 11:26 pm: |
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Linda-
Just ask for a refund and send it back. Try again for a better one.
It seems that some here are interested in nothing except arguing with another poster.
That's what you get from an unmoderated forum, and that's why some hang around here. What your post set off was not your fault.
Good Luck! |
Monopix
Tinkerer
Username: Monopix
Post Number: 212
Registered: 11-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2011 - 01:02 am: |
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>Yeah, but, the way she said it I got visions of the Tin Man's oil can and a can of 3 in 1.
Now you're talking. I had someone bring me a 139 on which the shutter wouldn't release so she had put some oil in the camera around the shutter release button (which is electronic) to 'fix' it. At least the OP was asking first before doing it though. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 921
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2011 - 11:12 am: |
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This 'unmoderated' forum has worked well for many a year - by the simple expedient of people giving sensible answers to questions asked. From the comments in the original post it is impossible to state what is wrong with this particular camera - its been laying about unused for decades and probably never had a service during its working life! We all know the pitfalls associated with internals of the A Series, especially the AE-1 and Program models, so sweeping statements in the 'you've got it set wrong you stupid idiot' tone are certainly not helpful.
For the camera in question, incorrect settings should be way down the faults list and the poster's only actual question should have been answered. Yes, these cameras can be cleaned and lubed by any competent service shop; however, the cost is way beyond what the camera is actually worth.
In the end Michael is the only person to give Linda any sound and sensible advice.
As to the crass statement that photographic courses are useless and all one needs is a book - what utter rot! This is why second hand book shops and charity shops are full of unread books on photography, too many beginners throw in the towel if they follow the 'teach thy self' method.
If you want to act like children go and set up your own forum, don't ruin this one by filling up the tech section with worthless f.....g crap. Some of us come on here to try and actually help people - which is why Margaret and Henry actually set up this site in the first place. |
Gez
Tinkerer
Username: Gez
Post Number: 283
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2011 - 11:35 am: |
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With all this 'helpful' advice flying about I think it may be an good opportunity to ask if anybody has a service manual for the Canon AV-1?
I'm not holding my breath! |
Chiccolini
Tinkerer
Username: Chiccolini
Post Number: 129
Registered: 06-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2011 - 01:04 pm: |
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Do you know how many people I have met who have picked up a camera, know nothing of its operation, expect it to operate itself, and when it does not, think it is broken or they have been sold a piece of junk? Too many.
The original poster indicates she picked up this camera with the intent of using it in a photo class and it sounds she is unfamiliar with the camera. From her description of the camera's action, I replied with what I felt sure was the reason.
This is an open forum and everyone is free to offer their advice or opinion but many questions go ignored until someone dares reply then every man jack tumbles in to comment, sometimes with legitimate help or, more often, with comments betraying their own lack of experience or, simply, to bicker.
No slight intended to the original poster but many people pop in to the forum with similar questions and are never heard from again. The majority of these people, I would dare venture from the tone of the postings, have zero experience in camera repair and are unlikely to succeed if they start fumbling around in such an unfamiliar task. The best advice for most of these people is to ignore forums like this and take their equipment to a camera repair shop for a free inspection/estimate and I doubt anyone here could argue with such a sound bit of advice.
For such a group of experienced and esteemed experts I am amazed the generalized opinion is that all cameras need servicing and none can be expected to work after 20 or 30 years. If that were the case, camera shops wouldn't be able to have a used camera section because, as you know, the cost of servicing every one before reselling would make it unfeasible. I chose that as an example because if I had said I encounter lots of cameras and the majority work fine I would be berated as either not knowing a defective camera when I saw one or reselling defective items.
Second hand book shops are full of basic photography books because the readers have moved on to deeper subjects on the matter. Honestly, if someone needs a helpful hand to guide them or needs to fill up 3 college credits on a "fluff" course, fine, but it isn't beyond most people's mental capacity to learn the relationship between the aperture and shutter speed (and all the rest) from a book.
I don't think the original poster is an "idiot". Sounds like someone else has that opinion. I only think she is ufamiliar with the camera. I don't know how to tell someone their camera is not set properly without telling them their camera is not set properly. I answered a question. The rest of the forum members took this post to where it is now. |
Waynemel
Tinkerer
Username: Waynemel
Post Number: 64
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2011 - 08:27 pm: |
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In Chiccolini's defence, I agree that a possible explanation for the "fuzzy" pictures, is the improper use of the camera.
I teach some photography classes in highschool, and the vast majority (if not all) of students have never shot with film. Many have never even seen film before. They do not understand that a camera may not auto focus and they have very little understanding of aperture, shutter speed and their relation to sharp pictures.
Even the ones who are "into" photography and claim to have lots of experience are almost always shooting a DLSR in auto mode.
It is sometimes hard to believe that such photography basics are not understood, but we have to understand that manual film cameras are completely foreign to this current generation.
So, the advice to read the manual is probably sound.
I have noticed that there have been quite a few postings on this forum lately that have the same "tone" as this one. It seems that the OP's are very new to the medium and their questions reflect a very limited knowledge of how to use a classic camera.
Perhaps Chiccolini could have simply asked the OP if she was sure that she was focusing correctly and that her shutter speed was high enough to avoid camera shake etc. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 922
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2011 - 03:59 am: |
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Wayne,
You hit the nail on the head, re your comments about DSLR and Auto mode and the complete lack of knowledge on how to capture images on that funny silver halide stuff. However I think a good DSLR set in complete manual mode - including manual focus - is the ideal piece of kit to teach the fundamentals. The student/beginner can 'shoot' off literally 100's of images during the learning curve and see the results very quickly. To do this with film costs and did always cost a fortune, something that made many would be Joe Cornish shove the camera in the closet. Having learnt the fundamentals on digital, the student can put their valuable rolls of film to satisfying use.
I taught my son, and surprisingly a large number of his friends this way - with 'no fallers by the wayside' it was a rather satisfying experience for all concerned. The other side of the coin is acknowledging that from a VERY early age, my son had a much better understanding of the intricacies of Photoshop - still does at 27. Can't wait for the slate and chalk to make a comeback! |
Waynemel
Tinkerer
Username: Waynemel
Post Number: 66
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2011 - 05:17 am: |
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Using DSLRs in my classes would be great. However, just one would use up almost 1/2 of my budget for the year (a budget that is allocated for all of my classes, not just photography).
So it is much cheaper to use older, donated film SLRs and process the film ourselves. We then scan the negs and can treat them as digital from that point onwards. |
