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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.
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My CANON AE-1 let me down -- only 4 frames came out !
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Posted: Fri May 12, 2023 9:25 am
Post subject: My CANON AE-1 let me down -- only 4 frames came out !
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Posted: Fri May 12, 2023 9:25 am
Post subject: My CANON AE-1 let me down -- only 4 frames came out !
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All my shots of the VIP's at the Brentwood Coronation Event in King George's Fields were LOST as CANON AE-1 shutter was NOT OPENING for all except 4 frames. I wanted to use the AE-1 in 'Rotation' with my other Camera Systems. I had a look in the base-plate -- the Magnets seemed OK and shutter started working again but cannot be trusted. Fuji Superia 400 rated 250 ASA
TOKINA AT-X 28-85mm zoom



CANON FD 200mm f4


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Posted: Thu May 18, 2023 1:34 am
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Posted: Thu May 18, 2023 1:34 am
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What a shame as what is saved hints at a great loss. Too bad. Sorry to hear about it.


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Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2023 5:01 am
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Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2023 5:01 am
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Check the lens. On this camera, a slow enough moving aperture will prevent the shutter from opening.
Sis found that out with an FD 80-200 with sticky aperture blades on her AE-1 at about 30F, -1 C.

-D.S.


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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 7:16 pm
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 7:16 pm
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I think a sticky aperture would result in overexposure, since the aperture starts wide open and then goes down. But worth a look.


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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 5:23 am
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 5:23 am
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gaeger wrote:
I think a sticky aperture would result in overexposure, since the aperture starts wide open and then goes down. But worth a look.


There's something in the mechanical/electrical interface with the "A" system Canon bodies that prevents the shutter from opening on a lens with a slow or sticky aperture. It's actually viewable from the rear of the camera with the back open with a sticky aperture lens. It *may* be a safety feature to protect the shutter from the camera's other mechanical operations.

-D.S.


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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 10:56 am
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 10:56 am
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Thanks for all that INFO - I will have a look with that TOKINA LENS on with the back open. That TOKINA has been good in the past --


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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 2:44 pm
Post subject: Re: My CANON AE-1 let me down -- only 4 frames came out !
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 2:44 pm
Post subject: Re: My CANON AE-1 let me down -- only 4 frames came out !
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pentaxpete wrote:
All my shots of the VIP's at the Brentwood Coronation Event in King George's Fields were LOST as CANON AE-1 shutter was NOT OPENING for all except 4 frames.


Bummer! I hadn't read your posting back then when it happened ... As much as I love vintage lenses - but quite few vintage MF cameras from the 1960s and 1970s do not work reliably any more. When I buy lenses (and often getting one or another SLR as a bonus) the cameras sometimes do work. More often though something's wrong - light meter, battery compartment destroyed by defective batteries, shutter slow or blocked ...

Interestingly, all my professional cameras from the 1960/1970s still seem to work flawlessly: Nikon F, F2 and F3 as well as Canon F-1 and New F-1. Sadly the late 1980s/early 1990s professional CaNikons (Canon T90, Nikon F4, Nikon F5) have their flaws too (and ALL of my prosumer Nikons from that time have a non-working shutter!!). Minolta Dynax (Alpha) 9 however up to now have no problems.

Doc Sharptail wrote:
Check the lens. On this camera, a slow enough moving aperture will prevent the shutter from opening.
Sis found that out with an FD 80-200 with sticky aperture blades on her AE-1 at about 30F, -1 C.

-D.S.


Interesting information - thank you for sharing. I wasn't aware of that ...!

S
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