Canon AE-1 repair?

Ghoste · May 23, 2005

My girlfriends dad has an AE-1 but the foam and all that stuff for the shutter is like deteriorated and leaking light. The camera shop told him it would be $150 to replace the foam stuff on the inside. Does that sound right to anyone? I just checked out the camera and it's in great shape. No dings, scratches, dust, dirt, nothing. It looks brand new and he told me I can use it all I want when he gets it fixed. He also has some nice lenses =). I wan't this camera fixed but $150 seems alot.

ksmattfish · May 23, 2005

$150 is fairly typical for any older camera repair. The Canon AE-1 is a great camera, and once fixed up will probably give several more decades of service before needing any further repair. You can probably find a clean, used AE-1 on EBAY for less than $150, but who's to say it won't need a repair sooner or later too?

If it's only problems are the foam seals you can get do it yourself kits. I've never tried it myself, but I don't imagine it can be too hard.

Check out www.camerrepair.com

I've had good luck with them, and they estimate their average AE-1 repair to be about $130, so a little cheaper.

M @ k o · May 23, 2005

My Ae-1 was rehauled in October for 100 bucks, I was told he gave be a break. The guy put all new seals ,ect. in it.
Now, itz like new. Well worth the money, and as ksmattfish said, "once fixed up will probably give several more decades of service before needing any further repair." Thatz also what the guy that rehauled it said. So..... get her done !
I love my Ae-1 more than ever now !!!

hobbes28 · May 23, 2005

You may want to contact Mitica here on the forum because I think he's done some of those repairs and I think he still regularly does them. Either way he's a great source of information.

Ghoste · May 23, 2005

Thanks guys =). I think I might take it into the LPS (Cal's Cameras for any of you socal locals) because one of the head guys is good friend of my moms and I think they would probally help me out. Yeah for what I could pay for repairs and what I could pay for in a new body I think I'll get it fixed because other than that this body is in excellent condition.

panocho · May 23, 2005

If the only problem is light leaks due to the foam needing a replace, you can do it yourself quite easily. You only need to have a little bit of hability with this kind of manual works, patience and care, but it's rather easy.
Yes, ask Mitica. I believe he has some information of a canon repair guy. He has also posted something about this. Besides, months ago, he sent me some foam to repair an A-1. I did it, and just a few days later I was ordering myself a kit of foam to put new foam in all my cameras

Mitica100 · May 24, 2005

Ghoste said:
My girlfriends dad has an AE-1 but the foam and all that stuff for the shutter is like deteriorated and leaking light. The camera shop told him it would be $150 to replace the foam stuff on the inside. Does that sound right to anyone? I just checked out the camera and it's in great shape. No dings, scratches, dust, dirt, nothing. It looks brand new and he told me I can use it all I want when he gets it fixed. He also has some nice lenses =). I wan't this camera fixed but $150 seems alot.

That's quite a rip-off at that price. Ask a second opinion as well.

I do this kind of work as well, I replace the light sealing foam on the door and the mirror damper too. PM me if you're interested. I can do it for $24.99 plus $7.95 shipping (back).

Either way, good luck with it. If for some reason you discover that your AE1 has the shutter squeak I can refer you to a camera tech that lubricates the mirror return mechanism for about $40.00

photong · May 26, 2005

Mine cost me $150. But it wasn't from that. Something with the shutter

but they did replace the foam which was falling apart.

wharrison · Jun 8, 2005

Ghoste:

Several months ago, I sent my wife's AE-1 to the person below, who did a superb job of giving her camera a CLA (Cleaning, Lubrication, and Adjustment). The cost, plus return shipping) for her camera was around $85.00.

Within the next week or two, I'll be sending my newly purchased A-1 camera body and the Canon A2 power winder for the same CLA.

Karl was highly recommended by several people at photo.net and I concur.

Here's Karl's address and email address.

Karl Aimo
1104 Sheffield Heights
Saugus, MA 01906

[email protected]

Hope this is useful!

Bill

Ghoste · Jun 9, 2005

Thank you very much for the info!

photo1 · Jun 9, 2005

Mitica100: Wish I had you around a few years back. I had four AE'S and one A1
but some one needed them more than me I gess as they were stolen a few years back. Now I am stuck with an EOS3 not near as goog as my old A2 or the AE'S. I went swiming with one one time and still was able to save film and camera not sure it would work with todays stuff.
Lost my RB67 in the same theift