Question about Canon EOS-AE-1 35mm SLR Camera
Hey, I have two AE-1's in the same position. The Film advance lever wont move, the shutter button does nothing(i can push it down but nothing happens), and the button on the bottom is stuck in. In both cases this happened when there we no film in the camera and i advanced the lever and then tried to "take a picture". When the picture wouldn't take i messed around with the camera and ended up pushing the button on the bottom. With the second camera i was trying to see if the first one was broken because i just got the first one off ebay and hadn't used it yet. The second one got stuck in the same situation and is a camera i have used many times. Please help. Thanks, Peter
This happened to me to both the Canon's I had. I found out it was a dead battery. Once I replaced those it worked fine. The battery is hidden under the hand grip which can be taken off using a coin in the screw slot.
Sincerely,
Karin
Posted on Nov 24, 2007
To rashborth25
*Press the black button next to the film rewind crank, if it beeps (preferably quickly) it shouldn't be a battery problem. Also, you can depress the shudder button half way and look into the viewfinder and check the exposure meter inside. If it doesn't light up at all, it's likely a power problem.
*Please make sure the battery is installed properly - negative to negative, positive to positive. I know it's obvious, but I've made this mistake, and just reversed the battery and it worked for me.
*Check for any corrosion on the previous battery you used and the camera's battery connectors, if they are discolored (not a shiny steel color) brown or yellow, you may have to clean with a cotton swab, just lightly moist with water, and then dry again with the other end of the swab. Reinsert battery and check again.
*Remove the lens and look inside to check whether or not the mirror is completely down - if the mirror is stuck in an upward position, please state so. Also raise the mirror manually (wont hurt anything) and check if the shudder is open or closed. If this is the case, I would recommend hitting the rewind button, opening the back, removing the film (thankfully no film should be exposed that wasn't already when you loaded the film to begin with), closing the back again, make sure the camera is set to the "A" position, set the exposure to B, and depress the shutter button - if it releases, it would be the shudder was locked in position, if not, try cranking the advance lever again, and hitting the shudder button.
If the advance lever still does not crank, and the shudder button does not release (i.e. click, expose, etc), please reply with any other particulars you can think of.
Posted on Dec 15, 2008
Didn't work
Posted on Sep 14, 2007
Most importantly, you want to check the "Battery Condition". By pressing battery check button, you want to see needle goes below F/5.6. As the battery get weakened, the needle go up above F/5.6. This where many camera starts to give irratic shutter release sympton. It this is ok. you release magnet in the bottom of the camera getting sticky. These two solution has solved many AE-1 repairs for last 30 years. Good luck -James For further assistance send email, go to www.camerarepairjapan.com
Posted on Mar 26, 2009
Hi,
Attach a lockable cable release and lock the shutter open on B. Now try turning the release 'button' back and forth. This may free up the lock mechanism, if indeed this is the cause of the jam. If it does not work on the B setting, try the same with the shutter uncocked ie just press the cable release as far as it will go.
Posted on Jul 31, 2007
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I have a canon AE1 and i was taking pictures without film and accidently hit the little button on the bottom and the film advance lever wont move at all. is there anything that will fix this
i have exactly the same problem: advance lever is stuck...i getting ready to disassemble...
any suggestions?
I have an AE-1 Program 35mm bought in 1983. i installed a new battery followed all the instructions in the manual,,,but...the film will not advance and the shutter will not will not take a picture. I am new at this and know very very very little about troubleshooting.a camera. I am willing to try = don't have the buget to take it to a pro...can some one help me? please
similar problem. k i shot a whole 2 rolls of film with my AE-1, and then when i went to put the third in, after not really touching my camera for a week or so (so i know i didnt physically damage it) the film advance lever just stopped working - its totally stuck. The button presses down fine, but nothing happens. i just put a new battery in it before i started using it, so i dont see why it would be a dead battery issue. anyways, any feedback would be awesome.
same exact thing. but what happens is if i wait a little, it'll let me take the picture
but the picture never turns out cuz im so mad and pressing the button so hard it shakes the camera
The mirror is locked in up position and I cannot get it back into place. The battery is good and the shutter is shut. How do I unlock it?
Response to Dshack:
I have the same problem
-Button on the bottom is stuck
-Mirror IS NOT laying flat, it's at an angle
-Tried setting shutter to B, nothing happened
Thankyou!!! solved my problem with stuck lever from this forum.
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