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Dufflespank
Tinkerer
Username: Dufflespank
Post Number: 1
Registered: 05-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 01:33 pm: | 
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Hello,
First time poster here. I just picked up a sweet canon AE-1. The only thing wrong with it is that the exposure counter does not work. How serious is this? How do you fix it? Can I fix it? I await your expert advice. |
Dgillette4
Tinkerer
Username: Dgillette4
Post Number: 211
Registered: 04-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 04:08 pm: |
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Yes the AE1 is a great camera, Did you check the foam seal on the rear of the body? some times this foam breaks down and gets gummy , there is a small lever inside the foam track that pops out to reset the counter when the back is opened, See if this is the problem before digging inside. Don |
Dgillette4
Tinkerer
Username: Dgillette4
Post Number: 212
Registered: 04-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 04:08 pm: |
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Yes the AE1 is a great camera, Did you check the foam seal on the rear of the body? some times this foam breaks down and gets gummy , there is a small lever inside the foam track that pops out to reset the counter when the back is opened, See if this is the problem before digging inside. Don |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 357
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 05:36 pm: |
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If all else is well on the camera and the seals are good, you can forget about the counter if you want to. A none working counter is not detrimental to the rest of the mechanism, and if you use the proper winding technique you will never tear the completely exposed film out of the cassette. I never really use the counter, just keep a mental note of the exposures. However I never leave partly exposed rolls in the camera, the film(s) are developed immediately after the session - no matter the number of exposed frames. Some people may need the counter, but the camera will function happily with out it! |
Dufflespank
Tinkerer
Username: Dufflespank
Post Number: 2
Registered: 05-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 08:54 am: |
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Glenn, what do you mean by "proper winding technique?" |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 360
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 03:22 pm: |
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Always use a smooth action when moving the lever, and never force or increase the force on the lever once it starts moving. You should be able to expose a 20+ frame film in as many seconds, and when the end of the film is reached the lever will just stop. You immediately recognise the increased tension in the film and stop winding - no torn sprocket holes or film torn out of the cassette. I suppose it is all down to practise, but using a smooth and gentle technique/action is also kinder to the wind on mechanism. Sometimes you can detect a slight mechanical malfunction and stop winding, thus preventing a major mechanical disaster. I have come across many broken cameras, where a light touch would have prevented major surgery and hefty repair bills. |
