Is my Canon A1 broken forever?

NEPats37 · Mar 25, 2007

I have a Canon A1 that i use all the time. I got a lens from a neighbore when i put it on it was a little dirty and got crap on the thing that is above the mirror. It looks like fogged glass with a circle in the middle(view finder) so i cleaned if off with a little glass cleaner and put the lens back on.(old lens not the new one). now in all four corners i have black. When i look through the view finder it is a circle not a square. All four corners are compleely black. Did i push dirt in the corners when I cleaned it? I made sure to get every lttle bit. Anyone know what to do?
Jimmy

NEPats37 · Mar 25, 2007

bump
sorry but i really nedd help

Pixel9ine · Mar 25, 2007

Jimmy,

You need to be very careful when cleaning the focusing screen on older Canon (indeed, ANY) SLR cameras - that's the matte plastic material with the split-prism in the centre - it's pretty delicate and can be easily scratched.

And while it seems you were a little hasty in mounting this "dirty" lens onto your camera, I don't think the viwfinder's the cause of the problem. (I doubt you've somehow managed to get an equal amount of dirt into all four corners of the focusing screen.)

Have you run through a roll of film with this lens yet? Chances are, your pictures will look the same as the viewfinder - with dark corners.

This problem sounds more like a vignetting problem with your new lens - which leads me to ask what lens you're trying to mount on your A-1, anyway?

NEPats37 · Mar 25, 2007

Croesus said:
Jimmy,

You need to be very careful when cleaning the focusing screen on older Canon (indeed, ANY) SLR cameras - that's the matte plastic material with the split-prism in the centre - it's pretty delicate and can be easily scratched.

And while it seems you were a little hasty in mounting this "dirty" lens onto your camera, I don't think the viwfinder's the cause of the problem. (I doubt you've somehow managed to get an equal amount of dirt into all four corners of the focusing screen.)

Have you run through a roll of film with this lens yet? Chances are, your pictures will look the same as the viewfinder - with dark corners.

This problem sounds more like a vignetting problem with your new lens - which leads me to ask what lens you're trying to mount on your A-1, anyway?

its def the focus screen. i put my old lens on it and it looks the same. the dirt came from the foam above the mirror and smeared all over the screen. I used windex to clean it and now i cant even see through the screen.
but one other thing i noticed was that since this happened it keeps telling me on the bottom of the view finder that all my pictures are going to be over exposed. for example i had 1/1000 film speed and pointed it into the darkest part of my room. it was flashing f32. why is it giving me an over exposure warwing. weird stuff james

Pixel9ine · Mar 25, 2007

Well the A-1 was designed to be interchangeable focusing screens, so I guess that are careful technician will be able to replace it pretty easily.

You should probably replace the mirror foam as well - at that age, it's can easily disintegrate and turn into a black smeary mess.

This might help you: http://canonfd.com/a1service/a1service.pdf ... check page 43 under "Focusing Screen Replacement"

Pixel9ine · Mar 26, 2007

Croesus said:
http://canonfd.com/a1service/a1service.pdf ... check page 43 under "Focusing Screen Replacement"

Sorry, allow myself to correct - myself... that should be page 110 in the PDF.. (it's page 46 in the original document)

jwkwd · Mar 26, 2007

The bottom line is, having a screwed up screen will not effect your pictures. Windex is not the preferred cleaner for camera glass, but I guess you found that out. If you are able to focus with what you have, continue to use it while you shop around for someone to clean and replace your focusing screen. The screen itself should not cost more than $15 or 20 dollars. The CLA could go around $50- ? Heck, you might not even have to replace the screen.

NEPats37 · Mar 26, 2007

I found someone on another message board who has a collection of old non working a-1's. He is sending me a focusing screen for nothing....I'm just paying the shipping costs. There is a camera shop near me that can install it and replace the foam. Should I let them do it or just do it my self. They are gonna charge me 20 bucks to do it.
Thanks
James

jwkwd · Mar 27, 2007

For $20.00 I would let them do it. If you have the foam and have done it before, go ahead. I don't know how the focusing screen is held in an A-1. Good deal on finding another screen!

Mike_E · Mar 27, 2007

Spend the $20 then sell the canon and stick with the Nikon! LOL just kidding, but do have it done and spend some time getting to know your tech because if you are going to run with dinosaurs you are going to need him (her) in business and friendly!

NEPats37 · Mar 27, 2007

Mike_E said:
Spend the $20 then sell the canon and stick with the Nikon! LOL just kidding, but do have it done and spend some time getting to know your tech because if you are going to run with dinosaurs you are going to need him (her) in business and friendly!

ive used him before,they are great. yeah 20 bucks aint to bad....i really want to get it fixed so I can use my"new" fd zoom lens 80-200
check out there website http://www.midstatecamerarepair.com

f8lranger4x4 · Mar 30, 2007

Ebay the screen they are running for like 10 $ last time i checked also talk a camera dealer around you they always have ways of getting a hold of these parts.

NEPats37 · Mar 30, 2007

all fixed....put the screen in today. im bringing it in tomorrow to get it refoamed and just double checked.

burtharrris · Apr 1, 2007

I've had that problem a few times, its the light-sealing foam. After 20+ years its so degraded that it will come off on your fingertip. You probably smeared that on the focusing screen when you tried to clean it.