Film Won't Advance After Shot is Taken

Like all AE-1's and related models, your camera is gumming up inside as the internal lubricant films are at least 25 years old and are largely dried-out.

The fix is to get the camera to a repair specialist for a CLA service (Clean, Lubricate, Adjust). As a one-off extra cost also get the foam light seals and foam mirror buffer replaced as they'll either be absent by now or will still be turning to a sticky goo. Modern foam is is different material and is will not decay like the old stuff.

A CLA and foam replacement definitely costs more than the residual value of the camera, but they're solidly built and have plenty of cheap high quality lenses so can still achieve results which compare well to even the best modern pro dSLR's. Get the work done and your camera will probably last until 35mm film ceases to be available. Your camera will also withstand conditions which you'd never dare risk a dSLR in.

This camera is somewhere between fifteen and thirty years old. It is highly unlikely that spares would be available, and it would be extremely expensive to have it repaired in any case, most artificers familiar with the internal layout having probably retired years ago. Maybe the camera should be retired too ?

What has probably happened is that you have not yet engaged the sprockets into the sprocket holes in the film. Open the back and make sure the film is being pulled by the take up spool under the wind on lever until both top and bottom sprockets are engaged. If there are any torn sprocket holes in the film, cut the damaged film off, cut a new lead in section to half film width, and try again. You will lose a few shots, but the rest of the film will be fine. Shutter won't start working until the film is properly advanced. If you need to get damaged film off the take up spool just press the film return button, the one you would press the rewind the film into the can at the end of the film. It is on the bottom under the sprocket shaft.

The K1000 is all mechanical, the battery only powers the light meter. So even if the battery is dead, then you should still be getting images even if very over or under-exposed.

If the images are totally black on the negatives, then your shutter is stuck open and massively over-exposing your images. If the images are black on the prints, then the negatives have been unexposed and will be totally clear. The latter problem means that the film has not been exposed at all and is either due to incorrect film loading, faulty film winding, or a shutter which fails to open.

To eliminate the possibility of a shutter fault, hold the camera up to the light with the camera back open and fire the shutter at each setting. You should see light as the shutter opens and from 1s to 1/30s should be able to see and hear the difference at each speed.

To check film loading and advancing correctly, load a film and wind film on (remember this camera needs the film leader to be manually engaged onto the take-up spool). Use the rewind crank (do not press the rewind button) to take up the loose film and take a few shots. You should see the rewind crank turn each time you advance the film if it is correctly loaded and advancing. If not, open the camera back and visually inspect the film. It should be securely engaged into the take up spool. With the back still open, advance the film and take a few shots: the take-up spool should be advancing and the sprocket wheel (just before the spool, it's the wheel which engages the holes at the edge of the film) should also be turning. If it isn't, then the film rewind mechanism is faulty and the camera is behaving as if the rewind button has been pressed. It's usually easy to remove the bottom of the camera to check that the button isn't sticking.

If all checks so far are OK then check the film pressure plate on the inside of the film door. It should be able to give a little when pressure is applied and holds the film firmly in contact with the advance sprocket, if not then one of the seating pins on the flat metal spring may have become dislodged and it's usually easy to reseat it. Clean the plate after touching it as it must be grease-free and spotless.

If you try all this and still have a problem then please add a follow up comment and I'll try to respond asap, but bear in mind that as I'm in the UK I may be in a different time zone to you.

If I've fixed your problem, then please take a moment to rate my answer.

Start simple and go from there.

I don't know if you have film in the camera so I'll read the following and choose what works for you.

I will assume the battery is working if applicable.

As stupid as this sounds press the shutter release button. If the shutter is cocked it will hold the advance. I've had people come in with this problem.

Not it?

If the film rewind has been pressed in it will disengage the film advance and stop the shutter mechanism as a result. Open the camera and close the back again resets the release.

If there is film in the camera remove it.

It there are important photos on the film and your rewind is not working use a coat to make a light proof black box. Just turn the sleeves inside out and put the camera in the coat. Wrap it so as it is closed to light. Open the camera remove the film and roll the film back in by hand.

OK so now we have a camera open with no film in it.

Open the back and look just below the shutter. On one side will be a very small "lever". This tells the camera that the film has been advanced and the shutter is cocked. Gently move the lever to the right. It should click. Now try pressing the shutter release.
Note that without film in the camera some cameras will not advance the shutter.

It should clear the problem.

If not something physical in jamming.

The film advance system could be jamming. On the side the film advance is on there will be a plastic "gear" inside the camera. Try moving by hand it should turn. You can reset the shutter this way.

Give this a try.

Hope this is helpful, if it gives you some direction please rate this answer.

Thanks

Jim, it really sounds like one of threethings. Either will require a repair shop.
1. the film sensor is not recognizing film in the film chamber, or film across the back, therefore not telling the advance motor to advance film...
2. The film advance motor itself needs replaced.
3. The rear door latch switch needs replaced.
Since everything else seems to do OK, I doubt the main computer board is bad.

Camera has a bad magnet, the A series were plagued by this.
Repairs will cost more than probably what it's worth.
The AE-1's used an electromagnet system to activate the shutter for a smoother press and less shake from the camera system.

I got lucky and recently purchased an AE-1 program that doesn't have this problem, it seems to be a hit and miss with these.

Check the batteries first. The electromagnetic shutter requires power to function. To free up the shutter and advance lever, rotate the command switch to "M90" (if I recall). That should re-set the shutter and allow you to advance the lever mechanically.

Pull the string to advance the film. As long as your film sprocket holes are lined up with the sprockets in the camera, your shutters will fire the next time you press the shutter button.

Do you press the shutter button to release the lever for the next photo? That's how you advance the film from the exposure to light, when first insterting the film.