Canon AE-1 Film Problems

[VortexOne]

My camera is really starting to bug me. My Canon AE-1 Program, I regret to say, has film problems. Its super hard to load, but I figure thats normal with these things from what I've heard.

But just recently, I was advancing the film,and noticed it felt really weird on my thumb, and was a little hard to push, but I thought nothing of it. It made a weird sound, but it totally slipped my mind.

Then, I took another picture, pushed the advance lever again, and the rewind knob didn't spin like the manual says it should. I was a little confused, and angry, as it had done this before on multiple occasions, each of which I lost whole or nearly whole rolls.

But heres what sets this time apart: when I opened the film door, the film had come clean off the cartridge, ripped in a diagonal line. It was a finished roll, I was mad.

I need help. I've put 5 rolls through this camera, and only one has gone through completely without problems and rewound correctly. I have lots of loading problems too, as the camera refuses to cooperate and even tore the holes of the film once.

Is there something wrong with my AE-1 or is it the film? Or is it just user error? Should I sell the camera and get a new one, or what? Help.

 

[raphaelaaron]

the AE-1 was my first camera. i'll see if i can help.

does this problem happen when advancing the film, or rewinding the film once all shots have been taken?

 

[VortexOne]

It only happens when I try and rewind.

 

[dxqcanada]

The tearing in the sprocket holes by the gears or tearing ... that would indicate that the film moving across the film plane and/or out of the cannister is tight.

Does the rewind knob move freely?
Possibly the pressure plate on the film back is putting excessive force on the film ?
or ... the take up spool is out of sync with the gears ... it is not turning at the same rate to properly take up the film moved by the sprocket gears.

You should take a sacrificial film roll and look load it with the back open to see how the gear mechanisms are moving.

[EDIT]
Ok, so the film is getting torn only when rewinding ?
Then the film release mechanism is not working.

 

[raphaelaaron]

[EDIT]
Ok, so the film is getting torn only when rewinding ?
Then the film release mechanism is not working.

exactly my thoughts. OP, did you remember to press the small cylindrical button on the bottom of the camera?

that disengages the film. you're supposed to do it before you start rewinding.

 

[compur]

It only happens when I try and rewind.

Do you press the wind release before rewinding?

 

[dxqcanada]

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photograph...es/SLRs/ae1pgrm/images/newimage/ae1pbase1.jpg

 

[VortexOne]

Yes, I always press the rewind button before trying to rewind, and the rewind knob spins freely. As for the gears moving, they move just fine, and the film wraps around it like it should. I'm starting to think maybe I'm loading it wrong, but I do every thing the manual says. I'm terribly confused.