Finally figured out why my shutter speeds were off on this Canon AE-1

For like 6 months I was cleaning the shutter blades with lighter fluid and couldn't get consistent speeds below 1/30. A buddy at the camera co-op in Brooklyn told me to check the gear train for old grease, and sure enough it was all gummed up. Anyone else waste time cleaning the wrong part before realizing the real issue?

2 comments

2 Comments

beth_hunt10d ago

Honestly, I'm not sure I'd call it wasted time. Cleaning the shutter blades first is just part of learning how these old cameras work, you know? If you had gone straight for the grease, you might have missed some grime on the blades anyway. Half the battle with these old SLRs is just getting familiar with all the nooks and crannies, even if you go down the wrong path first. Did the co-op guy show you the exact spot where the gummed up grease was?

olivia57310d ago

That co-op guy must have had some serious patience. Did he actually show you the exact spot on the main gear where the grease hardens up, or was it more of a general "clean everything" type of advice?